Many important scientific discoveries would have never been made if scientists disregarded data that didn't seem to agree with a theoretical prediction. In general, the only acceptable excuse for missing a lab is an emergency or serious illness, and whenever possible, you need to contact the TA prior to missing the lab. A note from the office of the Dean of Students may be required to excuse the absence. Because each experiment requires specialized equipment which is only set up for one week, it is often difficult to make-up missed labs. For these reasons, it is important that you make sure you are registered for a lab section which you will be able to attend for the entire semester.
Labs reports are due at the beginning of the lab, one week after they are completed.
Your lowest lab grade will be dropped at the end of the semester and the remaining grades will be averaged together for a final lab grade. Completing this minimum number of labs does not guarantee you will pass, but completing less than this minimum guarantees that you will not pass. We realize that each TA will grade a little differently from the others, so grades from all lab sections will be normalized to a common grading scale before they are added to your final course grade. Additional creativity and useful input beyond what is asked for in the lab manual is encouraged, and will often earn you that extra point. To summarize, a successful experimentalist is one who understands the scientific goals and principles behind the experiment, pays clear attention to the details and potential errors, and presents the results in a clear and accurate report.