Higham, Nicholas J. : The University of Manchester
Nicholas J. Higham is Richardson Professor of Applied Mathematics at the University of Manchester in England.
He is the author of more than 60 publications and is an editor of the IMA Journal of Numerical Analysis, Linear
Algebra and Applications, and the SIAM Journal on Matrix Analysis and Applications.
Summary
The subject of mathematical writing has been infused with life once again by Nick Higham as he follows up his
successful HWMS volume with this much-anticipated second edition. As is Higham's style, the material is enlivened
by anecdotes, unusual paper titles, and humorous quotations. This handy new volume provides even more information
on the issues you will face when writing a technical paper or talk, from choosing the right journal in which to
publish to handling your references. Its overview of the entire publication process is invaluable for anyone hoping
to publish in a technical journal.
The original book has been completely revised, making use of feedback from readers as well as Higham's own large
file of ideas based on his experiences in reading, writing, editing, examining, and supervising theses.
The most obvious changes to this second edition are the new chapters: "Writing and Defending a Thesis,"
"Giving a Talk" (which adds to the existing material on preparing slides for a talk), "Preparing
a Poster," and "TeX and LaTeX" (including tips on their use for typesetting mathematics and detailed
discussions of BibTeX and indexing). Numerous mathematical symbols in the AMS fonts have been added to Appendix
B.
Among the new material in existing chapters, the section "How to Referee" in the chapter "Publishing
a Paper" offers advice on this important aspect of the publication process. The chapter "Writing a Paper"
suggests formats for referencing items on the World Wide Web.
The renamed chapter "Aids and Resources for Writing and Research" contains a new section, "Library
Classification Schemes," which will help readers find their way around libraries. This chapter's material
on the Internet was completely rewritten in light of the World Wide Web.
Separate author and subject indexes are now provided; the bibliography has been updated to include many new editions
of books, and more than 70 new references have been added.
Table of Contents
Preface to the Second Edition
Preface to the First Edition
Chapter 1: General Principles
Chapter 2: Writer's Tools and Recommended Reading
Chapter 3: Mathematical Writing
Chapter 4: English Usage
Chapter 5: When English Is a Foreign Language
Chapter 6: Writing a Paper
Chapter 7: Revising a Draft
Chapter 8: Publishing a Paper
Chapter 9: Writing and Defending a Thesis
Chapter 10: Writing a Talk
Chapter 11: Giving a Talk
Chapter 12: Preparing a Poster
Chapter 13: TeX and LaTeX
Chapter 14: Aids and Resources for Writing and Research
Appendix A: The Greek Alphabet
Appendix B: Summary of TeX and LaTeX Symbols
Appendix C: GNU Emacs Commands
Appendix D: Mathematical and Other Organizations
Appendix E: Prizes for Expository Writing
