Assessment task: An essay EITHER on a mathematical topic of your choice, OR on one of the designated essay topics; see below.
Designated Essay Topics:
Note that our advice and the Criteria for Marking apply to these topics exactly as they do to the choose-your-own topics. In particular, there is room to move in the topics below, and you are permitted to and must choose a suitably narrow aspect of the topic, which will permit you to focus. Try to get properly into the ideas, and read properly scholarly articles so you can do so. A thin overview based on slight rewording of Wikipedia pages will not score well. No particular references are suggested: it’s part of your job to hunt. But if you are really stuck, you can ask for advice.
My chosen topic Why are soap bubbles round?
Word limit: 1500 +/- a little.
The essay should be approximately 1500 words, excluding the references. You should have a title page, which includes a word count (and your name and student number!). We are not overly fussy about the word count, but if you are edging over 1700 words, then that is probably excessive. In the other direction, you will find that 1500 words is really not a lot, and it is difficult to stay under 1500 words. Below 1400 words suggests a pretty thin essay.
Generative AI tools cannot be used in this assessment task
POINTERS TO WRITING A GREAT MATHS ESSAY
Pointer Number 1: Do not be boring
The world is flooded with bad mathematics and science writing: don’t add to the flood. Try to choose a topic that genuinely interests you and that you’d genuinely like to learn more about. Then, your enthusiasm can come through in the essay.
Your essay can be along the lines of a mathematical exposition or it can be more philosophical in nature. In any case, your goal is for your essay to be clear and engaging for non-experts. Think of your audience as your fellow Nature and Beauty students; your aim is to explain some cool mathematics in a manner enjoyable to them.
Pointer Number 2: Do not be too technical
Yes, Marty will be able to understand the technicalities and jargon, but Marty is not your audience. Write for your fellow students, and if you need to take time to gently explain some ideas or language, then do so.
Pointer Number 3: Avoid trendy and done-to-death and lecture topics
The world is full of pseudomathematics, so be careful to avoid such topics, or approach them with a very critical eye. Past essays on fractals, chaos, the golden ratio, sports, Rubik’s cube, RSA and music have tended to be poor and to have scored poorly. If you suggest a topic along these lines it may well be rejected, and you’ll have to think again. If in doubt, just ask me or Marty.
Pointer Number 4: Choose a small topic
1500 words is not a lot, particularly when you have to explain technical concepts to a non-expert reader. It is much better to choose a very small topic and to explore it properly than to give a sky-high overview of some large terrain. Make every word count.
Pointer Number 5: Wikipedia is a good place to start and a bad place to end
General resources such as Wikipedia are great places to get going, but you’re aiming for something a lot more interesting and original than a reproduction of Wikipedia. Electronic databases such as Jstor (available via Monash library) are much better resources.
Popular maths books and articles, and the references they contain, are also a good place to get going. There are many such books, and many are very good. Some of our favourites are
*) The Heart of Mathematics: An Invitation to Effective Thinking by M. Starbird and E. Burger,
*)The Parsimonious Universe by S. Hildebrandt and A. Tromba,
*)The Shape of Space by Jeffrey Weeks, Why do buses come in threes by Rob Eastaway and Jeremy Wyndham,
*) Anything by Martin Gardner
*) The archive of Function magazine.
Pointer Number 6: Choose clear and sensible style and formatting
The essay must be typed, and you must include a full list of references and reasonable footnoting, but other than that the format is largely up to you. Just try to be clear. Headings and subheadings are very helpful. Diagrams – hand-drawn is fine – are very helpful (and they don’t contribute to the word count!) Boldface and italics and colours are good.
A good format to keep in mind is that of an article written for Plus magazine. Also, check out Burkard and Marty’s past maths column for The Age.
Pointer Number 7: Be accurate
Needless to say, everything you write should be correct (not only the individual facts, but also the logical arguments that connect them!). Before you hand in your masterpiece, you should have at least two thoughtful friends proofread it and provide you with feedback. Even if your native language is not English I expect you to produce an essay that is grammatically correct. Use a spellchecker to weed out spelling mistakes.
