Fairness in Machine Learning

University of Pennsylvania, Spring 2025

Instructor: Nikita Bezrukov

Time: TR 10:15am–11:45am

Place: Bennett 222

This course explores the theme of fairness in machine learning, focusing on how algorithmic systems can perpetuate or mitigate societal biases. It delves into the ethical, technical, and social implications of these systems, examining key concepts such as individual and group fairness, bias detection, and the trade-offs involved in achieving equitable outcomes. In parallel, the course emphasizes academic writing, guiding students in effectively communicating complex ideas, constructing rigorous arguments, and engaging critically with scholarly literature. The course aims to develop both a deep understanding of fairness in ML and strong academic writing skills.

Course book: Solon Barocas, Moritz Hardt, and Arvind Narayanan. Fairness and Machine Learning: Limitations and Opportunities. MIT Press, 2023.

Syllabus: Tentative syllabus

Sample portfolios: Midterm Portfolio PDF, LaTeX file (10%), Final Portfolio (45%).

Tentative schedule

Please read the assigned materials and submit your work before class. Slides and other materials from our discussions are posted under Topics.


January 16
Getting acquainted

Read:

Syllabus:
1. Course policies
2. What to expect
3. How we learn to write
4. Academic ableism
5. White paper topic clusters

Submit:

HW1 (~2.5%):
1. Mini bio
2. How we learn
3. Baseline doc + Reflection
4. Resume
5. Writing experience survey
6. Reading strategies survey



January 21
Book/Logic I

Read:

Introduction to informal reasoning

Barocas et al. 2023: Ch. 1

Doshi & Hauser 2024

Submit:

Ch. 1 Logical Structure

Resubmit the baseline doc if needed


January 23
Book/Logic II

Read:

Testing and evaluating a proposition

Logical Coherence

The Vocab of Informal Logic: Outlining

Barocas et al. 2023: Ch. 2

Submit:

Ch. 2 Logical Structure

Topics:

Logic: Propositions

Ch. 2 slides


January 28
Book/Logic III

Read:

(Narrative, Poetic, and Logical Reasoning)

Barocas et al. 2023: Ch. 7

Submit:

Ch. 7 Logical Structure

Topics:

Ch. 7 slides


January 30
Book/Logic IV

Read:

Logical Fallacies

Barocas et al. 2023: Ch. 8

Submit:

Ch. 8 Logical Structure

Topics:

Ch. 8 slides


February 04
Book/Logic V

Read:

Barocas et al. 2023: Ch. 9

Submit:

Ch. 9 Logical Structure

Book summary

Topics:

Ch. 9 slides



February 06
Rhetoric

Read:

Intro to Rhetoric

Submit:

Rhetorical outline of the book

Gricean Maxims

Submit late work for this module

Topics:

Rhetoric slides

Gricean Slides



February 11
White Paper I

Read:

Intro to Genres

The White Paper

Submit:

Reflection journal 1


Topics:

Genre analysis collab exercise: the White Paper

Writing Fellow visit


February 13
White Paper II: Topic selection

Read:

Submit:

PowerNotes Articles 1-2

White Paper Proposal and Pre-Outline

Topics:

White paper topics

Librarian visit


February 18
White Paper III: Group presentations

Read:

Admissions
1. Matz et al. 2023

Crime
1. Wang et al. 2023

Mental
1. Xu et al. 2024

War
1. Duncan et al. 2023

Submit:


Pitch

Topics:

Lecture slides


February 20
White Paper IV: Individual meetings

Read:

Submit:

PowerNotes Articles 3-4

Topics:


February 25
White Paper V: Peer review preparations

Read:


Submit:

PowerNotes Article 5

Topics:



February 27
White Paper VI

Read:


Submit:

White paper draft 1 and post-Outline

Topics:

Peer review session 1


March 04
White Paper VII

Read:

Citation as a community

Citation styles

The rhetoric of quotation and paraphrase

Submit:

Revision plan for draft 2


Topics:

Coming to terms: reading and exercise


March 06
White Paper VIII

Read:


Submit:

White paper draft 2 and post-outline

Submit late work for this module

Topics:

Peer review session 2



March 11
Spring break


March 13
Spring break



March 18
Reflection Letter

Read:


Submit:

Revision plans for the next draft


March 20
Midterm Portfolio

Read:


Submit:

Submit Midterm Portfolio by March 21

Topics:

Lecture slides




March 25
Dialect

Read:

MicroRhetoric: Overview

Intro to MicroRhetoric: Style

Submit:

Linguistic Insecurity and Discrimination in the US

Topics:

Languaging discussion


March 27
Workplace genres

Read:

Intro to Workplace Genres

Genre and Style

Submit:

Resume (redone)

Cover letter

Reflection journal 2

Topics:

Genre analysis collab exercise: the Cover Letter



April 01
Op-Ed I

Read:

Overview of justificatory reasoning

Genre: The Op-Ed

Submit:

Three propositions, audience, and expertise

Venue checkpoint

Topics:

Genre analysis collab exercise: the Op-Ed


April 03
Op-Ed II

Read:

Tips on visual rhetoric and design

Submit:

Individual genre analysis

Pre-outline

Topics:

Lecture slides


April 08
Op-Ed III

Read:


Submit:

Op-Ed Draft 1

Topics:

Peer review session 1


April 10
Op-Ed IV

Read:


Submit:

TBA

Topics:

TBA


April 15
Op-Ed V

Read:

Overview: Spoken vs written rhetoric

Submit:

Op-Ed Draft 2

Topics:

Peer review session 2



April 17
Presentations

Read:

Overview: Spoken vs written rhetoric

Submit:

Revision plans Op-Ed

Topics:

Collab genre analysis


April 22
Presentations

Read:

Intro to PowerPoint

Submit:

Presentation

Topics:

Presentation: Group 1

Presentation: Group 2


April 24
Presentations

Read:


Submit:

Presentation

White paper final draft

Topics:

Presentation: Group 3



April 29
Final portfolio

Read:


Submit:

Submit Final Portfolio by April 30

Topics:

Office hours