1. Introduction Day 1 COLQ 201 Multiagent modeling Harry Howard Tulane University

2. 11-Jan-2010COLQ 201, Prof. Howard, Tulane University2 Course organization  http://www.tulane.edu/~howard/NLP/ http://www.tulane.edu/~howard/NLP/

3. 11-Jan-2010COLQ 201, Prof. Howard, Tulane University3 Description

4. 11-Jan-2010COLQ 201, Prof. Howard, Tulane University4 Objectives  You will learn how to run and understand a multiagent simulation using the NetLogo modeling environment.  You will learn how to do some computer programming in the NetLogo programming language.  NetLogo was designed to be "low threshold and no ceiling", which is to say that it enables easy entry by novices and yet meets the needs of high powered users.  I hope you strive to be high powered.

5. 11-Jan-2010COLQ 201, Prof. Howard, Tulane University5 Objectives, cont.  You will learn the basics of game theory and dynamical systems theory.  You will learn a lot of disparate facts about  the earth sciences,  biology,  urban studies,  artificial intelligence,  epidemiology,  ecology,  and evolutionary biology, anthropology, economics, decision theory, organizational psychology, political science, communications, and linguistics  which can be unified by their reduction to a multiagent dynamical system.

6. 11-Jan-2010COLQ 201, Prof. Howard, Tulane University6 Objectives, cont.  You will sharpen your skills at critical analysis. For every simulation that we discuss in class, you will be able to answer the questions:  How does it work?  Does it do what it claims to do accurately?  Are the assumptions of the simulation – the structure of the environment and the rules that the agents obey – reasonable?  Does the real world really behave the way the simulation says it should?

7. 11-Jan-2010COLQ 201, Prof. Howard, Tulane University7 Objectives, cont.  You will become an agile and discerning thinker, able to pierce the veil of distracting superficial details of a problem to find its computational essence.  You will become intellectually better- rounded.

8. 11-Jan-2010COLQ 201, Prof. Howard, Tulane University8 Outcomes  For you to demonstrate how well you have attained the objectives, you will perform the following tasks: Take a quiz or turn in a project almost every week, on Monday. Present a final project to the class on the final exam day and turn in a report of your project within two days.

9. 11-Jan-2010COLQ 201, Prof. Howard, Tulane University9 Quizzes / projects (75%)  Almost every week, on Mondays [11-1 * 7.5% = 75%]  No quiz/project can be accepted late, but I will drop the lowest grade.  Even though these look like a lot of small grades, missing just one lowers your final grade almost an entire letter, as an unfortunate few of my students have found out the hard way.  If you know ahead of time that you will miss a quiz/project, send me an e-mail beforehand, and I will excuse you with no penalty.  Beforehand does not mean the morning that the quiz/project is due, however.

10. 11-Jan-2010COLQ 201, Prof. Howard, Tulane University10 Final project (25%)  Program in NetLogo a multiagent simulation of some topic or process that interests you.  It may be a topic or process that we have not reviewed in class, or  a refinement of one that we have reviewed in class.  If you build on an existing simulation, you must acknowledge the work that you draw on.  Present it to the class on the final exam day (Friday, April 30, afternoon).  Turn in a written summary of it within two days.  This may be a group effort, but everyone in the group will receive the same grade.

11. 11-Jan-2010COLQ 201, Prof. Howard, Tulane University11 Just to be clear  There is no final exam, but you must present your final project to the class on the final exam day.  You CANNOT leave town before then!  Tell your parents NOW!  You are hereby warned.  Do not tell me at the end of the semester that your parents bought you a ticket home without knowing.

12. 11-Jan-2010COLQ 201, Prof. Howard, Tulane University12 Participation (0%)  Note that there is no credit for class participation,  but if I notice you participating a lot,  I will increase your final grade if it is borderline. (X- → Y+)  There is no credit for class participation because  I will pod-cast my lectures (record them as mp3 files and make them available on this page, in the 'mp3' column in the Schedule of Assignments),  and I will also make my PowerPoint presentations available on this page, in the 'ppt' column in the Schedule of Assignments.

