DSCI 395-01
Professional Skills Development for Data Science
MATH 395-01 Professional Skills Development for Mathematics
STAT 395-01 Professional Skills Development for Statistics
Syllabus for Spring 2018
Tues & Thurs 8:00 – 9:00am
Gildemeister 325
Seminar Time: Some Wednesdays 12:00 – 12:50pm
Various Locations
Instructors: Chris Malone Winona Email Username: cmalone Office: 124C Gildemeister Hall Office Hours: TBD...
Instructor: Todd Iverson Winona Email Username: tiverson Office: 124A Gildemeister Hall Office Hours: TBD...
Prerequisite: CMST 191/192, ENG111, a couple upper-level DSCI, MATH, or STAT courses.
About This Course: This course is intended mostly for students preparing to begin or currently working on a research/independent project. The topics of this course will provide students with the tools for performing the necessary research work and the skills of communicating their results both verbally and in written form. This course will also cover skills necessary to succeed as a professional in the area of data science, mathematics, and/or statistics.
Expectations: Students who complete this course with a passing grade are expected to be able to demonstrate the following skills: (i) Steadfast attendance, (ii) Various research skills, (iii) Verbal communication of technical results, (iv) Written communication of technical results.
Assessment and
Grades: Your course grade will be determined by
your performance in completing the assigned work. All graded material will be evaluated using
the following scale.
·
Exceptional Performance
·
Satisfactory Performance
·
Substandard Performance
·
Incomplete / Missing
Assigned work will receive comments by the instructor and/or your
peers; however, the performance evaluation will be based on only the
instructor’s review. Work that is
determined to be substandard or incomplete/missing may be revised within one
week and resubmitted. For resubmitted
work, the maximum performance mark will be satisfactory, that is, you cannot
achieve exceptional performance on work that has been resubmitted.
There are four units of material: Oral Presentation, Written,
Poster Presentation, and Professionalism. Your final grade will be determined
by the following.
|
Grade |
Threshold |
|
A |
At least three units received exceptional
performance marks, fourth unit at least satisfactory. |
|
B |
At least two units each of exceptional and
satisfactory marks |
|
C |
At least three units received satisfactory
performance marks, fourth unit at least substandard. |
|
D |
At least two units each of satisfactory and
substandard marks |
|
F |
Less than two units at a satisfactory level |
A student
may request an update regarding their performance at any time during the
semester.
Attendance: Attendance
is mandatory. If you miss class, it is your responsibility to get the
material and get yourself caught up. If you miss a seminar, you should consult
with your instructor about a suitable alternative talk you can view.
Course Materials: You are encouraged to use a 3-ring binder for this class because
class materials will be a combination of note taking, handouts, and computer
output.
Academic Dishonesty: WSU Undergraduate Catalog contains a full listing of policies and procedures pertaining WSU’s Academic Integrity Policy. Note that both copying another student’s work and allowing someone to copy your work are clear violations of our academic integrity policy. If there is reasonable evidence of copying another individual’s or group’s work, it will be construed as an act of plagiarism. The first occurrence of cheating will result in a score of zero on that specific homework assignment or exam portion; the second occurrence may result in failure of the course.
Note: This syllabus is subject to change if deemed necessary by the instructor.
Tentative Schedule of Events
(subject to change)
|
Week Beginning |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
|
1/9 |
Introductions
Example Write-Ups: |
No Seminar |
No Class |
|
1/16 |
Cover Letters & Resumes for REU Applications
|
Seminar, Gild 155, 12:00PM |
|
|
1/23 |
|
No Seminar |
Professionalism in the Work Place and Online
|
|
1/30 |
Assignment: [Turn in: Thursday, 2/8] |
No Seminar |
Assignment: [Turn in: Thursday, 2/8] |
| 2/6 |
Guide to Outlines: Link Purdue On-line Learning Lab: Link Example of Reverse Outline: Paper | Outline Assignment: [Turn in: Thursday, 2/15 ] |
Seminar: Aaron Wangberg |
Guide to Writing Abstracts
Examples of Abstracts Math Paper 1 Abstract Stat Paper 2 Abstract Assignment: Write an abstract
for one of the following papers |
| 2/13 | No Class | No Seminar | Guide to Writing Conclusions |
| 2/19 | No Class | No Seminar | Compare / Contrast Abstracts & Conclusions
|
| 2/26 | Writing Center Speaker | No Seminar | Rewriting Process: Link |
Spring Break -- Enjoy | |||
| 3/12 |
Malone Example: Link
Hooks Example: Link Technically Speaking Preparation: Video Preparation Tips: Handout |
No Seminar |
Technically Speaking Visual Aids: Video
Assignment: TED Talk; Due Tuesday, 3/20
|
| 3/12 |
Technically Speaking Delivery: Video
