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



Intellectual skills



Subject practical skills


Transferable Skills



Syllabus
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.