Time Schedule:
Kevyn Collins-Thompson
IMT 542
Seattle Campus
Introduction to information systems for the storage and retrieval of unstructured information. Examines information retrieval architectures, processes, retrieval models, query languages, and methods of system evaluation. Gives emphasis to Internet-based services for storing and accessing information to be used in integrated application development. Prerequisite: IMT 540.
Class description
In this course you will learn:
1. How search engines work. This includes crawling methods; representations of documents and information needs; important retrieval models used in today's search engines for ranking documents (Boolean, vector space, probabilistic, inference net, language modeling); clustering algorithms; and implementation of high-capacity retrieval and filtering systems, especially for Web search engines. We will also focus on how search is used in enterprise applications.
2. How to evaluate a search engine. Methods for studying search effectiveness on both technical and business criteria.
3. How search engines may be improved. A variety of current research topics will be covered. Possibilities include cross-lingual retrieval, multimedia retrieval, and automatic summarization.
Student learning goals
General method of instruction
The course will combine lectures with interactive lab sessions. A series of bi-weekly assignments will provide practical experience in exploring key concepts of information retrieval. When possible, guest speakers from industry and academia will supplement the regular course lectures.
Recommended preparation
The course is designed so that the mathematics required is limited. However, you should be willing to learn or review some basic concepts of probability, vector geometry, and statistics, which will be provided in class as needed.
Class assignments and grading
The course grade will be assigned based on: 1 brief reading summary per week (1/2 - 1 page), 3 assignments or problem sets, an in-class mid-term, and a course project. This is subject to change.
