History of Mathematics

About the paper

• The abstract is a concise summary of your paper. It is between 200 and 400 words words long.
• The outline is the skeleton of of your paper. It consists of a tentative list of titles of the sections, about 5 to 10. The first section must be an introduction.
• Important note: If you need to break some of the rules above in order to write a better paper, you can do so without any grade penalty provided that you talk to me beforehand and I give you the OK.
• The "math point" is a purely mathematical aspect of the topic which is mastered by you. This math point can be, for instance, the solution of a problem, or the proof of a statement or a very good explanation of a definition. It is not the "whole" mathematical aspect of the topic. 
• **Appropriately cited means that one should be able to find the work cited in a library and that this citation includes the page number.
• Make sure you understand what you are writing about.
• Here you have two excellent papers. (Note that the requirements for reference on one of the papers (paper2.pdf) were "lighter" than in our course, so the student mentions certain facts -which are not common knowledge- without citation. It is still a wonderful paper.)
• Here you can find good guidelines about citing.
• If you have any doubts about writing, make an appointment to discuss your paper in the Writing Center
• The goal of the paper assignment is help you exercise independent reflection based on recognized scientific sources. It is not about presenting your own ideas, as in an essay, but about establishing relationships to existing scholarly texts and developing and justifying your perspectives from them.
• A good strategy consist in choosing a question about your topic, and focus in finding an answer. In the body of the paper, you have to list and weight arguments for and against
• Make sure that you explain clearly any non-standard word that you introduce. Note that you have to understand the meaning of the word in order to explain it. (By "non standard" I mean that it is a word that you learned (possibly in a course) after finishing the first calculus sequences in Stony Brook. For instance "Fourier sequence" is non-standard)

Paper format requirements.

• The word count of the body of your paper is between 2000 and 3500 words. (Note: the body of the paper does not include the bibliography, outline and abstract).
• The first page(s) of the paper contains the title of the paper, your name, the outline, math point, the abstract, book, primary source, secondary source and word count (counted excluding the bibliography, outline and abstract).
• Your paper contains at least three figures, diagrams and/or tables. All diagrams, figures and tables are clearly captioned and referenced in the body of the paper. (It would be great if you make your own illustrations)
• Your paper is divided into sections (possibly the ones you listed in the outline) and starts with an introduction, briefly explaining the the content section by section, and why the topic is interesting or relevant.
• Every item in the bibliography is cited in the paper.
• Your paper is in PDF form and is written in an easily readable font (like Times New Roman or Cambria), size 12 pts. The paragraphs are double spaced and have their first line indented.

Paper rubric

Criteria	Excellent	Good	Needs Improvement	Unacceptable
1. Clear Explanation and Understanding of Math	Demonstrates exceptional clarity and understanding of mathematical concepts. Language is suitable for sophomore Math majors without unnecessary jargon.	Communicates mathematical ideas clearly with suitable language for a sophomore Math major audience. Minor lapses in clarity or language appropriateness.	Some concepts are unclear, or language is not appropriate for a sophomore Math major audience. Significant lapses in clarity or language appropriateness.	Lacks a coherent grasp of mathematical concepts; language is confusing or inappropriate for a sophomore Math major audience.
2. Relevant Historical Frame	Provides a thorough and insightful historical context, effectively connecting mathematical developments to relevant historical events.	Presents a good historical frame, showing a connection between mathematical concepts and historical events. Historical context is generally relevant.	Historical framing is present but may lack depth or relevance. Historical context is sometimes unclear or tangential.	Fails to establish a meaningful historical context for the mathematical developments discussed.
3. Citations, Credits, and Bibliography	Every item in the bibliography is from a peer-reviewed source or appropriate book. Every non-common knowledge fact is supported by a citation to an item in the bibliography (including page numbers). Figures are labeled and credited. Every item in the bibliography is cited in the paper.	Most items in the bibliography are from peer-reviewed sources or appropriate books. Occasional lapses in citation support for non-common knowledge facts. Figures are mostly labeled and credited. Most items in the bibliography are cited in the paper.	Several items in the bibliography may not be from peer-reviewed sources or appropriate books. Multiple lapses in citation support for non-common knowledge facts. Inconsistencies in labeling and crediting figures. Some items in the bibliography are not cited in the paper.	Items in the bibliography are not from peer-reviewed sources or appropriate books. Lack of citation support for non-common knowledge facts. Figures lack proper labeling and crediting. No connection between the paper's content and some items in the bibliography.
4. Format	Meets the required number of words. Well-organized into clearly defined sections. Starts with an introduction explaining the content of each section. Contains at least three relevant figures or tables, encouraged to be made by the student. Writing Mechanics are fine.	Meets the required number of words. Sections are present, but transitions or organization could be improved. Introduction is present but may lack depth. Contains at least three figures or tables, some made by the student. Minor writing mechanics issues.	Falls short of the required number of words. Sections are unclear or poorly organized. Introduction lacks clarity. Contains figures or tables, but they may lack relevance or clarity. Writing mechanics need improvement.	Falls significantly short of the required number of words. Sections are absent or confusing. No clear introduction. Lack of relevant figures or tables. Writing mechanics are unacceptable.
5. Creativity, Originality, Point of View	Demonstrates exceptional creativity, originality, and a unique point of view.	Shows creativity, originality, and a distinct point of view.	Limited creativity or originality. Point of view is not well-developed.	Lack of creativity, originality, and a discernible point of view.