Have you guys ever written an article in your undergrad math class?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the writing requirements for an undergraduate Ordinary Differential Equations (ODE) course, specifically focusing on the challenges and strategies for writing math articles. Participants express concerns about writing skills, audience awareness, and the implications of grammar on grading.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses anxiety about their writing skills and grammar, seeking advice on writing math articles.
  • Another suggests considering the audience and the expected level of technicality, recommending communication with the professor for clarity on expectations.
  • Some participants argue that the writing assignments are beneficial for understanding the material and developing analytical skills, while others feel the requirements may be excessive.
  • A participant shares a resource for writing math papers, emphasizing the importance of clarity and minimal use of symbols.
  • Concerns are raised about the fairness of grading international students on language proficiency, with some arguing that it may disadvantage them.
  • Another participant counters that the grading scheme allocates only a small portion of points to grammar, suggesting it may not be a significant issue.
  • Some participants question the necessity of extensive writing requirements, suggesting that shorter, more concise submissions could be sufficient.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a mix of agreement and disagreement regarding the writing requirements. While some see the assignments as valuable for skill development, others contest the volume and nature of the writing tasks, indicating that the discussion remains unresolved.

Contextual Notes

There are varying opinions on the appropriateness of the writing assignments, with some participants noting potential challenges for international students regarding language and grammar. The discussion also highlights differing views on the necessity and effectiveness of the writing tasks in relation to the course content.

flyingpig
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Okay I just checked out my ODE professor's site for next year and I notice that all of her assignments are writing-based...

I've attached one of the sample assignments (there are like four writing assignments in one semester...), the marking scheme and a sample article I am a little worried because I am not a very good writer and my grammar just suck.

Does anyone have any advice on writing good math articles? I am a little worried about it...
 

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Just keep in mind your audience, and the level of technicality expected of you. You wouldn't write the same way on this subject to your grandma that you would to a fellow student, and you wouldn't write the same to a fellow student as you would to your professor. Ask your professor exactly what he is expecting in terms of formalism and technicality, and go from there. It seems like the assignments are extremely well described, so that shouldn't be an issue.

It sounds like this will be good practice, though, if you're this worried about it!
 
If you are taking ODE, don't be overwhelm by the writing requirements. The ODE sample looks pretty straightforward. Solve the ODE and describe what is going on, although the sample article goes a little bit more by providing the scientific facts of the equation.

I like the idea that you get to write an analysis. It's a beautiful thing because instead of solving a problem mechanically (like a robot), you actually have to put in time to understand what each step of your solution mean to you (and to the reader). It can help you with your science / mathematics / engineering, as well as catching mistakes.
 
jwxie said:
If you are taking ODE, don't be overwhelm by the writing requirements. The ODE sample looks pretty straightforward. Solve the ODE and describe what is going on, although the sample article goes a little bit more by providing the scientific facts of the equation.

I like the idea that you get to write an analysis. It's a beautiful thing because instead of solving a problem mechanically (like a robot), you actually have to put in time to understand what each step of your solution mean to you (and to the reader). It can help you with your science / mathematics / engineering, as well as catching mistakes.

A sentence or two is okay, but four paragraphs and writing it four times seems unnecessary to me...

Not to mention there are other problems as well in addition to those writing assignments.
 
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I think it's a great idea. While your excuse that your grammar "sucks" might pass when sitting a maths/physics exam, it certainly won't when it comes to whatever profession you end up in, or even in applying for jobs in the future. It's a good idea to work on your grammar and writing skills now so that it won't count against you further down the line.
 
osnarf said:
Just keep in mind your audience, and the level of technicality expected of you. You wouldn't write the same way on this subject to your grandma that you would to a fellow student, and you wouldn't write the same to a fellow student as you would to your professor. Ask your professor exactly what he is expecting in terms of formalism and technicality, and go from there. It seems like the assignments are extremely well described, so that shouldn't be an issue.

It sounds like this will be good practice, though, if you're this worried about it!

