MATH 195: (Research Methods in

Mathematics)

Lecturer: Editha C. Jose, PhD

Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Physics

S.Y. 2014-2015
Outline

Mathematical Writing
Organization
Language
Few Guidelines

(1.) Present the material in small digestible portions.

(2.) Do not jump from one detail to another, and illogically
making some details too specic and others too generic.
(3.) If possible, follow a sequential path through the subject. If
not, break the subject down into logical units.
Language

In writing, language means the choice of words and symbols,

and their rearrangement in phrases.

Warning!

When you write, watch your language.

When it falters, your readers stumble. If

they stumble too often, they'll lose their

patience and stop reading. Write, rewrite,

then rewrite again; there is no shortcut!

Seven Goals of Language

(1.) Precision (giving specic and concrete details)

(2.) Clarity (using no wrong words)
(3.) Familiarity (dening unfamiliar words, and familiar words
used in unfamiliar ways)
(4.) Forthrightness (writing in an unhesitating, straightforward
and friendly style)
(5.) Conciseness (reducing sentences to their simplest forms)
(6.) Fluidity (avoiding weak transitions and gaps between
sentences and paragraphs)
(7.) Imagery (illustrating complex ideas)
Precision

1. Being precise means using the right word. Consult a

dictionary, not a thesaurus.
2. Being precise means giving specic and concrete details.
But, being precise does not mean giving all the details but
giving the informative details.
3. Being specic does not mean eradicating general statements
which are important, particularly in summaries. However,
specic examples, illustrations and analogies add meanings
to the general statements.
Clarity

1. Being clear means using no wrong words. An ambiguous

phrase or sentence will disrupt the continuity and diminish
the authority of the entire section.
2. Don't string adjectives before nouns keeping your sentences
simple and to the point.
3. Keep most sentences short but put some longer ones to
avoid sounding choopy and to provide variety and emphasis.
Clarity

1. Make sure that the reference is clear when using a pronoun.

2. The pronouns that and which are not always
interchangeable. The prounoun that is dening, it is used to
identify an object uniquely. The pronoun which is
non-dening, it adds information to an object already
identied.
3. Punctuation is used to emilinate ambiguities in language,
and to ease the ow of the text.
Clarity
I Use periods only to end sentences. Avoid abbreviations that
require periods.
I Use commas to separate three or more items in a list and to
set o contrasted elements. Use a comma after an
introductory phrase.
I Use colons to introduce lists, explanations and displays, but
not lemmas, theorems and corollaries.
I Use a semicolon to join two sentences to indicate that they
are closely linked in content. However, if you use
conjunction, use a comma.
I Use a dash as a comma of extra strength- but use it
sparingly.
I Place closing quotation marks after commas and periods.
I Enclose parenthetical material in parentheses; footnotes
and endnotes are generally discouraged in technical reports.
I Do not use apostrophe to form the plurals of one or more
digits and letters used as nouns, except to avoid confusion.
For example write this: the early 1970s, many YMCAs,
Familiarity

1. Dene unfamiliar words, and familiar words used in

unfamiliar ways.
2. If a denition is short then include it in the same sentence,
preceding it by or or setting it o by commas or
parentheses. If the denition is complex or technical, then
expand it in a sentence or two.
3. Beware of jargon. It is a vocabulary particular to a certain
group and it consists of abbreviations and slang terms.
4. Avoid using clichs or gurative expressions that have been
overused and have taken on undesirable connotations.
Examples: at the end of the day, think outside the box,
plenty of sh in the sea...
5. Avoid numerals unless they are accompanied by units, a
percentage sign or a monetary sign. Don't begin a sentence
with a numeral or symbol; reformulate the sentence if
necessary.
Forthrightness

1. Write in an unhesitating, straighforward and friendly style,

ridding your language of needless and bewildering formality.
2. Be wary of awkward and inecient passive constructions.
3. Bad: By solving, the equation, it is found that the roots are
real.
4. Good: Solving the equation, we nd the roots are real.
Conciseness

1. Concise writing is vigorous; wordy writing is tedious.

2. Bad: In order to nd the solution of the equation, we can
use two alternative methods.
3. Good: To solve the equation, we can use one of two
methods.
4. Concise writing is simple and ecient, thus beautiful.
Fluidity

1. To smooth the ow, start a sentence where the preceding

one left o. Use connective words and phrases.
2. Avoid gaps in logic and give ample details.
3. Don't take needless jumps when deriving equations. Use
parallel wording when discussing parallel concepts.
4. Don't raise questions implicitly, and leave them
unanswered.
5. Some papers stagnate because they lack variety. The
sentences begin the same way, run the same length and are
of the same type. Don't worry about varying your sentences
and paragraphs at rst; wait until you polish your writing.
6. If you have to choose between uidity and clarity, choose
clarity.
Imagery

1. Most people think and remember images, not abstractions,

and images are claried by illustrations.
2. Illustrations can provide pauses and can make a paper more
palatable and less forbidding.
3. Illustrations cannot stand alone; they must be introduced
in the text. Assign them titles for reference. Assign them
captions that tell, independently of the text, what they are
and how they dier from one another, without being overly
specic. Clearly label the parts of the illiustrations.
4. Match the information in your text and illustrations. Place
the illustrations closely after-never before- their references
in the text.
References

1. University of Exeter, Writing a PhD proposal

2. Brighton Doctoral College, Guidelines for research proposal