EECS 398-001: Information Science

University of Michigan, Winter 2016

Instructor: Clayton Scott (clayscot)
Classroom: EECS 1003
Time: MW 9:00-10:30, F 9:30-10:30
Office: 4433 EECS
Office hours: Wed 2-4 or by appointment, EECS 4433
GSI: Robert Vandermeulen (rvdm)
GSI office hours: Tues 2-4 or by appointment, EECS 2420

Required text: Information Science by David G. Luenberger, Princeton University Press.

Prerequisites: Math 116 and (Engineering 101 or equivalent)

Course Outline

4-5 weeks: Essentials of Shannon's information theory, including entropy, data compression, transmission over noisy channels, and error correcting codes
2-3 weeks: Encryption, from historical ciphers to modern cryptosystems
3-4 weeks: Extracting information from data: information retrieval and machine learning
3-4 weeks: Transmission of information and frequency concepts: Fourier analysis, AM and FM radio, sampling and reconstruction, spectrum spreading, and digital signal processing

Grading
Homework assignements: 30%
Class participation: 10%
Reading assignments: 10%
Midterm exam: 15%, in class Wed. March 9.
Final project: 15%, due last week of classes
Final exam: 20%, Wed. April 27, 4:00-6:00 PM

The expected median grade (before extra credit) should be no lower than the B/B+ boundary. A passing grade also requires participation in the two exams and the project.

Homeworks
Homework assignments will be assigned weekly. There will be occasional programming exercises in Matlab. The lowest homework score will be dropped.

Exams: Open book, open notes.

Final Project
There will be a final project in groups of 2. The project must explore some aspect of Information Science not covered in lecture. Suggested topics will be provided. Deliverables will be a written report and an oral presentation to the class. Please reserve Tuesday, April 19, 4-8 PM for project presentations.

Collaboration on homeworks
Students may consult classmates for the purpose of brainstorming, but not for obtaining the details of solutions. Each student will prepare the final write-up/coding of his or her own.

Class participation
In-class group exercises: You will be asked to form groups of about 4 people. During most class periods, group exercises will be assigned. Each group will turn in one solution. Group members should take turns scribing for their group. Grading will be based primarily on participation, with a modest reward for correctness. Group members who are not present for a given lecture will not receive credit for their group's work. Each student's lowest four grades for in-class group exercises will be dropped, so you can safely miss four lectures without penalty. Groups will be randomly reassigned on occasion throughout the semester.

Reading Assignments
There will be brief reading assignments assigned for every lecture. It is important that the reading be completed in advance of the corresponding class period. To provide some incentive, students will be asked to complete a simple quiz (typically one basic question) on Canvas. Grading will once again be based on participation with a modest reward for correctness. The lowest four scores will be dropped.

Extra credit
Students may earn extra credit in two ways:

Contributions to discussions on Canvas: the top 10 contributors will receive up to 5 grade points, on a graduated scale, at the end of the term. In other words, the top contributor will receive 5 bonus points, the second best contributor will receive 4.5 points, and so on. Course participation analytics are provided through Canvas and these will be used directly.
Original problems: Any student who devises an original homework or exam problem can receive up to five points extra credit for the course. Float your ideas on the Canvas discussion forum.

Discussion Forum
Most questions you have about the course, both logistical and technical, should be posted to Canvas. Questions about how to solve homework problems are encouraged, but responses should provide hints as opposed to detailed answers.

Standards of Conduct
Please

Arrive to class on time. If you must enter a class after lecture has clearly begun, please do so quietly.
Focus on class material during class time. Sleeping, doing work for another class, checking email, and exploring the internet are unacceptable and can be disruptive.
Refrain from eating during class.
Avoid audible and visible signs of restlessness. These are both rude and disruptive to the rest of the class.
Don't pack your bags to leave until the instructor has dismissed class.

Honor Code
All students are expected to abide by the College of Engineering Honor Code as stated in the Student Handbook and the Honor Code Pamphlet.

Students with Disabilities
Any student with a documented disability needing academic adjustments or accommodations is requested to speak with me during the first two weeks of class. All discussions will remain confidential.

Counseling Center
Your attention is called to the Counseling and Psychological Services (734-764-8312), 3100 Michigan Union. The Counseling Center staff are trained to help you deal with a wide range of issues, such as how to deal with exam-related stress and other academic and nonacademic issues. Services are free and confidential and do not impact student records. Shivaun Nafsu is the CAPS consultant directly within COE: snafsu@umich.edu or 734-763-8211.