MA262 Scientific Communication
Lecturer: Andrew Brendon-Penn
Term(s): Terms 1 & 2
Status for Mathematics students: Core for Maths
Commitment: Lectures, tutorials and labs.
Assessment: 10% first year review, 50% essay, 10% essay presentation, 30% python coursework
Formal registration prerequisites: None
Assumed knowledge: MA124 Maths by Computer
Organisation: This module consists of
- First year review
- Latex
- Essay
- Essay presentation
- Python
- Employability
First Year Review (10%)
The first year review is graded by Moodle. The quiz will open in late September, approximately a week before the beginning of term. The quizzes will close at midday on Friday week 2 of term 1.
Essay (50%)
For the essay component, you can choose your own topic in consultation with your tutor (who must approve it) or base an essay on one of the Maths at Work topics after attending the talks.
Students may, and are strongly advised to, submit a draft of their essay to their tutor by the end of the first week of Term 2. You are expected to have consulted the web pages in the additional resources page on essay writing prior to submission of the draft. The tutor will provide written comments and discuss the draft later in Term 2.
The essays should be submitted electronically online through Moodle by 12:00 noon on Thursday week 1 of term 3. This deadline is enforced by the mechanism described in the Course Handbook section on Assessment.
It is the students' responsibility to choose their essay topic, to prepare the draft on time, to seek advice where necessary, to prepare the presentation on time and to submit the final version of the essay on time.
Instructions about the essay and information on the marking scheme will be given out by the end of Term 1. Students are advised to read the instructions carefully, since failure to follow one of the University Regulations (on plagiarism, for example) could result in a mark of zero.
Essay Presentation (10%)
Students have to give a 15-minute oral presentation of the essay to their tutor and a small group of other second year students, normally around week 9 of Term 2. This presentation is a compulsory requirement and 10% of the module mark is allocated to the quality of the presentation. Students should seek advice, e.g. from their tutor, on how to convey the content of their essay within such a short period of time; they must not get bogged down in technicalities but they should not be vague.
Python (30%)
The python component is web-based, graded by Moodle quiz, and accompanied by 3 labs. The deadline for the python quiz is noon on Friday week 1 of term 2.
Employability (0%)
The employability component is ungraded, but important to engage with. This consists of three talks by Ray Ryan, and tutorial discussions in terms 1-2.
Aims:
1. To provide an opportunity for students to learn some mathematics directly from books and other sources.
2. To develop written and oral exposition skills.
3. To ensure students are well prepared for second year modules.
4. To extend students knowledge of python programming.
5. To provide students a vision of their future employment options, and to equip students with practical skills to help them find employment after graduating.