Administrivia

Logistics

Classes will be held in BC-04 on Friday from 10:15 - 12:00.

We will follow this approximate class format:

  • 20 minutes — Presentation of the assigned readings (and optional background material) by one of the students
  • 10 minutes — Feedback to the speaker on communication skills
  • 60 minutes — Class discussion
  • 15 minutes — Optional topics
Students are free to leave after the first 1.5 hours, in lieu of an intermission break. The discussion of optional topics is for whoever wants to participate.

Every week, there will be a 1-page writing assignment on a topic to be announced one week in advance. We will refer to these as "one-pagers", or OPs for short.

We also have an online discussion group for students in the course; if you are taking this course and are not in this group, your should sign up as soon as possible. This group will be the primary means of communicating news/updates related to the course.

Instructors

Prof. George Candea
Dr. Johannes Kinder

Office hours by appointment

Credits and Grading

This course carries 4 units of credit.

Your grade will be computed as follows:

  • 40% for in-class activities (both the level of participation and the insightfulness of your questions/ideas/arguments)
  • 40% for the OPs (worst one will not be counted)
  • 20% for the presentation
There will not be an exam at the end of the semester.