CS 492/CS 692 W05 Course Structure

Lectures

Lectures are scheduled for three fifty-minute slots per week (MWF 9:30-10:20, MC 4058). The class will be run more like a discussion seminar than a standard lecture. Students are expected to do the preparatory readings (as listed in the timetable) in advance; discussion will commence using those readings as a base. The instructor may talk for five minutes here and there in order to set the stage, make a technical point, summarize, or concentrate attention. Student participation is important not only to facilitate the learning process but because marks are assessed for class participation.

Marking scheme

• 60% assignments
• 20% the role playing exercise
• 20% class participation, based on
  • discussion in class (most important)
  • participation in discussion during RPEs
  • discussion on newsgroup, including RPE evaluations
  • feedback provided through assignment 6b

Late policy

Assignments

Role-playing exercises (RPE)

Each team will take the role of a particular group with concerns in that area; the teams will typically have conflicting or opposed views. The initial scenario will be outlined by the instructor. Groups have the latitude to make adjustments to the initial scenario, including the exact wording of each side's position. Both sides must agree with the final wording and the revisions must be approved by the TA. This means that both sides should have a clear agreement as to topic of the RPE. If the group elects to revise the wording of the scenario, it must post revised scenarios to the newsgroup uw.cs.cs492 by the Friday prior to the RPE.

Each team will prepare a position paper (from 1000 to 3000 words) for 4pm on Tuesday. This will generally involve more background research in the library and on the Web, and perhaps interviews with actual members of the groups being represented. Some groups in the past have included some useful URLs to information pertaining to the topic. Students will post position papers to the newsgroup uw.cs.cs492. In addition, students will deposit one hardcopy of the position paper into the assignment box on the 3rd floor of MC, ideally at the same time as the position paper is posted to the newsgroup but in any case no later than 10am the following day.

Other students are expected to read the refined scenario and position papers in preparation for the in-class exercise. Students may want to post to the newsgroup some initial comments and questions before the RPE on Friday. In some situations, it may be more appropriate to keep questions and concerns for the actual RPE itself, so that we do not exhaust all discussion before we even begin the RPE.

On Friday, each team will briefly present their positions (six minutes maximum per team, and note that team A may not necessarily be asked to start with their position before team B). These presentations should not just repeat points made in the position papers, but should lead naturally into the discussion to follow. The class will then direct questions and comments to the teams, in a manner similar to that of a public forum or press conference. Discussion of whether the teams have depicted their roles accurately in their position papers and presentations is also relevant. Please note that this role playing exercise is not a debate. Instead, each side portays a position and adheres to that position. A period of four minutes will be left at the end of the class (two minutes per team) for final words from each side. This should be an effort to clearly articulate to the audience the position being taken and its overall worth.

Taking into account the points made in class, the teams are required to go off and produce, by the following Wednesday afternoon at 4pm, a joint communique outlining what they can agree on and a common course of action (similar to a Union Negotiation). This communique will be posted to the newsgroup. We are looking for some effort to have the two sides articulate clearly where they have found a middle ground.

After reading the joint communique, students shall provide feedback by 9am the Friday following the RPE in question. A mark will be assigned to the presenters, based on the position papers, the discussion in class, and the final communique on the points of:

• effectiveness in communication (oral and written)
• preparation
• content: how realistic/convincing the position is and how clearly it has been articulated
• how much progress has been made jointly and
• how well each team has succeeded in making the joint communique address their concerns

It is expected that all members on one side will receive the same mark, but exceptional circumstances may be brought to the attention of the TA, so that team members who do not contribute can potentially lose marks. The teams presenting on opposite sides on the same date do not necessarily receive the same mark.

Please note that it is also important to allow all team members an opportunity to demonstrate their skill in oral communication, either in presenting part of the team's position, in responding to questions from the audience during the discussion session, or in delivering the final two minute summary.

Deadlines for RPEs not held on Fridays

Plagiarism

Last revised 20 December 2004.