CSCI 3202: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence

Fall 2005

Jim Martin

This course surveys the issues and techniques involved in the creation of computer systems that engage in intelligent behavior. The following are among the topics that we will cover: Intelligent Agents, State-Space Search, Game Playing, Knowledge Representation, Reasoning Under Uncertainty, Machine Learning, Data Mining and Speech and Language Processing.

General Information

Basics

This class meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:30 to 1:45 in ECCR 1B55.

My office hours are Tuesday from 2:00 to 3:30 and Friday from 2:00 to 3:30 in room ECOT 735. The best ways to contact me are in person and via email. Don't bother leaving me voicemail, I don't listen to it.

Text and Readings

The required text for this class is Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach by Stuart Russell and Peter Norvig. It should be in the campus bookstore, but you should be able to get a better price online.

Schedule

The schedule for the course includes the topic for each lecture, the assigned readings, pointers to the pdf for the lecture slides, and the assignments. The lectures for this class begin on August 26 and finish on December 11. Thursday October 2, and Thursday November 27 are holidays.

Requirements

Homework: There will be 4 or 5 assignments. These will be a mix of programming and written assignments. Programming assignments will be done using Python. Unless otherwise stated, all assignments are due in class, at the beginning of class, on their due date.
Exams: There will be 4 quizzes and a comprehensive final. The scheduled time for the final is Saturday December 10, from 7:30pm to 10:00pm. Do not schedule your holiday travel prior to the final.
Participation: Come to class prepared to discuss the day's material. This means that you should have completed the day's reading before class and should be prepared to participate in class discussions.

Your final grade will be based on the following weights: homework 30%, quizzes 30%, the final 30%, and classroom evaluation 10%.

Computer Related Stuff

You need to be a proficient programmer to take this class. All the programming assignments are to be done using Python. To get you started, I've posted some information on Python. I'll say more about this during the first class.

I don't really care what facilities you use to do the programming assignments. Both the CSEL and ITS labs in Engineering will have Python installed. If you are enrolled in this class you should already have an account in the CSEL.

Disability Accommodations

If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit to me a letter from Disability Services in a timely manner so that your needs may be addressed. Disability Services determines accommodations based on documented disabilities. (303-492-8671, Willard 322, www.Colorado.EDU/disabilityservices)

Religious Accommodations

If you feel you can't be present at one of the quizzes or the final for religious reasons, please contact me as soon as possible to make arrangements.

If you miss class for similar reasons, you can view the tape of any class in the Engineering library.

Honor Code

The campus has adopted an Honor Code. It includes the following pledge which will be placed on all your exams and you will need to include on your assignments:

On my honor, as a University of Colorado at Boulder student, I have neither given nor received unauthorized assistance on this work.

Except when I specify otherwise, the assignments in this class will be done individually. You may certainly discuss the assignments with one another but the final product (program, paper, etc) must be yours alone.

In the past, the primary problem area for this class has involved unintentional plagiarism. Unintentional or not it can still get you an F in the course and/or kicked out of school. The University of California at Davis has a nice set of examples and and explanations of what constitutes plagiarism.

News

12/2/2005

The optional 4th assignment has been posted. You don't need to do this if you've handed in working versions of either assignments 2 or 3. If you didn't do that, you can either get them working and hand them in (soon), or do this assignment.

11/16/2005

I've posted another batch of quizzes that cover the probability and machine learning material.

11/1/2005

The test cases for the Wumpus assignment are now available.

10/20/2005

I've posted a couple of old quizzes that cover logic.

10/13/2005

The next assignment has been posted.

10/6/2005

I've redone the schedule a bit. Please take note of the fact that the next quiz date has moved.

9/14/2005

The details of the second assignment have been posted.

8/24/2005

To sign up for the mailing list send mail (from your preferred email account) to listproc@lists.colorado.edu with the following in the body of the message (not the subject line)

subscribe csci3202-f05 <your name>

You should get a confirmation message shortly thereafter. If you use hotmail or yahoomail or the like make sure that it doesn't insert any trailing ads at the bottom of the message. They tend to screw up the list processor.

8/17/2005

For some reason, the bookstore has the textbook listed as being optional. It's required. But since they thought it was optional they didn't order enough. So go buy it now before they run out. You should also look under CSCI 5582, it uses the same text.