NFYK14021U Classic astrophysical papers

Volume 2014/2015
Content

As students pass through the physics/astronomy curriculum, some topics are bound to be missed or covered only cursorily. At the same time, they will have had little experience (in general) with the “fundamental unit” of research, the published article. “Classic Astrophysical Papers” aims to address these two potential deficiencies by having students read and present classic papers from the field to their peers. We try and cover a wide range of topics including cosmology, galaxies and planets in both the theory and observational aspects. All student should read all the papers that are presented during the block (as they will be part of the exam) and will be encouraged to actively participate in all the discussions.

Learning Outcome

The purpose of the course is make the students acquainted with some of the most original and astonishing findings within astrophysics. The students are required to understand both the underlying physical context as well as the historical framework for their assigned paper. The students also get trained in how to present a research paper to their peers.
 

Skills

  • Be able to read and comprehend published scientific articles.
  • Practice presenting scientific results to peers and teachers.
  • Participate and lead discussions of scientific topics.

Knowledge

  • Learn from the literature about topics that are not covered in the standard curriculum or are covered very briefly.
  • Understand the format and content of scientific publications.
  • Learn the historical context for some major discoveries in astrophysics.

Competences

  • The ability to present and discuss high-level science confidently and clearly.
  • A broader scientific knowledge and the ability to absorb new topics quickly.
  • The big picture of how science is advanced and the interplay of observation and theory.

We pick 6-8 articles for the block and attempt to cover a wide-array of topics within astrophysics. Copies of the papers are provided both in print and online.

none
The course consists of student presentation of scholarly articles and a teacher-guided discussion of those articles following the presentations. The teacher is also available for questions outside of class times. The burden of the course falls on the students themselves, i.e., it is student-driven.
the course is given every second year.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Exam
  • 0,5
  • Lectures
  • 20
  • Preparation
  • 119,5
  • Seminar
  • 40
  • Study Groups
  • 26
  • Total
  • 206,0
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Oral examination, 20 minutes
The oral final exam consists of a 20-30 minute discussion of one of the articles from the course chosen at random, but not the paper that that student presented. The student should be able to describe the main points of the article and describe one or two of the figures or equations presented in the text.
Exam registration requirements
The presentations are assessed in terms of clarity and content. As a pass/fail course, the main assessment is have the students read and understood the paper and have they managed to present in a clear fashion which is understandable to their peers in the course. Secondarily, were they able to lead the discussion following their presentation? Finally, it is a bonus if they have been an active participant in the discussions of other’s papers.
Marking scale
passed/not passed
Censorship form
No external censorship
several internal examiners
Re-exam
same as ordinary
Criteria for exam assesment

see exam details.