Your final grade for the course will be based on the following weights:
There will be no exams.
The semester-long research project is a significant component of this course. The project could be an open-ended research project, a reproduction of empirical results from a paper you've read (within or outside the syllabus), a reimplementation of an existing system to a new platform, a new tool that makes further research possible or easy, or anything else of your choosing that is relevant to the course material.
A key requirement is that your project must involve a significant (networking-related) programming component.
You can work in teams of 2--4. We prefer that you do not work alone.
You must write a 1-page proposal in consultation with the instructor. The proposal is due on Sep 27, 2019. The exact requirements for the proposal will be announced in class. Please talk to the instructor about your project ideas and directions well before you submit your proposal to make any necessary course corrections. This includes concerns about the significant programming requirement above.
You must also complete a 6-page report at the end of the semester detailing your experience and findings from the project. The exact requirements for this report will be announced in class.
Additionally, your team will make two presentations on the project in class, one in the middle of the semester (Oct 31, 2019) and another at the end (Dec 9, 2019), reporting on your progress. Details on what to include in these presentations will be announced in class.
Projects will be assessed on their intellectual insights, creativity, utility, and the quality of the program source code.
You will be asked to answer a few questions on every paper that we discuss in class. The answers will be due on Sakai by 10 pm on the day before the corresponding paper is discussed in class.
The main objectives of these review questions are to train you to critically read the literature and to think independently about the strengths and weaknesses of the papers we read. Additionally, answering the questions may also help you understand the papers deeply, prepare you to discuss your opinions during lecture, and boost your own thought process in building upon the ideas discussed.
You are very welcome to look up the original paper and consult with the instructor and your peers to answer these questions. However, all written work must be your own. Please read the CS academic integrity policy. We ask that you acknowledge everyone you discussed with in your answers.
You may find it helpful to read Timothy Roscoe's writeup on how to review a systems paper and Mike Mitzenmacher's helpful notes on critically reading papers.
Last updated: 2019-12-05 08:26:59 -0500 [validate xhtml]