Guidelines for Written Mathematics
Homework
Fall 2009
Each week's assignment must begin with a one-paragraph (or longer) self-evaluation. Write it after completing the assigned problems and checking your answers in the back of the book. Your self-evaluation might answer one or more of these questions:
- Was the assignment hard? easy? fun? difficult? long? short?
- Were your answers all correct? mostly correct? mostly wrong?
- Did you have to redo many problems?
- Do you now understand the topics in the assignment? How is the class going?
- (Important!) What questions do you still have? Usually you should include a brief list of problems on which you especially want additional help:
- problems you finished but couldn't get the right answer
- problems you unable to finish
- problems you tried to start but couldn't
Additionally, your self-evaluation must include:
- How many hours (roughly) did you study for this class during the past 7 days?
Procedure:
1. Prepare. Review earlier work, tests, etc. Do the current reading assignment.
2. Complete the assigned problems. (Problems are assigned on our Web pages.) Leave space at the beginning for your self-evaluation.
3. Check your answers in the back of the book. Check one section at a time—not one problem at a time (otherwise you learn less).
4. Write your self-evaluation.
Important notes:
- Spread out your work, and use lots of paper. See Writing Mathematics Web page.
- If you can't finish a problem, turn in part of it. At least try to start each problem.
- When you find wrong answers, try to find your errors and fix them.
- Assignments are late if not submitted in class.
- If you will be absent, turn in your assignment early to my math department mailbox in Room 3824/3826, or at my office, Room 3818. Or have a friend bring your assignment to class.
- If you can't finish the assignment, submit what you can on time, and later submit the rest. Both submissions should have self-evaluations.
- Staple your assignment (self-evaluation on top), or you will lose points.
Written homework will be graded on the following scale:
o 4: On time and complete, or mostly complete
o 2: Late homework (See me first if more than two weeks late.)
o Incomplete homework (many problems not started) will get decreased credit.
o You will be penalized by one point if your assignment is unstapled or does not begin with a self-evaluation.
Revised Friday, May 1, 2009. E-mail corrections, suggestions to mmaltenfort@ccc.edu