Section 5 Help
Subsection 5.1 Allowed resources
In this 500 level class, I expect you to use the full array of resources at your disposal to learn the material “by any means possible.” For homework assignments, you are encouraged (in fact, expected) to collaborate with your classmates and to ask me questions. Other resources (books, online sources, people outside the class) are highly recommended for clarifying class topics or for enrichment (but not for getting solutions to problems).
You are allowed to use things that you learn from a book, online source, or person outside the class that help you and your classmates to find your own solution for a problem. However, if you read a full solution, so that there's little or nothing left for you and your classmates to figure out, then you may not turn in that solution for credit.
The Mathematics Stack Exchange 1 is a very useful question-and-answer site for undergraduate/graduate level mathematics. You are welcome to browse the Mathematics Stack Exchange and even post questions there. Hopefully it will help you learn and understand the material! However please remember that if you use that site to get a solution to a problem, then you can't turn that solution in for credit. Other helpful websites for basic information include Wikipedia and MathWorld 2 .
Subsection 5.2 A note on collaboration
Solving mathematical problems has three parts:
- The discovery phase:
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This is the time you spent trying to figure out how to solve the problems, and it often takes most of the time. You are welcome and encouraged to collaborate with other students in this phase. Collaboration is a healthy practice, and this is how mathematics is done in real life.
This phase starts with working to understand what a problem or question is asking for. That might include reviewing material from previous textbook sections.
- The write-up phase:
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This consists of writing your solutions once you have an idea of how the problem can be solved. You should do this entirely by yourself. Be alone when you write your solutions. If you collaborate on this part, or you copy part of your solutions from somebody else, or you have notes written by somebody else in front of you when you write your solutions, you are hurting yourself by depriving yourself of an opportunity to learn and practice.
If you need help in the write-up phase, talk to me! I can help you.
- The editing phase:
This consists of editing and revising your write-up for clarity, organization, and presentation. At this stage it can be very helpful to get feedback and suggestions from other students.
Subsection 5.3 Expectations of lectures
Please read “Mathematics Professors and Mathematics Majors' Expectations of Lectures in Advanced Mathematics” 3 .
Subsection 5.4 How to read mathematics
Please read the following, especially the first:
Subsection 5.5 University Resources
Boise State University's The Basics 4 web page has links to many forms of support, ranging from academic resources to family, living, and food resources.
You may reach out to me at any time if there's anything I can help with or if there's anything you think I should know.