SACSCOC Fifth Year Interim Report
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Assessment : 2011 - 2012 : Educational Programs :
Mathematics MS
Mathematics MS
2 Goals 2 Objectives 2 Indicators 2 Criteria 2 Findings 2 Actions
| GOAL: Develop Research Skills |
| Objective |
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| Students completing the MS with a thesis will demonstrate skills in completing original research. |
| Indicator |
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The attached rubric will be used to rate student research during the thesis defense. |
| Criterion |
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MS students choosing to complete a thesis will score either a "fail", "pass" or "high pass" on their thesis based on the given rubric. |
| Finding |
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For students graduating in May 2012, six successfully completed theses. A seventh student will be completing her thesis in August. Although successful, some students demonstrated inadequate understanding, or at least presentation, of background material relevant to the research topic. Additionally, some had to be prompted by faculty members to correctly answer questions regarding their research. |
Actions for Objective:
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Last year, we had only one student complete a MS thesis. The increase in the number of theses this year is partially a result of some of these students getting mathematics research experiences as undergraduates. A second factor may be related to the increase in quality of MS candidates. The thesis committee may want to mentor more closely MA candidates regarding their review of the literature related to the research and encourage practice of the presentation and answering questions. |
| GOAL: Emphasize Written Communication Skills |
| Objective |
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| Students will be able to write rigorous proofs of mathematical statements, read mathematical research manuscripts, write formal mathematical papers, and use critical thinking skills to solve research problems. |
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| Students in the MS program will take a written comprehensive examination in the areas of abstract algebra, analysis, and topology. The examination will be scored by a committee of faculty. |
| Criterion |
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| All candidates will receive a mark of either "High Pass" or "Pass" for the Mathematical Statistics component of the comprehensive oral exam. |
| Finding |
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Seven out of eight students passed all of their comprehensive examinations. Five students passed all three exams on their first try, two students needed to retake one exam and passed on the second try. One student still needs to pass her second exam and will re-take the exam this summer. Of the seven students passing the three exams, there were four occurrences of "high pass". The other 17 exams received "pass." Those passing but with less than “high pass” typically approached the problem correctly but were not as sophisticated in their presentation or background evidence. |
Actions for Objective:
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| The pass rate for comprehensive examinations is consistent with the past couple of years. For some particularly strong students, however, the department has given them the option of foregoing a comprehensive exam if the student decides he/she would like to do a thesis. In this case, the student must spend the summer working on a thesis prospectus. If accepted, the comprehensive examinations are waived. It should be pointed out that only very strong students are allowed to pursue this option. For less strong students, the department will work with students to strengthen their examination by integrating background research with a more polished presentation. |
| Closing the Loop |
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The mathematics faculty were very pleased with the quality of the theses that were submitted and completed this year. They were not nearly as pleased with the unexpected difficulties put up by the library in accepting the theses' formatting. In short, mathematical researchers use highly-specialized word processing software, LaTex, which has slightly different formatting options than Microsoft Word. Initially, the library said it would not accept the theses unless they were submitted as Word documents. This was not acceptable to us from a professional standpoint. In the end, a compromise was reached. It is our hope a more permanent understanding of our unique formatting requirements can be worked out.
Whether on thesis defense or comprehensive examination, our students could improve in integrating background research with a more polished proof. Thesis committees can mentor their students in this endeavor. More preparation and instruction will be necessary to assist students sitting for comprehensive examinations in the same areas of integrating background information and a polished presentation of the proof. |