CSCI/ARTI 4540/6540 - Fall 2010 file://///aiweb/webpages/mc/4540-syllabus.htm 

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11:00-12:15 Tuesday/Thursday, Room 418, Aderhold Hall 

Web: www.ai.uga.edu/mc/6540.html 

E-mail: mc@uga.edu 

Office: 111 Boyd GSRC 

Office hours: Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. Let me know when you're coming. 

Texts 

Covington, Nute, and Vellino, Prolog Programming in Depth, 2nd ed. (1997) (ISBN 

0-13-138645-X) 

(This book is abundant on the used market. Click here for Amazon.) 

Software 

SWI Prolog and GNU Common Lisp. (Not LPA Prolog.) 

Available in AI Center labs (you need an AI Center account). 

Probably also available in CS Dept. labs (check with them). 

Download for your own PC from swi-prolog.org and www.gnu.org/software/gcl 

respectively. 

Prerequisites 

Permission of instructor, or: 

CSCI/ARTI 4550/6550 (can be taken concurrently) 

and CSCI 1302 or equivalent (intro programming). 

Goals 

Mastery of Prolog programming language; familiarization with Lisp programming 

language; understanding of special techniques used in these languages; understanding 

of the scientific research from which this technology developed. 

Note: This is not an introduction to artificial intelligence. That is CSCI 4550/6550. 

Note: This course will cover more material than in earlier years. 

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Requirements 

For all students: 

Homework (not taken up, but measured by class participation) 

Quizzes (frequent brief, unnanounced tests based on recent homework) 

Mid-term examination 

Final examination 

For graduate students only: 

A small programming project. This is optional and is somewhat smaller than the usual 

term project; aim for 50 to 200 lines of code in either Lisp or Prolog, doing an 

interesting computation and serving as a potential building block for a larger project 

later. Quite subtle Lisp and Prolog programs can be rather short, so 200 lines does not 

limit you to a trivial project. Advanced exercises in later parts of the textbook are good 

sources of ideas for this project. 

Final examination: Undergraduates, and graduate students who do projects, will take 

a final examination on which they have some choice of sections or questions. Graduate 

students who do not opt to do projects will take the entire final examination. In both 

situations, it will be quite feasible to finish the entire examination within the allotted 3 

hours. 

Grading 

Without projects:: 30% midterm, 40% final, 30% quizzes, 0 to 3 points for 

participation. 

With projects: 20% midterm, 40% final, 20% quizzes, 20% project, 0 to 3 points for 

participation. 

Participation is attendance and performance when called on to present homework 

results. 

Quizzes are graded subjectively as "Excellent," "Good," "Pass," or "Fail," scored as 

100%, 85%, 70%, or 0% respectively, depending on the level of understanding that they 

show. All other tests are graded objectively on a specified number of points per 

question. Computer programs are graded by actually reading and understanding them, 

not just running test cases. 

No group projects: All work for credit is to be done individually. 

Grade appeals: I am always glad to correct any actual error in grading. However, I do 

not negotiate grades as if they were prices. A grade appeal is an opportunity to correct 

an error, not to compromise between differing opinions. If you wish to appeal a grade, 

turn the graded material back in to me together with a written statement of what you 

think the error is. 

Handwriting: When writing computer programs by hand (e.g., on tests), be sure to 

distinguish all characters clearly. Do not mix up upper- and lowercase letters; for 

example, do not write A if you mean a. Do not use characters that are not actually part of 

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the programming language. Be careful with punctuation and stray dots. Answers that 

are not clearly correct will be counted incorrect. 

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Attendance 

Required. In cases of serious unforeseen emergency, arrangements can be made for 

students to make up the work they missed, or to drop the course, whichever is more 

appropriate. If your personal circumstances do not permit you to attend this course, do 

not sign up for it. 

Academic honesty 

You are expected to do your own work and give proper credit to all sources of 

information and assistance. Cases of suspected dishonesty are not handled in the 

classroom; they are always referred to authorities. 

As a University of Georgia student, you have agreed to abide by the University’s 

academic honesty policy, "A Culture of Honesty," and the Student Honor Code. All 

academic work must meet the standards described in "A Culture of Honesty" found at 

www.uga.edu/honesty. Lack of knowledge of the academic honesty policy is not a 

reasonable explanation for a violation. Questions related to course assignments and the 

Academic Honesty policy should be directed to the instructor. 

Tentative course calendar 

August Lisp 

September Prolog, chapters 1-3 

October Prolog, chapters 4-6 

November Prolog, chapters 7 and 13 

A more detailed calendar will be announced later. 

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