Syllabus

Instructor: Lei Xue,  leixue@colby.edu, Davis 206.

When emailing me, please use your Colby email address and include "MA 274" in the subject line. I will get back to you within 24 hours on weekdays.

Time and Location:

• Section A: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 10:00-10:50 AM @ Lovejoy 119.

• Section B: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 11:00-11:50 AM @ Lovejoy 203.

(Tentative) office hours (new): 

M 3:00–4:00, Tu 1:00–2:00, W 2:30–3:45, F 2:00-3:00, in my office (Davis 206), or by appointment. 

Teaching assistants:

We have four excellent TAs. They grade the homework, hold regular help sessions, and offer individual support sessions upon request (What are these? See the Individual TA session page on this website for more information).

• Rodrigo Escalon, raesca27@colby.edu

• Simge Ildes, sildes26@colby.edu

• Alfie Nguyen, apnguy26@colby.edu

• Michael Tenkorang, michael.tenkorang@colby.edu

The following is the schedule for help sessions. All help sessions will be @ Davis 206 (Lei's office). 

[9/9 update: new help session schedule]

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday

7-8 PM 7-9 PM 7-10 PM 6-8 PM

Rodrigo Michael Alfie & Simge Simge & Rodrigo

Textbook:
Our textbook is “Introduction to Mathematics: Number, Space, and Structure,” by Colby’s own Scott Taylor. It is available electronically for free(!) from the Colby library. You may obtain a printed copy at the bookstore or from the online AMS bookstore, where it may be on sale.

Grading:

The final grade of this course is determined as follows:

• Problem sets (lowest score dropped) (25%),  

• Reading assignments (5%), 

• Class participation (5%),

• Lower score of two exams (20%), 

• Higher score of two exams (30%), 

• Final project (15%).

Course letter grades will be assigned according to the following scale. Any curve will be determined at the end of the course, according to the discretion of the instructor. 

93 - 100 % A 90 - 93 % A- 87 - 90 % B+ 83 - 87 % B 80 - 83 % B-

77 - 80 % C+ 73 - 77 % C 70 - 73 % C- 67 - 70 % D+  63 - 67 % D 

60 - 63 % D- < 60 % F 

Students who demonstrate an exceptional interest and ability in the course may be given an A+. Any student receiving less than 50% on both exams will receive an F in the course.

Problem sets: Homework assignments that are due weekly on Fridays at 5 PM. You can find the problem sets and our homework guidelines on the Homework page of this website.

Reading assignments: You will have reading assignments each day after class, and you will need to submit your responses to Moodle by 9 pm on the evening before the next class. There are no extensions on reading assignments, and they will be graded on completion.

Exams: There will be two in-person exams. The following are tentative schedules for the exams. 

• Exam 1 evening of Thursday, October 9, 7:30-9:30 PM, Bixler 219.

• Exam 2 evening of Thursday, November 20, 7:30-9:30 PM, Bixler 219. 

(Exam 1 is changed back to the original time slot.)

Final Project: We will conclude the semester with a final group project, which you will present during our scheduled final exam period. The exact date and time of the final exam will be announced by the registrar's office later in the semester. More details about the project will be provided as we get closer.

How to succeed in this class:

• Come to class and participate. Ask questions of me and your group partners.
  

• Do all of the required reading (before class) and homework.
  

• Start your homework early!
  

• If you can’t finish a problem, aim for partial credit. Hand in whatever you have finished on time.
  

• Use the opportunity for rewrites. You will learn a great deal by improving a proof you previously submitted, even in cases where the difference in score does not seem significant to you.
  

• Form study groups. Work on your homework with other people.
  

• Come to my office hours! I love talking to students about this material. Everyone (with or without questions) is welcome! If you can’t make my office hours, you may email me to set up an appointment.
  

• Go to TA hours. They are a great resource for extra help.

• [UNDER CONSTRUCTION]
  

Academic integrity:

Honesty, integrity, and personal responsibility are cornerstones of a Colby education and provide the foundation for scholarly inquiry, intellectual discourse, and an open and welcoming campus community. These values are articulated in the Colby Affirmation and are central to this course. You are expected to demonstrate academic honesty in all aspects of this course.

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to:

• Knowingly assisting others in acts of academic dishonesty.

• Violating clearly stated rules for taking an exam, for example

--keeping your phone on your person when told to place it in a bag; 

--accessing unauthorized course materials during an exam.