Delivery Tips: Handout |
No Seminar | Talks start... |
Content not updated past here... | |||
|
2/6 |
Go over slides from previous talks Assignment: · Read at least 2 of the articles: o “Talks are not the same as papers” (Tao) o “How to Talk Mathematics” (Halmos) o "How to Make Your JSM Talk Great” (De Veaux) o "Advice on Giving a Good PowerPoint Presentation” (Gallian) · Write a 2-paragraph reflection on the similarities and differences in advice offered in these articles and from Technically Speaking and from the Rubric and/or what we’ve said in class. Due Feb 14. |
Eric Errthum |
TALK
1 SLIDES DUE FROM EVERYONE Student Presentations I Open Topic, 8 – 10
minutes |
|
2/13 |
Student Presentations I Open Topic, 8 – 10 minutes |
Student Presentations I Open Topic, 8 – 10
minutes Start preparing to
give a talk next week: Talk Details |
Mathematical Databases and the Library (Mark Eriksen visiting) Assignment: · Find an article and request it through ILL · Write a mock sentence and bibliography citing the article using the same style the article uses (Due Mar 2) |
|
2/20 |
No Class |
Student Presentations II Open Topic, no
words on slides, 8 – 10 minutes |
Student Presentations II Open Topic, no words on slides, 8 – 10 minutes |
|
2/27 |
Student
Presentations II Open Topic, no words on slides, 8 – 10 minutes |
Student Seminar: Jon Cadwell (Stat) |
Science Fair Start preparing to give a talk next week: Talk Details |
|
3/6 |
SPRING BREAK |
||
|
3/13 |
How to Read a Journal Article Example Math Papers: Example
1, Example
2 Good Professional Math Papers: MAA
Award Winners Good Undergraduate Math Papers: Rose-Hulman Undergrad Math Journal Structure of a Theoretical Paper: “Writing a Research Paper in Mathematics” Communicating
Stat Results Some Good Stat Papers: Miami University
REU outcomes Structure of Scientific Papers · Bates College Paper Structure: pdf
| html · University of Manchester: Stat Report
Writing
· Choose an article (possibly the same you
ordered through ILL) o MATH: Determine how much of the length is
proof vs. exposition vs. examples o STAT: Identify the main parts of the paper
(Lit Review, Methods, etc.) · Write a summary of the main points Due: March 23 |
Seminar: |
Student Presentations III Open Topic, 8 – 10 minutes Switch off with other student (Meet in GI329) |
|
3/20 |
Student Presentations III Open Topic, 8 – 10 minutes Switch off with other student Assignment: Watch all 3 of your presentations and |
Student Presentations III Open Topic, 8 – 10 minutes Switch off with other student |
Research Proposals Due Purdue’s Online Writing Lab (OWL) Example of Reverse-Outlining: Stat Paper 1 -- Outline Assignment:
|
|
3/27 |
Assignment: Write an abstract
for one of the following papers Assignment: Write an outline for a paper on Note: You will be eventually writing this paper as your practice research paper due at the end of the semester
|
No Seminar |
Math Paper 3
Conclusion Assignment: · Write a conclusion for the same paper you chose to do an abstract for Due: April 4 |
|
4/3 |
<-- Monday
(April 3) Poster Sessions in Kryzsko 8:30 – 9:45 and 1:00 – 2:15 Compare/Contrast Abstracts and Conclusions |
Seminar TBD |
Posters – Content/Story-telling
Due: Version 1 due April 13 Recall: Communicating
Stat Results |
|
4/10 |
Discussion of posters in the hallway Discuss/Critique Former Math/Stat Posters Assignment: Photograph and Critique two posters (one
“good” and one “bad”) at a Poster Session (Due April 13) |
The Ramaley Research Kryzsko Commons 1:00 – 3:00pm, |
Discuss/Critique poster pictures Assignment: |
|
4/17 |
General and Individual Paper Discussions Assignment: Implement revisions in your paper (Due:
April 25) |
Student Seminar |
Professionalism in the Work Place and Online Developing Professional Skills Worksheet Assignment: Assignment: |
|
4/24 |
Interviewing and Personal Statements Career Services Career-Prep Toolkit More Tips for Personal Statement General Stat Grad School Advice Optional Assignment: Create a rough draft personal statement and we will give you feedback on it |
Student Seminar |
Mark Gorman Resumes Assignment: Revise your resume (Due May 3) |
Due by the Final (Wednesday, May 3,
3:30pm)
· Final
version of paper
· Final
version of poster
· Final
version of resume
WSU recognizes that our individual differences can deepen our understanding of one another and the world around us, rather than divide us. In this class, people of all ethnicities, genders and gender identities, religions, ages, sexual orientations, disabilities, socioeconomic backgrounds, regions, and nationalities are strongly encouraged to share their rich array of perspectives and experiences. If you feel your differences may in some way isolate you from WSU’s community or if you have a need of any specific accommodations, please speak with the instructor early in the semester about your concerns and what we can do together to help you become an active and engaged member of our class and community.
The Standard Disclaimer
applies.
© Eric Errthum, April 2017, all rights reserved.
