This course will explore the fields of game theory and mechanism design from a computational perspective. Game theory studies interactions among multiple agents and tries to predict how rational decision-makers will behave. Mechanism design inverts this problem, trying to design the rules under which agents interact so that a desired outcome is achieved. We will use game theory and mechanism design to study CS-inspired problems including data routing and online ad auctions. We will also apply CS techniques including algorithms, data structures, and complexity to problems in game theory and mechanism design.
| 20% | Labs |
| 30% | Problem Sets |
| 25% | Exam 1 |
| 25% | Exam 2 |
Lab assignments will be made available on Mondays during the lab section, and will be due on Thursdays before lecture. In lab, you will work in randomly-assigned groups to solve problems. After lab, each member of the group is responsible for producing their own writeup of the solutions.
Problem sets will be assigned every other week, and will be due two weeks later on Sunday night. For problem sets, you may work with a partner of your own chosing. Instructions for partner selection will be forthcoming. Solutions for both labs and problem sets should be written in LaTeX and submitted via github.
Academic honesty is required in all your work. Under no circumstances may you hand in work done with (or by) someone else under your own name. Neither your code nor your written work should ever be shared with anyone; you may not examine or use writing or code belonging to someone else, nor may you let anyone else look at or make a copy of your work. This includes, but is not limited to, obtaining solutions from students who have taken similar courses or solutions that can be found online. You may not share solutions after the due date of the assignment.
Discussing ideas and approaches to problems with others on a general level is fine (in fact, you are encouraged to discuss general strategies with each other), but you should never read anyone else's assignments or let anyone else read yours. All work you submit must be your own with the following permissible exceptions: material distributed in class, found in the course text book, or worked on with an assigned partner. You should always include detailed comments that indicate on which parts of the assignment you received help, and what your sources were.
Failure to abide by these rules constitutes academic dishonesty and will lead to a hearing of the College Judiciary Committee. According to the Faculty Handbook: "Because plagiarism is considered to be so serious a transgression, it is the opinion of the faculty that for the first offense, failure in the course and, as appropriate, suspension for a semester or deprivation of the degree in that year is suitable; for a second offense, the penalty should normally be expulsion."
The spirit of this policy applies to all course work, including code, homework solutions (e.g., proofs, analysis, written reports), and exams. Please contact me if you have any questions about what is permissible in this course.
The following policy is being implemented in all Swarthmore CS classes beginning this semester:
Exam takers must place all non-essential items at the front of the room (or other designated area). Unless otherwise permitted, students may not have any electronic devices or course materials in their possession during the entirety of the exam. This includes cell phones, tablets, laptops, smart watches, course notes, articles and books, among others. These items should be placed at the front of the room near the proctor. If you need to leave the room during the exam, you must obtain permission from an instructor first. Any non-permitted discussion or aide in regards to exam material will result in immediate forfeiture of the exam and a report to the College Judiciary Committee. Please discuss any concerns or accommodations with your instructor prior to starting the exam.
If you believe that you need accommodations for a disability, please contact the Office of Student Disability Services (Parrish 113) or email studentdisabilityservices@swarthmore.edu to arrange an appointment to discuss your needs. As appropriate, the office will issue students with documented disabilities a formal Accommodations Letter. Since accommodations require early planning and are not retroactive, please contact them as soon as possible. For details about the accommodations process, visit the Student Disability Service Website.
You are welcome to contact me privately to discuss your academic needs, but all disability-related accommodations must be arranged through the Office of Student Disability Services. To receive an accommodation for a course activity you must have an official Accommodations Letter and you need to meet with me to work out the details of your accommodation at least two weeks prior to any activity requiring accommodations.
Writing lab and problem set solutions in LaTeX is required for this course. It is also a good skill to learn. If you plan on going to graduate school and/or publishing papers in the future, you will end up writing in latex.
For most latex files, you should be able to compile a latex file using e.g. 'pdflatex foo.tex'. As with other compilable programs like C++, you might get some compilation errors.
The following links have good latex resources and tutorials.