This is great advice, and I highly recommend that the OP adopt this advice for any general situation where clear and concise communication is required. As a scientist/engineer/analyst/etc, you will be working with people with very different domains of experience/knowledge/perspective/understanding, and your job will be to get a problem, analyze it, and tell other people in the minimal way possible your recommendation/advice.
 
flyingpig said:
A sentence or two is okay, but four paragraphs and writing it four times seems unnecessary to me...

And before even taking the course, you feel qualified to decide that it is being taught all wrong.

We have a word for doing things you are not good at in the hope of improving. It's called learning. I think the professor here has a great idea.
 
I think this will be a great assignment. I had to write quite a few articles in my undergraduate classes, and I benefited greatly from all of them.

Writing a math article is quite a skill and it's not an easy one to obtain. Check "tex.loria.fr/typographie/mathwriting.pdf"[/URL] which gives quite a few hints on how to write a good math paper.

A few hints:
try to use as few symbols as necessary, symbols like [itex]\forall,~\exists,~\Rightarrow,...[/itex] should rarely be used.
Use text to glue your arguments together. Do not just give a long calculation, but describe what you're doing.
Don't begin a sentence with a symbol, ever.
Try to copy the style from your math book.
 
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micromass said:
Writing a math article is quite a skill and it's not an easy one to obtain. Check "tex.loria.fr/typographie/mathwriting.pdf"[/URL] which gives quite a few hints on how to write a good math paper.[/quote]

I will check that out

[quote]
A few hints:
try to use as few symbols as necessary, symbols like [itex]\forall,~\exists,~\Rightarrow,...[/itex] should rarely be used.[/quote]

And here I thought I should use more because this is a math article...[quote]
Don't begin a sentence with a symbol, ever.[/quote]

How do you even...?

[quote]
Try to copy the style from your math book.[/QUOTE]

I've read James Stewart's book (both MVC and Single Variables) and all of his ambigous explanations, I am pretty good at decoding him so that boosts my confidence.

I am a little more worried about the "pleasant to read" part. I also find it a little bit unfair to international students that he or she will get marked based on their language. My grammar is competent, but not seriously great so I am just worried about little mistakes (the ones people never find no matter how many times they read it).

But thanks for the advice everyone
 
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  • #10
flyingpig said:
I also find it a little bit unfair to international students that he or she will get marked based on their language. My grammar is competent, but not seriously great so I am just worried about little mistakes (the ones people never find no matter how many times they read it).

Presumably you're taking a course taught in English for a reason. And besides, I looked at the mark scheme, and there are only 2 points for spelling and grammar out of the 22 on offer for the assignment.
 
  • #11
flyingpig said:
I also find it a little bit unfair to international students that he or she will get marked based on their language. My grammar is competent, but not seriously great so I am just worried about little mistakes (the ones people never find no matter how many times they read it).
I'm an international student and would seriously start hating and questioning the quality of the institution that gave us an easier time with grammar just because of that. If someone is worried about making mistakes pertaining to the use of language, there's always the possibility of studying in a country where they use their first one, and such positive discrimination would actually be totally unfounded and completely unfair to domestic students. What's next, overlooking grammar mistakes of those domestic students that come from a part of the country that has a stronger local accent than others?
 
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  • #12
flyingpig said:
A sentence or two is okay, but four paragraphs and writing it four times seems unnecessary to me...

Not to mention there are other problems as well in addition to those writing assignments.

It's only a sample. You have to decide what to write. I am not sure why the sample article includes those scientific facts, but the paragraphs that deals with the solution is not bad at all. It can be done much shorter. No doubt. You have to consult with the instructor to find about what is acceptable and what is not.

Yeah. There are many problems, which look pretty much a nightmare. The first couple assignments may seem long and difficult, but you may find a "trick" to simplify the writing procedures afterward.

Again, don't worry about it too much. If you wish, begin learning Differential equation right now. You have a whole summer :]
 

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