Brown Bag Teaching Seminar

Thursday, October 5, 12:00-1:00 in LAEB 1254

J. J. Price


Teaching Writing in Mathematics.



As mathematicians, we must write.  Businesses who recruit our students 
tell us they want their students to write (and speak) well... it is 
at least partly our responsibility to help them learn to do so.

J. J. Price's thesis is that we can help them learn to write. 

From the Handout for the session:

    GUIDELINES FOR WRITTEN HOMEWORK

1.  THE PURPOSE OF WRITTEN HOMEWORK

The purpose of written homework in this course is to develop your
skills in understanding and communicating mathematics.  It is not to
give you busy work or drill.  Don't think of your homework paper as a
certificate proving that you have done the assignment.  Think of it
as an exercise in learning, and reporting what you have learned.
There is a lot of truth in the saying, "If you can't explain it, you
don't understand it."

2.  YOUR RESPONSIBILITY

Communicate with the reader.  Do not write to the instructor (who already
knows how to do the problem), but explain your solution to someone who
needs help ...




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