Inga Johnson
Assistant Professor
Department of Mathematics
Willamette University
302 Collins Bldg.
ijohnson(at)willamette(dot)edu
503.370.6551
Math 499-02 Syllabus - Knot Theory
Class Meetings: MW 6:30-8:00PM, Collins 201.
Course Goals: To create mathematics by finding examples, counterexamples, making conjectures, proving conjectures, and proving lemmas, propositions, theorems and exercises. The content of the course will be Knot Theory.
Text: The text hasn't been written yet. You will be given a set of notes that will serve as the basis for the course. The notes consist almost entirely of definitions, examples and the statements of theorems. Almost none of the usual details are supplied. Your job is to supply those details.
Homework: As you will see, the missing parts of the text are in boxes or labeled exercises. At each class meeting we will assign certain missing parts and exercises as homework. From among those who complete a particular part, a "volunteer" will be chosen to present his or her solution to the rest of the group. Each assignment will be collected at the end of the class so that you can refer to it during class. However, you are to turn in only work that you completed before class.
Recorders: Each class period will have two designated recorders that will be responsible for LaTeXing the homework problems presented that day and any relevant class discussion. The recording responsibilities will rotate through the students in the class. All students in the class are responsible for proofreading the document LaTeXed by their peers. As we finish each chapter we will take some time to edit the first draft of the document to produce a final version.
Quizzes: There will be a quiz given as we finish each chapter (approx every two to three weeks). The quiz problems will be on the content of the document thus far. Quizzes are designed to encourage you to review the text document often and to encourage you to understand the problems you didn't get the first time.
Grading: Your grade will be calculated based on your homework and in-class homework presentations (75%), and quizzes (25%). The highest course grade given will be based on the accuracy and clarity of the document created from the course presentations. All other grades will be curved down from this highest course grade according to the standard rubric.
Honor Code: You may talk in general terms with each other about the homework, but the work you turn in is to be your own. No outside resources should be used (unless it is a source that I direct you to).
LaTeX: An introduction to LaTeX and information about how to download it can be found here. I will give a brief intro to Xfig and Adobe Illustrator in class. These will be what is used to draw the knots and links you will be producing for the text. Both are mouse driven drawing programs that output eps files (encapsulated postscript) which can be easily included in the text document.
Math Colloquium: You are encouraged to go to many of the Math Department Colloquia this semester, and as part of the course you are required to go to four. Attendance will be taken in Colloquium and you should turn in your notes from each talk you attend. If your schedule conflicts with all the Colloquia scheduled, it is your responsibility to see Professor Johnson as soon as possible for an alternate reading and writing assignment.
Special Note: If you have a documented disability and anticipate needing accommodations in this course, please make arrangements to meet with me within the first two weeks of the semester. Please request that a Disability Services staff send me the appropriate forms verifying your disability and specifying the accommodation you will need.