Submission date: 20 August 2012.

Abstract:

This text is an introduction to the study of NIP (or dependent) theories. It is meant to serve two purposes. The first is to present various aspects of NIP theories and give the reader the background material needed to understand almost any paper on the subject. The second is to advertise the use of honest definitions, in particular in establishing basic results, such as the so-called shrinking of indiscernibles.

Mathematics Subject Classification: 03Cxx

Keywords and phrases:

Full text arXiv 1208.3944: pdf, ps.