FAQ
Questions and Answers
1. How do I ask a question?
If you have a question or comment, follow this simple checklist:
- check whether the answer can be found on this page, if not then
- check whether the answer can be found in the slides, books, lecture recordings, or assignment sheets, if not then
- check whether the answer has already been given on the Forum, if not then
- post your question on the Forum such that TAs, tutors, and fellow students can help, only if this is not possible
- write a polite email to gupta@cs.uni-saarland.de from your university account.
2. Can I email the lecturers directly?
Not unless you want your message to get lost in the enormous avalanche of emails they receive every day. You can talk to us in person before or after the lecture.
3. How long until you answer?
As soon as we can, ideally within a day. We monitor the forum and email only during working days.
4. How will you contact us?
General messages will be shared in the lectures, on the relevant page here on CMS, and/or by email to all registered students.
Organization
5. What is the difference between EML (winter term) and ML (summer term)?
EML is a 6 ECTS lecture that offers a gentle introduction to machine learning that focuses on intuition. ML is a 9 ECTS core lecture that is both more comprehensive and mathematically more detailed.
6. How is the course organized?
Lecture 0 will explain this in detail. You will find the slides and recording under Materials , in Lectures section. We answer any remaining questions in Tutorial 1. You can always ask questions in the Forum.
7. I took EML last year, do I have to redo the assignments?
Yes.
Assignments - General
8. Do you record the tutorials?
No.
9. How do I get clarification on my assignment grading?
By asking in a Tutorial.
10. What should my submission look like?
Information coming soon.
11. Can I team up with a partner who is not in the same tutorial group?
Yes.
12. Do I need to create a new team on CMS for every assignment?
Yes. To enable people to switch teams during the course, everyone has to create a new team for every assignment. This 'new' team may of course still be with your previous partner.
The deadline for registering your team on CMS is ONE week before the deadline of the assignment.
Team Registration deadlines on CMS:
- Assignment #1 : 06.11.24
- Assignment #2 : 20.11.24
- Assignment #3 : 04.12.24
- Assignment #4 : 02.01.25
- Assignment #5 : 15.01.25
13. How many people can a team have in total?
Maximum of 2.
14. Is forming a team mandatory?
No. You can also submit on your own.
15. Can I submit the assignments alone?
Yes, you can do it alone or in groups of two students.
16. Will you publish solutions to the assignments?
No. We only provide solutions to Exercise Sheets.
17. How do we submit the assignments?
There will be a CMS submission per assignment.
18. In which format do we submit the assignments?
The assignments will be excepted as PDF on CMS. Make sure your name, your team member's name and both your matriculation numbers are present at top of each assignment.
While generating the PDF or html for programming assignment also put your name, your team member's name and matriculation numbers.
19. Will there be any deadline extensions?
No late submissions. Under no circumstances we will extend the deadlines for team groupings and assignment submissions.
20. How much do I have to score in assignment for qualifying for the exams?
To qualify for the exams you need to score :
- a cumulative of 50% of points over the theory assignment problems over the semester
- a cumulative of 50% of points over the coding assignment problems over the semester
if you fail to score 50% of points in either one of theory or coding you don't qualify for the exams.
21. How should I explain my solutions for the assignments ? How much details should I provide for my solutions?
We don't need very long explanations but to the point, so that we can assess your understanding of the problem given.
We expect detailed derivations similar to the ones provided in the solutions of the exercise sheets. We advice to follow the solutions given in the exercise sheets as an example.
If you still don't understand and have questions, ask your question to the tutors during the tutorials.
Assignments (Programming)
22. May I submit the practical assignments in <my favorite programming language>?
We only consider submissions in Python/Jupyter Notebooks.
23. Does my code need to run?
Yes, you will only receive points if your code runs and produces the correct answer.
You have to use "Run All" command in Jupyter notebook and then generate a pdf or html to submit.
You also need to submit the corresponding Jupyter notebook with solutions.
To do this:
- Go to the ``Cell" menu at the top of the Jupyter interface.
- Select ``Run All" to execute every cell in your notebook.
- Once all cells are executed, export the notebook: Click on ``File" in the top menu.
- Choose ``Export As" and select either PDF or HTML
24. What all do I need to submit in ZIP file of programming assignment ?
You need to submit the code i.e. .ipynb file as well as the PDF/HTML file generated after running all the cells for your code.
We need both the code as well as PDF/HTML.
The steps are stated above. Zip both the files and submit.
Grading and Exam
25. Can I do the exam online?
No, the exams will be exclusively in person.
26. Will exam be closed or open book ?
The exam will be closed book with ONE cheat sheet allowed.
Cheat Sheet - Handwritten A4 size (front and back).
27. How will my final grade be determined?
Based on the written exam.
28. How do I (de)register for the exam?
More information coming soon.
29. I am an Erasmus student. Can I take the course?
Yes. More information on registration for the exam coming soon.
For answers to more questions, please check the Forum. If you have a question yourself, see point number 1 above for how to ask it.