CS430/INFO430: Information Retrieval

CS 430 / INFO 430
Information Retrieval
Fall 2007

Professor William Y. Arms

Notice: Final examination

The final examination is on Thursday, December 13, 9:00 to 10:30, in Hollister B14. See the examinations page for more information.

Course Description

This course looks at the methods used to search for and retrieve information from collections of documents, including Web search systems and library catalogs. The course combines theoretical and practical approaches, and includes sections on user interfaces and evaluation of the effectiveness of information retrieval systems.

Offered:	Fall only
Prerequisites:	This class requires a moderate level of maturity in understanding computer systems and architecture, such as CS211 (or equivalent). Several assignments will include programming in Java or C++. Prior knowledge of either Java or C++ is required.
Grade options:	Letter or S/U
Credit hours:	3

Basic Information

Please send all message about the course to: cs430-l@lists.cs.cornell.edu. Messages to this address are forwarded to the Instructor and the Teaching Assistants.

Lectures:	Tuesday and Thursday 12:20-1:10 p.m. Phillips Hall 203
Discussion Classes:	Wednesday 7:30-8:30 p.m. Phillips Hall 203
Instructor:	William Arms, wya@cs.cornell.edu, 255-3046, Cornell Information Science, 301 College Avenue
Instructor's Assistant:	Sarah Birns,sbirns@cs.cornell.edu, 255-5925, Cornell Information Science, 301 College Avenue
Instructor's Office Hours:	Tuesday and Thursday 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. or contact Sarah Birns to schedule an appointment
Teaching Assistant	Blazej Kot, bjk45@cornell.edu
Teaching Assistant	Dmitriy Shtokman, ds346@cornell.edu

The Teaching Assistants do not have scheduled office hours but are available to help you by email.

Notices and Syllabus

Urgent notices about the course are posted on the home page of this web site. Check the page regularly for current information.

The course syllabus is posted on the Syllabus page of this web site. It has the schedule of lectures, discussion classes, assignments and examinations. Note that the syllabus is subject to change as the course progresses.

Discussion Classes

The discussion classes on Wednesday evenings are a central part of the course. Each class is based on a paper to be read or a computing task to be carried out in advance of the class.

The grades for the discussion classes allow everybody to miss up to two classes, but the material in the readings will be covered in the examinations.

Computing Laboratory

Computers with appropriate software are available in the Computer Science Undergraduate Lab, Upson Hall Room 361. M.Eng. students may also use the M.Eng. computing lab.

Assignments and Grading

The course grade will be based on course assignments, participation in the discussion classes, and the examinations (mid-term and final). The weightings given to these components are expected to be as follows, but these weightings may be changed:

Assignments	33%
Discussion classes	33%
Examinations	33%

All assignments are individual assignments, but you are encouraged to discuss the readings and the course concepts with your colleagues. To understand when collaboration is appropriate read the web page on Academic Integrity and understand how it applies to this course.

William Y. Arms
(wya@cs.cornell.edu)
Last changed: December 12, 2007