Math 200 and Math 201 course webpage,
Spring 2007
Which lecture should I write about?
Write about one of the lectures you find interesting. Also, because of your time contraints, it helps to write about one of the earlier lectures. If you're having trouble picking a topic, please come see me.
Do I have to attend lectures other than the one I'm writing about?
Yes, you have to attend at least 7 of the lectures. Make sure you write your name on the sign-up sheet circulated at the lecture.
Do I have to write about the exact topic of the lecture?
No, you can write about something tangentially related. For instance, a lecture about surface geometry may only mention geodesics (these are locally length-minimizing paths), and their mention gives you license to write an entire 8 page paper about them.
Does this paper need to have math in it?
Absolutely, yes. Your paper should carefully explain at least one general result and an example or two.
How much explaining should my paper have?
Try handing the paper to an interested friend who doesn't specifically know the subject you're writing about. This person should be able to read and understand your paper.
What is a good place to look for references?
Try looking at mathscinet first. Another good source is JSTOR. You can also try doing a subject search in the UConn library catalog. If you still have trouble finding references, please come see me.
What format should I use?
Firstly, I'd like the main text to be typed, rather than hand written. Even if you have nice handwriting. Second, while you can use whichever word processing and typesetting program you wish, modern mathematical writing is mostly done using a program called latex. (Pronunciation of this name is the subject of much debate.) There are some links above to latex guides, writing style guides, and a latex template.