HONR219J, The Science Behind Social Networks and the Web, Spring 2011
Instructor: Aravind
Srinivasan
Class Venue and Time: CHE 2145, 12:30-1:45PM Tue, Thu
General Information
Course Overview:
Large-scale social information networks are now fundamental components of
society, perhaps the most well-known one being the Web. This class will
address the science behind such networks, for students with a sound
mathematical background at a high-school level, and with an interest in
the social & mathematical sciences and their applications. The course will
study topics including the following (with a few modifications based
on class interest):
- basic graph theory that underlies the structural aspects of networks;
- strong and weak ties in networks, triadic closure and
the strength of weak ties, social capital, structural holes,
common knowledge and complex contagion;
- networks with positive & negative links and structural balance;
- probabilistic models, trust-inference, and recommender systems;
- selection and social influence that drive homophily in networks;
- graph expansion and some of its applcations;
- a gentle introduction to computational (in)tractability, with
minimum spanning trees, clustering, and dense subgraphs as motivating
examples;
- long-range random links and their applications to graph expansion,
the "six degrees of separation" phenomenon and "small-world" networks,
and adding to the resilience of P2P networks;
- game theory & strategic interaction with applications to auctions, matching
markets, and network traffic;
- Web search and sponsored-search advertising;
- information cascades and information diffusion; and
- social-contact networks and their impact on
epidemics and public health.
Learning Outcomes -- Students will:
- Learn the basics of graph theory & game theory as tools for the
analysis of networks;
- Understand how networks support the diffusion of information, as well
as the role of strong/weak and positive/negative ties in networks;
- Explore some major existing information networks deeper; and
- Develop new models for networks and for their social applications.
Regular class-attendance is expected; a part of the grade
will be based on the quality of class participation and team-work.
The class will also require regular well-thought-out blog-postings
on contemporary aspects of network science, and one detailed contribution to
Wikipedia.
There will be a project on:
(i) the analysis of existing networks, or (ii) a detailed proposal on
developing new social-network-based businesses or
applications (network-based lending for educational loans is an illustrative
example). The project will have two phases. In Phase I
(due to Aravind by 11:59PM on March 18th), each group will email
Aravind the idea and initial details for their project. This can be
any idea you have about
networks: the future of a networked society, ideas/devices/modes of living
that you would like to see, new business models, how to make campus
life (or society in general) better, new modes of enterainment and
communication, etc. Students are strongly
encouraged to think big and email Aravind a
well-thought-out idea along
with details on what their group will do, and how they will conduct the
research. Aravind will then email each group his comments by March 29th, and
each group can then start Phase 2. Students are also welcome to
brainstorm their ideas for Phase 1 with Aravind.
The projects will be presented by each team in class on May 3rd and 5th,
with each team getting 15 minutes total (including questions). In addition,
a detailed writeup of at most 15 pages (excluding references) should
be submitted by May 10th by each team. The content will be
the main aspect of the writeup that will be evaluated (as opposed to
the length).
The course will also have written homework, a mid-term, and
a final exam.
There is no required textbook, but
Networks,
Crowds, and Markets: Reasoning About a Highly Connected World
by Easley and Kleinberg is a highly-recommended supplementary book.
Office Hours:
Aravind's office hours will be in his office,
AVW 3263, at 2:30-3:30PM on Thursdays and 10AM-12PM on Fridays. Please
email Aravind to setup alternative times if you would like to come for
some office hours but cannot make it at these times. Aravind will also
hold additional office hours 10AM-12 noon on March 16th (one day before
the mid-term).
Homework, Grading, Teams, and Exams
The final examination, according to the official university schedule, will
be on Tuesday, May 17, 1:30-3:30PM. The mid-term will be closed-book,
closed-notes, and will be held in class on Thursday, March 17th; all
material covered up to (and including) March 10th is included for the
mid-term.
Students will form teams of two each. The homework, Wikipedia posting,
and project will be done collaboratively by each group.
Grading:
- Class participation 5%,
- Homework 10%,
- Mid-term 20%,
- Blog postings 15%,
- Contribution to Wikipedia 5%,
- Project 20%, and
- Final 25%.
Homework Assignments
Homework 1, due
Feb 17th.
Homework 2, due
Mar 10th.
Homework 3, due
May 10th.
Additional Information
Students claiming a excused absence must apply in writing and furnish
documentary support (such as from a health care professional who treated
the student) for any assertion that the absence qualifies as an excused
absence. The support should explicitly indicate the dates or times the
student was incapacitated due to illness. Self-documentation of illness
is not itself sufficient support to excuse the absence. The instructor
is not under obligation to offer a substitute assignment or to give a
student a make-up assessment unless the failure to perform was due to
an excused absence. An excused absence for an individual typically does
not translate into an extension for team deliverables on a project.
Any student eligible for and
requesting reasonable academic accommodations
due to a disability is requested to provide, to the instructor in office
hours, a letter of accommodation from the Office of Disability Support
Services (DSS) within the first two weeks of the semester.
The University of Maryland, College Park has a nationally recognized
Code of Academic Integrity, administered by the Student Honor Council.
This Code sets standards for academic integrity at Maryland for all
undergraduate and graduate students. As a student you are responsible
for upholding these standards for this course. It is very important
for you to be aware of the consequences of cheating, fabrication,
facilitation, and plagiarism. For more information on the Code of
Academic Integrity or the Student Honor Council, please visit
http://www.studenthonorcouncil.umd.edu/whatis.html.
The CourseEvalUM (course evaluation)
website
is open through Wednesday, May 11. You can submit
confidential evaluations there and find the summarized results
at the same location; also, the system does not identify to
the instructor whether or not any individual submitted an evaluation.
Course evaluation is an important part of making our courses better, and
students are strongly encouraged to submit their evaluations.