By 5pm of the day the mid-term is scheduled, you will need to have selected
a project:

  . find some problem you want to solve using genetic algorithms and
    design, code, debug, and run a GA program to solve it

  . e-mail me your problem for approval (no groups permitted)

  . when approved, post to the class newsgroup your problem to reserve it
    for you (see the file `posting_news' in the class directory)

  . possibilities:

    - picking something only cursorily covered by the text and research it
      to explain it in depth

    - something you are working on at work that is relevant this class

    - thumbing through the research literature and picking something relevant

  . written report due by 5pm of the last class of the term, about 5 pages
    including footnotes (make a copy for yourself and turn the original in)

    - you MUST include your personal evaluation of the problem and you MUST
      relate the material in your paper to what we have studied
      in class

    - you MUST include a list of all your references (bibliography) and it
      MUST be annotated: a couple of sentences for each reference describing
      its contents and relevance

    - all direct quotes from your source material must be in bold font
      (or some other distinguishing font)

    - all direct paraphrases of your reference material must be in italics
      (or some other distinguishing font)

    - both must be footnoted as to which reference and which page numbers
      (failure to do either of these, whether discovered immediately or during
      the ensuing years, will result in failure of the course and a letter
      to the Dean)

  . in an appendix, include an annotated bibliography (annotated means each
    bibliographic entry has a few sentences describing why the entry is
    relevant and important for your project)

  . in an appendix, include program listing and output of your production runs

  . be ready for a 15 minute talk to the class about your problem using
    overheads

  . be ready to turn in copies of your overheads, too, those
    overheads that are not just copies of figures in your paper

  . people will be picked at random as many as can be done during the last
    class

  Slides/overheads help a presentation because you don't have to write so much
on the board (that's why I use them in class) and so that helps keep things
moving.  Also figures that explain or illustrate what the speaker is talking
about can be used effectively.  MAKE SURE OVERHEADS ARE IN BIG TYPE SO THEY
CAN BE READ FROM THE BACK OF THE ROOM!

  Overheads are not a requirement.  I ask that copies of overheads, if used,
be handed in along with the paper.

  Most people choose to use overheads so they can put up bulleted lists of
points like "This talk will ..." and "My conclusions are ..."

  . don't forget to also hand in the "last assignment"
    at the last lecture class