Pointer Number 8: Enjoy it!
Writing a very good mathematics essay is not easy. It is a lot of work. But it can also be really rewarding, to figure out how some piece of mathematics works so well that you can explain it to basically anybody. If you are doing it right, the essay should be tiring but a lot of fun.
The maximum number of marks for the essay will be 32. Deductions from these 32 marks are based on the rough essay rubric reproduced below. In general, it is comparatively easy to avoid deductions in terms of “clarity” and “nuts and bolts”. It is harder to avoid deductions in terms of “making sense”. It is VERY hard to avoid deductions in terms of maths and originality, particularly for the designated essay topics.
The only way anybody will get full marks for their essay is if we consider it to be publishable in a magazine like New Scientist or the Plus magazine website.
Author: admin
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Exploring the Beauty of Soap Bubbles: A Mathematical Perspective “Crafting a Top-Notch Mathematics Essay: Tips and Strategies for Success”
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“Exploring and Analyzing Primary Studies: A Critical Evaluation of Scholarly Articles in the Field of [insert topic]”
Now that you have identified primary studies and have submitted approved journal articles to Dr. Arnold, you are now ready to move on to the second step of your assignment. Your task in this final APA style paper, is to flex and expand your knowledge of these scholarly articles and scientific expertise by identifying aspects of the articles you chose using the prompts in the rubric below. Minimum 8-10 pages double spaced including Title page, Abstract, Critique and References. Minimum word count 1800-Maximum 2200.
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“Journey Into the Unknown: Exploring the Themes of Into The Wild”
In order to complete this assignment you have to be familiar with the story Into The Wild. There is a quick turn around for the project. Each slide requires different information, but explains what is required.
This should be written on a 10th grade level. -
“A Continent in Transition: A History of Africa from 1600 CE to the Eve of World War II”
Write a history of Africa from 1600 CE to the eve of World War II. Discuss the major events in each century, and in all regions of the continent, beginning with north-east Africa and the Maghreb at around 1600 CE.
sources:
-shillington
-UNESCO General History
-Cambridge History of Africa -
Tesla’s Mission Statement: Guiding the Company’s Organizational Activities Towards a Sustainable Future Introduction: Tesla, founded in 2003 by Elon Musk, is a leading electric vehicle and clean energy company that aims to accelerate the world’s transition to
Company is Tesla.
In your paper,
Research and find the company’s mission statement.
State how the mission statement provides guidance for the company’s organizational activities.
Evaluate the company’s mission statement per each of the four questions posed in the Hull article and your assigned readings for the week. (https://www.forbes.com/sites/patrickhull/2013/01/10/answer-4-questions-to-get-a-great-mission-statement/?sh=51f0be2b67f5) LINK TO ARTICLE
Rate the company according to the 5-star rating system used in the Fortune 500 list (Mission Statements), stating how many stars you would rate the mission statement. Please explain your rationale for the ratings.
Assigned Readings:
Hull, P. (2013). Answer 4 questions to get a great mission statementLinks to an external site.. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/patrickhull/2013/01/10/answer-4-questions-to-get-a-great-mission-statement/?sh=2db39c9267f5
Jurevicius, O. (2021, November 11). Mission statement for successLinks to an external site.. Strategic Management Insight. https://strategicmanagementinsight.com/tools/mission-statement/ -
“Exploring the Foundations of Economics: An Analysis of Adam Smith’s Concepts, Methods, and Theories” Introduction Adam Smith is widely regarded as the father of modern economics and his ideas have greatly influenced the field of economics. His seminal work,
write a paper on the concepts, methods, and theories associated with that Adam smith, Your paper must be between 4-6 pages. This does not include the title page or the references pages. This paper must be written using APA format, in Times New Roman 12 font with double space. A minimum of 4 research references must be used
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“Leading for Change: My Journey as an Educational Leader and My Pursuit of a Doctoral Degree”
In a candid personal essay of approximately three to six double-spaced pages in length, please:
Discuss your leadership experiences and your strengths in the role of educational leader.
