Advance to:

• Nature of Physics Department SIPs
• SIP Structures
• How do I find a SIP Mentor
• Planning for your SIP
• SIP Evaluation
• SIP Presentation
• Honors in the Department
• Style Guidelines

Nature of Physics Department SIP’s:

Senior Integrated Projects supervised by the Department of Physics can be done by any student, however, only those majoring or occasionally minoring in Physics will be able to meet departmental requirements. In most cases the SIP involves doing research in physics or a very closely related field either under the direction of a Kalamazoo College faculty member or a research group off campus with supervision by both the research mentor and a member of the Kalamazoo College physics department (SIP advisor). Appropriate off campus opportunities include research at national labs, REU programs at colleges and universities, research with individual faculty or research groups at other colleges and universities, and research labs in industry.

SIP Structures:

1. Summer 1-unit SIP: A reasonably complete draft is due on the first day of the Fall quarter. The final draft due by Friday of week 2 of the Fall quarter.
2. Summer-Fall 2-unit SIP: If done off campus, the actual research is done over the summer and the write-up is completed in the Fall. A reasonably complete draft is due by Monday of tenth week of the Fall quarter. The final draft is due by Friday of finals week of the Fall quarter.
3. Summer-Winter 2-unit SIP: A reasonably complete draft is due by Monday of tenth week of the Winter quarter. The final draft is due by Friday of finals week of the Winter quarter. [Note: A Summer-Winter SIP is an unusual quarter combination for physics SIPs, and will be approved only in special cases warranted by the nature of the research project.]
4. Fall 1-unit SIP or Winter 1-unit SIP (uncommon for Physics SIPS): The project is performed on campus. A reasonably complete draft is due the first day of the following term, and the final draft is due by Friday of week 2 of the following term.
5. Fall-Winter 2-unit SIP (rare for Physics SIPS): The project is performed on campus. A reasonably complete draft is due by Monday of Winter tenth week, and the final draft is due by Friday of Winter finals week.

NOTE: It is expected that you and your departmental SIP advisor will have gone through several iterations of your write-up prior to you producing a “reasonably complete” draft.

How do I find a SIP mentor?

There are many ways to find a SIP mentor and a suitable SIP. Some suggested avenues to pursue are listed below.

1. REU programs: Check out the REU link on the Physics Department website. These are programs typically at large universities, which use them partly to recruit graduate students. They are very competitive and thus careful preparation and thought is needed when applying. You should make sure you indicate that you will be doing this research as part of a requirement at K because that might be a positive.
2. Surf the web: Some research institutions and companies have paid summer internships in areas relevant to physics or engineering and most have web pages with information on their programs (including downloadable application materials, eligibility criteria, stipends, and deadlines for application).
3. Ask a faculty member: Approach faculty members to inquire about research opportunities with them or to ask whether they know of any opportunities. Often they receive advertisements from other sources, or they may have colleagues at other institutions that are looking for summer help.
4. Contact researchers and institutions directly: Perhaps you know of a lab or project that is doing the type of research that you are particularly interested in, or you are fixed on the idea of being in a particular geographic location and want to look for something in that area. Initiative on your part is likely to be viewed positively so don’t be shy about contacting the lab or project coordinator directly to express your interest in working with them.

NOTE: When applying for internships, there are usually a number of documents that you must assemble. These vary with the specific program to which you apply, but generally include:

• an application form with biographical information, educational background and interests.
• resume showing educational background and work experience
• a written personal statement of research interests, career plans and goals (including why the program you are applying to would help you meet these goals)
• an official copy of your undergraduate transcript
• letters of reference (professors, employers, others) – Keep in mind that the registrar’s office and faculty members need advance notice to prepare transcripts and letters of recommendations. Faculty members need to see a well-written personal statement before writing a letter of recommendation.  Plan accordingly.  Visit the Center for Career & Professional Development (Dewing Hall- first floor) for assistance with resume writing, cover letter writing, and interviewing for a job.

Planning for your SIP:

Studying abroad for two terms in the junior year: If you are considering doing work on your SIP during the summer between your junior and senior year, then you must collect materials before you leave on study abroad, and you must apply for off-campus opportunities while you are abroad.

All other situations: You must collect materials during the Fall of your junior year and usually application deadlines occur during the Winter term.

Course planning: If you will be doing an experimental SIP you should have taken Phys. 370-380 beforehand. If you will be doing a computational SIP then you should take CS 110 before starting your SIP.

For any SIP you pursue, you should read relevant articles on the topic of the SIP during the term before you start your SIP. Ask your SIP supervisor for suggestions on what to read. If you do an off-campus SIP, make sure your supervisor understands that your work is part of a Kalamazoo College requirement. It is essential that you learn about the physics behind what you are doing, and not just perform tasks assigned to you. Ideally, experimental projects should expose the student to all stages of research, including experimental conception and design, equipment construction and testing, data acquisition and analysis, and the effective communication of the method and results to peers. Computational projects should also expose the student to all stages of research including problem conception and relationship to real systems, program writing and testing, data acquisition and analysis, and the effective communication of the method and results to peers.

SIP Evaluation:

Soon after you hand in your final draft, your on-campus SIP advisor will read your draft and suggest any final changes. Your SIP may be sent to other members of the department to evaluate for a grade of Honors, Pass, or Fail. Your SIP will be evaluated on three pieces of evidence:

1. Your write-up;
2. If you have an off-campus SIP, an evaluation from your off-campus mentor; and
3. An evaluation from your (on-campus) SIP advisor.

