cs-470fl10:syllabus [CS Wiki]

	<div class="center">
		<h2>
			CS 470 Syllabus<br>
			Fall 2010
		</h2>
	</div>
	<hr>

<h2>Textbook</h2> Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach, 3rd Edition, by Stuart Russell and Peter Norvig, Prentice Hall (ISBN-10: 0136042597). This edition is brand new, and some of you will surely want to know if you can use the second edition. I won't be able to point out differences between the editions, so if you try to use the second edition please coordinate with a classmate to make sure you don't miss anything.

<hr> <h2>Homework</h2> This semester, all homework will be submitted on paper. <ul>

 Format

Each problem you submit will include a description of the problem along with the solution. You must show all work to receive full credit.

 Deadline

Homework will be turned in to me in class. Homework is due at by 5pm on the due date Slip the homework under my office door.

<h4> Late Homework </h4> You have a budget of five late days that you can use for homeworks throughout the semester. Only school days count. Use your budget wisely. If you are sick, please try to contact me before class to make arrangements.

 Homework Groups

Please work in groups, but do not simply copy homework answers from others. Copying work from current or previous CS 470 students is considered cheating even if you are only copying a small portion. You can submit homework assignments as a group. Two conditions apply:

You can have no more than four persons in your group.
You must include one clearly written set of solutions per group, plus a copy of all of the problems attempted prior to meeting as a group by all of the students in the group. The idea is that you need to try each problem individually before you meet as a group, so you will be given a group score that will be reduced if there is no evidence of individual effort.

 Homework Discussions on the class wiki.

You are encouraged to discuss the homework on the class wiki. For those of you who choose not to submit group homeworks, this can give you some of the benefits of peer mentoring through a kind of virtual group.

</ul> <p><br> </p> <hr> <h2>Quizzes</h2> Quizzes may be given from time to time and will cover the assigned reading and/or topics from previous lectures.  I will also give self-evaluation quizzes that will not count for credit, but will help you know if you are prepared for exams. Quizzes for credit will only be given if I find that too many people start coming to class late, so please be on time (or at least collude on who gets to be late on which days).

<hr> <h2>Labs</h2> There will be six labs assigned during the course – four traditional labs and a final project. Please check the Schedule for details.<br>

<p>The labs are an important part to understanding the concepts taught in class. <b><font size=“+1”>All labs MUST be completed in order to pass the class. </font></b> </p> <p>You are free to use whatever platform and programming language that you want, but <b>we will be running the final project under Linux.</b> Since the final project will be tested under Linux, you may want to do the development under Linux. Since this is a senior-level CS course, you are expected to be comfortable with programming and Linux.<br>

</p> <ul>

 Groups

You may work in teams of up to three students on each lab. I suggest that you do labs as a team, but please be equally yoked. Each student in the group should contribute to each lab. In your lab submissions, I require you to give a breakdown of the time each team member spent on the lab; if the hours are greatly out of balance, I reserve the right to change one or more partner's grades. I have done this before, so make sure that you both work equally hard. Additionally, please share ideas with other teams, but do not be unethical and submit two copies of a program developed by two or more teams or copy code segments from another team.  <br>

 Late Days

For each school day your lab is late the score will be reduced by 20. Labs are worth 100 points. This means that if you earn 85 <font

color="#000000">points

but you are one day late, you will instead receive 65 points, but if you are 2 days late, you will receive 45 points.</font> The last lab has no late days and MUST be turned in on the day it is due. Don't be Late! Go ahead, start working on the labs early. It won't hurt.

I realize that problems sometimes arise during the semester which

prevent you from turning a lab in on time. To deal with this and to encourage people to submit labs early, we will use the following “pay-it-forward” policy.  For every two days you submit a lab early, you can earn a late day.   For example, if you turn in lab 3 two days late but lab 4 four days early, then no penalty will be assessed to lab 3.

If you turn in lab 3 two days late and lab 4 three days early, you will be assessed a “one-day late” penalty unless other labs are submitted early.</p>

<h4> Final Lab </h4> <p>The final lab will be graded partly on the basis of how well your work compares to other students; we will have a competition and your success in the competition will be part of your grade. <i>The winning team is guaranteed to receive an A in the class as long as they pass the final exam.  Passing the final is defined as scoring higher than a C- (higher than 68).</i>

</p> <p> <b> Note that the final lab cannot be turned in late; failure to turn the lab in on time will result is a failing grade.</b> </p> </ul> <p><br> </p> <hr>

<h2>Exams</h2> Two midterm exams will be given.  This semester, all exams will be given in the testing center. Students failing to take the final exam will receive an E regardless of other scores.<br> <br>  The use of books, notes, and friendly neighbors will not be permitted on any of the exams. I occasionally use questions from previous exam — this allows me to limit the number of new problems that I have to write each semester and helps minimize the number of times you have to face a poorly worded question.  As a result, you are not allowed to study from my previous exams; doing so is cheating.<br>

<br> A calculator is a must have item. <p>The final exam will not be given early; please don't ask me to disregard university policy. </p> <p>The topics schedule and topics for the two midterms can be found on the class webpage. The final will be comprehensive, although there will be more stuff from the topics covered later in the semester. </p> <p></p> <hr>

<h2>Grading</h2> Assignments and exams given throughout the semester are categorized and weighted according to the following schedule: <center> <table border=“2” cellspacing=“2” cellpadding=“2”>

   
     Category
     Weight
   
   
     Homework and Quizzes
     
     10%

     
   
   
     Labs
     
     36%
     (9% each)

     
   
   
     Final Project
     
     15%

   
     Midterm I
     
     10%
     
   
   
