[WS 2021] IMSEM Information Management Seminar

Learning Outcomes

In this seminar, students will learn how to: (a) critically read and interpret scientific papers drawn from the data management, database systems, or technologies and systems for big data management and data science literature, (b) give a good scientific presentation that is technically precise, concentrated on the relevant topics, and also enjoyable, and (c) write scientific reports based on papers drawn from varying sources, such as contemporary computer science journals and conference proceedings. In addition, students will learn about state-of-the art and current research topics in database systems and information management.

Content

Students will initially be assigned a research paper (to be used as a primary source and a starting point). Students will then conduct their own literature search to identify related/supplementary materials (drawn from varying sources, such as books, conference proceedings, and journals). Representative sources include conferences, such as VLDB, SIGMOD, ICDE, and CIDR as well as journals, such as the ACM Transactions on Database Systems, the VLDB Journal, or the ACM Computing Surveys. The set of “hot” research topics will be announced each term.

Description of Teaching and Learning Methods

During the initial phase of this class, students will hear presentations on how to read scientific papers, how to give a good presentation, and how to write high-quality scientific/technical reports. You will also receive an initial paper as primary literature. Then you should find and use secondary sources to research your topic assigned to you in the seminar, which should go beyond the supplied primary literature. Next to conventional sources like the internet you are required to use research journals and articles published at important conferences in the areas of databases and information systems, big data and data science. You will deliver a presentation on your topic, followed by a discussion with all of the seminar participants. Details may vary and will be announced in the respective semester.

Requirements for participation and examination

Desirable prerequisites for participation in the courses:

This course is aimed at third semester Master's students with a focus on database systems and information management. Desirable prerequisites include the following: (a) successfully completed the TU Berlin Database Technology (DBT) course or its equivalent, (b) at least one of the advanced information management courses, i.e., the Management of Data Streams, Scalable Data Science, or Databases on Modern Hardware, (c) sound understanding of written and spoken English. Ideally, this seminar should be taken the semester before commencing your master's thesis.