LIBR 557: Advanced Information Retrieval -- COURSE Syllabus

 

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Course Objectives: Upon completion of this course students will be able to:

Course Topics:

Prerequisites:LIBR 500, 510, 540, 560.

Format of the course: One lecture session per week, and IT Labs in selected weeks

Required:

For a relatively small part of the course students will need a copy of the DIALOG Lab Workbook and the DIALOG Pocket Guide, both of which are available online from the Dialog web site:http://gep.dialog.com/instruction/. Additional materials from this web site will also be used. In most cases it will not be necessary to have printed copies -- they can be read and used online. Required readings will generally be assigned on a weekly basis. Most of these will be available online, but if not then they will be available in multiple copies available on the shelf outside the instructor's office.

Recommended: Additional recommended readings will be given in class. Most of these will be available online.

Course Assignments, Due dates and Weight in relation to final course mark:

Assignment	Due Date	Weight
Assignment #1 --Exact match model	October 17	25%
Assignment #2 -- Best match model	November 7	25%
Assignment #3 -- Group Presentation	November 14, 21, 28	50%

 

 

 

 

Course Schedule [tentative]:

Attendance: The calendar says: Regular attendance is expected of students in all their classes (including lectures, laboratories, tutorials, seminars, etc.). Students who neglect their academic work and assignments may be excluded from the final examinations. Students who are unavoidably absent because of illness or disability should report to their instructors on return to classes. Regular on-time attendance in class is an important and required part of this course. Much of the material covered during class is not readily available from other sources. I will provide copies of all handouts distributed during sessions you miss, but it is your responsibility to obtain notes from one of the other class members. I recognize that sudden unexpected problems arise for everyone (including myself), but I expect you to attend and be on time for class. Repeated absences or tardiness will result in a lower course mark or in a request from me that you drop the course. The extent of the reduction is at my discretion. If you know ahead of time that you will be coming in late, please let me know. If you ARE late for class (for whatever reason) please go ahead and come into the classroom rather than waiting for the break.

The University accommodates students with disabilities who have registered with the Disability Resource Centre. The University accommodates students whose religious obligations conflict with attendance, submitting assignments, or completing scheduled tests and examinations. Please let your instructor know in advance, preferably in the first week of class, if you will require any accommodation on these grounds. Students who plan to be absent for varsity athletics, family obligations, or other similar commitments, cannot assume they will be accommodated, and should discuss their commitments with the instructor before the drop date.

Evaluation: Assignments will not be accepted late unless prior arrangements are made with me. Consideration will be given to legitimate emergencies. If an extension is granted, a late penalty may be imposed at my discretion; this will be discussed when you request an extension. All assignments will be awarded letter grades using the evaluative criteria given on the SLAIS web site: http://www.slais.ubc.ca/RESOURCES/slais-marking.htm. If you receive a mark such as A-/B+ you should interpret it as a low A-, likewise a mark of B+/A- should be interpreted as a high B+. [The top mark represents the awarded letter grade, and the bottom mark indicates the relative position of the numerical equivalent in the range for the letter grade.]

Academic Dishonesty : Please review the UBC Calendar “Academic regulations” for the university policy on cheating, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty. Also visit www.arts.ubc.ca and go to the students’ section for useful information on avoiding plagiarism and on correct documentation.

Course Discussion List: Each of you must sign-up for the class internet discussion list. From whatever email account you wish to use, send the following [leave the Subject line blank]:

address-- To: majordomo@interchange.ubc.ca
message-- subscribe l-557
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This is the mechanism that I will use to make announcements to you outside class. You are also welcome to post comments/questions to the list if relevant to other students. For particular problems or questions you should e-mail me directly at mary.sue.stephenson@ubc.ca, see me in my office or call me.