Student Presentation Judging Guidelines

A. Topic and Level

Is the topic an appropriate and interesting one for an audience consisting primarily of undergraduates? In general, we would like student papers to not be so elementary as to be uninteresting but no so esoteric as to be unfathomable. However, there certainly have been instances when a paper has given a unique or clever approach to an elementary topic or beautifully unmasked an esoteric and complicated topic.

B. Organization/Preparation

We expect the student to put some thought into the arrangement of topics and the development of the material. References and historical notes should be cited where appropriate. The order of topics and logical development should be sound.

C. Presentation

The presenter should be well rehearsed. A good presentation should flow. It should be neither verbose nor terse.

D. Understanding

The paper presenter should be comfortable and familiar with the material. The presenter should not get lost in the material, and should be responsive to questions in a confident and thoughtful way.

E. Use of Visual Aids or Chalkboard

If transparencies are used, then the print size should be easily readable from the back of the room. Transparencies should be neatly prepared and well organized. Chalkboard work should also be neat, organized, and easily readable from the back of the room. If an electronic device is used (e.g., computer, VCR) then its output should be easily audible or viewable by all.

F. Exposition or Research

We look for and reward both good exposition and good research. Try to ascertain if the student authored the exposition or did the research. We are more interested in the work done by the student than by the student's faculty advisor.

Special Prizes

Pi Mu Epsilon: The purpose of PME is the promotion and recognition of scholarly activity in the mathematical sciences.

SIAM: SIAM fosters the development of applied mathematical and computational methodologies needed in various application areas. The mission of SIAM is to build cooperation between mathematics and the worlds of science and technology.

AWM: The purpose of the Association for Women in Mathematics is to encourage women and girls to study and to have active careers in the mathematical sciences, and to promote equal opportunity and the equal treatment of women and girls in the mathematical sciences.