Special Topics

Office Hours: Tuesday 1-3:30 and Thursday 1-3:30; other times by discovery.

Course Objectives: Mathematics 380 is required of all senior mathematics majors. Each student researches a topic or an article, then delivers a 45-minute oral presentation and written report. The student will experience reading recent mathematical results in scholarly journals and reference texts in the discipline at an advanced, integrated level. Moreover, students will learn how to present the findings of their endeavor in a mathematical talk and technical paper, and to listen to and critique the presentations of their peers.

Grading:
	Preparation	20%
	Presentation	50%
	Written Report	20%
	Attendance and Participation	10%

General expectations:
      1. The topic you research and the resultant talk are to be mathematics and not just about mathematics. A theorem or two to be proved is impressive; more trivial presentations will be graded accordingly.
      2. The talk is to be 45 minutes in length and no shorter; this will take planning on your part. You might want to give the talk to friends or a fictitious audience before your actual presentation. You should feel rather well prepared a week ahead of your scheduled talk. You will find that during the last week many unexpected questions will come to mind; it is then that you are really coming to understand the depth of your presentation.
      3. The talk is to be well-planned, using teaching aids such as overhead transparencies, class handouts, power point, colored chalk, et cetera as appropriate. We have some supplies available in the mathematics and computer science office.
      4. Absolutely feel free to stop by to discuss problem areas that you encounter.
      5. After your talk--within one week of the presentation--you must turn in a written copy of your research. Your write-up will include proofs and discussion of points that time would not allow in your actual oral presentation, in addition to the material actually presented. Be sure to include a list of references at the end of your paper.
      6. After your talk and during (if you so wish) members of the class may ask questions.
      7. Grades are to be determined on the difficulty of the material, the presentation, and the write-up, as well as your participation in and critique of the presentations of your peers.
      8. A notice containing an abstract of your talk is to be turned in one week prior to the talk. This will be copied and sent to department faculty and posted in Ivers.

Possible References:
      1. Mathematics Magazine
      2. The American Mathematical Monthly
      3. The College Mathematics Journal
      4. Computing in Science and Engineering
      5. The Mathematical Intelligencer

Some Internet Links:
      1. Mathematical Association of America
      2. American Mathematical Society
      3. Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics
      4. History of Mathematics archive
      5. Biographies of Women Mathematicians
      6. Dynamical Systems at Boston University
      7. Other Links for mathematics