Math 251W - Foundations of Advanced Mathematics - Fall '09 - Prof. Mark Janeba

Meetings 
MWF 9:10 - 10:10 a.m.
Ford 224
Office: Ford Hall 216
E-mail: mjaneba<at>willamette.edu
Phone/Voice Mail: (503) 370-6123

Text: Reasoning and Writing, Foundations of Mathematics, Mark Janeba, available in the bookstore.

Grading

Approximate weighting scheme:
Best three of five (appx) quizzes at 25 points each:
around 75 points
Two or three one-hour exams at 100 points each:
200-300 points
Papers and other written assignments
around 100 points
Formally written homework, with revision
 around 150 points
Comprehensive Final exam:
200 points
Attendance:
 25 points
Total:
  around 750-850 points
For each graded piece of work, I will post cutoff scores for grades of A-, B-, C, C-, and D. At the end of the term, if your point total is more than the total of the A- cutoffs, your grade will be an A- or better, and so on. Cutoffs will never be higher than this:
 
A- B- C C- D
90% 80% 70% 67% 60%
... but they are often lower.
Exam makeup policy: Quiz or midterm make-ups or early quizzes or exams are given only for verifiable illness or for university-sanctioned intercollegiate activities. For collegiate activities, you must see me before you leave to arrange a makeup time. In any case, you must contact me in advance except in emergencies.

The final exam time is Saturday, Dec. 19, 8-11 a.m., as set by the University; early finals will not be given.  Really.  I mean it.  Please make travel plans accordingly.  If someone else will be making your travel plans, it would be wise to notify them immediately of your committments. 

Papers and other writing
Several papers and other writing exercises of varying sizes will be assigned throughout the course.  Drafts may sometimes be collected, and papers and more complex homework will be rewritten for credit often.  Keep in mind that mathematical writing can be very dense, in that a few words and symbols can carry a great deal of information.  The requirements for logic and the standards of accuracy and precision likely will be higher than in other courses of students' experience.  Sometimes the careful crafting of one mathematical paragraph will take longer than writing several pages of nonmathematical prose.  When we get to particularly complex writing assignments, we will revise several times.

Quizzes and Participation

Quizzes are 15 to 25 minutes long, with problems that resemble homework. We will usually have a quiz in any week without an exam or a major paper due.

Please come to class prepared to discuss the previous night's homework.  To gauge students' preparation, there will be a few pop quizzes during the term pertaining to the reading assignments.  

Attendance is figured into your grade as follows: Each student will start with 25 points for attendance.  There is no deduction for the first 4 absences.  Two points are deducted for the 5th and 6th absences, and three points for the 7th absence and each subsequent absence.  While it is awkward to include attendance in the class grade, my experience shows that it is a helpful incentive for many students.  I will do my best to make attendance rewarding, both in the intellectual sense and in participation points.

Homework

Homework is assigned daily and generally collected on Fridays.  On the more complex homework assignments, rewrites will be encouraged.  Likewise, you are highly encouraged to come to the Math Hearth alone or in groups when I'm around for while-you-work advice.  Other faculty are able to help you too!  I can help and comment on homework you have already started, you will be able to brainstorm with any other classmates who are in attendance, and you will be able to work on homework you have not yet finished, with help close at hand.

Academic Honesty Expectations

All exams and quizzes are to be taken with books and notes closed (except as noted on the exam paper), completely on your own. Anything you can electronically store on your calculator is acceptable at all times, but written notes are prohibited.  Palmtop or laptop computers will not be allowed in exams.

On papers: The documentation requirements for each paper will be announced.  In general, plagiarism is any work copied or paraphrased from another source without proper written acknowledgement.  Plagiarism is not expected and will not be tolerated.  Violations will result in a failing grade for the assignment (at least).

On homework:  While I encourage you to discuss methods of solution to homework problems, copied homework will result in a failing grade for the assignment for both copies of the work.  You should not see (nor have dictated to you) another student's final draft of a homework problem until after it has been graded and returned.  On homeworks for which rewrites are accepted, you should not see another's final draft until after your last rewrite of that assignment has been submitted.

In keeping with college policy, cheating or plagiarism will be reported to the dean (see student handbook). Systematic or organized cheating on exams will result in course failure.  Submission of a paper written by someone other than the submitting student will also be cause for failure in the course.

If you are uncertain about some aspect of this policy, it is your responsibility to get clarification from the instructor. 

Last Modified September 1, 2009.
Prof. Janeba's Home Page | Send comments or questions to: mjaneba<at>willamette.edu
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