CSC200Y: Fall/Winter 2011-12

CSC200Y: Social and Economic Networks: Models and Applications

The rapid growth of the internet, social networks, online recommendation systems, online markets and auctions, crowdsourcing, and related mechanisms has made the social and economic lives of many individuals more tightly interconnected than ever. There is a growing appreciation that the speed at which knowledge, markets and influence evolve and spread require new models and methods to properly understand the emerging phenomena that result. These phenomena involve graphical networks, incentives and group aggregate behaviour. This interdisciplinary course is an introduction to the interaction of the diverse computational, mathematical, sociological and economic systems that underlie modern society.

CSC200Y provides an informal, yet rigourous treatment of a variety of topics, introducing relevant background in graph theory, social network formation, incentives and game theory, and providing exposure to the relevant mathematical and informal computational tools required to analyze these network phenomena. Applications may include: structural analysis of social networks, matching markets, trading networks, web search, information cascades, prediction markets, and online advertising, among others.

CSC200Y is a full-year course intended for a broad range of students in the mathematical, social, physical and life sciences. It requires no "programming background" and has no university-level prerequisites.

Instructors

Allan Borodin		Craig Boutilier
Email: bor@cs.toronto.edu		Email: cebly@cs.toronto.edu
Phone: 416-978-6416		Phone: 416-946-5714
Office: SF2303B		Office: PT398C
Office Hours: Tues 1:30-2:30; Thur 2:30-3:30; or by appointment		Office Hours: Mon 11:30AM-12:30PM; or by appointment

Class Schedule and Logistics

Lectures: Mon. and Weds., 3:00-4:00PM, Room: SS1087

Tutorials: Fri., 3:00-4:00PM, Room: SS1087

A detailed schedule of lecture topics, lecture reading and lecture slides will be made available, and updated on the Lecture Slides, Readings, Online Notes page. Lecture slides from past classes will be posted here, typically shortly after class. Please keep a close eye on this space to see what readings from the text (or other materials) you are reponsible for before class. Lecture slides should not be used as a substitute for attending lectures and taking notes. And they do not take the place of reading the assigned sections in the text.

Further Details

The navigation links at the top-left of the page will direct you to further relevant information about the course. Of special interest is the course information sheet (PDF), which is also available on the Course Organization Page. Other relevant links:

Announcements

Most announcements will be posted on the course discussion board. However, important announcements will also be listed here.

Apr.1, 2012: Grades (to date) have been posted on the CDF machines. Please check for any errors. Currently, you should see grades for all assignments and tests, a Quiz Summary grade (out of 18, since only 9 quizzes have been graded so far), an Assignment Summary (out of 32, since only 4 assignments have been graded so far), a Midterm (Tests) Summary (out of 20), and a current term grade (out of 70). If you missed a test with a valid medical excuse, the grade will appear to be blank, but your summary grade should reflect any adjustment we agreed to. If it doesn't appear to, please let us know.

Apr.1, 2012: See the Discussion Board for announcements on Updated Office Hours during the week after classes end (April 9-13).

Mar.12, 2012: Class is cancelled on Weds, Mar.14.

Mar.12, 2012: The due date for Assignment 5 is now Mon, Mar.26.

Feb.28, 2012: There are two small, but important typos in Asst.4, Questions 4(b) and 5(b). The prices in both should be 1/8 (not 1/4 and 1/2). See the course discussion board or the Assignments page.

Feb.27, 2012: The deadline for Asst.4 has been extended to Monday, March 5 (4:00PM in class), due to what appears to be a pretty heavy weak for midterms. But please see the course discussion board.

Feb.25, 2012: See the course discussion board or the Assignments page for a brief clarification on Assignment 4.

Feb.17, 2012: Assignment 4 is now posted on the Assignments page.

Feb.17, 2012: A preliminary list of material to be covered in the final exam is now posted on the Tests page. Please read the caveats carefully.

Jan.15, 2012: Craig's regular Monday office hour this term is now 11:30AM (instead of 10:30).

Jan.13, 2012: The List of Submitted Information Needs for Assignment 3 is now available. Be sure to include the numbers of the information needs you attempt when write up your assignment.

Nov.2, 2011: The solution to Quiz 3, originally posted on Oct.31, was updated today to reflect a typo in the quiz. See Tests for details.

Oct. 7, 2011: Assignment 1 was handed out in tutorial today. See Assignments for details.

Sept. 30, 2011: The reading schedule for the next week has been changed slightly (slowed down). See Lecture schedule, readings and slides.

Sept. 12, 2011: An error in the course information sheet listed the weight of the final exam as 40%; the weight of the final exam is in fact 20%. See the updated course information sheet (PDF).