Graduate students are daunted by the task of writing a paper or thesis, and often have little experience or knowledge in writing. In this 1 credit hour course we will discuss the issues involved in writing well in the sciences. The emphasis will be on Computer Science and related mathematical disciplines, but many of the topics discussed will be relevant to writing in scientific and engineering disciplines as well.
The class will meet once each week, and we will follow a lecture and class discussion format. Students will be asked to read chapters from a few books devoted to good writing, and then to discuss their questions in class. (Some of these books are listed below.) They will write two short papers during the semester: one at mid-term, and the second at the end of the semester. The papers will be corrected and returned to the students to enable them to discern areas where they need to improve.
The topics will include the following.
Relationship between writing and learning Issues specific to writing in Computer Science English usage Writing a paper Revising a draft The publication process Preparing a talk Writing doucmentation for software Writer's tools Computer aids for writing and research When English is a second language
Text books and recommended books:
Nicholas J. Higham, A Handbook of Writing in the Mathematical Sciences, Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, 1993. Joseph Willimas, Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace. Donald E. Knuth, Tracy Larrabee, and Paul M. Roberts, Mathematical Writing, MAA Notes No. 14, The Mathematical Association of America, Washington, D.C., 1989. Mary-Claire Van Leunen, A Handbook for Scholars, Oxford University Press, 1992.