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Open Math Notes

Resources and inspiration for math instruction and learning

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Welcome to AMS Open Math Notes, a repository of freely downloadable mathematical works hosted by the American Mathematical Society as a service to researchers, faculty and students. Open Math Notes includes:

  • Draft works including course notes, textbooks, and research expositions. These have not been published elsewhere and are subject to revision.
  • Items previously published in the Journal of Inquiry-Based Learning in Mathematics, a refereed journal
  • Refereed publications at the AMS

Visitors are encouraged to download and use any of these materials as teaching and research aids, and to send constructive comments and suggestions to the authors.

Open Math Notes Advisory Board:

  • Karen Vogtmann, Chair | University of Warwick
  • Tom Halverson | Macalester College
  • Andrew Hwang | College of the Holy Cross
  • Robert Lazarsfeld | Stony Brook University
  • Mary Pugh | University of Toronto

contact

How to use this site:

  • Find notes by using the pull-down menus to search the archive by level, topic, or course type. New notes will be added regularly.
  • Contribute notes by clicking the "Submit" button at the top of the page. Your contribution not only helps your fellow educators, but also allows you to get valuable feedback from others who use your notes.
  • Please review the guidelines for submission.

Frequently asked questions:

What are the restrictions on using these notes?
Copyright for all notes resides with the original author. Authors may provide additional rights via a Creative Commons license -- this will be indicated in the note's description.
Is there a review process for these notes?
All notes are reviewed and approved by AMS editors and the Open Math Notes Advisory Board, but material in the notes has not been copyedited or peer-reviewed. The review process will usually take two to four weeks.
What kinds of materials can I submit to this site?
Submitted material should be relatively complete sets of notes for, for example, a course, lecture series, or monograph. Supplemental material such as problem sets or illustrations may be uploaded in addition to the core set of notes. Authors are responsible for obtaining the necessary permissions to use illustrations and excerpts of texts copied from the web or other sources, and such materials should be properly cited. Submitted notes must not have been published previously (i.e. must not have an ISBN number issued by another publisher or self-publishing site such as Amazon).
How can I contribute notes?
Use the Submit button on the site homepage to start the submission process. We’ll ask you for a description of your notes, and for a PDF file of the notes themselves.
How can I contact a course note author?
Use the "Send feedback to the author" link found beside a course note to send the author an email via secure web form.
How can I edit notes that I have contributed?
You may update your notes at any time using an access URL that you will receive when your submission is initially approved. This URL will allow you to edit metadata, add additional supplementary material, and provide updated versions of the notes themselves. New supplementary files, metadata, and reviews will appear immediately. All prior versions of the notes will remain available via the Archive section of each notes page.
Can I withdraw notes that I have contributed?
Authors can submit a request to remove their notes via the access URL that they receive after their initial approval. AMS staff will then remove the notes and a notice will be posted in their place indicating withdrawal.
How long will my notes be available?
Notes will be available in perpetuity unless withdrawn by the author. The AMS retains the right to withdraw notes at its discretion.
Can I publish my notes after submitting them to this site?
Notes may be published, but must first be withdrawn from this site.
What can I do if I have trouble uploading files?
If something goes wrong during your submission, contact the AMS Open Math Notes team.
How can I follow notes that I am interested in?
There are two ways to follow Open Math Notes:
  • You can follow specific notes by checking the box beside the notes you wish to follow and clicking the "Follow selected notes" button on the search results page.
  • You can follow all notes that match the current search criteria by clicking the "Follow all search results" button on the search results page.
What happens if I choose to follow notes?
In order to follow Open Math Notes, you must log in using your AMS login; if you do not have one, you will need to create one. On a weekly basis, we will check to see if notes you are following (or notes that match your saved search criteria) are updated and will notify you by email. You can opt out at any time by going to your "My Notes" page and remove a saved search and/or individual notes.
How do I view the notes I am following?
To view the notes you are following, click on the "My Notes" button. After logging in, you will be taken to the page which has a section for your saved searches and one for individual notes you are following. Click on the "View" button to see either the notes that match your search criteria or the individual notes.
Have a comment or suggestion about Open Math Notes? Contact us here.