RUME 28
2026
Alexandria, Virginia
An Exploratory Analysis of a Reading-Based Introduction to Proof Courses Compared to Business-as-Usual Introduction to Proof
Page: 1468
This multi-year project created a series of engaging, accessible proofs paired with their original authors’ biographies. The proofs and biographies were designed for Introduction to Proof (ITP) courses as a means to broaden the mathematical stories students encounter and challenge narrow stereotypes of “who does mathematics.” Exploratory analyses from nine ITP sections examined the effects of pre-survey scores, gender, and curriculum exposure on post-survey scores for logic and sense of belonging. Data collection is ongoing, but preliminary results show that higher pre-survey scores predict greater post-survey gains in logic (3.57 points per SD) and sense of belonging (5.34 points per SD), with women predicted to score 1.87 points higher on logic.