CMSC 1171 Networks

  • Course Mechanics
  • Course Overview
  • What we covered so far
  • What we may cover next class
  • Assignments and Handouts

    • Course Mechanics

    Instructor

    Janos Simon
    165 Ryerson
    email: simon (at) cs.uchicago.edu

    Office Hours: TBA

    TA

    Anna Olson
    Ryerson 176
    Office Hours: Monday 3-4
    email: olsona (at) cs (dot) uchicago (dot) edu

    Lecture:

    MWF 1:30-2:20 in Math-Stat Building Rm 112 (from 5/5)
    Textbooks: "Networks, Crowds and Markets" by Easley and Kleinberg

    A preprint of the text can be found here.

    We will use Python 3.0 to write code. An introductory text with nice support and self-evaluation questions is available free on the web here

    Midterm

    The date of the midterm is Friday, May 3.
    I will post on Piazza details about the material covered, type of questions, etc.

    Grading Grading will be based on weekly homework assignments, programming assignments (35%, with no more than 1/3 based on Python programming), midterm (30%) and a final (30%).

    Course Overview

    We will study examples of where the way objects or people are interconnected may help understand they interact. We will look at mathematical models of networks and of some interactions. This is a gentle introduction to apsects of mathematical and computational modeling, as well as to algorithms and to some ideas in Economics.

    Approximate Syllabus

    This is a first draft, subject to changes depending on class preparation and interest. Graphs: basic notions. Strong and weak ties, and their use. Positive and negative relationships.
    The structure of the World Wide Web, mechanisms of web search.
    Diffusion in Networks. Small-world-phenomenon (six degrees of separation.)
    Introduction to Game Theory.
    Auctions
    Matchings.
    Time permitting, Sponsored Search Markets, Power Laws, Epidemics. Prediction markets.

    Material covered so far

    See here

    Read Ahead

    This is what I plan to cover in the next lecture or two.

    Extra Readings

    Link to the reports of importance of social networks in vaccination noncompliance here

    Homework

  • Assignment 1 Due Wednesday, April 10 in class.
  • Assignment 2 Due Wednesday, April 17 in class.
  • Assignment 3 Due Wednesday, April 24 in class.
  • Assignment 4 Due Wednesday, May 1st in class.
  • Assignment 5 Due Wednesday, May 15 in class.
  • Assignment 6 Due Friday, May 24 in class.
  • Assignment 7 Due Wednesday, May 29 in class.
  • The main page for the Iowa Electronic Markets.
    •

    Some material about the World Wide Web, html and http is here.

    Important Homework Instructions

    Students are encouraged to work together, but each student must independently write up their solutions.
    Write-ups must include the names of any collaborators and any sources used to help solve a problem, other than the textbook.
    Do NOT search the web for solutions!