Course Information
Math 392/492: Sophomore Seminar/ Senior
Seminar - Section 01, Spring 2015
1 Credit: W 3:00 - 3:50pm Bridges Room
268
Textbook: None
Instructor: Justin James, Mathematics Department
Office: MacLean 375M Office Phone: (218)477-4011
Office Hours: MTWThF 10:00 – 10:50am Email: jamesju@mnstate.edu
MTWTh 1:00 – 1:50pm Webpage: www.mnstate.edu/jamesju
F 3:00
– 3:50pm
Course Description:
Students will attend lectures where they will
be exposed to research level mathematics and general interest topics. The
students will also attend lectures given by their classmates.
Prerequisite: Math 310 (Math 392 is
a prerequisite for Math 492)
Course Requirements:
You are expected to attend class regularly
and on time. You are expected to give full attention to the presenter(s) each
week and to consider both the content that is presented and the manner in which
it is presented.
When the presentation is given by a guest
presenter, you will be expected to either turn in a summary of the content of
the talk or to complete a related activity or assignment. When the presentation is given by a
classmate, you will be expected to turn in a summary of the content of the talk
(or complete a related activity) and to evaluate the quality and effectiveness
of the presentation.
Students taking the course at the senior
level will be expected to give a 50 minute presentation on a research topic. Expect to put a significant amount of effort
into researching the topic and creating an appropriate presentation
Students taking the course at the sophomore
level will be expected to give a 25 minute presentation on a
general interest or recreational mathematics topic (you may choose to work
together with a classmate and give a combined 50 minute presentation). Sophomore level presentations will also
require research and preparation outside of class time.
Presentation grades will be based on both the
quality of the content and the effectiveness of the presentation.
Learning Outcomes (General):
·
Give a lecture on their own
research.
·
Understand applications of mathematics.
·
Understand proofs.
·
Understand some research level mathematics.
Instructional Strategies:
In class
presentations, presentation summaries, presentation evaluations
Attendance:
Since summarizing, evaluating, and giving
mathematical presentations comprise the vast majority of the course
requirements, attendance is mandatory.
You are allowed one excused
absence for the entire semester. Your
grade will be penalized 5% for each additional absence. I can think of very few circumstances that
would warrant any deviation from this policy.
Course Grading
Policy: Your
final grade in the course will be computed as follows:
Presentation
Summaries/Evaluations/Related Exercises: 140
points
In Class Presentation:
120
points
Presentation
Supporting Materials: 40 points
Total: 300
points
I will compute the percentage of the total
possible points each student earned during the semester (rounded to the nearest
.1%), and will then assign letter grades based on the following scale. I may make slight adjustments to this scale (down,
never up), but don’t count on this happening.
96.5-100.0% A+ 81.5-86.4% B 69.0-71.4% C–
91.5-96.5% A
79.0-81.4% B– 66.0-68.9% D+
89.0-91.4% A– 76.5-78.9% C+ 60.0-65.9% D
86.5-88.9% B+ 71.5-76.4% C <60.0% F
Make-up
Work: I
will only give make-up assignments or accept late work for extreme
personal emergencies or for absences which are officially sanctioned by the
University. I will expect written
documentation in either of these cases.
Special Accommodations: Students with disabilities who believe they may need an
accommodation in this class are encouraged to contact Greg Toutges,
Director of Disability Services at 477-4318 (Voice) or 1-800-627-3529
(MRS/TTY), Flora Frick 154 as soon as possible to ensure that accommodations
are implemented in a timely fashion. Information regarding Disability
Services is available at http://web.mnstate.edu/disability/
Academic Honesty: You are expected to
do your own work. All references must be cited and the final form of your
presentation must show a significant amount of synthesis drawing on multiple
sources and an involving an appropriate amount of your own creative
effort. Cheating and plagiarism are not tolerated
in any course at any level. See the MSUM Academic Honesty policy for more
information on the possible consequences of cheating.
Thanks,
And Let’s Have A Great Semester!!