Course Policies
CSE 415: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence The University of Washington, Seattle, Winter 2004
Effective learning requires that each student be actively engaged in the subject matter and activities of the course. The course is structured to foster that engagement in several ways.   First, all the students, teaching assistants, and instructor form a community. As a community, we can work together to help each other learn. The first step in allowing this to happen is for each person to be present at class meetings. Regular attendance in class is required, and systematic absences will have a direct effect on the class-participation part of the course grade.   Second, some of the course assignments will involve online discussions in which each student must contribute. In order to provide structure to the discussions and a comfortable context for the discussions, the course uses a state-of-the-art online forum tool called INFACT-FORUM. Each student will have an opportunity to work in a group on a miniproject to create an artificially intelligent program.   Each student is required to stay up to date with assignments, in order for the class to work as a community. Online discussions, in particular, will have various milestone requirements with strict deadlines. As a three-credit course, students are expected to devote approximately 9 productive hours to the course per week. Students anticipating having difficulty getting online to meet the milestone deadlines should consider taking another course instead of CSE 415.   Assignments that involve significant programming will typically have more forgiving lateness penalty schedules, with the default being 10 percent off if turned in up to one hour late, 20 percent off for up to one day late, 30 percent off for up to 3 days late, 40 percent off for up to 1 week late, 50 percent max for between one and two weeks late, and no credit for programs turned in more than 2 weeks late.   Except when explicitly permitted, students are expected to turn in their own individually produced solutions to homework problems. Turning in the work of another as one's own is considered as a serious form of academic misconduct. The University has strict rules and penalties that apply when evidence of such misconduct is found.   The following is a tentative formula for weighting the various course components for computing final grades: Class participation: 10 percent, Online discussion contributions: 10 percent; assignments and project: 35 percent, exams: 45 percent.