Information Modelling

Subject SINF20007 (2011)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2011.

Credit Points: 12.50
Level: 2 (Undergraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject is not offered in 2011.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: 2 x one hour lectures per week; 1 x two hour workshop per week.
Total Time Commitment: Estimated total time commitment of 120 hours
Prerequisites: Completion of
Subject
Study Period Commencement:
Credit Points:
Corequisites: None
Recommended Background Knowledge: None
Non Allowed Subjects: None
Core Participation Requirements: For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.
The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Contact

Email: rachelle.bosua@unimelb.edu.au
Subject Overview:

Information is central to human work practices in organisations. Information modelling forms the basis for the development of IT-based tools and applications. This subject presents the tools, methods and techniques to discover, analyse, represent and model information in information-rich environments. Students should develop an understanding of the difference between data, information and knowledge. This subject extends fundamental ideas in Informatics and the role of information in socio-technical systems. Students will analyse a specific information-rich domain and classify and structure information to create a small Ontology for the domain. Overall an appreciation of data and information in the modelling and design of Information Systems is developed.
Objectives:

On completion of this subject student should be able to

  • understand the difference between data, information and knowledge
  • appreciate the discovery, naming, classification, representation, and use of information in information-rich environments
  • use formal concepts to attribute semantic meaning to information and reason about information presentation
  • use tools to structure and model information for a specific domain by creating a small Ontology
  • appreciate socio-technical influences that contribute to the analysis of information systems
Assessment:

  • A short research essay about and topic that relates to information discovery, modelling and presentation due in week 5 (max 2000 words-15%)
  • An online test to assess students’ knowledge of key Informatics concepts (30 minutes by mid-semester-5%)
  • A group project that comprises the development of an Ontology for a specific information-rich domain. This project consists of three parts and will run throughout the semester (about 25 hours in total for the project completion-30%)
  • A 2-hour written examination in the examination period (50%).

Prescribed Texts:
  • J Gammack, V Hobbs & D Pigott The Book of Informatics Thompson 2007
Recommended Texts: None
Breadth Options:

This subject potentially can be taken as a breadth subject component for the following courses:

You should visit learn more about breadth subjects and read the breadth requirements for your degree, and should discuss your choice with your student adviser, before deciding on your subjects.

Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Generic Skills:

On completion of this subject students should have developed the following generic skills:

  • the ability to analyse and solve real-world problems with appropriate IT tools;
  • the ability to synthesise information and communicate results effectively;
  • the capacity for critical and independent thought and reflection
Notes:

This subject is available for science credit to students enrolled in the BSc (both pre-2008 and new degrees), BASc or a combined BSc course.

Students undertaking this subject will be expected to regularly access an internet-enabled computer.

Previously known as SINF20007 (615-202) Reasoning with Informatics (prior to 2011)

Related Course(s): Bachelor of Science
Related Majors/Minors/Specialisations: Science credit subjects* for pre-2008 BSc, BASc and combined degree science courses
Related Breadth Track(s): Informatics B
Working with Information

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