Writing about math

Annotated Bibliography

Clarke , D . J , Waywood , A Stephens , M (1993 . Probing the Structure of Mathematical Writing . Educational Studies in Mathematics , 25 (3 235-250 . Springer

This is a discussion of four years worth of journal writing in mathematics that involved approximately 500 students from the 8th grade to the 11th grade . The students were from Victorian secondary schools The study demonstrates a strong link between language and mathematics and suggests a relationship between students ' writing and their perception of mathematics and mathematical activities . The study examined the implications of the regular

completion of student journals in mathematics . Those participation in the study were 20 Asian , 30 Italian and Greek , and the remaining percent were predominant Anglo-Saxon . The journals that were provided were divided into 3 sections . Those sections were What we did , What we learned , and examples and questions . The sections were designed to introduce students to the three main tasks in journal writing : to summarize what has been taught , to discuss both the ideas and the learning , and to formulate questions and examples . The students were then instructed to write in their journals after every mathematics lesson

In 1988-1989 , consultations with staff at the school , through the use of sample journal entries , and the interviewing of a cross-section of students a questionnaire was constructed in an attempt to identify the use and effects of student journals on learning and teaching mathematics . The questionnaire was given to students between the grade levels of 7-12

The questionnaire was designed to generate...