Senior Mathematics and Statistics Handbook
Additional Information
Tutorials
All students enrolled in senior mathematics and statistics units are expected to attend the scheduled tutorials for each unit. Tutorial exercise sheets are usually given out during the lectures, and you are expected to prepare for the tutorials by reading the relevant lecture note material and attempting as many exercises as possible. During the tutorial sessions, your tutor will answer questions from the class, give hints on exercises and generally guide you through the tutorial. The more work you do beforehand, the more your tutor is likely to be able to help you.
Tutorials generally begin in the second week of the semester, although some statistics tutorials and computer practical classes begin in week 1. Students will be allocated to tutorials by the university timetabling unit. Personal timetables for all students enrolled in senior mathematics and statistics units will be available via MyUni at the beginning of each semester.
Assignments
Skills and understanding cannot be acquired passively, for example by attendance at lectures and tutorials alone. On the contrary, it is essential that you do as many relevant problems as possible during each semester, for it is only by solving problems by your own initiative that you will attain mastery.
For this reason, sets of assignment exercises on the current lectures will be issued regularly to each student, collected, marked and returned (to the extent that resources permit) with corrections and comments. To facilitate this, you are asked to adhere to some guidelines for the assignments you submit.
Solutions should be written on lined paper using one side of the paper only, with plenty of space left for corrections by the markers. Untidy work may not be marked. Your solutions should be stapled or pinned to a manilla folder, on the cover of which you should write in block letters your name and faculty. Slide-on paper clips are unsuitable fasteners as they catch on other folders and are pulled off. Only one assignment is to be enclosed in the folder at a time.
Collaboration on Assignments
Plagiarism can be broadly defined as knowingly presenting another person's ideas, findings or work as one's own by copying or reproducing the work without due acknowledgement of the source (for example, copying a significant portion of an assignment from the work of another student). Plagiarism is an unacceptable practice.
Some collaboration between students on assignments is encouraged, since it can be a real aid to understanding. Thus it is legitimate for students to discuss assignment questions with friends on a general level, provided everybody involved makes some contribution. However, each student should produce his or her own individual written solution. Students should not look at another student's written assignment, nor allow their own assignment to be looked at by someone else. Cases of suspected plagiarism may be referred to the University Registrar. All students should read the University policy on plagiarism (and possibly other University documents relating to teaching & learning policy and procedures).
Quizzes, Participation Marks
If you are taking a unit in which the assessment includes marks for quizzes, or for tutorial participation, you will be given relevant information in the first week of lectures. Make sure you know exactly what the assessment requirements are for each of the units in which you are enrolled.
Consultations
General questions about administration should be taken to one of the coordinators. Questions about content should be discussed with your lecturer or a tutor as soon as possible, usually during scheduled consultation hours or tutorials. Lecturers will notify students of their scheduled consultation hours during the first week of each semester.
Solutions to Tutorials and Assignments
At the discretion of the lecturer, solutions to tutorial and assignment problems may be made available for students to download from the unit of study web site (http://www.maths.usyd.edu.au/u/UG/SM/MATHxxxx or http://www.maths.usyd.edu.au/u/UG/SM/STATxxxx).
Careers Advice and Information
We would like to draw your attention to the assistance which can be obtained from the University's Careers Centre. Final year students, in particular, are advised to contact the Centre early in the year. They will be able to give help in setting career goals, assistance in writing résumés and in preparing for job interviews, and up-to-date information about the job market. The Careers Centre is located in the Mackie Building, telephone 9351-3481.
Sydney University Mathematical Society
ΣUMS (pronounced sums) is an informal group run by students that aims to promote interest in mathematics, and every mathematics student is automatically a member. ΣUMS organizes talks by students and mathematicians, an annual problem solving competition and various social gatherings.