TIME/PLACE: Winter 2009 (F2, KRH 345)
INSTRUCTOR: T. M. Thompson, KRH 332, ph: 2181
OFFICE HOURS: TBA
BULLETIN DESCRIPTION: Includes giving an oral report and writing a scholarly paper on an approved mathematical topic. Prerequisite MATH 451 or 461. Open to Junior/Senior mathematics majors only.
OBJECTIVES: This course is designed to enhance your college mathematical experience by giving you exposure to mathematical ideas and topics outside the standard curriculum presented by professors and your peers, and by giving you the experience of researching, writing, and presenting a scholarly paper on some topic or problem in mathematics of interest to you.
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES: By the beginning of the fifth week of the quarter (2 February, 5 p.m.) you must submit the Advisor Selection Form which includes your topic and the name and signature of the professor who has agreed to guide and advise you. By the beginning of the nineth week (2 March, 5 p.m.) you must submit a rough draft of your paper. Student oral presentations will occur during the period (10:00--11:50 a.m.Wednesday, 18 March) reserved for the final exam for the course.
SCHOLARLY PAPER: This is the major portion of your grade. The paper should be viewed as the write-up for your research. It should be done in standard form, with a cover page and references. It must be double-spaced. (You could use Microsoft Word (with the equation editor), or TeX, or some other appropriate software.) Figures (if any) should be drawn neatly or created with an appropriate software package. The length will vary from project to project but should be between five and ten pages including the cover page and references. Your main references should include three printed sources, one of which must be a text (as opposed to a journal article). Your paper will be graded on the breadth and correctness of its mathematical content, as well as the quality of presentation. Correct grammar and punctuation are expected. This paper is DUE at the time of the oral presentations. However, students who are not able to complete the paper by that time may receive an IP (in progress) grade, but must submit the completed paper by no later than Monday, 13 April, 5 p.m.
ORAL REPORT: Each student will present his/her research findings in a 25 minute (approximately) time period, including five minutes for questions. You will be provided with a Speaker Evaluation Form so that you can see what kinds of issues you should be concerned with as you prepare and give your presentation. The form will indicate the relative importance or weight assigned to each item.
ATTENDANCE: Since a large portion of Seminar involves being exposed to topics not ordinarily covered in other class work, and no other homework is required, attendance is important. Part of the life of a mathematical community is the mutual support that its members give each other and you are part of that community. In view of this, you will be allowed at most one absence. Every absence thereafter will lower your final grade by 5%. Two "tardies" will count as one absence.
GRADING: Your grade will be
based
on three components:
Scholarly
paper -- 65%
Oral
presentation
-- 35%
Attendance
| A: A-: B+: B: |
92-100% 90-91 88-89 82-87 |
B-: C+: C: C-: |
80-81% 78-79 67-77 65-66 |
D+: D: D-: F: |
63-64% 57-62 55-56 0-54 |