BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY & SCIENCE, PILANI

WORK INTEGRATED LEARNING PROGRAMMES

Digital
Part A: Content Design

Course Title Machine Learning

Course No(s) ZG565

Credit Units 4

Credit Model 1 - 0.5 - 1.5

1 unit for class room hours, 0.5 unit for Tutorial, 1.5 units for
Student preparation.
1 unit = 32 hours
Content Authors Dr. Sugata Ghosal

Version 1.0

Date November 11th, 2022

Course Objectives

No

CO1 Introduce students to the basic concepts and techniques of Machine Learning.

CO2 To gain experience of doing independent study and research in the field of Machine
Learning

CO3 To develop skills of using recent machine learning software tools to evaluate learning
algorithms and model selection for solving practical problems

Text Book(s)

T1 Tom M. Mitchell, Machine Learning, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Indian

Edition 1997
Reference Book(s) & other resources

R1 Christopher M. Bishop, Pattern Recognition & Machine Learning, Springer, 2006

R2 PANG-NING TAN, MICHAEL STEINBACH, VIPIN KUMAR, Introduction To Data

Mining, Pearson, 2nd Edition.

R3 CHRISTOPHER J.C. BURGES: A Tutorial on Support Vector Machines for Pattern

Recognition, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston, pp. 1–43.

Content Structure

1. Introduction
1.1 Introduction to ML
1.2 Objective of the course
1.3 Taxonomy (types) of Machine Learning
1.4 Design a Learning System
1.5 Challenges in Machine Learning
1.6 Model Testing and performance metrics

2. Linear models for Regression

2.1 Direct Solution Method
3.2 Iterative Method – Gradient Descent (batch/stochastic/mini-batch)
3.3 Linear basis function models
3.4 Bias-variance decomposition

4. Linear models for classification

4.1 Discriminant Functions
4.2 Decision Theory
4.3 Probabilistic Discriminative Classifiers
4.4 Logistic Regression

5. Decision Tree
5.1 Information Theory
5.2 Entropy Based Decision Tree Construction
5.3 Avoiding Overfitting
5.4 Minimum Description Length
 5.5 Handling Continuous valued attributes, missing attributes

6. Instance-based Learning
6.1 k-Nearest Neighbor Learning
6.2 Locally Weighted Regression (LWR) Learning
6.3 Radial Basis Functions

7. Support Vector Machine

7.1 Linearly separable data
7.2 Non-linearly separable data
7.3 Kernel Trick (Mercer)
7.4 Applications to both structured and unstructured data

8. Bayesian Learning
8.1 MLE Hypothesis
8.2 MAP Hypothesis
8.3 Bayes Rule
8.4 Optimal Bayes Classifier
8.5 Naïve Bayes Classifier
8.6 Probabilistic Generative Classifiers
8.7 Bayesian Linear Regression

9. Ensemble Learning
9.1 Combining Classifiers
9.2 Bagging
9.3 Random Forest
9.4 Boosting
9.4.1 ADABoost
9.4.2 Gradient Boosting
9.4.3 XGBoost

10. Unsupervised Learning

10.1 K-means Clustering and variants
10.2 Review of EM algorithm
10.3 GMM based Soft Clustering
10.4 Applications

11. Machine Learning Model Evaluation/Comparison

11.1 Comparing Machine Learning Models
11.2 Emerging requirements e.g., bias, fairness, interpretability of ML models

Learning Outcomes:

No Learning Outcomes

LO1 A strong understanding of the foundations of Machine Learning algorithms

LO2 Able to solve Machine Learning problems using appropriate learning techniques
LO3 Evaluate machine learning solutions to problems

LO4 Identify appropriate tools to implement the solutions to machine learning problems

Part B: Learning Plan

Academic Term

Course Title Machine Learning

Course No ZG 565

Lead Instructor Dr. Sugata Ghosal

Session No. Topic Title Study/HW Resource

Reference
1 Introduction
Objective, What is Machine Learning? Application areas T1 – Ch1
of Machine Learning, Why Machine Learning is
important? Design a Learning System, Issues in Machine
Learning
2-3 Linear models for Regression
Direct Solution Method, Iterative Method – Gradient R1 - Ch3
Descent (batch/stochastic/mini-batch), Linear basis
function models
4-5 Linear models for Regression (contd)
Bias-variance decomposition
Linear models for classification R1 - Ch. 3, 4
Discriminant Functions, Decision Theory, Probabilistic
Discriminative Classifiers
6 Logistic Regression R1 - Ch. 4
R2 – Ch. 4
Introduction to Logistic Regression
 Logloss Function, Gradient Descent, multi-class
classification
7 Decision Tree
Information Theory, Entropy Based Decision Tree T1 – Ch. 3
Construction, Avoiding Overfitting, Minimum R2 - Ch. 3
Description Length, Handling Continuous valued
attributes, missing attributes
8 Review of Session 1 to 7 and left over topics as above Books, Web references
and Slides