13. 11-Jan-2010COLQ 201, Prof. Howard, Tulane University13 Participation, cont.  So all of the information that is imparted in class is available to you outside of class.  So I don't care whether you show up for class or not, but if you do not, you do not get to ask me questions or brainstorm with your fellow students.  And that is how most people really learn something.  And you will miss out on all the fun.

14. 11-Jan-2010COLQ 201, Prof. Howard, Tulane University14 Prerequisites  There aren't any.  OK, maybe curiosity and a desire to learn are prerequisites.  In any event, I do not take anything for granted and so will explain all background information, or at least suggest sources where you can find it on your own.

15. 11-Jan-2010COLQ 201, Prof. Howard, Tulane University15 Code of academic integrity “The integrity of Newcomb-Tulane College is based on the absolute honesty of the entire community in all academic endeavors. As part of the Tulane University community, students have certain responsibilities regarding work that forms the basis for the evaluation of their academic achievement. Students are expected to be familiar with these responsibilities at all times. No member of the university community should tolerate any form of academic dishonesty, because the scholarly community of the university depends on the willingness of both instructors and students to uphold the Code of Academic Conduct. When a violation of the Code of Academic Conduct is observed it is the duty of every member of the academic community who has evidence of the violation to take action. Students should take steps to uphold the code by reporting any suspected offense to the instructor or the associate dean of the college. Students should under no circumstances tolerate any form of academic dishonesty.” For further information, point your browser at http://college.tulane.edu/code.htm.http://college.tulane.edu/code.htm

16. 11-Jan-2010COLQ 201, Prof. Howard, Tulane University16 Students with disabilities  Students with disabilities who need academic accommodation should:  Contact and register with the Office of Disability Services (ODS). For more information, visit the ODS website at http://www.erc.tulane.edu/studentindex.html.ODS websitehttp://www.erc.tulane.edu/studentindex.html  Bring official notice to me from the ODS indicating that you need academic accommodation. This should be done within the first week of class.

17. 11-Jan-2010COLQ 201, Prof. Howard, Tulane University17 Electronic infrastructure  http://www.tulane.edu/~howard/Multiagent/ http://www.tulane.edu/~howard/Multiagent/  I will send you e-mail on a regular basis – you must check your e-mail on a regular basis!  If you want to use a non-Tulane address, e-mail me a message to that effect from the address.  Bring a laptop to class.

18. 11-Jan-2010COLQ 201, Prof. Howard, Tulane University18 The textbook  There isn't one.  Well, there is the NetLogo User Manual at http://ccl.northwestern.edu/netlogo/docs/. http://ccl.northwestern.edu/netlogo/docs/

19. 11-Jan-2010COLQ 201, Prof. Howard, Tulane University19 Schedule of readings  You should come to class having completed the assignment for that day listed in the schedule.  We will spend the class going over the simulations in the assignment, answering any questions that may come up, and perhaps doing new exercises.

20. 11-Jan-2010COLQ 201, Prof. Howard, Tulane University20 Questions? ?

21. Who we are

22. 11-Jan-2010COLQ 201, Prof. Howard, Tulane University22 Who I am  Prof. Harry Howard  862-3417 (voice mail 24 hours a day)  Newcomb Hall 322-D  Office hours: MW 4:30-5:30, T 4-5, and by appointment (the link goes to my home page, which displays my Google calendar)by appointment

23. 11-Jan-2010COLQ 201, Prof. Howard, Tulane University23 Who are you?  Interview a classmate in order to report back to the class:  your classmate's name,  where he or she is from,  what is his or her major,  why he or she is taking this course.

24. 11-Jan-2010COLQ 201, Prof. Howard, Tulane University24 Next time  Download NetLogo 4.1 from http://ccl.northwestern.edu/netlogo/downloa d.shtml and install it on your laptop. http://ccl.northwestern.edu/netlogo/downloa d.shtml  In the NetLogo User Manual, do What is NetLogo? Sample Model: Party.  Bring your laptop to class.