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Course Responsibilities:

One of the biggest differences between working at the high-school level and at the college level is the following: in high school, frequently it is enough to demonstrate a knowledge of the appropriate material;

Clear writing reflects clear thinking.

in college, you will be expected not only to know the appropriate material, but also to be able to articulate that knowledge, through speaking and writing, to an intelligent, but slightly less-well informed, listener or reader.

Clear writing reflects clear thinking, so your ability to explain your work carefully in writing is an important indicator of your level of understanding. Most people find that the process of organizing material well enough to express it clearly is a tremendous help in solidifying their own understanding of the material.

This has the following consequence for this course: you must explain your work using words. Written explanation is a crucial part of the learning process, and it is not sufficient simply to write down a series of equations and circle a number or formula at the end. It is important that you be able to give clear and well-organized indications of what you are doing and why. I will try to provide examples of this as we go.

It is important to realize that writing explanations, while it helps me to grade your work, is mostly for your benefit. It is the best way to make sure for yourself that you fully understand the material. If you do understand the material, it should not be a hardship to write a brief explanation of what you are doing. On the other hand, if you are not entirely sure about the process, trying to write an explanation of what you have done is one of the best ways to recognize that you are not completely clear on the subject. Even if you are right, the organization required in writing about what you have done will help you draw the connections necessary for a full understanding of the material. Don't look at writing as just another hoop to jump through; look at it as an integral part of the learning process. It's one of the things you can do far better than a computer.



[HOME] Math 53 (Winter 2005) web pages
Created: 01 Jan 2005
Last modified: Jan 1, 2005 5:54:17 PM
Comments to: dpvc@union.edu
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