CSE 546, Autumn 2016

Machine Learning


Instructor: Sham Kakade

TAs: Dae Hyun Lee, Angli Liu, Alon Milchgrub

Contact: cse546-instructors@cs.washington.edu

Discussion: Canvas discussion board


Class lectures: TTh 9:30-10:50am, Room: MGH 241

Recitations (only on some weeks): Weds 5:30-6:30pm, CSE 303. See Canvas.

Office Hours (Dae Hyun): Tue 1:30-2:30am, CSE 021

Office Hours (Angli): Mon 9-10am, CSE 021

Office Hours (Alon): Thurs 11:30-12:30am, CSE 218


About the Course and Prereqs

Machine learning explores the study and construction of algorithms that can learn from data. This study combines ideas from both computer science and statistics. The study of learning from data is playing an increasingly important role in numerous areas of science and technology.

This course is designed to provide a thorough grounding in the fundamental methodologies and algorithms of machine learning. The topics of the course draw from classical statistics, from machine learning, from data mining, from Bayesian statistics, and from optimization.

Prerequisites: Students entering the class should be comfortable with programming and should have a pre-existing working knowledge of probability, statistics and algorithms, though the class has been designed to allow students with a mathematical background to catch up and fully participate.


Discussion Forum and Email Communication

IMPORTANT: All class announcements will be broadcasted using the Canvas discussion board. The same applies to questions about homeworks, projects and lectures. If you have a question of personal matters, please email the instructors list: cse546-instructors@cs.washington.edu. Otherwise, please send all questions to this board, since other students may have the same questions, and we need to be fair in terms of how we interact with everyone. Also, please feel free to participate, answer each others' questions, etc.


Material and (optional) textbooks

The required textbook will be:

  • Machine Learning: A Probabilistic Perspective, Kevin Murphy.
  • Material in the following optional textbooks may be helpful:

  • Optional Textbook: Understanding Machine Learning: From Theory to Algorithms, Shai Shalev-Shwartz and Shai Ben-David.
  • Optional Textbook: Pattern Recognition and Machine Learning, Chris Bishop.
  • Optional Textbook: The Elements of Statistical Learning: Data Mining, Inference, and Prediction Trevor Hastie, Robert Tibshirani, Jerome Friedman.
  • Optional textbook: Machine Learning , Tom Mitchell.

  • Grading and Homework Policies

    Grades will be based on four assignments and a course project in the following proportions:

    Homework

    ALL HOMEWORK MUST BE SUBMITTED, EVEN IF IT IS FOR 0 CREDIT, IN ORDER TO PASS THE CLASS.

    Each homework assignment contains both theoretical questions and will have programming components. Homeworks must be submitted by the posted due date.

    COLLABORATION POLICY: Homework must be done individually: each student must hand in their own answers. In addition, each student must write and submit their own code in the programming part of the assignment (we may run your code). It is acceptable, however, for students to collaborate in figuring out answers and helping each other solve the problems (for HWs 1, 2, and 4). You must also indicate on each homework with whom you collaborated.

    RE-GRADING POLICY: All grading related requests must be submitted to the TA via email only. Office hours and in person discussions are limited solely to asking knowledge related questions, not grade related questions. If you feel that we have made an error in grading your homework, please let us know with a written explanation, and we will consider the request. Please note that regrading of a homework may cause your grade to go up or down on the entire homework set.

    LATE POLICY: Homeworks must be submitted by the posted due date. You are allowed to use 2 LATE DAYs throughout the entire quarter only for the homeworks, so please plan accordingly. Any assignment turned in late, will incur a reduction of 33% in the final score, for each day (or part thereof) if it is late. For example, if an assignment is up to 24 hours late, it incurs a penalty of 33%. Else if it is up to 48 hours late, it incurs a penalty of 66%. And any longer, it will receive no credit. You must turn in all 4 homeworks, even if for zero credit, in order to pass the course. (Empty homeworks do not count.)

    NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE GIVEN TO THE GRADING POLICIES (unless based on university policies, e.g. medical reasons). IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO COMPLY WITH THE LATE HOMEWORK POLICY, DUE TO TRAVEL, CONFERENCES, OTHER DEADLINES, OR ANY OTHER REASON, DO NOT ENROLL IN THE COURSE.

    HONOR CODE: As we sometimes reuse problem set questions from previous years, covered by papers and webpages, we expect the students not to copy, refer to, or look at the solutions in preparing their answers (referring to unauthorized material is considered a violation of the honor code). Similarly, we expect students not to google directly for answers. The homework is to help you think about the material, and we expect you to make an honest effort to solve the problems. If you do happen to use other material, it must be acknowledged clearly with a citation on the submitted solution.


    Project Page Link

    You are expected to complete a final project for the class. This will provide you with an opportunity to apply the machine learning concepts you have learned. We will update the project requirements and due dates during the quarter.


    Recitations

    Recitations will only occur on some Weds, depending on interest. The schedule will be posted on Canvas.


    Homework


    Schedule and notes