Describe why you are interested in the doctoral program.
Tell us what knowledge and skills you hope to develop in the program.
1. For the first bullet point I have worked as an Lecensed Special Education Teacher and have worked alongside adminstrators (principals, assistant aprincipals) to maker modifications to the curriculum so that it can be tailor-made to service children diagnosed with autism. I was able to do this because i decided to acquire additional licenses as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and a Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA) to help better understand strategies that can help me incorporate and present to my coworkers as a way to advance the quality of education. I saw that a lot of the strategies used at the public school sector were ineffective. AS a result the principal decided to make me a curriculum to help implment evidence-based programs. I Opned up my own private company that foucses on the implementation of ABA , which i have coupled with the strategies I have learned in the oublic school system.
2) Bullet point 2 & 3 you can speak to the effect of it enhancing my understanding to create changers at the instutional levels particularly for children diagnosed with autism at the higher ages/level past the age of 21 which often are regulated to domisnshed services. I am interest in brodging the gap between the childrens transition from high school to adult hood and ensuring they are placed into an adequate program that will ensure they have a productive futre. Any ideas that you think would sound good to the admissions commitee
** No sources, the paper is cleraly my introduction -
“The Intersection of Religion, Spirituality, and Public Health: Reflections on Oman’s Introduction and JAMA Special Edition” Reflection: In the introduction of “Why Religion and Spirituality Matter for Public Health,” Douglas Oman sets the stage for the
READ: Introduction and Ch. 6 in – Why Religion and Spirituality Matter for Public Health, Douglas Oman (2018, Springer) Editor
Read: JAMA special edition on Spirituality and Serious medical Conditions and public health.
Link: https://projects.iq.harvard.edu/files/rshm/files/jama_balboni_2022_sc_220002_1660748706.29282_1.pdf
Students will craft a journal of their reflections and engagement after each class session
(roughly 500-700 words or an alternative media, if approved). -
Title: The Most Effective Alternative Energy Source: Examining Benefits and Counterarguments
Your paper should follow the format below. Please note that you must have these nine paragraphs in order to receive a passing grade (though meeting the paragraph minimum does not guarantee a passing grade). You may, however, have a more paragraphs if needed. Please also be mindful of the fact that a paragraph is at least four sentences.
Paragraph #1: The Introduction
What has been humankind’s impact on Earth’s climate? Consider one of the following for your hook: a statistic or thought- provoking fact, a quote from an environmentalist, etc. Summarize the impact in your opening paragraph. Your thesis statement should concisely state your reasons for choosing what you consider to be the most effective alternative energy source.
Paragraph #2: Context Building
How has this alternative energy source been developed and used to this point? Be sure that your body paragraphs all contain topic sentences supported by evidence (facts, quotations, etc) from your sources.
Paragraphs #3-#6: The Argument
What are the benefits of this alternative energy source? Be sure that your body paragraphs all contain topic sentences supported by evidence (facts, quotations, etc) from your sources.
Paragraph #7: The Counterclaim
What are claims from those who oppose this source (this could be scientists, business people, politicians, indigenous populations, etc)? This is your counterargument portion of the essay, so go beyond the most obvious arguments in order to discover the scientific, social, and economic implications. -
Exploring the Opportunities and Threats of the Internet of Things in Education
Much is being said about the Internet of Things (IoT) but there is little focus on education regarding the possible opportunities and threats of IoT. From smart homes, to smart cars, to wearable technologies such as the Fitbit, current trends suggest that, regardless of what the “thing” is, if it can be connected to the Internet, it will be connected and soon. In a number of sectors, settings, and fields the convergence of different technologies working together through IoT to solve problems is being harnessed to improve outcomes. Few would argue that IoT has significant potential to impact how we live and work, yet there are many complexities surrounding the data that is being collected from everywhere on almost everyone.
What does the IoT mean for education? What beneficial outcomes might exist? What forms of exploitation or threats might need to be considered? Integrate content/thoughts/concepts from a minimum of 2 research articles into your initial post.
see attached for instructions. Please do not plagiarize and following the attached instructions