Instructor: Richard Furuta, HRBB 402C, 845-3839, furuta@cs.tamu.edu

Office hours: TuTh 2-3 pm, or by appointment.

This course will be based around readings, which can be obtained from the Copy Center in the HR Bright Building. Packets of readings will become available at different times through the semester.

Approximate Grading Scheme:

  20%     Class paper presentations and class participation
  25%     Term project
  25%	  Written papers (two; due 3/2/00 and 4/4/00)
  15%	  Web technology topic presentation
  10%	  Daily summary reports
   5%	  Other assignments

Notes:

1. We will use electronic mail for announcements. To receive the class announcements (for this section only), you need to register your email address. Send an email message to listproc@csdl.tamu.edu, with a body of

   	SUBSCRIBE CPSC610 your name
   

   where you make the obvious replacement of your name with your name. Note that this host is not the regular CS department computer. Class messages also will be archived at the course's Web site (see above for location). You should check your account for mail regularly.
2. This class is a readings and discussions class. There are likely to be at least 800 pages in the readings. This represents a significant decrease from previous sessions of the class--the fall 1998 session topped 1300 pages of readings. You will be responsible for reading all of the papers and will be responsible for leading the discussion on several papers throughout the semester. The quality of your participation in discussions and your performance as a discussion leader will be reflected in your grade.
3. If you need to get in touch with me and I am not in my office, please use electronic mail.
4. The course Web site will be updated regularly to contain information of importance to the class. This will include copies of handouts, copies of slides, and the course's working schedule. You should check it regularly.
5. Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the due date.
6. Final course grades are based on the overall average. You are guaranteed a grade based on a 10\% window (e.g., 90-100% is an A). Individual grade windows may be increased in size if the instructor deems it appropriate (e.g., if you have 89% you might get an A but you will get nothing lower than a B).
7. Class paper presentations center around a brief review of the paper and subsequent presentation of issues to start off discussion. Presentations should generally be 5 minutes or less and should using overhead slides to focus the presentation (place the slides on your Web site for later review by class members). You should assume that the class has read the paper. Presentations will be evaluated on (1) comprehensiveness (does the report remind the class members about what is important about the papers without repeating all the details of the paper), (2) conciseness, (3) organization of presentation, and (4) appropriateness of identified issues for discussion.
8. Specification of the term project is flexible. It may be either a group or an individual project, with the expected scope corresponding to the number of students involved. In addition to carrying out the project, a written report and an oral presentation will be required.
9. The two written papers are to be an individual effort. Each paper should be around 7 pages single-spaced (or equivalent) in length. One is to center around a technology issue and the other around a user issue. Each is to summarize the state-of-the art and critical issues for the given topic.
10. We will identify a number of specific Web technologies that would be of interest to learn more about. Presenters are to determine the characteristics of the technology and are to present their findings to the class. This will be a group presentation and will be allocated a complete course session.
11. A paper summary is to be turned in by each student for each paper read, unless stated otherwise by the instructor. The summaries are due at the beginning of the class for which the paper has been assigned. Paper summaries should cover "talking points" about the paper to help get the discussion of the paper started. Reports should include:
    • Your name and email address
    • The paper's number, as given in the list on the course's Web site, and bibliographical data for the paper (paper title, authors, where it appeared, and date of original publication).
    • A list of key points made in the paper (i.e., what are the take-home lessons from the paper?).
    • A list of discussion points and unanswered issues raised by the paper.
    Use a single sheet of paper for each report (e.g., put each report on a single, separate sheet of paper).