Instructor: Ryan Kinser
Office: MSB 233
electronic-mail: kinser at math dot uconn dot edu
Class schedule: MWF 11:00-11:50 in MSB 215
Office Hours: M 12-1, Th 5-6, F 9-10
Text: Abstract Algebra, by Dan Saracino. Either the first or second edition is fine, there is no difference in the part of the book we will be using. I like to get used textbooks on half.com or abebooks.com to save money.
Course content: For course description and prerequisites, see the official math department course page. We will cover most of the text (first edition, see note above), possibly skipping a few sections. Therefore, you can get a basic course outline from the table of contents. However, we might not go through it in the exact order of the book. Basically, I will present the material in the way that I think is most understandable, but making sure the book is still a useful tool for you.
Grade determination: The emphasis of this course is on deductive reasoning and proofs, which you cannot learn only by watching someone else. So that means you will need to do a lot of them yourself. I can't emphasize that enough: you cannot learn to write proofs only by reading other people's. You have to write them yourself, and they will be messy and unreadable and long at first, but you will get better if you practice. Learning to write good proofs is the only way to get a decent grade in this class.
Of course, reading the book, paying attention in class, and reviewing your class notes are certainly good ways to get started learning to write good proofs. So you should definitely do those things. And above all, you need to know the definitions.
Your final grade will be 30% in-class stuff (quizzes, homework, participation), 15% each for the three in-class exams, and 25% for the final exam.
Homework: By the end of the first week, you will have a homework group of 2 or 3 students, which will then turn in one joint written copy of each homework assignment. Homework will be due each Monday at the start of class. Try to work every assigned question, but for each study group, a good practice is to rotate definite responsibilities for each assigned question among the members. For each problem, one designated person should be able to work the problem, and explain it to the others. The responsible person may obtain assistance from me or anyone else willing to provide help, such as students who have completed the course, graduate students, and other instructors. Prior to Monday's class, the group meets to go over the homework and prepare it for submission by the group. At that meeting, the experts explain the solution of any problems that other members were unable to complete. In this way, everyone gets a reliable and understandable explanation of all the challenging problems. Be advised, when it comes exam time, everyone is responsible for understanding (and possibly reproducing) all the material in the homework.
Proofs on homework should not be simply a string of logical and mathematical symbols, but include complete sentences in English. Proof should be written in an essay style explaining the reasons why the claim is true. These reasons should be clearly elucidated and conform to standard proof techniques learned in Math 213. You will be graded on your ability to communicate mathematics, not just the underlying dry logic. For example, a two page proof which could have been done in two sentences will not receive full credit.
Each group member receives the same grade for that submission, which should represent the collective work of all members. If someone does not contribute to a submission, the remaining group members can omit his or her name from the group's paper. You are free to change study groups at any time; always inform the other group members beforehand. If there are problems, please come speak with me about them.
Quizzes: There will be short in-class quizzes over definitions, basic computations, and "one line" proofs. They may be announced ahead of time, or not. A missed quiz receives a grade of zero, and your lowest quiz grade will be dropped at the end.
Exams: The exams are approximately equally spaced in terms of material; the following dates are tentative based on the speed at which we work:
Missed quizzes/exams: Yes, I did just explain this above, but I want to emphasize it for your own good. Please don't convince yourself that you can talk your way past this policy! You can't. Please show up for all quizzes and exams. Since there may be pop quizzes, you will need to come to every class to assure this.
You will only have an exam disregarded in your final grade if you bring me, in a timely manner, a letter from a doctor, with contact information, stating that you were medically unable to take the examination at the scheduled time. Something that does not meet this requirement is, for example, a note from a clinic saying that you were there that morning.
If this seems a bit heavy, let me assure you that I have never had a student receive a bad or unfair grade because of this policy. It simplifies the course so that we can all concentrate on the material, rather than which rules can be bent or stretched and which excuses are legitimate and which are flimsy. It encourages good attendance by answering your question ahead of time when you are having a hard day and think, "Maybe I can just skip a few days and make everything up later..." It's never easier to get caught up later!