Math 631: Algebra - Fall 2014
Announcements
- There is no group homework due on 12/10.
- I've moved the group homework assignments to the course's BlackBoard site.
- I have posted an updated homework template taking into account a request for the xy package.
- I'm rotating through some of the problems this week for the group homework. If you got off with two problems this week, don't worry, your turn will come later in the semester.
- The collated homework is due from the coordinator no later than 7 PM on Thursdays.
- Reminder: It is the weekly group homework coordinator's responsibility to collate the problems in the correct order.
- Office hours will be held MWF from 10:30-11:30 AM and M 1-2 PM.
- The weekly problem session is from 12-1:00 PM.
- Each week's group homework coordinator needs to send me both the source files and the final output.
- Students interested in producing lattice or commuting diagrams in LaTeX may want to check out the xy package.
LaTeX Problem Allocations
Will be available on the course's BlackBoard site.
Assignment of exercises to individuals for the group homework have been performed using a random number generator. Problem allocations for LaTeXing for this week's group assignment are available on BlackBoard. This week's coordinator is in bold, and the exercises omitted from the group work are listed in parentheses.
Weekly Problem Session
There will be a weekly problem session held from 12:00-1:00 PM on Mondays in the Chapman 101 conference room.
Homework Instructions
When individual homework is collected, many of the individual problems will be graded. A homework grade on a scale of 0 − 10 will be recorded for your assignment, reflecting my assessment of both the completeness and the correctness of the assignment. Late homeworks will not be accepted except by prior arrangement.
In addition, for each assignment each student will be assigned several problems chosen by your instructor, and will be responsible for drawing up a complete solution in LaTeX. Each week a different student will be in charge of overseeing that these problems are compiled together for submission. You will also receive an individual grade on your contribution to these solutions (0-10 pts); style as well as attention to detail will receive greater emphasis than on the individual assignments.
Some more specific details:
Individual Homework Formatting Instructions
- All homework must be submitted in ink, and double spaced. I encourage, but don't expect, you to LaTeX your assignments. When preparing individual homeworks with LaTeX, you must use the provided template. This will make life much easier for the group homework coordinator! It is recommended that you not introduce new commands into the header. Send me suggestions if you would like to see additions made to the header.
- Your name, class title and due date should appear in the top right hand corner of the first page.
- Your assignment must be stapled together (not paperclipped, not crimped).
- If your paper came from a spiral bound notebook, you must remove all the pokey out bits (the edges of the page should be straight and clean).
- You must include a complete problem statement with each exercise.
- You must write in complete sentences, with appropriate grammar, etc..
Homework submissions that don't meet these criteria will result in deductions from your grade or nonacceptance of the assignment.
Group Homework Formatting Instructions
- All homework must be submitted using the homework template provided.
- Group homework assignments are due on the Thursday after the individual assignment is completed at 7 PM, and should be submitted by email.
- You must include a complete problem statement with each exercise.
- You must write in complete sentences, with appropriate grammar, etc..
- Your language should be appropriately formal, e.g., the use of specialized symbols such as the inverted capital A in place of the words "for all" should generally be avoided. Look to your textbook for a model of when the use of such symbols or abbreviations is appropriate.
Failure to follow these instructions will result in deductions from your grade.
Interpreting Graded Problem Scores
On the individual homework, I want to give you some idea of how to interpret your performance on each graded exercise, separate from the collective score (which takes into account completion rate). These scores inform the score I assign to your individual homework, but don't dictate it; for example, I may choose to weight the graded problems differently when assessing the homework assignment as a whole, and the completion rate may be more or less important on some assignments. Each graded problem will be assessed on a 5 point scale: 5=entirely or nearly correct, 4=nearly correct but solution is poorly presented or contains a notable error, 3=mostly correct but a significant mathematical error, 2=significant progress in the right direction but multiple errors, 1=a genuine attempt at the problem, 0=little or no real attempt at the problem.