Dr. Sarah's Math 4141: Differential Geometry Capstone Spring 2020
The best way to contact me outside of class is during office hours
or on the ASULearn Forum,
as I usually check the posts daily, even on weekends.
Office
Hours this week:
Syllabus
Capstone Project
The course activites and assignments are on ASULearn.
Here is a
tentative calendar.
Work is due on ASULearn by 11:55pm Thursday
unless otherwise noted, and detailed activities are described there.
- Thursday 1/16: Introduction to LaTeX and the course
1. Course and LaTeX intro video
2. LaTeX Software and testing template1.tex
3. Read Syllabus
4. Post your responses to the following in the Forum:
What is your preferred name?
What is the best way for us to get in touch with you outside of class? Give enough detail so we could contact you in this manner.
What is your prior experience, before this week, with LaTeX, if any?
How did it go when you tried compiling template1.tex into a PDF?
Any questions on anything, including the syllabus?
Tell us something about yourself to help us get to know you better.
- Thursday 1/23: Introduction to the capstone project and careers in mathematics (Peer Activity)
1. Read the Capstone Project
2. Selection of preliminary topic for capstone project: First-Come, First-Served on ASULearn
3. Appalachian's Career Development Center
4. Meet with YOUR PARTNER to discuss your plans for the first year after graduation from Appalachian, and your long-term career plans, and be able to summarize what THEIR plans are.
5. Answer the following:
What is your partner's name?
What are their plans for the first year after graduation from Appalachian?
What are their long-term career plans?
What are your plans?
(optional) Any questions about the career development center or capstone project?
(optional) Anything that I should know about you so that I can best meet your needs as a student/understand you better?
(optional but recommended) meet with me during week 2 or 3
- Thursday 1/30: Scholarly peer-reviewed sources
1. Videos and Library and General Sources
2. Answer the following:
Briefly summarize some important points in the videos (informal bullet points are fine here).
List three quality sources related to historical connections or real-life applications of your preliminary topic, and identify the sources as peer-reviewed or not.
Include at least one scholarly peer-reviewed source, and indicate how you can tell that it is.
To try to find some diverse people and cultures who contributed to your topic in some way. Report back on how this search went.
(optional but recommended) You can make a RAP appointment with the Library for help with your research
- Thursday 2/6: Part 1 of the capstone project
- Thursday 2/13: How to Write Mathematics (Peer Activity)
Read "How to write mathematics"
by Paul Halmos.
Enseign. Math. 16 (1970), 123-152 and discuss this with your partner.
Meet with your partner to discuss the article and share your own experiences writing in mathematics.
List some aspects from the reading and discussion with your partner that
surprised you or your partner, that you found interesting, disagreed with, or had a question on.
(optional but recommended) meet with me to discuss progress and challenges
- Thursday 2/20: Part 2 of the Capstone Project
- Thursday 2/27: Guidelines for Good Mathematical Writing
Read "
"Guidelines for Good Mathematical Writing" by Francis
Edward Su.
Name at least two aspects from the reading that
surprised you, that you found interesting, disagreed with, or had a question
on.
- Thursday 3/5: Capstone survey
The survey is accessible by this link as long as you are logged in to Appstate gmail:
https://goo.gl/forms/CA7kmmFykZ8JzPep1
PDF version
- Thursday 3/26:
Read through the rubric
Look at
LaTeX
Mathematical Symbols [for anything not on this, I google "LaTeX code" and the
name of the symbol and work on first draft
Work on the first draft, which is due next week, by
modifying the template in this link
(optional but recommended) meet with me to discuss progress and challenges
- Thursday 4/2
(optional but recommended) You can make an appointment at the University Writing Center
First Draft to me and your partner (Peer Activity) by modifying the template in the link.
- Thursday 4/9: Peer review your partner's draft (Peer Activity)
Apply the rubric and
write substantive comments on the paper and rubric to your partner about their draft.
- Thursday 4/16: Read your comments and use them to improve your draft
(optional but recommended) meet with me to discuss progress and challenges
- Thursday 4/23: Writing in How to Create Your Own Universe in Three Easy Steps
For 4040, you'll be reading "How to Create Your Own Universe in Three Easy Steps" by Lawrence Brenton, Math Horizons April 2011, pp. 5-9.
Reflect on the writing. Identify at least three strengths and/or weaknesses of how Brenton presented mathematics, especially in reference to Paul Halmos' and Francis Su's ideas from past readings.
(optional but recommended) meet with me to discuss progress and challenges
- Tuesday 4/28: Second Draft due
(optional but recommended) You can make an appointment at the University Writing Center
- Final Exam Period: Capstone Project is due by Tuesday May 5 at 11am
(optional but recommended) You can make an appointment at the University Writing Center