Course Description
EECS 584 will cover a number of advanced topics in database management systems and modern database applications. The specific topics include advanced concurrency control techniques, query processing and optimization strategies for relational database systems, advanced indexing methods, parallel and distributed database systems, next-generation data models, data mining on large databases, data on the web, and topics in data security and privacy.
In addition to learning about advanced topics in databases, this course will also give
you the opportunity to practice important research skills:
- You will gain experience reading and critically evaluating original research papers.
- You will practice communicating complex technical material, both orally and in written form.
- The course project will consist of a (small-scale) original research project.
The prerequisite for this course is EECS 484, equivalent coursework, or permission from the instructor.
Lecture Time and Place
MW 1:30-3 PM, 2733 CSE
Instructor
Kristen LeFevre
Office Hours
4705 CSE
Wednesday after class, and by appointment (general office hours)
Fridays 2:30-3:30 PM (paper presenters for following week)
Textbook
There is no official textbook for this course. The reading list is a collection of papers, which will be posted on the course web page.
I will assume that you are familiar with the introductory-level material covered by EECS 484,
and I will occasionally suggest review readings from the textbook used in that course.
You do not need to purchase this book because copies are on reserve at the library.
Database Management Systems (3rd edition) - by Raghu Ramakrishnan and Johannes Gehrke, McGraw Hill, 2003.
You may also refer to the course material from
last semester's 484.
Paper Presentations and Discussion
The majority of this course will be conducted as a seminar. A typical class will include a student presentation (approximately 40 minutes) and a student-led discussion (approximately 30 minutes) of the designated paper(s). Each student will be assigned to present papers and lead discussions several times throughout the semester.
When you present a paper, your goals should be as follows:
- Motivate the paper, and provide background. Why is this paper important? What problem does it solve? In some cases, you may
find it useful to refer to related material (e.g., from the textbook), and to explain how the concepts
in the assigned paper advance the state of the art.
- Provide an overview of the paper's key contributions.
- Illustrate key technical points. (Examples are a great way to do this.)
You will need to strive for balance in your presentation.
It is important to realize that there will not be time to cover
all of the technical details, so you will need to decide which details are most important. Here are some additional
pointers on giving a good talk.
To help you in developing your paper presentations, student presenters (not discussion leaders) are required to meet
me in my office each Friday during the time allotted for the discussion section (2:30 PM for the student
presenting the following Monday, and 3:00 PM for the student presenting the following Wednesday). When it is
your turn to present, you must read the paper
ahead of time and be prepared with draft slides
the Friday beforehand.
Please create your slides in PowerPoint using this
template.
After your presentation, I will post your slides on the course website.
Please note that I view preparation and organization as the most important aspects of your paper presentations.
Your grade will be based on these factors, as well as the extent to which you distill the important
points from the paper,
not on your public speaking skills.
Nonetheless, here is some
good advice.
In addition to the presenter, a second student will moderate class discussion. This student should provide structure for the discussion. For example, you might choose to begin by discussing the problem's motivation, then a key algorithm, and then the experimental methodology. The discussion leader should be prepared with questions to help guide the discussion -- Don't expect your classmates to speak up without some prompting!
Paper Reactions
All students are expected to read the assigned paper before class.
By 8 PM the day before each class, you must write a brief
reaction to the assigned paper.
This serves two purposes: (1) It gets you thinking about the paper before class,
and (2) It helps provide material to the discussion leader.
Your reaction can be brief, but should answer the following three questions:
- What problem is addressed by the paper, and why is this problem important?
- What are the 1-2 main technical contributions of the paper?
- Describe 1-2 weaknesses, or open questions, from the paper.
You should post your reaction to the Discussion forum on
CTools. You should be able to sign into CTools using your UM uniquename.
Please try this well ahead of time, and contact the instructor if you have problems.
You are on your honor not to read or use other students' posts until you have submitted
your own. However, once you have submitted your reaction, you are encouraged to read other
students' comments before class discussion.
Course Project
A big component of this course is a class project. For this project, you will choose a research topic in the area of data management, and explore it in detail. Projects can range from quite theoretical to heavy implementation, and should include some component of original work. In other words, survey articles are not permitted. You may choose to implement an existing algorithm or technique, but this should be done in order to conduct a unique experiment, or to test a novel hypothesis. If you have questions about what constitutes a research project, please see me. I will provide a list of topics that I find interesting. You are free to choose a project from the list or to be creative in developing your own ideas.
You may do your project individually or with a partner, but the size of the project should be proportional to the group size. If you work with a partner, each of you will receive the same grade.
To get you started on the right track, you will be required to submit a project proposal early in the semester, and I will schedule a mandatory mid-semester status meeting with each student/group. I am always available during office hours to discuss projects, and you may also make appointments at other times. It is extremely important to take initiative early in the semester to explore the topic you choose, or you are unlikely to make much progress later on.
Grading
| Midterm Exam: 30% |
The exam will be in-class and open-book. |
| Project: 40% |
Your project grade will be based primarily on your final paper and presentation.
If you choose to work with a partner, both students will receive the same grade. |
| Paper Reactions: 10% |
Each student is expected to read the assigned paper(s) and to submit a reaction for each paper by 8 PM the day before class.
(You will receive full credit if you submit a reaction by the deadline, following the guidelines, and indicating that you have read the paper.
I will spot-check the discussion posts on a random basis.)
|
| Class Participation: 20% |
Each student will be assigned to present papers and lead discussions several times during the semester.
Presentations will be graded on a scale of 0-3 as follows:
- 0 - Student fails to complete assigned presentation
- 1 - Presentation is disorganized, or lacking in important details
- 2 - Presentation is solid, and covers important points with reasonable clarity (typical score)
- 3 - Presentation is exceptionally insightful (score given infrequently)
These scores will contribute 15% of your final grade.
The remaining 5% of your grade will be based on a qualitative assessment of
the value of your contributions in leading and participating in class discussion.
|
Disabilities
Students with documented disabilities (including invisible disabilities) are encouraged to contact the instructor during the first two weeks of class.