9 Instance-based Learning T1 – Ch. 8

k-Nearest Neighbor Learning, Locally Weighted
Regression (LWR) Learning , Radial Basis Functions
10 Support Vector Machine
Linearly separable data, Non-linearly separable data, R2 - Ch. 4
Kernel Trick (Mercer), Applications to both structured and R3
unstructured data
11 Bayesian Learning
MLE Hypothesis , MAP Hypothesis, Bayes Rule, Optimal T1 - Ch. 6
Bayes Classifier R2 – Ch. 4

12 Bayesian Learning
Naïve Bayes Classifier, Probabilistic Generative T1 - Ch. 6
Classifiers, Bayesian interpretation of Linear Regression R2 – Ch. 4
R1 – Ch. 4

13 Ensemble Learning
Combining Classifiers, Bagging, Random Forest,
R2 – Ch. 4
Boosting

14 Ensemble Learning R2 – Ch. 4

ADABoost, Gradient Boosting, XGBoost Lecture Notes

15 Unsupervised Learning T1 – Ch. 6

K-Means clustering, Mixture Models for probabilistic
clustering, Review of EM algorithm, Applications
16 Machine Learning Model Evaluation/Comparison
Comparing Machine Learning Models, Emerging T1 - Ch. 5
requirements e.g., bias, fairness, interpretability of ML Lecture Notes
models and Review of 9-15
Detailed Plan for Lab work

Lab No. Lab Objective Lab Sheet Access Session

URL Reference
1 End to End Machine Learning 2
2 Linear Regression and Gradient Descent 3, 4
3 Logistic Regression classifier 5
4 Decision Tree and Random Forest 6, 12
5 Naïve Bayes Classification 11

Evaluation Scheme:
Legend: EC = Evaluation Component; AN = After Noon Session; FN = Fore Noon Session
No Name Type Duration Weight Day, Date, Session, Time
EC-1 Quiz - Two Online ~1 hour 10%
Assignment-I Take ~2-3 10%
Home weeks
Assignment-II Take ~2-3 10%
Home weeks
EC-2 Mid-Semester Test Closed 30%
Book
EC-3 Comprehensive Exam Open Book 40%

Note:
Syllabus for Mid-Semester Test (Open Book): Topics in Session Nos. 1 to 8
Syllabus for Comprehensive Exam (Open Book): All topics (Session Nos. 1 to 16)
Important links and information:
Elearn portal: https://elearn.bits-pilani.ac.in or Canvas
Students are expected to visit the Elearn portal on a regular basis and stay up to date with the latest
announcements and deadlines.
Contact sessions: Students should attend the online lectures as per the schedule provided on the Elearn
portal.
Evaluation Guidelines:
1. EC-1 consists of either two Assignments or three Quizzes. Students will attempt them through
the course pages on the Elearn portal. Announcements will be made on the portal, in a timely
manner.
2. For Closed Book tests: No books or reference material of any kind will be permitted.
3. For Open Book exams: Use of books and any printed / written reference material (filed or
bound) is permitted. However, loose sheets of paper will not be allowed. Use of calculators
is permitted in all exams. Laptops/Mobiles of any kind are not allowed. Exchange of any
material is not allowed.
4. If a student is unable to appear for the Regular Test/Exam due to genuine exigencies, the
student should follow the procedure to apply for the Make-Up Test/Exam which will be made
available on the Elearn portal. The Make-Up Test/Exam will be conducted only at selected
exam centres on the dates to be announced later.

It shall be the responsibility of the individual student to be regular in maintaining the self study
schedule as given in the course handout, attend the online lectures, and take all the prescribed
evaluation components such as Assignment/Quiz, Mid-Semester Test and Comprehensive Exam
according to the evaluation scheme provided in the handout.