Final Project
The final project is a core component of the seminar, accounting for 50% of the final grade. It is an opportunity for you to conduct a deep, research-oriented exploration of a topic related to the course themes.
Project Scope
Your project can take one of several forms:
- A Critical Literature Review: A comprehensive survey and synthesis of a specific theoretical topic not covered in depth in class (e.g., the circuit complexity of attention variants, formal theories of in-context learning, etc.).
- A Formal Analysis: A novel theoretical exploration that extends a concept from the course. This could involve analyzing a RASP program for a new task, proving a small result about a simplified model, or formally connecting two different theoretical frameworks.
- A Well-Founded Research Proposal: A detailed proposal for a novel research project, including a thorough background review, a clear problem statement, a proposed methodology, and expected outcomes.
Deliverables
- Project Proposal (Due Week 8): A 1-page summary of your chosen topic and planned approach.
- Final Presentation (Weeks 12-14): A short presentation to the class summarizing your project’s key findings or arguments.
- Written Report (Due Dec 8): A 6-8 page paper in a standard conference format detailing your project.