COMP37340: Semantic Web (2007-2008)
This is an archived syllabus from 2007-2008
Credit rating: 20
Pre-requisites: No Pre-requisites
Co-requisites: No Co-requisites
Duration: This course unit runs over both semesters
Lectures: 44
Lecturers: Jock McNaught
Course lecturer: Jock McNaught
Additional staff: view all staff
| Semester | Event | Location | Day | Time | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sem 1 w1-5,7-12 | Lecture | WILKINSON C5.1 | Mon | 11:00 - 13:00 | - |
| Sem 2 w19-25,29-32 | Lecture | SCH MOSELEY | Tue | 14:00 - 16:00 | - |
Coursework: 30%
Lab: 0%
Introduction
The Semantic Web is concerned with how to characterise web content, web services and web agents to enable greater automation, integration and reuse across applications. This involves being able to formally and standardly describe content and software such that client applications can map such descriptions to their own equally formally and standardly described knowledge space. Knowledge engineering thus lies at the heart of the Semantic Web, with emphasis on the role of ontologies. The Semantic Web holds out the promise of improved flexible interaction of systems, improved search and the ability to offload tasks to quasi-independent software agents. This course unit introduces core topics of the Semantic Web, goes into depth on the technologies underlying it, and considers how the Semantic Web stands to affect everyday life as well as areas such as business-to-business commerce.
Aims
To give students a detailed understanding of the principles and practices underlying the Semantic Web.
To equip students with knowledge engineering skills.
Assessment of Learning outcomes
Examination 80% (3 questions from 5, examination at end of semester 2)Coursework 20% (1 assignment to be handed in end week 7 of semester 2, exact date to be specified)
Outcomes 1-6 are assessed via examination. Outcomes 2, 3, 6 are also assessed, along with outcomes 7-8, in coursework.
Academic knowledge
Demonstrate a requisite understanding of selected concepts, terminology and issues related to the Semantic Web Demonstrate a requisite understanding of the role of the Semantic Web and of current relevant W3C technologies supporting that role Demonstrate a requisite understanding of how to describe conceptual space and how to manage semantic content for the Semantic WebIntellectual skills
Explain the general principles of the Semantic Web and discuss the content and role of relevant related standards Explain the general principles involved in designing and using ontologies to convey hypermedia content or to support communication with agents Discuss, critically analyse and evaluate current approaches in the fieldSubject practical skills
Be able to use the power of semantic technology for search, personalization, and enterprise applications.Be able to specify and construct ontologies and ontology-based metadata descriptionsTransferable Skills
Classify and represent domain knowledge Appreciate issues of communication of knowledge Support for enterprise knowledge managementSyllabus
Introduction to the Semantic Web: access, interoperability and communication, metadata.
The different nature and roles of ontologies, thesauri, taxonomies and terminologies.
Standards for ontology and metadata description: XML, XMLS, RDF, RDFS, OWL, Topic Maps.
Ontologies: design, development, importation, acquisition, exchange, harmonisation, evaluation, documentation and maintenance issues.
Advanced use of ontologies in enriched annotations, semantic search, next generation content management.
Agents and the Semantic Web, personalisation, meaning negotiation.
Applications of Semantic Web technology and prospects for the future.
Reading List
Core Text
Title: Ontological Engineering: with examples from the areas of Knowledge Management, e-Commerce and the Semantic WebAuthor: Gomez-Perez, A., Fernandez-Lopez, M. & Corcho, O.
ISBN: 1846283965
Publisher: Springer
Edition: 2nd
Prefer 2nd edition to 1st
Core Text
Title: Semantic web primer (2nd edition)Author: Antoniou, Grigoris and Frank van Harmelen
ISBN: 9780262012423
Publisher: MIT Press
Edition: 2nd
Year: 2008
The main book on which lectures will be based.
Supplementary Text
Title: Semantic Web Technologies: Trends and Research in Ontology-based SystemsAuthor: Davies, J., Studer, R. & Warren, P. (eds)
ISBN: 978-0-470-02596-3
Publisher: John Wiley
Edition:
Also covers areas such as automatic ontology learning and metadata generation.
Supplementary Text
Title: Semantic web: real world applications from industryAuthor: Cardoso, Jorge, Martin Hepp, and Miltiadis D. Lytras (eds.).
ISBN: 9780387485300
Publisher: Springer
Edition:
Year: 2008
Publication date October 26th 2007.