Your First Homework for CS-103
1. Go to http://websciencemoodle.net
2. Register using your real name and BU.EDU email
3. Find HW0 and follow the instructions

Instructor: Bruce Hoppe
behoppe@bu.edu
Department of Computer Science
64 Cummington Street, Room 228C
617-358-2362
Office hours: Mon 4-5, Wed 12:30-2:30


Teaching Fellow: Vatche Ishakian
visahak@bu.edu
Department of Computer Science
Undergraduate CS Lab
730 Comm Ave, Room 302
Office hours: Mon 12-1,Wed 10-12

Spring 2008 Course Information

Lectures: 3:00-3:50pm MWF
STO Room B50, 675 Commonwealth Avenue
[Students must also register for a lab section: A2 (Mon 10:00am), A3 (Mon 11:00am), or A4 (Thurs 1:00pm)]

Online class forum: http://websciencemoodle.net (Registration required)
Online Introduction to Network Math: http://webmathematics.net
Required textbook: Six Degrees by Duncan Watts (Story of the science of networks)
Optional textbook: Web 101 by Wendy Lehnert (Comprehensive Internet introduction in a book)

Course Summary:

CS-103 provides a multi-disciplinary introduction to Internet technology and web programming, focusing on (1) principles of the Internet as a network that mediates group behavior, and (2) practical basics for web-builders. Each student will create his/her own website over the term and learn how to use web science (the power behind Google and Amazon) to be more effective web users. This class has no prerequisites; it is intended for non-technical students interested in the Internet and Internet-savvy students interested in mathematics and sociology. CS-103 satisfies Math/CS Divisional Studies Credit.

Throughout the course, we will consider the Internet from three different perspectives:

1. Modeling the Internet: The Internet is an example of a network. Mathematicians use graph theory to study networks of all kinds. In CS-103 lectures and homeworks, we will study graph theory and how it helps us to understand and use the Internet.

2. Internet Programming: The Internet connects computers running many different kinds of programs. In CS-103 labs we will learn HTML and JavaScript, two of the most popular ways of Internet programming.

3. Using the Internet: We will use many kinds of websites during the semester, including search engines, blogs, social bookmarks, wikis, and discussion boards. This class will draw on those experiences to inform discussions and essays about issues facing everyday web-surfers.

Preliminary Course Outline:

1. Online safety and web basics
2. Friend of a friend online social networks: Facebook
3. Clustering: Grokker
4. Collaborative filtering: del.icio.us
5. Network structure: Google
6. Networked action: Digg

Preliminary Lab Outline:

Grading:

There will be weekly homework and lab assignments, three in-class quizzes, a final project/essay, and a final exam. The lowest homework grade, the lowest lab grade, and the lowest quiz grade will all be dropped. The final course grade will be a weighted average:

There will be no make-ups for any missed assignments, quizzes, projects, or exams. In lieu of make-ups, everyone gets to drop one homework, one lab, and one quiz.

Dates for quizzes and the final project. Students will always get at least one week’s notice before a quiz. The final project will be due sometime in April.

(*)Class participation includes discussion in lecture and posting to our online newsgroup. Emails do not count. Students are also strongly encouraged to do brief in-class presentations.