Advanced / Directed Reading Program — A/DRP

  • Course coordinators:
    Kristof Berczi,
    kristof.berczi@ttk.elte.hu
    Erika Bérczi-Kovács,
    erika.berczi-kovacs@ttk.elte.hu
  • Prerequisites: LATEX skills.
    If necessary, you must “pick up” LATEX the first week(s).
  • Click for the Course homepage at ELTE

Overview

This compulsory course, offered by ELTE University (in the BSM building), is designed to enhance your mathematical academic writing skills, with a particular focus on writing proofs. The curriculum is tailored to your individual proficiency level and offers an opportunity to engage deeply with a specific mathematical problem, fostering a comprehensive understanding and practical application of the subject.

You will work one-on-one with a Teaching Assistant (TA), under the supervision of the Course Coordinators. TAs are PhD students from ELTE University and the Technical University, who will guide you in producing a short mathematical paper (written in LaTeX). The topic and scope of the paper will be chosen collaboratively with your TA, in consultation with the Course Coordinators.

Two versions of this course are offered and students may choose freely to enroll in the "Directed Reading Program" or "Advanced Directed Reading Program".


Directed Reading versus Advanced Directed Reading Project. Which one to choose?

Directed Reading Program (DRP)
  • Focuses on consolidating and extending your current coursework.
  • Typical projects include:
    • Working out the details of a proof.
    • Exploring extra-credit or homework problems.
    • Developing useful extensions of material from a class you are already taking.
  • The goal is to deepen your understanding of your ongoing courses through focused writing.
Advanced Directed Reading Program (ADRP)
  • Intended for motivated students who want to pursue a more ambitious project.
  • Projects may be connected to coursework or explore independent mathematical topics.
  • A brief project proposal, prepared jointly by the student and TA, must be approved by the Course Coordinators.
  • Outstanding ADRP papers may be published in the public BSM Repository.

Course Structure

Stage 1: Finding Your TA Mentor (Weeks 1–3)
Each student must be matched with a TA mentor by the end of Week 3. TAs are responsible for specific courses and hold two types of office hours:
  1. Dedicated Mentorship Hours – one-on-one meetings (by appointment) focused on your term paper.
  2. Open Office Hours – drop-in sessions open to all BSM students for help with any course overseen by the TA. These run throughout the semester, in addition to professors’ office hours.
Drop in or make appointments during weeks 1-3 until you find your TA mentor. Please, note that each TA may mentor up to five BSM students, assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. After choosing a TA, you must request approval from the Course Coordinators.

Stage 2: Writing the Term Paper
Students meet weekly (at least 30 minutes) with their TA mentor during Dedicated Mentorship Hours. The final paper deadline is:
  • Week 7 for the DRP.
  • Final week of the semester for the ADRP.

Back to top