Policies, data and model boundaries
Synthetic data, reproducible work and no experiments on unwitting people. The operating rules of this fictional course.
The lab boundary#
All datasets and case profiles supplied here are invented. No assignment requires an app account, a real date, personal disclosure, scraping, automated swiping or contacting a stranger. Do not submit real profiles, private messages, location histories or identifiable data. Keep optional pair review about fictional artefacts; solo implementation and review meet the same criteria.
Pink and blue distinguish course accents, not genders. Model states are not a required account of anyone’s identity or relationships. Do not rank classmates or treat the class as a dating pool.
The strict “No Feelings” policy#
This is a rule about data labels, not a ban on emotions. A recorded reply is an observation; “they like Alex” is an interpretation. Do not present the latter as ground truth. A person may feel, decline or change their mind without breaking our model’s rules.
The Romantic Turing Test evaluates whether a fictional bio sounds concrete and stays faithful to its supplied case. It is not permission to impersonate someone or conceal an automated account. Photos remain fictional teaching assets; detection confidence and eye-contact duration are not measures of consent.
Model claims#
A toy Elo calculation is not recovered Hinge source code. A made-up response probability is not a research finding. A Null Island percentile is not a real-app ranking or an estimate of human worth.
State the data origin, assumptions, score and denominator alongside a result. Count benchmark ties against the candidate. Preserve failed evaluations and clearly label revisions made after observing them. We grade reproducibility and reasoning, never romantic outcomes or a required rank.
An explicit refusal is a terminal state in response exercises. Silence is not consent. A utility function does not create an obligation for another person.
Assessment and handover#
The report, exam and project carry 20%, 30% and 50%. The report is due 19 March, 5 pm; the exam runs 23 April, 11 am–12.30 pm; the project is due 28 May, 5 pm. All times are Canberra local time in 2027. The exam takes place in Systems Lab 2.
In this fictional course, hand report/project bundles to Casimir on removable media or arrange an accessible digital handover at consultation. This public website has no login, upload, messaging or exam service. A project may use a public static URL or a self-contained local build plus a recorded demo on the same marking terms. This does not alter the actual website assignment’s GitHub Pages requirement.
Extensions, absence and review#
For this invented course, request an extension or deferred exam from Casimir before the due time where possible. If an unexpected circumstance prevents that, raise it at the next consultation. An exam absence requires a deferred sitting, not a late upload of answers.
Report/project work up to seven calendar days late without an arranged extension receives feedback with a cap of 50% of available marks; beyond that an extension is needed for a mark. These are fictional SLOP1276 rules, not ANU policy. Attendance at practice labs has no separate mark.
Report and exam feedback returns within seven days; project feedback within fourteen. Request review within seven calendar days of receiving feedback, identifying the published criterion at issue. See the teaching team for the fictional consultation arrangements.
Sources, code and AI assistance#
On reports, labs and the project, AI and external libraries may assist with code or drafting. Cite sources, identify tools, record what they changed and verify every calculation. Keep an account of rejected suggestions as well as accepted ones. You remain responsible for explaining your submission.
During the midterm, no AI, internet, messaging or executable code is permitted. Only a non-programmable calculator and your own double-sided A4 note sheet are allowed. Do not submit someone else’s working as yours.
Never upload private personal data to an external tool. Generated observations must be labelled synthetic, not presented as a study or a real dating encounter.
Access and support#
Lecture text, CSV data and worked examples remain available without an account. Request accessible assessment formats, extra exam access arrangements or a text-only/solo lab review from Casimir or Joost. No explanation of your relationship status is needed.
This is a technical course, not counselling. For real online-dating concerns, eSafety’s guidance is an external resource, not a SlopU service. You may stop an exercise or choose an equivalent fictional case without disclosing why.