To earn a grade of “pass” for your SIP, you must demonstrate a clear understanding of your research and demonstrate your individual contribution to your project or team project. An important component of the evaluation will be your success at integrating your knowledge of physics from coursework into your research project. The quality of the writing in your SIP will also be important.

In addition to the criteria for passing, to earn a grade of “honors” for your SIP, you must demonstrate evidence of originality in your contribution to the physics or engineering associated with your project or team project, and must produce an exceptionally well-written SIP write-up.

In rare cases the department may conduct an oral exam by faculty in the Physics department.

SIP Presentation:

All physics majors must give a 20–30 minute oral presentation on their SIPs. This is usually done in the Spring term of the senior year and should be directed toward sophomore and junior physics majors. If you do a SIP in another department, this requirement may be met by public presentations in the other department. All junior and senior physics majors are strongly encouraged to attend SIP presentations.

Honors in the Department:

Honors in Physics is based on three criteria: (1) SIP evaluation (2) performance in coursework beyond the introductory sequence, and (3) performance on the departmental comprehensive exam. To obtain honors, normally at least two of the above criteria must be honors level work (i.e. honors in the SIP, grades of A in the coursework, and Pass with Distinction on the comprehensive exam). If you do a SIP outside the Physics Department, you must show exceptional work in the other two criteria.

Style Guidelines:

The main text (exclusive of figures) of a Physics SIP should total about 15 to 25 pages. In addition there will be a bibliography and reference list and there may be computer programs, a glossary, complex derivations, etc. which appear in the appendices. Each figure should be placed immediately after its first reference in the text, and each figure must have a figure caption.

Every SIP should explain the nature of the system investigated, the relevant physics, the methods used to study the system, the results obtained, and an evaluation of the results. In most cases you will be working with other people on your research and your contribution will be a part of a larger effort. The SIP can discuss other work if it’s needed to understand your contribution, but you must make clear what part of the project was yours. This can be done in an introduction or preface. Write your SIP so that it will be understandable to another senior physics major.

Advance to:

• Preliminaries
• Pagination, margins, and spacing
• Copyright policy
• Acknowledgments, footnotes, and title page

Preliminaries

• Title page, followed by a blank sheet of paper
• Preface, including acknowledgments
• Abstract (option of the SIP department)
• Table of contents, with page references
• List of tables, with titles and page references
• List of illustrations, with titles and page references
• List of appendices, with titles and page references
• Introduction
• Main body, with larger divisions indicated by suitable headings
• The References
• Appendices
• Bibliography

Pagination

Each page in the paper, except the blank sheet following the title page, should be assigned a number as explained below.

• The preliminaries use small Roman numerals, centered one-half inch above the bottom of the page. This blank sheet is neither counted nor numbered. The title page counts as the first page, but no number appears. The first number, then, is “ii” and appears on the page after the blank sheet.
• The remainder of the paper, including the appendices and bibliography, uses Arabic numerals, centered one-half inch below the top of the page. Number each page on which material appears. Begin with “1” and run consecutively to the end of the paper.

Margins

The left margin must be at least one and one-half inches wide in order to allow for binding. All other margins (right, top, and bottom) should be one inch.

Spacing

Use double spacing throughout the paper. Footnotes and long quoted passages should be single-spaced.

Copyright Policy

Kalamazoo College is committed to the provisions of copyright laws. The inherent value of these laws, as stated by EDUCOM, is endorsed: “Respect for intellectual labor and creativity is vital to academic discourse and enterprise. This principle applies to works of all authors and publishers in all media. It encompasses respect for the right to acknowledge, right to privacy, and right to determine the form, manner, and terms of publication and distribution.”  All members of the College community have the responsibility of adhering to the copyright laws. 

Taken from EDUCOM. 1993. Using software: a guide to the ethical and legal use of software for members of the academic community. Washington, DC.

Acknowledgments

Please observe the rules of courtesy. Give recognition to those who made significant contributions to your project.

Footnotes

Footnoting is necessary to avoid plagiarism. Please observe the style preferences of the department and your faculty SIP supervisor.

Title Page

In addition to the complete title, the title page should contain the following:

• Author’s name
• Name and office of the on-site supervisor (if applicable)
• Name and department of the faculty SIP supervisor
• The legend: “A paper submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts at Kalamazoo College.”
• Year of imprint

Many REUs and internships provide the financial support students need so they are able to devote the necessary time to their project without having to find additional work. For those situations when students don’t receive the necessary financial support for their project, there are some options available

• If you receive an unpaid internship, the CCPD has some funding options: https://career.kzoo.edu/students/internships/summer-internships/
• If you are a Heyl recipient, you are eligible to receive summer research funding once during your time at Kalamazoo College: https://heyl.kzoo.edu/current-scholars/forms/
• If you are doing a SIP in Physics, reach out to a department faculty member to see if you are eligible for any SIP funding specific to students doing a Physics SIP.
• If you are doing a SIP in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and/or environmental sustainability, reach out to a department faculty member, and ask about the Hawkins SIP Fund.
• If you are an international student, please check with the CIP to see if they have resources.
• If you have an innovative or imaginative SIP project, you should check out the Hough Foundation SIP grant: https://fellowships.kzoo.edu/provostofficestudentgrants/. (There are several grants listed on that site. The Hough has an award specifically for STEM.)
• If you still need more options, check out the Grants, Scholarships, and Fellowships page: https://fellowships.kzoo.edu/