Cheating and Learning in the Modern Context

By Kareem Carr

I feel that we are rapidly approaching a future where the maxim, ‘Cheaters only cheat themselves’, obtains. I have, of late, come to understand, perhaps only in small part, the prodigious resources open to the modern mathematical learner. Blogs, forums, online chats, question-and-answer sites, tutorial services, online lectures (by both Ivy League professors and guys in their basements) and large data repositories abound. Thousands of books are available online either in part or in whole. The lines between cheating and information gathering are blurring. I think we are fast approaching a point where, in order to personally advance, even the most conscientious student must be fully self-aware of where he is crossing the line between just the right amount of help and too much help. Otherwise, he could easily undermine himself and his efforts.

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When Your Students Cheat

By Kareem Carr

One of the least favorable aspects of formal teaching for me is the phenomena of cheating. It puts me in a role that I am least interested in pursuing. That is to say, I have to wield authority in service of society; I must be an enforcer. It is most preferably my bent to be an aid, a compatriot, a conspirator, a collaborator and a colleague. When these poses are denied me, as in the case in cheating, I feel forlorn. My consolation in teaching is in the blooming of flowers of the mind. How distasteful it is to have to squelch possibility and close off avenues.

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Outside Your Specialty

By Brian Simanek

When it comes time to sign up for classes, I always wonder if I should continue to focus on taking classes most relevant to my research or if I should take some time and learn some advanced math not related to my research. Continue reading

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Resources for Writing Mathematics

by Branden Stone

As a graduate student, a lot of my time is spent on solving problems, but not much time is devoted to the writing of mathematics. This is an important subject; especially if you wish for others to read your papers. While I am no expert, I have stumbled across a couple of good resources that are very helpful.

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Strategies for taking effective notes

By Diana Davis

When I got to graduate school, one of the strangest things was all of the crazy ways that my fellow students were taking notes.

I had never seen such notes! In my undergrad classes at Williams, everyone basically took notes the same way: They copied down what the professor wrote on the board, and maybe wrote down some of the things the professor said, into a notebook or on looseleaf lined paper. But in graduate school, the spectrum of note-taking methods got much wider. Let me give you some examples:

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