• Using unauthorized resources such as online solution boards for homework or exams.

In this course, the greatest temptation towards academic dishonesty is presenting someone else’s proof as your own (perhaps with minor modifications). If someone other than the TA or professor gives you the key idea for a proof, you must credit them in your write-up. This includes any help you receive from online sources and applies even if you received help from a student who received help from a TA or the professor. Acknowledging a source will not result in a penalty. You are encouraged to work together and share ideas, but you may not copy another person’s proof. Furthermore, you may not share LaTeX source code with other students and, in your final paper, you must give complete citations for any ideas, phrasings, or images you get from another source.

Academic dishonesty is a serious offense against the college. Sanctions for academic dishonesty are assigned by an academic review board and may include: failure on the assignment, failure in the course, or suspension or expulsion from the College. For more on recognizing and avoiding plagiarism, see: libguides.colby.edu/avoidingplagiarism. For resources and information on academic integrity, see: www.colby.edu/academicintegrity.

Religious Holidays 

I have attempted to avoid scheduling exams during major religious holidays. If, however, I have inadvertently scheduled an exam or major deadline that creates a conflict with your religious observances, please let me know within two weeks of the start of classes so that we can make other arrangements. Colby College is supportive of the religious practices of its students, faculty, and staff.  The College is committed to ensuring that all students are able to observe their religious beliefs without academic penalty.  

Wellness and Physical Health

I recognize that well-being is foundational to academic success and personal growth. Maintaining wellness across dimensions—physical, emotional, intellectual, social, occupational, financial, spiritual, and environmental (SAMHSA, 2016)—establishes the groundwork for a balanced and meaningful life.

Challenges to well-being can arise for all of us. Whenever your wellness is impacted, I care about connecting you with your support systems here at Colby. The student health center is located at MaineGeneral College Health (207-861-6860, option 1), and Colby provides free transportation to your medical appointments. The Office of Student Wellness is found on the second floor of Garrison-Foster on campus (207-859-4462), and offers free health supplies and a student wellness space. Emergency care on campus is available 24/7 from Colby Emergency Response (207-859-5911). 

Your ability to fully engage with your academic and cocurricular endeavors depends upon your wellness. Colby is committed to supporting you with the resources you need to maintain your well-being.

Athletic Participation:

While Colby College is supportive of athletic participation by its students, academics take priority over athletics. Both the NCAA and Colby rules prohibit missing class for practices. In the case of overlapping commitments between class and athletic competitions, the student must meet with the professor as soon as possible to discuss these overlaps. The student may request permission to miss class and make up the missed work; the instructor has final authority either to grant or to withhold permission.

Academic accommodations:

At Colby, we value disability as diversity and are eager to learn more about how you learn best. If you have accommodation letters, feel free to discuss them with me if you wish. If you need to access letters or to learn more about accommodations, contact Student Access and Disability Services at the Office of the Dean of Studies.

Sexual Misconduct/Title IX Statement: 

Colby College prohibits and will not tolerate sexual misconduct or gender-based discrimination of any kind. Colby is legally obligated to investigate sexual misconduct (including, but not limited to sexual assault and sexual harassment). If you wish to speak confidentially about an incident of sexual misconduct, please contact Colby Counseling Services (207-859-4490) or the Director of the Gender and Sexual Diversity Program, Emily Schusterbauer (207-859-4093). Students should be aware that faculty members are considered responsible employees; as such, if you disclose an incident of sexual misconduct to a faculty member, they have an obligation to report it to Colby’s Title IX Coordinator. “Disclosure” may include communication in-person, via email/phone/text, or through class assignments. To learn more about sexual misconduct or report an incident, visit http://www.colby.edu/sexualviolence/.

I am committed to all Colby students feeling safe, accepted, and included in all aspects of their college experiences, including this course. Colby prohibits and will not tolerate sexual misconduct or gender based discrimination of any kind and is obligated, by federal and state laws, to respond to reports and provide resources to students. As your professor, I am considered a "responsible employee" which requires me to report incidents of sexual assault, sexual harassment, dating violence, or stalking to the Title IX Coordinator. 

If you wish to access confidential support services, you may contact: 

• The Counseling Center: 207-859-4490 

• The Title IX Confidential Advocate: 207-509-9122 

• The Office of Religious and Spiritual Life: 207-859-4272 

• Maines's 24/7 Sexual Assault Helpline: 1-800-871-7741