Math 311,   Prof. Rickey,   Spring 1992

<p><b><font size="4">SUGGESTIONS FOR WRITING YOUR RESEARCH PAPERS

</font></b></p>
<p>In writing your research papers carefully consider the information on pages 3
and 4 of the course <a href="syllabus-311-98.html">syllabus</a>, including the note on plagiarism.  Here are some
reinforcements and additional comments. </p>
<p>You are writing a paper on the history of mathematics.  Because it is history
you must document all the facts you use except those which are general
knowledge.  Your opinions are irrelevant.  You can draw conclusions at the end
of the paper (in fact, that is to be encouraged) but conjectures should be
labeled as such and clearly distinguished from fact.  Also be careful not to
present the conjectures of others as fact.</p>
<p>&nbsp;The paper that you turn in should be a polished product.  Write it in your own
style.  Avoid stringing together a bunch of quotations.  When you paraphrase the
work of another you need to put it into your own words so that the paper doesn't
read funny (you also need a reference).  You should rewrite your paper until it
reads well.  Pay attention to the connecting material between sections.  Don't
jump from topic to topic.  Respect both the historical and logical connections
between the points you are trying to make. Have a friend read your paper and
make suggestions on writing style, typos, sufficient detail. 
</p>
<p>Don't neglect to use your dictionary and style manual (<i>The Elements of Style</i>  by Strunk and White is a good one).  Here are a couple of "fumblerules of grammar"
from William Safire's On Language. 
 </p>
<ul>
  <li>"If you reread your work, you will find on rereading that a great deal of
repetition can be avoided by rereading and editing." 
</li>
  <li>"Proofread carefully to see if you any words out."
</li>
</ul>
<p>To avoid unnecessary footnotes, references should be incorporated
parenthetically into your text by citing the author and page number (and date if
you cite more than one work by this author).  Footnotes can be used to include
interesting material that is peripheral to your main theme or to point out errors
or conflicts in your sources.  For ease in typing these can be grouped together
at the end of your paper.
</p>
<p>A bibliography of the sources you cite should be listed on a separate sheet at
the end of your paper.  The items in each reference should be listed in the
following order: Author, title, journal, volume, year, pages.  For a book you
need:  Author, title, date (Publisher and place are optional).  Book and journal
titles should be underlined (to indicate italics); the titles of articles in
journals should be in quotation marks. For reprints of books give both the
original and the reprint date. 
</p>
<ul>
  <li>When unusual mathematical terms come up, add a few words of explanation.

Remember that your paper is to be self contained.
</li>
  <li>Be sure to use the periodical literature.
</li>
  <li>Don't just rely on one source.
</li>
  <li>Include biographical details; they make your paper more interesting.
</li>
  <li>Foreign titles of books should be translated parenthetically.
</li>
  <li>Include source of illustrations; not just where you got them, but where they
came from originally. 
</li>
  <li>Be careful with verb tenses. History happened in the past.
</li>
  <li>Don't refer to people by their first names.
</li>
  <li>Long quotations (3 lines or more) should be indented as block quotes. 
</li>
  <li>You are required to type your paper; you are strongly encouraged to use a word
processor.  Please double space. 
</li>
  <li>I intend to keep a copy of your papers.  If you want a copy returned, then
turn in two copies and I will return the marked one.
</li>
  <li>No fancy folders--just staple at the upper left. 
</li>
</ul>
<p>Here are some comments that were made on papers that received the grade of A or
B. 
</p>
<ul>
  <li>Good use of journal sources. 
</li>
  <li>Nice combination of mathematics and history. 
</li>
  <li>A good summary of his life. 
</li>
  <li>Nice fluid writing style. 
</li>
  <li>Excellent explanation of the mathematical ideas. </li>
  <li>Good job of setting the historical scene. </li>
</ul>
<p>Here are comments on C and D papers: </p>
<ul>
  <li>Choppy writing style; writing needs work. </li>
  <li>Stilted language. </li>
  <li>Too many quotes, especially long ones. </li>
  <li>Lacked references. </li>
  <li>Not very detailed. </li>
  <li>Mentions lots of mathematics, but no details. </li>
  <li>Technical terms not explained. </li>
  <li>Old, dated references. </li>
  <li>Mostly speculation, not history. </li>
  <li>Lots of ideas here which should have been developed. </li>
  <li>A catalog without any historical sense. </li>
  <li>Lacks detail. Too brief. </li>
  <li>Good references, but not cited in the text.</li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p>Kim Plofker and David Pingree have some excellent &quot;Guidelines for the final 
paper&quot; which should be considered. </p>
<hr>
<address>
  <a href="http://www.dean.usma.edu/math/people/rickey/hm/mini/default.html">
  Return to the minicourse home page.</a> <br>
  If you have comments, send email to V. Frederick Rickey at
  <a href="mailto:fred-rickey@usma.edu">fred-rickey@usma.edu</a> .</address>
<p>&nbsp;</p>