Purpose: This course addresses some of the rough edges of our physics majors. Our plan is that you will emerge from this course able correctly to explain physics to others. This means we will work on your presentation skills, which is another way of saying we will develop your abilities in public speaking. We will also improve your knowledge of physics, and make sure you know how to improve that knowledge yourselves. You will be disappointed to find out how many gaps there are in your understanding of physics; try not to be too disheartened, as this is and always has been normal for senior physics majors. As part of your development we also require some public service from you, which in this case will be your presenting a one-day Cool Science program at Manitou Springs Elementary School.
Requirements: All parts of this course must be completed satisfactorily for you to receive credit, without which you will not graduate. The most important requirement of this course is the seminar you will present later in the semester. Although most of your course grade will depend on this seminar, for which you ought to receive a high grade, shoddy work on the rest would pull that down. I don't expect any shoddy work. You are also required to atttend the other students' seminars and to email an evaluation of each to me. Each student's evaluations will be compiled and forwarded to him or her.
One more (possible) part of the course: If some of you are going to be taking the physics GRE some day, we will focus part of our physics review on the sort of questions featured on that test. They're interesting even if you're not going to graduate school in physics.
Schedule of class meetings, etc.