Introducing Ground-Up Tutorials

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

A few years ago dave wrote a series of calculus tutorials for the mathematically inclined on SFN, and they were a success for quite a while. After looking back at their success, we've decided to go further.

 

SFN will now be the host of a series of Ground-Up Tutorials (GUTs for short) on various scientific topics, ranging from mathematics to evolution and computer science.

 

We're piloting the first tutorial, an expansion on dave's original tutorials, and plan on adding quite a few more.

 

To do so, however, we'll need some support. We staff do not know everything (though we do pretend at times), so we'd like some volunteers to help contribute material. Our goal is to make SFN not only a place for discussion but a place for learning, and GUTs promise to help use achieve that.

 

We're looking to write GUTs in several areas:

• Mathematics, ranging from basic calculus and trigonometry to more advanced undergraduate level topics.
  
• Topics in computer science
  
• Basic chemistry
  
• Fundamental physics
  

 

If you'd like to volunteer to help out, just send me a PM explaining what you can help with. You can look at our pilot tutorial to see the sort of style we're looking for. (The goal is for readers to be able to go from no understanding to moderate understanding by reading the tutorial. We don't expect to cover topics at the depth of a real course, however.)

 

If you're interested, just send a PM. I'm hoping that GUTs will expand SFN and help facilitate our future growth.

[PhDP]

... fundamental evolutionary genetics ?

[Genecks]

I think it would be important to create a college-level chemistry book. I've seen a lot of digital books on various topics of science, such as biology. I think PubMED has that stuff in their "library." But in terms of chemistry, I never see concrete, definite chemistry knowledge in a free eBook form. At least, I haven't in a while. I've seen short articles about various things, but nothing that amounts to maybe 500 pages worth of material.

[ecoli]

I think it would be important to create a college-level chemistry book. I've seen a lot of digital books on various topics of science, such as biology. I think PubMED has that stuff in their "library." But in terms of chemistry, I never see concrete, definite chemistry knowledge in a free eBook form. At least, I haven't in a while. I've seen short articles about various things, but nothing that amounts to maybe 500 pages worth of material.

 

I think that would be a little ambitious for us... while we definitely want to have GUT chemistry threads, I don't think most members would have the time to create an entire textbook, especially for free. One step at a time, though. Maybe one day, we'll be able to collect the GUTs into a larger format.

 

... fundamental evolutionary genetics ?

 

That'll come after we do one on evolution and one on genetics.

 

I'm currently planning an evolution GUT... hasn't moved out of the planning stages yet, because I'm currently inundated with work.

[CDarwin]

Would this be a collaborative thing? I think I could perhaps contribute bits and pieces to an evolution or maybe a geology one of these things, but I'm sure I couldn't write a whole one.

[Rune175]

That just sounds great to tell the truth!! Read the math tutorial and it is very very good, so just keep up the good work guys! Looking forward for the next one in line.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

Would this be a collaborative thing? I think I could perhaps contribute bits and pieces to an evolution or maybe a geology one of these things, but I'm sure I couldn't write a whole one.

 

Sure. Given that each tutorial is split up into small chunks (each post being one lesson), we can split up lessons between writers.

 

So if you're interested in writing an evolution one, we can pull in some other folks and start writing up an outline of the GUT.

[PhDP]

I'm in.