Template:AI Large Class Suggestions

Optional: Suggestions for Giving this as a Project for a Large Class

This project can also be given to a whole class. If the class is large then it is helpful to automate the handing in and grading of projects. Grading of the coding part can be semi-automated. The idea is to give students a stub of the script you will use to grade their project so that they can check to make sure their project is compatible with your grading scripts. Additioanlly, you might want to download the original project from here given to the students since the infos on this page have been changed for self-guided study. These are the directions we gave the students. They are of course just a suggestion.

Due: By class Day, Date, Time

Guidelines

This assignment has a written and a programming component. You can see how much each part of the assignment is worth by the percentage next to it. For the written part, please turn in typewritten answers. You are not English majors, however blatant spelling and grammatical errors may cost you points, so be sure and run the spell check at least once. Answers on the written part will require justification and a simple yes/no answer will almost certainly garner you little or no points. In general, it is safer to write longer answers than shorter ones, but stay focused as a long but off-topic answer will not work either. This way, we can discern your train of thoughts better and grant partial credit for a wrong answer, if you were on the right track. Graphs must be neat and tidy. Hand-drawn graphs are OK, but computer-drawn graphs (e.g., made with Adobe Illustrator or Microsoft Power Point) are preferred. If you draw a graph by hand, be sure and use a straight edge (ruler) so it looks neat.

For the programming part, you will be provided sample inputs and at least one sample output. Since each homework is checked via an automated Perl script, your output should match the example format exactly. Failure to do so will most certainly cost some points. Since the output format is simple and there is an example on the web, this should not be a problem. Additionally, if your code generates a large number of warnings during compilation, you may lose points, so try and eliminate compile-time warnings. Additionally, your code should be well documented. If something goes wrong during compile and grading, if the fix proves easy, the amount of points lost will be far less. As such, documentation makes fixing easier, so it is to your advantage to do so.

You will be provided with a stub Perl script called “stubby.pl”, which works like the grading Perl script. You can run this script to make sure that your project will work properly. Thus, it is expected that your project will run through the grading Perl script without problems. Pedantically, we assert it will cost you points if your code does not run on the Perl script correctly. You will be able to tell if your output is correct if stubby shows each of the lines from your program output is exactly the same as from the comparison file which shows what output you should be getting.

To run stubby, copy it to your code directory along with the input, output and comparison files. Be sure to be in your code directory then type “perl stubby.pl”. The script is loaded with all sorts of output and feedback, so you should be able to see what it is doing if for some reason it isn’t working for you. If you don’t understand the script and want to know more about Perl, go to http://www.perl.org/.

Small amounts of extra credit (not more than 10% total) are given for all sorts of things. So long as you meet the base homework requirements anything creative, fun, interesting or outright cool will most likely earn you extra credit. What is cool and earns you extra credit is somewhat subjective and bound to the whim of the grader.

Other information

For this assignment and many others you will be required to parse input and output files. To help you out, a file called “proj1.cpp” is in the homework 1 folder on den. This is an example file on how to open, read in and then dump a file back out to disk. You may use parts of this code for your homework if you wish.

To compile this file, try something like:

g++ proj1.cpp -o proj1

Then to run it, try something like:

./proj1 matrix2.mat out2.mat

This will read in the matrix file “matrix2.mat” and dump it back out to another file “out2.mat”.

Handing in the Assignment

Since the class is very large it is important to hand in your homework as directed. The homework is due before class on the due date shown. There are two parts of the homework, which you must hand in. These are:

1. Your code tar/gzipped in one file. Do not send the binaries. - This should just include your uncompiled code and a readme file called readme.txt. When I run tar/gzip to uncompress your file, it should uncompress into its own directory. To keep things uniform, do not use bzip2. I should then be able to run my stubby Perl script and grade your code. See below on how to tar/gzip your code.
2. Your written part on paper. You must submit a paper copy either in class or in a drop-box in front of my office in Building (NOTE: the Building building closes at 5:00pm). Late submissions will be noted. Be sure your homework is stapled together and is generally tidy.

Be sure that your name is clearly visible on all material you hand in. To hand in your code you can compress it with tar/gzip with a command like:

tar –czvf my.name.hw1.code.tgz my.name.hw1.code

You might also try:

tar –cvf my.name.hw1.code.tar  my.name.hw1.code 

then type

gzip my.name.hw1.code.tar  

This will compress the contents of the directory named “my.name.hw1.code” into a single file my.name.hw1.code.tgz. If you need more info on this, try “man tar”.

Electronic Submission of code

• Generally it is helpful to have an electronic submission system. However, if you do not, then just skip this.

You need to submit the assignment electronically using the EXACT following command FROM YOUR UnixMachine ACCOUNT.

submit -user csci561 -tag hw1 my.name.hw1.code.tgz

Be sure and substitute “my.name” with your own name. The submit command will immediately respond with a SUCCEEDED if your submission of file "my.name.hw1.code.tgz" is successful. That will be your means to know that your homework has reached the right place. Your submissions will be time stamped, so we will know the exact time when you made the submission.

What exactly is Stubby?

This is very important. We use a Perl script to automate the grading process. Stubby is a Perl script we give to you so that you can check and make sure that your project conforms to specifications. That is, you can use Stubby to make sure that your assignment when handed in will run with our grading script. Thus, we have our own grading script like stubby, which we use to grade your project. By checking to make sure your project works with stubby, you make sure that your project will work with our automated grading script.

It is important to note that we will not use your version of stubby. We have our own script. As such, if you edit stubby to work with your code and not the other way around, this will not be very helpful. Additionally, since there are so many projects to grade, it is imperative that your program work with the grading Perl script. If your program does not work with the grading Perl script you will lose points.