# semester review (2023 fall)
大一上修課紀錄
[TOC]
I think I would record the courses I took on a semester basis.
## Calculus (I)
微積分一
:::info
number : MATH1211
course type : major (compulsory)
lecturer : 沈俊嚴
textbook : Courant, John. Introduction to Calculus and Analysis
range : volume I chapter 1,2,3,5,6,7,8
credits : 5 (4 main classes + 1 TA class)
:::
:::warning
grade : A+
:::spoiler grading
- homework 1~11 (40%) : 9.525/10 on average
- midterm exam (30%) : 84
- final exam (30%) : 75
theoretical score : 85.8
- rate of A+: 12.5% (about 6~8 people)
:::
Calculus homework is assigned on Thursdays, typically comprising 4 to 6 problems, and completing all of them by Saturday can be a little challenging. My approach involves reviewing course materials and simultaneously tackling the homework, with a tendency to focus on the lesson notes in advance. Apart from that, utilizing the free noons on Tuesday and Wednesday for calculus and linear algebra review or completing linear algebra homework has become a routine.
For studying my math majors, I find that particularly annotating the most forgettable or less intuitive steps in the proofs of essential theorems helps me remember the skills more effectively.
While my final grade was A at first, there's a general lift in grades one week after, possibly due to some leniency from the instructor. Nonetheless, my primary focus is on understanding the material rather than chasing a specific grade, for the true importance may slip away in grasping them.
Interestingly, an elderly man, around 70 years old, regularly audits our lectures and seems to attend "Introduction to Algebra". I've learned that he study public health at NTU in his youth but did not delve into much mathematics then. It appears that he is making an effort to catch up on his math education after retirement (?)
## Linear Algebra (I)
線性代數一
:::info
number : MATH1103
course type : major (compulsory)
lecturer : 林惠雯
textbook : Friedberg, Insel, Spence. Linear Algebra (4th edition)
range : chapter 1~5
credits : 4 (3 main classes + 1 TA class)
:::
:::warning
grade : A-
:::spoiler grading
- homework 1~15 (20%) : 100 (most of them are A+, 2 of them are A)
- quiz 1 (10%) : 68+13
- quiz 2 (10%) : 65
- midterm exam (30%) : 54+12
- final exam (30%) : 77
theoretical score : 77.5
- rate of A+: 4% (about 5 people)
- rate of A- or above: 38%
:::
My approach to studying linear algebra follows what I did in Calculus, though the homework tends to take less time to complete as well as review. Consistently revisiting the lesson notes remains a crucial part of the study. On top of working independently on the homework, a deeper understanding of the subject is required for pursuing a higher grade.
Test sheets, including quizzes, are divided into sheets A, B, and C, each carrying more than 100 points, 100 points, and 70 points, respectively. Sheet A may include unpredictable questions that demand swift consideration. I invariably opt for the most challenging sheet, believing that my progress in understanding the material will become evident when I perform well on sheet A someday.
On the last day of the semester, as I went to take my exam sheet back, the lecturer stopped me just as I was about to leave. She asked that I hand over my answer sheet:
>對嘛 我看你上課的反應怎麼可能是這個成績
>我知道你都會但你先寫這些計算題算錯就吃虧了阿
>第二題是誰改的，為什麼只給他3分？
>第四題是誰改的，為什麼只給他2分？
>你看後面這裡都有寫只是前面eigenvalue算錯，因為寫這些證明題來不及寫，這個如果是我會給10分
>(take me to add 12 points from 65)
>在數學系考試要有策略 知不知道
That is, I will do the proving problems first and try to be cautious about calculation.
By the way, it was on that day that I finally realized why our scores always contain ".1". It actually represents sheet A (".2" for sheet B, ".0" for sheet C).
## College Chinese: Reading and Writing (I)
大學國文：閱讀與寫作（一）
:::info
number : CHIN8016
course type : liberal courses (compulsory)
lecturer : 簡凱廷
credits : 3 (3 main classes)
:::
:::warning
grade: A+
:::spoiler grading
- lesson attendance & activities (20%)
- reflection writing (15%) : A+
- 2000 words
- pick a book written by an alumni or a professor of NTU
- final oral report (30%)
- teamwork
- interview a professor of the NTU
- final personal report (35%)
- no word count limit
- come up with a topic related to NTU to discuss or introduce
theoretical score: unknown
- rate of A+: 50%
:::
The primary focus of the course lies in constructing coherent articles and reports. Originally, the word count requirement was set at 5000, but the instructor later announced that a complete report is the sole requisite, and the length is no longer a strict constraint. However, I ended up completing mine with approximately 8000 words. Notably, determining the main focus of the topic is the most challenging part of the report, and one should revise it several times before submission. We were tasked to restrict the scale of the research, but it couldn't be something easily done without sufficient discussion. (I'll refrain from disclosing my research topic, as it might be controversial given my current position.)
In the month leading up to the report submission deadline, the lecturer encouraged us to communicate with him after completing each part of the work for feedback. In my case, he provided various guidance through two recorded videos, one lasting 10 minutes and the other 30 minutes, on how to revise the report. Hard to imagine how long he took to advise all the students.
One interesting aspect of the course is the final oral report. The assignment involves interviewing a professor at NTU, filming and editing the video of the interview (may alternatively use slides). My group successfully invited our calculus lecturer for the interview. The content covered his study and work experience in the US, his research work, and advice for students.
