2021 Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education Reports
2021
N/A
Three Phases of Active Proof Reading Strategy for Comprehension of Mathematical Proofs: An exploratory study
Page: 39
In advanced mathematics courses, proofs are instrumental in conveying mathematical knowledge. As a result, in many upper-division undergraduate math courses, proof comprehension is a crucial aspect of learning mathematics. This study examines proof reading strategies that eleven mathematics doctoral students profess to use to facilitate proof comprehension. This paper identifies 12 strategies that participants in this study employed to improve proof comprehension. I argue that those 12 proof reading strategies occur in three phases. In particular, doctoral students in this study engaged in three types of reading: preliminary reading, engaged reading, and reflective reading. The paper concludes with a brief remark on this research's implication for teaching proofs in undergraduate mathematics.