A 30-page term paper assigned in an introductory math class this term dealt some students an unexpected blow.
But Professor Dorothy Wallace said she believes the paper will help students in her Math 8 class improve their writing and ability to explain mathematical concepts.
"I think it's a little ridiculous for a math teacher to assign a 30-page paper," said a '97 who asked to remain anonymous.
Sixteen out of 17 students interviewed over the past two days shared that opinion. There are 69 students enrolled in the course, called "Calculus and Linear Algebra," according to a class list.
The paper, which is worth 100 of the class's total 700 points, requires students to research a topic that applies to one of the course's topics. Topics include vectors, infitine series, integration and linear algebra, according to the syllabus.
"The length of the paper is intimidating," one '97 said. "The exploration of the intricacies of math should be left for courses that are primarily for the major."
But Wallace said she believes the term paper is "pedagogically the right thing to do."
Wallace said she thought of the paper after reading a survey of Fortune 500 companies posted on the Internet computer network that found many were unhappy with the writing skills of math and science college graduates.
Wallace said it is important for students to learn how to express themselves clearly, so in the future they will not only be able to solve problems in economics and business, but can explain the answers to their bosses.
"Thirty pages - that's what it takes to explain something well with good examples, etcetera," she said.
Omen Wild '97, a Math 8 student who had Wallace last term said "There is almost always a project for Math 8. [Wallace] is just doing it on a bigger scale because she wants math students to have the ability to communicate their knowledge to others."
Math department Chair Kenneth Bogart said the math department is trying to "get students more involved in the material and the term paper is a good way to do that."
"Whether it is going to be common is hard to say," he said.
