Course ID: CSCI 8380 -Advanced Topics in Information Systems
Name of the Instructor: Budak Arpinar
Semester and Year Syllabus is for: Spring 04

Prerequisite: A Database Management or Software Engineering Course.

Description

In this course, advanced topics in information systems and databases will be discussed. The two major issues dealt with are: (1) information integration and interoperability, (2) novel database technologies. The first addresses the integration of autonomous and heterogeneous resources managing structured, semi-structured, and un-structured data. The second deals with the query formulation, and processing on heterogeneous content. Special attention will be given to emerging research areas fueled by the Web and related technologies.


Course objectives

Students completing Advanced Topics in Information Systems will have been exposed to a number of lecture topics as well as many practical topics. Lecture topics include information integration and interoperability, federation/mediator/brokering architectures, agent-oriented systems, query formulation and processing, semi-structured and multimedia data management, metadata, and knowledge management. Practical topics include implementation issues such as languages and protocols for developing advanced/distributed/global information systems and their applications. The students will be exposed to very recent advances and research issues in the database and intelligent systems communities.

The course will consist of lectures, student presentations, a major course project, and a final write up of activities. Students will be graded on the standard A to F grading scale, and will provide end of course evaluations on the instruction and course content following established Computer Science Department course evaluation procedures.

Principal course assignments

Students complete reading papers and have discussions in the following areas:

• Methodologies and Models for Advanced Information Systems (ISs) (1 week )
• Integration and Interoperation of Heterogeneous and Distributed ISs (2 week )
• Federated Database, Mediator and Information Brokering Architectures (1 week )
• Object-oriented and Agent-Oriented ISs (1 week )
• Query Processing Including Planning and Optimization (1 week )
• Content Organization Including Taxonomy, Classification and Ontologies (2 weeks)
• Knowledge Sharing and Knowledge Management (1 week )
• Novel Database Technologies (2 weeks)
• Languages and Protocols for Advanced ISs (1 week )
• Applications of Advanced ISs in Enterprises and for the Web (2 weeks )

Specific course requirements for grading purposes

Students pick a scientific problem of their interest and develop solutions. They write a term paper and test their ideas.

Grading Policy

Course project and term paper (50%), paper/technology presentations, reviews and discussions (%50).

Attendance Policy

No specific requirements for attendance.

Required course material

Web-based materials, journal articles, conference publications etc.