CSCI5330 Information Integration

Summer 2004

Data exists in many different formats and locations. To be able to glean information, knowledge or even wisdom from data requires that we are able to access data and combine it in whatever multiple ways our imagination can come up with. Accessing an individual data source is not a difficult task. Accessing two data sources simultaneously adds some complexity. The formats of the data sources may be different. The content of the two data sources may be related, but the relationships may not be obvious. When the number of data sources is increased, the process becomes very complex. This course will study mediated systems that may be used to access and combine multiple data sources. The systems may be expanded by combining them into a hierarchy with a “parent” mediator presiding over a group of mediated systems. This hierarchy may be expanded to multiple levels. In this way, very large systems of distributed data sources may be built.

We will not use a textbook. We will research current publications in this area and discuss the ideas we find. There will be one project/research paper due at the end of the class. Attendance is required. Your grade will be determined from your class attendance and participation and the project/research paper.