Duke Physics

1. They are a way to document the progress made by the graduate students over the past year.
2. They help the student and the advisor to touch base with each other on what has been accomplished and what needs to be done. The advisor can use it as an official feedback to the student.
3. They help the PhD committee to learn quickly about the progress of the student over the past year.
4. They guide the DGS in assessing if the student is on track towards the PhD degree and help advise the students accordingly.
5. They help the department to collect statistics on student performances and provide examples of the research accomplished by the graduate students.

In the Physics Department, the Annual Reports are due March 31 each year, and are required before registration. Students will be given permission to register only after the report is submitted.

Download the Annual Report from here and fill it out electronically. .

1. List of courses you have taken in the past year (if applicable).
2. List of courses you plan to take next year (if applicable).
3. List of courses you still need to take to complete your course requirements.
4. List of other degree requirements you need to meet
5. Two page description of the research you have done in the past year (if applicable) and the research you plan to do in the coming year.
6. List of research talk(s) or posters you have presented during the past year.
7. List of papers you have published in the past year.
8. List of fellowships, grants, or awards you have applied for and/or received in the past year.
9. Date you plan to take your prelim if you have not already taken it.
10. If past your prelim, your estimated date of PhD completion.

Students should download the fillable pdf file from the link above and follow the instructions on the top to fill it.

Parts A through I are for the student to complete. In part I, the student needs to write a two page report on the research performed over the past year and the research being planned over the coming year. You can briefly include teaching and service activities if you have any. The description of the research must be at the advanced undergraduate level (mostly in words and with very few equations). It must contain a few lines of introduction and motivation for your work. Think in terms of the big picture and the important questions you are trying to answer. Do not include talks and publications in the two page write up since this already appears in part H of the electronic form. You can use 10pt font to pack more material.

Unlike past years, students who have just completed the prelim must also write the two page report separately. Students may use parts of their prelim report for use in the Annual Report. Similarly, students who defend their thesis also submit their final annual report in which they should summarize the accomplishments of their thesis. These students can use the abstract of their thesis as part of the two page report.

The Annual Report must then be sent to the advisor electronically who reviews parts A through I and fills out part J. For students in their second year, the faculty who supervised the research over the past summer will act as the advisor. DGS can act as the interim advisor for any student who does not have an advisor.

The Annual Report is then printed and signed by both the student and the advisor and a hard copy of the report is given to the DGS assistant before the deadline.

After the DGS reviews the Annual Report, the DGS assistant will place a copy in the students file and will forward a copy to the full PhD committee if applicable.