MbShea@PWP@English@UMCP

(POV is weird here: I'm definitely writing for more of a lay audience than a technical audience, but I think it would be better if I kept the same tone as the rest of the math department guides, which are in (mostly) third person)

ABSTRACT: A degree in math, especially at UMD, can lead to a wide variety of different careers or graduate programs. A great part about the math major here is that it gives you the freedom to choose classes as you see fit to best prepare yourself for your future. You can choose from a variety of different tracks and electives and still fulfill the requirements of the major. This freedom can be a bit of a curse, however, as it can be very difficult to choose which classes to take. Knowing what you are interested in before you start taking classes can be hard, and there are so many different paths through the math major that there is often no clearly "right" one for any given person. This guide aims to help make this decision easier by giving you all the information you need to know to choose your classes.

WC: 149

READER'S PROFILE: I imagine an unethusiastic math major who doesn't particularly care what classes they take, and doesn't see the point in planning the classes they take at all.

READER'S RESPONSE: It's true that we have the ability to choose which classes we take, yes, but does this really matter that much? Regardless of what classes I take, I end up with the same degree more or less. Does it really matter that much if I take one class over the other? Especially for similar classes like AMSC460 and AMSC466 which cover the same material, how much could decisions like these really make a difference?

A, modeling the tone of the department is a very good way to proceed here, so cred for you on seeing this pattern.

You are, though, invoking your audience by saying "you" -- we often call that second person (in functional grammar) as opposed to first person plural.

Using "you" and "your" makes a subtle gesture of warmth and inclusion, which is good for your document context.

For your disengaged reader, would humor help? Joy? Are some classes/instructors more droll or amusing? You are making me think of my calculus professor who drew cartoons on the board.