     Midterm II

</table> </center>

<h4>Grade Scale</h4> Grades may be adjusted slightly at the end of the semester to account for shortcomings in my effort to relay concepts to you. The adjustments made to the grading scale will only help you get a better grade. The percentages in the following chart show the grade that is guaranteed (ie if you get a 95.0% you will not get a grade less than an A) <center> <table border=“2” cellspacing=“2” cellpadding=“2” width=“320”>

</table> </center> <h4> Class Participation</h4> Throughout the semester, I will record class participation. At the end of the semester this will be used to help students who are on the border between grades. For example, if your score is on the border between a B and a B+ and if you participated in class then you will receive a B+. By contrast, if your score is on the same border and you have not participated in class then you will receive a B. In past semesters, this participation credit has typically been around 0.5%; between three and four students in a class of 30 will benefit from participation credit. <p>To receive class participation, you must actively participate in class (answer questions, show an example on the board, etc.), or make a substantial contribution to the course (correct several webpage errors, suggest a major improvement to a lab, help me learn something new, etc.).  <font

color="#000000">For the fall 2009 semester, you may be able to get

participation credit for being a subject in experiments we are running in the HCMI research lab.  Please contact me for details.</font> <br>   </p> <h4>Online Grades</h4>

Your grades are available online from blackboard.  We will do our best to get things recorded correctly, but if something is not correct it is your responsibility to point this out to us.  All corrections to grades must be made <b><i>within two weeks</i></b> after the score is posted, so check the scores regularly. <p> No assignments or labs will be accepted during or after reading days. </p>

<hr> <h2>Cheating, Harassment, and Other Ethical Considerations</h2>

<h4> Cheating</h4> I encourage you to work with others to accomplish the homework assignments and laboratory exercises. Working together, however, does not mean dividing up the problems or labs and then sharing answers afterwards. You should never turn in any work that is not your own; this applies to both code and to homework. It is far better to do poorly on an exam than to compromise your integrity. <p>I consider it unethical to use, borrow, study, or distribute old exams, homework, or lab materials (other than those provided). The work in this class should be your own and not simply a copy of someone else's. If you use any material from earlier semesters of this course you may receive a failing grade. If you have taken the course before please come and talk with me about this policy. </p> <h4>Harassment</h4> The following is BYU's statement on preventing sexual harassment. <blockquote>

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits sex discrimination against any participant in an educational program or activity that receives federal funds. The act is intended to eliminate sex discrimination in education and pertains to admissions, academic and athletic programs, and university-sponsored activities. Title IX also prohibits sexual harassment of students by university employees, other students, and visitors to campus. If you encounter sexual harassment or gender-based discrimination, please talk to your professor; contact the Equal Employment Office at 801-422-5895 or 1-888-238-1062 (24-hours), or http://www.ethicspoint.com; or contact the Honor Code Office at 801-422-2847. </p>

</blockquote> I believe that everyone should be able to participate in my class without the fear of harassment, and I am committed to the university's policy.<br> <br> Moreover, please remember that just because a behavior is not technically harassment, it may still be inappropriate.  Be sure to treat all students with respect regardless of age, gender, or race.<br>   <h4>Computer Abuse</h4>      Accounts on Computer Science Department computers are privileges to be used in conjunction with and in <br>      support of various related Computer Science classes. Abuse in any form will result in immediate <br>

     suspension of your account(s). If an abuse involves a violation of the honor code, you will be referred to <br>      University Standards. If an abuse involves illegal activity, appropriate authorities will be notified. In either <br>      case, you will be immediately dropped from all Computer Science Classes you are enrolled in. Some <br>      violations are punishable by expulsion from the University. Your keystrokes may be monitored and saved. <p>     Examples of abuse of your account include: <br>         1.Transfer or storage of pornographic or illegally duplicated material. <br>

        2.Use of your account to probe or crack security systems, including passwords, or to intercept <br>           information intended only for others. <br>         3.Sending mass, commercial, obscene, or harassing email or usenet news posts. <br>         4.Sharing your account or account password with anyone. <br>         5.Misusing your lab privileges, including game playing, and especially actions which could cause damage, <br>           such as rebooting a workstation.

<br> <h4>Disabilities</h4> The following is BYU's statement on students with disabilities. <blockquote style=“font-style: italic;”>BYU is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to qualified persons with disabilities. 

 If you have any disability that may adversely

affect your success in this course, please contact the University Accessibility Center at 422-2767.  Services deemed appropriate will be coordinated with the student and instructor by that office.</blockquote> I am committed to working with students with disabilities and have successfully worked with the Accessibility Center in previous semesters.<br> <hr> <h2>Internet Resources</h2>

As much as possible, this class will be conducted electronically. Class announcements, homework and laboratory assignments will be made available either through a class email or through the wiki. It is your responsibility to keep current.

 Blackboard

Blackboard will only be used for two things: to record grades and to post copyrighted material subject to copyright laws.

 Electronic Mail

Make sure that your RouteY account has a current email address. I frequently send email to the class — especially when I need to correct a mistake made in class or when an urgent announcement must be passed to all students.

 Class Wiki

The class is a great place to ask and answer questions about labs.  Students used the wiki very effectively in previous semesters, and I'd encourage you to use it this semester too. I've included a link to the wiki from last fall. Since the labs vary from year to year, the wiki is not a perfect source of information but it could provide you with some very useful information. For example, the old wiki includes code for lab 1 that helps you visualize your potential fields. <br>

cs-470fl10/syllabus.txt · Last modified: 2014/12/09 15:54 by ryancha

Back to top