MATH30027 Mathematical Project

for students on ex-UMIST Programmes

 SEMESTER: First and Second
CONTACT: Mr Mike Tso (Ferranti/C14) CREDIT RATING: 20
Aims: To allow students to research a particular mathematical / astrophysical topic individually and to produce their own account of it.
Intended Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of the project students will have
  • acquired factual knowledge of the chosen topic
  • gained reading and research skills from the preparation of the project
  • gained skills in written communication of mathematics / astrophysics
  • given an oral presentation on the project.
 Pre-requisites: None
Dependent Courses: None
Private Study: 7 hours per week
Assessment Methods: Coursework: 100%, Essay Project.
COURSE INFORMATION
1.1 If you wish to take the Mathematical Project option, you must complete and return a "Registration of Interest" form available from Ms Marjorie East (M/O6)  by 5.00 pm on Friday, 29 September, 2006.  At the same time you should indicate the general area in which you wish the Project to be based, and the supervisor (if known). You may wish to discuss the project with the Projects Coordinator, (Mr M K Tso, Ferranti/C14) who will be available at the following time (although you may see him at other times if he is available).

Friday, 29 September 2006, 1200 - 1.00.
1.2

 

The Mathematical Project (391) option is offered to joint honours students majoring in mathematics.  It may not be taken in conjunction with the Computational Project.
2.1 A list of suggested topics was circulated with the Options Documentation during the Second Semester of the Second Year. These topics are only indicative and it is advisable to see your supervisor as soon as possible and reach agreement on the precise subject matter of the Project. 
2.2 You should submit to Mr Tso via Ms East (M/O6) by 5pm on Friday, 13 October 2006, the title of the Project and a short summary (not exceeding 300 words) of its expected contents, which you have previously shown to your supervisor and which has his/her approval.   The summary must include the name of your supervisor and a statement, signed by the supervisor, confirming that he or she is prepared to supervise you.
2.3 The project committee will consider each proposed topic and a list of approved projects will be posted on the noticeboard outside M/O11, usually within 2 weeks.  If, for any reason, the proposed Project is considered unsuitable, your supervisor will be informed at this time.  
2.4 Note that the project topics should be fairly prescriptive and should not be too broad. Note also that the summary of the project should not be too technical. It should be possible for a mathematician who is not an expert in the subject of the essay, to understand both the summary and the essay itself. The summary should include details of a key reference for your essay (the title of the book and the name(s) of its author(s)), to enable members of staff to judge the intended level of your essay.  
3 The Project may be written or typed.  
3.1

If you write the essay, the following guidelines apply:

(i) Use black ink and A4 paper with wide margins, so that a photocopy can be made.

(ii) Write on only one side of each page.

(iii) Number the pages.

(iv) The total length of the Project (not including printout or the like) should be about 40 sides and under no circumstances should it exceed 50 sides.
3.2

If you type the essay, the following guidelines apply:

(i) The Project should be typed double-spaced on A4 paper, with wide margins, on one side of the page only.

(ii) Number the pages.

(iii) The total length of the Project (not including printout or the like) should be about 12,000 words. Under no circumstances should the total number of words exceed 15,000. [Note: For a Mathematical Project, it is difficult to specify the length in terms of the number of words, since equations, symbols and so on should be included. The intention is that the project should be equivalent to between 40 and 50 hand-written sides.]
4.1 There should be a title page containing your name and the Project title. This should be followed by an Abstract (summary) of the contents of the Project written in such a way that it may be read independently of the Project itself. There should then be a list of Contents. The Project itself should commence with an Introduction and be divided into sections as appropriate. Finally, there should be a list of References given in the normal style of scientific papers, with authors, titles, page numbers, and full bibliographical details.
4.2

Four copies of any computer printouts or similar material should be provided. Do not attach printout or similar matter to the pages. Such matter should be included in a separate file or envelope and numbered so that it can be referred to in the text.
5 For projects which involve some computer programming, the computer programs presented should be well-commented and well-documented. The structure of the code should be described carefully, perhaps by using flow diagrams. In addition, the code should be well-tested on a selection of test problems, chosen to exercise all parts of the code. There must be clear evidence in the project report that the code has been tested carefully. Students may be required to demonstrate their computer program(s) in an oral examination. Although account will be taken of any effort put into developing computer programs, clarity of presentation is of prime importance.
6 You must meet your supervisor regularly (at least once a fortnight during both the First and Second Semesters).  If you have difficulty in contacting your supervisor, then you should see Ms East (M/O6) to arrange a mutually convenient time.  If you are unhappy with the progress of your project, you should discuss this with your supervisor.  If you are still unhappy, then you should see your Personal Tutor or the Undergraduate Tutor (Dr R M Thomas, M/O16).
7 You must submit the completed Project to Mr Tso via Ms East, in person, on or before the first Friday after the Easter vacation (20 April, 2007). A photocopy will be made for you and you should collect this from Ms East about a week after submitting the Project. The original will be kept in the School permanently for future reference.
8 All Mathematical Project students are expected to give an oral presentation on their work. Each oral will last for about 30 minutes and will include a talk by the student, lasting about 20 minutes, and about 10 minutes for questions.
9 Whilst it is not possible to lay down a precise marking scheme for the Project, it may help you to know that the Project will be assessed broadly under the headings:

(i) initiative and originality of presentation;

(ii) organization of material;

(iii) accuracy;

(iv) clarity of presentation;

(v) overall impression of communication of mathematical knowledge.

In addition, account will be taken of any effort put into developing computer programs or performing experiments.
10 Plagiarism is a serious offence with equally serious consequences. Plagiarism is the representation of any other person's work, without acknowledgement of the sources, as a student's own. In the context of the Mathematical Project it could consist, for example, of copying large chunks of text or illustrations from published sources without due and explicit acknowledgement. It is not enough simply to cite a work that has been copied from in a bibliography. Any material that has been incorporated in a student's work from other sources should be explicitly indicated (for example, by placing the material within quotation marks) and source details given.

If plagiarism is proven, the Board of Examiners will, at its discretion, adjust the mark of the affected work according to the gravity of the offence.
11 The Lancashire and North West Branch of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (IMA) offers an annual prize, The John Henry McDonnell Memorial Prize, to be awarded for an outstanding, individual final year first degree project in Mathematics. The School may submit up to two projects of a sufficiently high quality for consideration for this prize.

Last revised August, 2006