1. The time to prepare the proposal is after the first independent study course
has been completed. The proposal should be submitted before the end of the
first week of classes in which the proposed independent study is to take place.
2. Each independent study course appears on the transcript as a separate
course even if the work to be done is a continuation of previous work. Thus
one must fill out the univerity's independent study permission form available
at
http://trinity.duke.edu/academic-requirements?p=independent-study
The completed form should be turned in to the Director of Undergraduate Studies
in the math department.
3. For item 1 on the back of the independent study permission form you
need only give a title. Please count letters and spaces to be sure that your title
is not too long.
4. Prepare a .pdf file which is divided into two sections as follows:
(i) A summary of your activity in your previous independent study course.
(ii) An outline of the activity which you propose for the coming semester.
Please follow the guidelines below in preparing (i) and (ii).
5. Guidelines for 4(i):
The summary 4(i) should be written so that it communicates to the average
mathematician. You should assume that the reader is familiar with the standard
material in the standard undergraduate math courses, but is not familiar
with special topics. Indicate the problem you are investigating, its context,
and the techniques that you are using. Indicate which of these methods you
learned in the previous independent study course and how you learned it
(e.g. reading Chapter X of Book Y). Be sure that the terminology which you
use is either familiar to a general mathematical audience or is explained
in your summary.
6. Guidelines for 4(ii):
Indicate your goals for the coming semester and how you propose to reach them.
In particular indicate the material and techniques that you plan to learn and give
the sources you will use to learn them. This part of the proposal should give
an average mathematician who is not a specialist in the area in which you
are working a pretty good idea of what you will be doing.
7. Send a copy of the final paper of your previous independent study course
to the Director of Undergraduate Studies as a .dvi file or a .pdf file or a postscript file.
The e-mail address is: schoen at math.duke.edu
The director of undergraduate studies looks forward to receiving your
independent study proposal. The .pdf file referred to in 4 above can
be attached to an e-mail. The univerity's independent study permission
form will have to be handed in. Once the application is received and
accepted the director of undergraduate studies can enable you to
register for the course.