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SENIOR PROJECT
Senior Projects
To view Senior Projects, select desired year: 2000,
2001, 2002,
2003, 2004,
2005.
Senior Project Policy and Guidelines
Department of Mathematics
Revised February 2003
What is the Senior Project in Mathematics?
The senior project is a significant piece of mathematical research
and is the capstone experience for the major in mathematics. The
senior project may consist of 1) solving a research problem, 2) giving
an expository account of a mathematical topic, 3) describing the
results of an independent study project, or 4) discussing some aspect
of the history of mathematics. For any of these kinds of projects,
drawing connections between mathematics and other disciplines, such as
mathematics education, physics, chemistry, computer science,
economics, etc., is allowed and welcomed.
Regardless of the kind of senior project undertaken, it must
demonstrate that the student has confronted, interacted with, or done
some substantial mathematics. The mathematics may consist of proving
original theorems, solving research problems, verifying nontrivial
details in published proofs, devising original examples to illustrate
concepts, or similar activities. The senior project may not consist
only of reproducing class notes from a course taken by the student,
copying mathematics in an essentially verbatim fashion from sources,
merely describing mathematical procedures without explaining their
derivation, or some combination of these. No doubt some of the
preceding will occur in some senior projects (in some cases it may be
appropriate), but the project can not consist entirely of this kind of
material. To help insure that the student is doing appropriate work
and is maintaining progress in completing the project, the student and
project advisor must meet regularly at mutually agreed upon times.
A senior math major must demonstrate the ability to do and
effectively communicate mathematics. The grade for the senior project
is largely a reflection of how well this has been demonstrated and to
what degree the above guidelines have been met.
Approval of the Senior Project topic
Primary responsibility for approving the senior project topic
rests with the project advisor. If there is a question or concern
about the appropriateness of the topic selected, the student and
project advisor should consult with other members of the department.
If the second reader has been selected, then that person must be
consulted.
Registering for the Senior Project
A student registers for the senior project with the chair of the
mathematics department.
The Second Reader
The second reader is chosen early in the semester during which the
senior project is done, and at this time the second reader should be
apprised of the topic and the plan for completing the project.
Throughout the semester the student must keep the second reader
informed about progress on the project and give the second reader any
drafts of work done for the project.
Due Dates for the Senior Project
The due date for senior projects for fall semester is the Friday
following the Thanksgiving Break. The due date for the spring semester
is the day falling three weeks before the last day of classes.
Joint Senior Projects
Students who double major in mathematics and some other subject
may elect to do a joint project on an interdisciplinary topic that
bridges mathematics and the other subject. The project must meet the
academic standards of both major departments, and in particular it
must demonstrate that the student has done some significant
mathematics as described above. For this reason the student is
cautioned that appropriate topics are often difficult to find, and the
student is strongly encouraged to consult extensively with faculty in
both departments before making a commitment to a joint senior
project.
The readers from the mathematics faculty consist of the
mathematics project advisor and one other faculty member. The due
date, draft deadlines, the number of credits earned, and the number of
semesters required to finish the joint senior project follow the rules
of the first-named department when the student registers for the
project. (E.g., if a student registers for a joint CompSci/Math senior
project, the rules for the Computer Science Department are followed;
if a student registers for a Math/CompSci senior project, the rules
for the Mathematics Department are followed.)
Preparing the Finished Product
The finished project must be prepared using either appropriate word
processing or mathematical typesetting software. The finished project
must include title page, acknowledgements (if the student chooses to
include them), an abstract of at most 200 words summarizing the
project, table of contents, body of the project, and bibliography.
Turning in the Senior Project
On the due date the student turns in two copies of the finished
project to the chair of the mathematics department, who gives these to
the project advisor. The grade for the project is based on the
quality of the copies turned in on the due date and on the oral exam.
The Oral Exam and Assigning the Grade
Soon after the senior project is handed in, the student, project
advisor, and second reader set a time for the oral exam, which should
occur by the last day of classes in that semester. Attendance at the
oral exam is not restricted to the student, project advisor, and
second reader. Others who want to attend should get permission from
the student and the project advisor prior to the exam.
The oral exam begins with the student giving an introductory talk
of no more than 15 minutes on the content of the project. This should
include a statement of purpose and appropriate definitions,
mathematical results, and other material fundamental to the project.
Then follows a period of questioning by the project advisor and the
second reader, and if agreed upon ahead of time, by other faculty
present. The exam lasts until the second reader and project advisor
are satisfied that the project and the student's knowledge of it have
been properly reviewed.
After the questioning has ended, the oral exam is over except for
assigning the grade, which is done jointly by the project advisor and
the second reader. Before they begin discussing the grade, all other
persons in attendance must leave the room. The written project counts
approximately two-thirds to three-fourths of the grade and the oral
exam counts the remainder. The project advisor and second reader
choose two grades that are 1/3 of a whole grade apart. After agreeing
on these, the project advisor and second reader tell the student
whether or not the student passed. They are not to give the actual
grade, unless it is an F.
After the oral exam the student makes corrections and/or revisions
to the project and has the project advisor approve them. Then the
student has two spiral bound copies of the corrected project made at
the Printing Department and gives these to the project advisor by the
last day of finals. The project advisor selects one of the two grades
described above for the project; if corrections and revisions have
been made as expected, then the higher of the two grades is given.
The two spiral bound copies and the student's grade are then given to
the chair of the mathematics department. The chair files the grade
with the Registrar's Office and places the two spiral bound copies in
the department's permanent collection of senior projects. If the
student receives a failing grade for the project, then the student may
revise the project and turn it in before the end of the semester for a
maximum grade of C.
Elements considered when evaluating the written portion of the
senior project
- creativity, quality of analysis, or
overall sophistication;
- clarity and correctness of the writing.
Elements considered when evaluating the oral exam
- clarity of presentation;
- understanding of concepts;
- ability to answer questions about material in and relating to the project.
LaTeX template for the Senior Project
