FAQ Page
- What can I do if I have a question that is not answered on this page?
This semester we will be using Piazza
for class discussions. The system
provides a nice environment for discussion of class-related questions and
getting help efficiently from classmates, the teaching assistant, and
the instructor. Rather than emailing questions to the teaching staff, we
encourage you to post your questions on Piazza.
All 383 students should enroll in Piazza during the first week of classes.
Here is the signup link:
https://piazza.com/umass/fall2016/compsci383.
- Can I use an older edition of the textbook for the reading
assignments?
The second edition has significant overlap with the third edition, so it
is acceptable to use it. The schedule shows the assigned readings both
referring to the third edition (3e) and the second edition (2e).
- How do I access my EDLAB account?
The EDLAB page is: http://www-edlab.cs.umass.edu/.
Each student should have an EDLAB account automatically set up.
Most account names are the same
as the OIT usernames (not the CS department usernames). If you had an
account last semester, your password should be unchanged. If
this is a new EDLAB account, your initial password is ELxxxaaa
- where xxx is the last 3 digits of the ID number, and aaa is the
first 3 characters/digits of the username.
The Linux EDLAB machines are
called elnux1.cs.umass.edu, elnux2, elnux3, elnux4, elnux7 . The EDLAB page highly recommends that for
any remote sessions, one of these machines is used. Please refer to
the EDLAB page for more details. If you have problems accessing your
account or using EDLAB, email CSCF or the TA.
- How do I hand in homework assignments?
This semester we will use an online tool called
gradescope
for collecting and grading homework assignments.
Information on how to enroll in this class in gradescope will be
provided duing the first week of classes. You will be notified when the
system is ready for accepting the first homework assignment.
Here are a few guidelines regarding the preparation of homework
assignments:
- Submissions have to be in portrait letter paper format and submitted
as a single PDF file. No other format is accepted, including any kind of
compressed file containing the PDF.
- Please ensure the readability of your submissions. Typesetting
submissions (LaTeX, LyX, etc.) is strongly encouraged.
- Scanned handwritten portion of the homework assignment are
acceptable, provided that they are clear and well-organized.
Cell phone pictures are unacceptable. If you use your cell phone to
generate the PDF, use a scanning app such as CamScanner, which
produces high quality results (you can get a free upgrade to the "pro"
level if you use your .edu email address).
- Once a submission has been uploaded, we strongly recommend that you
verify the uploaded file.
- Sharing or copying solutions is unacceptable and could result in
failure.
- How do I hand in programming assignments?
Programming assignments should be submitted electronically via the EDLAB. Please
don't print out your code.
Upload the whole code through the
EDLAB. The area for this course on the EDLAB machines is located at
/courses/cs300/cs383. Each student has a
subdirectory, accessible only to that student and the course
administrators. In your directory, please create a subdirectory called pa_x, and use it to place code that you used for
programming assignment x. On linux, you can use scp to updload the files. For
instance, typing:
scp filename
elnux7.cs.umass.edu:/courses/cs300/cs383/username
will copy a file from your current directory to the Edlab
machines.
You can use WinSCP with Windows.
Note that you will be depositing the code to
/courses/cs300/cs383/username/pa_x directory, not your home
directory. Please follow the pa_x naming convention because the
contents of this directory will be collected automatically. When
working in pairs, only one person needs to upload the code.
- What do I need to upload in gradescope for a programming
assignment?
We will provide a template that every student must upload via gradescope
for each programming assignment. If you have a partner for a
programming assignment, you will need to identify your partner on
gradescope.
- What is the late policy?
Assignments are to be turned in by 11:59 PM on the due date. Gradescope
will automaticaly disable turning in homework after the deadline and no
parts of a programming assignment should be modified on the EDLAB. No
exception will be made.
If you cannot meet a deadline, you need to discuss that with the intructor
in advance and make alternate arrangements for turning in your
work.
- Can I use the AIMA code that came with the textbook?
Generally, you are not allowed to use any code from any
source--including the textbook--without getting an explicit permission
ahead of times.
Occasionally, we will announce specific code that can be
used for specific homework assignments.
However, you are allowed to use common libraries for data
structures and functions, such as heap, stack, quicksort, etc.
If in doubt whether the code you are using is permissible, ask the TAs
in advance.
- Can I work with someone else on the assignments?
You can work in pairs on the programming
assignments only. Working in pairs is optional.
- Is it necessary to complete the optional parts of homework assignments?
Optional parts are exactly that -- entirely optional.
You can get an
"A" in the class without doing any of the optional work. However,
optional work will be graded and recorded separately, and will count
as bonus points when the final letter grade is determined.
© 2016 Shlomo Zilberstein.