Mathematical writing is the type of writing where mathematics is used as a primary means for expression, deduction, or problem solving. It is fundamentally different from creative and expository writing for two main reasons:
As a result, many of the rules and suggestions found in
writing style manuals are inadequate and/or do not apply. We propose
an approach to mathematical writing, based on a set of simple
composition rules. These rules are outlined in a slide presentation from an April 2002 lecture at MIT (edited later), and focus on the structure of the entire document (the content and the interconnections of different parts):
* Organize in segments
* Write segments linearly
* Consider a hierarchical development
* Use consistent notation and nomenclature
* State results consistently
* Don't underexplain - don't overexplain
* Tell them what you'll tell them
* Use suggestive references
* Consider examples and counterexamples
* Use visualization when possible
The lecture slides can be freely downloaded and used for personal or educational purposes.
Ten Simple Rules Podcast
It can be used while viewing the slides
Ten Simple Rules Essay by ChatGPT