Computer Science, Prifysgol Cymru Aberystwyth University of Wales
CS10810 (1995-96 session)
Computing and Information
Brief Description
This module covers the role and impact of computing in the
humanities. A range of techniques for storings, manipulating and
accessing information on computers is examined. Skills in database
management systems and other applications are developed.
Aims, Objectives, Syllabus, Booklist
Further Details
- Number of lectures
- 24
- Number of seminars/tutorials
- 0
- Number of practicals
- 10 x 2 hours
- Coordinator
- Dr. John Hunt
- Other staff involved
- Not yet known
- Pre-requisites
- None
- Co-requisites
-
CS10010
unless already taken or the student has
equivalent knowledge and experience.
- Incompatibilities
- Not available to students who have taken A-level computing
or equivalent.
- Assessment
- Assessed coursework - 50%
Written examination -
50%
- Timing
- This module is offered only in Semester 2
Aims
This course considers a variety of ways in which data and
information are held, manipulated and accessed on computers. Their
value and accessibility to workers in the humanities are
considered. Some skills are developed.
Objectives
On successful completion of this module students
should;
-
have an improved understanding of well structured
documents and how they can be a source of on-line
information;
-
understand the principles of hypertext and multimedia
systems, the type and style of information that they can
provide, the process of developing them and the problems of
searching them;
-
be able to design, implement and use a simple single table
database using an microcomputer based DBMS;
-
understand the importance of relational databases and the
problems inherent in designing them;
-
recognise the potential for automatic analysis of natural
language;
-
be aware of the general mechanisms for representing and
manipulating knowledge on computers;
Syllabus
-
Introduction - 1 Lecture
-
What are data, information, knowledge?
-
Advanced Word Processing - 2 Practicals
-
Document structure and control of style; templates and
styles in Microsoft Word.
-
Communications
systems - 2 Lectures
-
Technologies and capacities of data communications;
local and wide area networks.
-
Hypertext and multimedia
systems - 2 Lectures, 2 Practicals
-
Hypertext systems; facilities and
examples. Consideration of handling various media on computer.
Searching and retrieval in hypertext systems.
-
Databases - 6 Lectures, 5 Practicals
-
Fields and tables. Data design. The importance of
multi-table database; problems in designing them. Queries, forms
and reports.
-
Natural language
analysis - 1 Lecture, 1 Practical
-
The problems of handling natural language. Analysis
tools; spelling, grammar, style. Concordances and
indices.
-
Knowledged based systems - 4 Lectures
-
Brief history of AI. Expert systems; successes and
limitations. Knowledge representation and
manipulation.
-
Case studies - 8 Lectures
-
One major and several minor case studies will be used
to examine the role of computer technology in a variety of real
circumstance.
Booklist
The following should be consulted for different approaches or for further information
-
Nancy B. Stern and Robert A. Stern.
Computing in the Information Age.
John Wiley and Sons Inc, New York, 1993.
-
David M Kroenke.
Database Processing - Fundamentals, Design, and Implementation.
Prentice Hall International Editions, 5th. edition, 1995.
ISBN 0-13-320128-7.
Version 1.8
Syllabus
John Hunt Departmental Advisor
jjh@aber.ac.uk
Dept of Computer Science, UW Aberystwyth (disclaimer)