Model parameters inspection in PyTorch - ML Experiment: Train & Evaluate

Experiment - Model parameters inspection

Problem:You have trained a simple neural network on a classification task. You want to understand the model better by inspecting its parameters such as weights and biases.

Current Metrics:Training accuracy: 85%, Validation accuracy: 82%

Issue:You do not know how to access and interpret the model's parameters to verify their shapes and values.

Your Task

Learn how to access, print, and interpret the parameters of a PyTorch model, including their shapes and sample values.

Use PyTorch only.

Do not modify the model architecture or training code.

Focus only on parameter inspection.

Hint 1

Hint 2

Hint 3

Solution

PyTorch

import torch
import torch.nn as nn

# Define a simple model
class SimpleNN(nn.Module):
    def __init__(self):
        super().__init__()
        self.fc1 = nn.Linear(10, 5)
        self.relu = nn.ReLU()
        self.fc2 = nn.Linear(5, 2)

    def forward(self, x):
        x = self.fc1(x)
        x = self.relu(x)
        x = self.fc2(x)
        return x

# Instantiate the model
model = SimpleNN()

# Inspect model parameters
for name, param in model.named_parameters():
    print(f"Parameter name: {name}")
    print(f"Shape: {param.shape}")
    print(f"Sample values: {param.view(-1)[:5]}")
    print("---")

Added code to loop through model.named_parameters() to access each parameter's name and tensor.

Printed the shape of each parameter tensor to understand its dimensions.

Printed the first 5 values of each parameter tensor to get a sense of the values.

Results Interpretation

Before: No knowledge of model parameters.

After: Able to see parameter names, shapes, and sample values.

Inspecting model parameters helps you understand the model's structure and verify that weights and biases are correctly initialized and updated.

Bonus Experiment

Try modifying one of the model's parameters manually and observe how it affects the model's output on a sample input.

💡 Hint

Use torch.no_grad() to safely change parameter values without tracking gradients.

Practice

1. What does the named_parameters() method in a PyTorch model return?

easy

A. The optimizer's learning rate

B. An iterator over tuples of parameter names and their tensors

C. The model's training loss values

D. A list of all model layers

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the purpose of named_parameters()

   This method is designed to give access to each parameter's name and its tensor, which includes weights and biases.

2. Step 2: Identify what it returns

   It returns an iterator over tuples, where each tuple contains the parameter's name and the tensor itself.

3. Final Answer:

   An iterator over tuples of parameter names and their tensors -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   named_parameters() = iterator of (name, tensor) [OK]

Hint: Remember: named_parameters() lists names and tensors [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing parameters with layers
• Thinking it returns loss or optimizer info
• Assuming it returns just tensors without names

2. Which of the following code snippets correctly prints the names and shapes of all parameters in a PyTorch model model?

easy

A. for name, param in model.named_parameters(): print(name, param.shape)

B. for param in model.parameters(): print(param.name, param.shape)

C. print(model.parameters().names())

D. model.print_parameters()

Solution

1. Step 1: Check correct method usage

   The method named_parameters() returns (name, parameter) pairs, so unpacking into two variables is correct.

2. Step 2: Verify printing name and shape

   Accessing param.shape gives the tensor shape. for name, param in model.named_parameters(): print(name, param.shape) correctly prints both.

3. Final Answer:

   for name, param in model.named_parameters(): print(name, param.shape) -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Use named_parameters() with unpacking [OK]

Hint: Use named_parameters() to get names and tensors [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Trying to access .name on param tensor (no such attribute)
• Using parameters() without names
• Calling non-existent methods like print_parameters()

3. Given the following PyTorch model code, what will be the output of the print statement?

import torch.nn as nn

class SimpleNet(nn.Module):
    def __init__(self):
        super().__init__()
        self.fc1 = nn.Linear(4, 3)
        self.fc2 = nn.Linear(3, 2)

model = SimpleNet()
params = list(model.named_parameters())
print(len(params))

medium

A. 2

B. 6

C. 4

D. 3

Solution

1. Step 1: Count parameters in each layer

   Each nn.Linear has weights and biases, so 2 parameters per layer.

2. Step 2: Calculate total parameters

   Two layers x 2 parameters each = 4 parameters total.

3. Final Answer:

   4 -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   2 layers x 2 params = 4 [OK]

Hint: Each Linear layer has weight and bias parameters [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Counting only layers, not parameters
• Assuming one parameter per layer
• Confusing number of parameters with tensor sizes

4. You wrote this code to print model parameter names and shapes but get an error:

for name, param in model.parameters():
    print(name, param.shape)

What is the error and how to fix it?

medium

A. The loop syntax is wrong; use for param, name in model.parameters()

B. param.shape is invalid; use param.size() instead

C. You must call model.parameters().items() to get name and param

D. model.parameters() returns tensors only; use model.named_parameters() to get names

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand what model.parameters() returns

   This method returns only parameter tensors, no names.

2. Step 2: Correct method to get names and parameters

   Use model.named_parameters() which returns (name, param) pairs.

3. Final Answer:

   model.parameters() returns tensors only; use model.named_parameters() to get names -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   parameters() = tensors only, named_parameters() = (name, tensor) [OK]

Hint: Use named_parameters() to get names with tensors [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Trying to unpack parameters() into name and param
• Using .items() on parameters() which is not a dict
• Swapping variable order in for loop

5. You want to calculate the total number of trainable parameters in a PyTorch model model. Which code snippet correctly computes this?

hard

A. sum(p.numel() for p in model.parameters() if p.requires_grad)

B. len(model.named_parameters())

C. sum(p.shape for p in model.parameters())

D. model.count_parameters()

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand what counts as trainable parameters

   Only parameters with requires_grad=True are trainable.

2. Step 2: Use numel() to count elements in each tensor

   Summing p.numel() for all trainable parameters gives total count.

3. Final Answer:

   sum(p.numel() for p in model.parameters() if p.requires_grad) -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Sum numel() of trainable params = total count [OK]

Hint: Sum numel() of parameters with requires_grad True [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using len() which counts parameters, not elements
• Trying to sum shapes directly (shapes are tuples)
• Assuming model has count_parameters() method