You are required to submit a research paper on any topic of your choice relating in some way to nuclear or particle physics. The paper should be an in-depth development and review of a fairly specific topic which combines quantitative reasoning and physics insight. You are expected to consult original research journals, advanced texts, and/or serials which contain reviews updating a field. Your topic may be associated with lab courses or research or independent study you're involved with, but this paper should be a significant extension of what you alread know or are familiar with.

You will need to submit a one sentence written "choice of topic" by Wed, Mar. 5, (which I must approve), and a brief abstract (with at least 3 references) is required by Wed., Mar 19. Feel free to consult with me about the topic before Mar. 5 - although I will not be an expert on many topics you might choose, I may have some ideas about suitability, and reserve the right to veto ideas I suspect won't work out. I can also provide you with a list of possible topics, if you can't find one on your own.

The abstract should be a one paragraph statement of your topic, with a summary of the main ideas you intend to develop. (I won't mind if your abstract changes by the time you write the paper) The references should be from advanced textbooks or journal/review articles.

The paper itself is due on Fri, Apr. 4, and should be typed. in a style (including reference conventions) similar to papers published in a professional physics journal such as Physical Review. However, you should aim the level of your paper so that it can be read and understood (perhaps with some effort!) by one of your good fellow classmates. I will return your papers with comments and suggestions, and you are welcome to turn in a rewritten version, also typed, due by Mon, Apr. 14. You will be judged on content, organization, use of evidence/reference, logic, and clarity of presentation. I would like to see you develop a topic in depth. A purely historical review is not sufficient.

The length is up to you. I would suggest 6-10 pages might be appropriate for most topics. (Figures, pictures, appendices, and references might add a bit?)

In addition, you will be asked to make a 15-20 minute presentation of your paper to the class, which will be followed by 5 minutes for questions from. me and your classmates. (These will happen in the week of Apr. 21-Apr. 25) You may use the board, or prepare overhead transparencies. (I suggest about 1 sparsely worded transparency for every 3 minutes!)

Some topic ideas to start you off:

Discovery of the top quark.

The solar neutrino puzzle.

Neutrino mass measurements and neutrino oscillations.

The "spin crisis" of the proton (Deep inelastic polarized electron scattering)

CP violation.

The dark matter puzzle.

Atomic Parity Violation.

The quark model.

Unified field theories.

Ultra high energy cosmic rays

Cosmology and the early universe.

Heavy ion colliders.

The search for the Higgs.

TeX and LaTeX are available on some of the NeXT machines. These are scientific typesetting languages - extremely powerful, but if you've never used them there's a bit of a learning curve!