Although the class was once described as easy, resulting in generally high grades (many A+) on the PTT, the lecturer might feel some pressure from colleagues and has decided to limit the proportion of A+ grades in his class to no more than one-third. Nonetheless, the course maintains a relaxed and easy-going pace, and the lecturer is notably friendly.
>老師：讀書壓力大的話(還是他說什麼情境我有點忘了)可以找我聊天喝酒
## French (I)(1)
法文一上
:::info
number : FL2013
course type : elective courses (taken as my liberal course)
lecturer : 陳素麗
textbook : initial 1
range : lesson 1~12 (exactly half)
credits : 3 (4 main classes)
:::
:::warning
grade : A
:::spoiler grading
- homework (30%) : 89.17 in average
- quiz (10%) : 90.71 in average
- midterm exam (30%) : oral 88 + written 84.5 -> 86.25
- final exam (30%) : oral 88 + written 92.5 -> 90.25
theoretical score : 88.77
- rate of A+: 24%
:::
The course is designed for beginners and roughly follows the textbook, supplemented with a wide range of additional materials. Every Wednesday, we have a quiz consisting of 10 listen-and-write questions, each presented as a sentence that is repeated several times. We only have to write down the same. Following the practice in class makes these quizzes manageable.
While our lecturer provides a bit more supplementary material, I realized after the midterm that the exams primarily focus on the vocabulary and grammar found in the textbook, which is consistent across courses. Despite this, I believe one can gain a lot from this class by engaging in-class exercises and doing occasional reviews. Personally, I've noticed French words in daily life and found that I can recognize some of them, which is perhaps the most tangible benefit of taking this course.
The oral exams during the midterm and final require us to prepare a 3 to 5-minute conversation, recite it, and present it to the lecturer. The TA designates the partner, and the sentence patterns and vocabulary used should roughly encompass the materials we've learned.
## Cultural Interaction accross the Eurasian Steppe through Artifacts
從器物看歐亞草原交流史
:::info
number : ARHY1028
course type : general course
lecturer : 林郡儀
credits : 3 (2 main classes + 1 TA class)
:::
:::warning
grade : A+
:::spoiler grading
- lesson participating & discussion (20%) (I attended all)
- midterm oral presentation (10%) (at most 6 minutes)
- homework 1 (15%) : A
- homework 2 (20%) : A+
- final report (35%) : A+ (paper report with 2000~3000 words + oral presentation 10~12 minutes)
theoretical score: unknown
- rate of A+: 36%
:::
The course follows the flow of Chinese dynasties, with the lecturer introducing an object made in a specific dynasty along with related research each week. Subsequently, most TA classes involve discussions on the designated readings relevant to the main course.
To be honest, the lessons were principally uninteresting to me. I enrolled in the course with the hope of gaining a general understanding of what people in other fields do. This motivation served as my main reason for selecting a general course (and had I not listed a lot of choices during pre-course selection, I wouldn't have had any general course to take). In hindsight, I probably won't choose another general course that requires such intensive research work. The challenge lies not in writing the report but in searching for appropriate topics and relevant resources.
Homework 1 demands describing the appearance of an object with a subtle explanation of why it is made in that particular way. We are asked to take a picture of one of the exhibited objects in the Museum of the Institute of History and Philology of Academia Sinica and complete the assignment.
Homework 2 emphasizes the analogy and comparison of two objects. This work requires us to outline their similarities and differences, followed by an explanation of the potential reasons behind them.
feedback of the final report:
>口頭報告與書面報告都相當傑出。題目的選擇有趣，並且能將所提出的問題放到更廣泛的議題中思考，並從這點展現出題目的重要性，這點非常好！寫作結構嚴謹，段落之間的邏輯緊密扣合。通篇展現出很好的資料蒐集與圖版和文字分析能力，是篇相當好的報告。引用格式方面，參考書目不需要編號，只要依作者姓氏的字母順序排列即可。另外，前言也不需要放在方框中。但這些是很小的地方，瑕不掩瑜。
## Health Related Physical Fitness
健康體適能
:::info
number : PE1003
course type : PE class (compulsory)
lecturer : 郭育瑄
credits : 1 (2 main classes)
:::
:::warning
grade : A
:::spoiler grading
- attendance (30%)
- lesson performance (10%)
- physical fitness test (30%)
- competition participation (20%) : 10 / 20 (each competition worths 2 points)
- homework (10%) : (500 words of reflection on watching a tournament)
theoretical score: unknown
- rate of A+: 26.67%
:::
In each "Health Related Physical Fitness" class, students are required to participate in various competitions. While most only demand 3 or 5 total participations, our class mandates 10, which feels quite unnecessary. I enrolled tug of war, relay, and three mundane "fun races" on the school sport days. But it turned out that almost everyone received a high grade (?)
## general info
:::info
total credits: 19
credits counted for graduation: 18
GPA: 4.11
:::
Interestingly, I didn't skip any class in the first semester.
This semester I finished all the course selection in the pre-registeration but the general course was a little bit boring. I might try additional selection next time if needed.
## study plan
**books I wish to study in the winter vacation**
- Additive Combinatorics (Tao & Vu)
- current progress rate (~2024/01/21): most of chp4 + half of chp10 + 60pgs of notes
- present it in the seminar on 2024/01/18
- Primes of the Form $x^2+ny^2$ (Cox)
- browzed few sections before entering uni
- seriously bit only few pages before studying additive combinatorics and I'll carry on more
- The Probablistic Method (Allon & Spencer)
- not started yet
- Introduction to Analytic Number Theory (Apostol)
- browzed a little bit
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