Due Friday, March 23
General Description
Write a 5 to 6 page essay on some topic related to the mathematical
subjects studied in MA165. You may write about the historical
development of some aspect of probability,
statistics, graph
theory, or geometry and measurement
or you may investigate a special topic within those fields. The
list of topics below is not meant to be exhaustive. However,
if you have another idea for a paper, come discuss it with me
before writing to make sure that you have selected a doable topic.
Alternatively, you may write a pair of 3-4 page response papers
based on two chapters 4,5, or 8 from Mathematics Through the
Eyes of Faith. If you choose this option, your paper should
not merely summarize the material, but should also demonstrate
your reflection on and engagement with the ideas presented in
the chapters.
Before starting your paper, carefully study the examples of plagiarism and non-plagiarism on these sites. www.ccc.commnet.edu/mla/plagiarism.shtml and www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml.
Prior to giving your paper to me, submit it to Turnitin
. You can submit your paper multiple times to clean up plagiarism
problems. (Class ID: 4669530; Enrollment Password: rosentrater;
Instructions)
Note that Turnitin only checks for verbatim use of sources. A
clean Turnitin report does not mean that there are no problems
with uncredited sources of graphics, ideas, arguments, or organization.
Print out a copy of the following statement, sign it and turn it in with your
paper.
Technical Requirements:
- Pages should be numbered and set up with 1 inch margins top and bottom and 1.25 inch side margins.
- Use a standard, readable, 12-point font such as Times New Roman.
- Your paper should be double spaced.
- If you want to insert equations, use italics for variables and subscript and superscript fonts (under the Format menu) to create the subscripts and powers. Alternately you can insert an object of type equation. You may need to install Equation 3.0 from your MS Word or MS Office CD. Your formulas should look like
| x2 + y2 = 1
or x1 + x2 =12
not x^2 + y^2 =1 or x1 +x2 =12. |
- All paragraphs should be well organized and have a clear relationship to the main ideas of the paper.
- Use complete sentences with proper grammar and punctuation.
- Proof read your paper and run it through a spell checker before you submit it.
- Your paper should use reviewed print sources (though you might find and access them via the web) and not just internet sources.
- Carefully evaluate your sources -- particularly those from
the internet.
Plagiarism and Crediting Sources:
|
To plagiarize is to present someone else's work-his or her words, line of thought, or organizational structure-as your own. This occurs when sources are not cited properly, or when permission is not obtained from the original author to use his or her work. Another person's "work" can take many forms: printed or electronic copies of computer programs, musical compositions, drawings, paintings, oral presentations, papers, essays, articles or chapters, statistical data, tables or figures, etc. In short, if any information that can be considered the intellectual property of another is used without acknowledging the original source properly, this is plagiarism. Please familiarize yourself with the entire Westmont College Plagiarism Policy. This document defines different levels of plagiarism and the penalties for each. It also contains very helpful information on strategies for avoiding plagiarism. It cannot be overemphasized that plagiarism is an insidious and disruptive form of academic dishonesty. It violates relationships with known classmates and professors, and it violates the legal rights of people you may never meet. Westmont College Plagiarism Statement |
Plagiarism is the use of another's work (including words, logic, ideas, drawing, artwork, expression, etc.) without acknowledging its origin. Plagiarism has severe consequences both inside and outside of academia. See for example the following stories (story 1, story 2, story 3). At its heart, plagiarism is a dishonest act that has no place in the life of a Christian or at an institution of higher learning.
- Be sure to provide references in the body of your paper for all ideas, information, and diagrams you have gained from other sources. It is not sufficient to provide a bibliography and references for quotes. Failure to properly credit your sources is plagiarism and will result in severe penalties. Depending on the severity of the omissions, you may receive an F on the assignment or for the course or be expelled from the Westmont. You should read the Westmont College plagiarism policy before you begin writing your paper and again before you turn it in.
- For questions about plagiarism and referencing consult the
two sites below. Consider carefully the examples of plagiarism
and non-plagiarism on these sites. www.ccc.commnet.edu/mla/plagiarism.shtml
and www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml.
Rutgers University has produced an entertaining set of educational videos on plagiarism. - Include the full citation of all works referenced in a bibliography at the end of your paper. (See the "Citing Sources" links at www.ccc.commnet.edu/mla/online.shtml if you are unsure of the proper format.)
- When you cite your sources in the body of the paper, you
should either use one of the two following forms:
- [Jones, 50], where “Jones” is replaced by the author you are citing and “50” is replaced by the number of the page you are referencing. When needed to distinguish between multiple references, include the year of publication in the reference. [Jones 1998, 50]
- Use a standard footnote with a superscript number and the reference at the bottom of the page. If you use footnotes, be sure to also use the shorthand notations such as “Ibid” to reduce the size of the footnotes.
Before before you turn in your paper, run it through Turnitin to check for plagiarism/citation
problems. You can submit your paper multiple times to clean up
plagiarism problems. (Class ID: 4669530; Enrollment Password:
rosentrater) Instructions
for Turnitin.
Top of page
General Suggestions for all papers:
- Select a single approach/theme/thesis and stick to it. Moving between ideas without tying them to a central point makes for a poor paper.
- Make sure that you support your claims with clear arguments and examples. Never simply make a claim and then move on to the next point. Make sure that you develop and support the arguments rather than skipping from one point to another.
- Answer or address any obvious questions that your paper raises. In particular, always address the "why" question.
- Avoid clichés and contractions.
- Be specific; give examples.
- Think about what you are going to write and make an outline before you begin putting words on paper. This will keep you from wandering.
- Give yourself plenty of time to think about what you write. Don't try to throw something together at the last minute.
- Have someone proof your paper who will give you honest feedback. Use a person who does not already know what you are trying to say, but who is a good writer.
- Make sure that your reader will understand how each point fits into the overall plan of your paper.
- If you include algebraic derivations, assume that your reader is algebraically competent. Instead of including all the steps, include only major steps but explain what you are doing and why.
- Before using internet sources you should spend some time at Internet Detective and The Virtual Training Suite learning how to evaluate sites. Make sure that you use sources other than internet sources.
- The use of first person is usually inappropriate for this type of paper.
- Diagrams can be very effective in communicating an idea.
Topic Suggestions
Probability:
1. Pascal's triangle and its use in counting. (Be sure to
address why, not just what for any facts.)
2. Paradoxes in probability.
3. Bayes' Law and conditional probability.
Statistics:
Graph Theory:
Geometry:
1. Non-Euclidean geometry.
2. Transformations and fractals.
3. Projective geometry and the theory of perspective in art.
4. Impossible geometric constructions.
5. Symmetry and fractals.
7. Group theory in mathematics and in Piaget's theories.
8. Matrices and transformations.
9. Applications of symmetry groups in science.
Possible Initial Sources:
1. A History of Mathematics, Boyer and Merzbach.
2. The Mathematical Experience, Davis and Hersch.
3. The World of Mathematics, Newman.
4. The Geometry Center on the Internet:
5. Symmetry in Chaos, Field and Golubitsky
6. Why Beauty is Truth, Stewart.
Comments about the content of this page should be sent to: Ray Rosentrater rosentr 'at' westmont.edu