IST 558 Technologies for Website Content Management
Spring 2004 (tentative)

Instructor: Jian Qin

Office: 4-187 CST

jqin@syr.edu

Course Description

This course introduces concepts and techniques in website content representation, organization, presentation, and development with the eXtensible Markup Language (XML). Students will learn about the basic XML syntax, XML vocabulary specification, data modeling, XML stylesheets and transformation, and Document Object Model (DOM). The basics concentrates on what XML is, how to design the Document Type Definitions (DTDs) and XML schemas, and how to create and manipulate XML documents. Advanced topics focus on manipulating XML data, including standards, namespaces and schemas, XML Transformation Language, and databases in relation to XML. Lab excises, case studies, and projects will be used to give students hands-on experience as well as analytical skills in the XML design and implementation process.

Course Objectives

Upon the completion of this course, students are expected to be able to:

§ Understand XML concepts and its merits and limitations in content management

§ Understand the syntax and structure of DTDs/schemas and XML documents

§ Model and specify XML vocabularies and structures

§ Create XML transformation and stylesheet programs to render XML documents in HTML and other formats

§ Design and implement simple XML applications by using XML tools

Technology Competency

Basic understanding of HTML encoding and database concepts. Knowledge of programming languages will be helpful, but not a necessity.

Graduate students are expected to meet the minimum and recommended information technology literacy skills required of students in all School of Information Studies master's programs. Please refer to: http://istweb.syr.edu/prospective/graduate/literacyreq.asp for the "Computer Literacy Requirements" document.

Textbook (Required)

Goldfarb, C.F. & Prescod, P. (2004). Charles F. Goldfarb's XML Handbook. 5/E. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. ISBN: 0-13-049765-7. Format: Paper Bound w/CD-ROM; 1280 pp

Contributions to Grade

The coursework consists of: 1) participation, 2) a series of lab exercises, and 3) a project. The grade is based on the following distribution:

Participation (15%): including attending class, arriving in class punctually, participating in class discussions and labs, etc.
Lab exercises (8 x 6% = 48%)
Project (37%):

Analysis and critique of the current content structure at a Web site of your choice (10%)
Recommendations for content management improvement (10%)
Design of data/document models, including specifying XML vocabulary for data elements (10%)
Implementation of the design (7%)

Expectations and Grading Policy

I try to make every class worth attending. Students will be responsible for any and all material covered, handed-out, announced, etc. in class unless told otherwise.

If you have any type of disability which may require additional time or special consideration, please let me know at the beginning of the course.

Grading Policy

According to the grading policy of the School of Information Studies, a "basic grade" (B) will be awarded for student performance that is judged to be satisfactory for the course level (undergraduate or graduate). All other grades will be determined in comparison with the standards of the basic grade.
Fulfilling the requirements for an assignment coupled with the absence of errors (in writing, arithmetic, formatting) will earn a grade no higher than B+. To earn an A- or A grade, the assignment must go beyond the minimum expected in terms of quality (insight, creativity, analysis, thoroughness, synthesis).
Grade levels follow the scales below:
A = 95-100, A- = 90-94, B+ = 85-89, B = 80-84, B- = 75-79, C+ = 70-74, C = 65-69, F = 64 and below
An incomplete grade, I, can be given only if the circumstances preventing the on-time completion of all course requirements were clearly unforeseeable and uncontrollable. If an incomplete is required a written contract must be completed which specifies the nature of the missing work, the date it will be completed, and the default grade that will be given if that deadline is missed.
It is unethical to allow some students additional opportunities, such as extra credit assignments, without allowing the same options to all students.
Failure to complete any course requirement will result in a course grade of C or lower, regardless of the grades received in other components.
To discuss a grade, arrange for a private meeting in which you identify the sources of your concern. It is important to bring with you to that meeting the relevant materials (e.g., marked papers). For final grades, no appeal will be considered after 5/25/2005.
Attendance in all class sessions (and throughout each session) is expected, exactly as it would be on the job. If an emergency or illness occurs, have someone notify your team and the course instructor as soon as possible--even if you are out of town. If you are going to be absent from class or from team meetings you need to make arrangements to catch-up on what you missed and to make sure your part of the workload is covered. Too many absences are sufficient cause to lower the final course grade. Exceptions will be made for emergencies and other extenuating circumstances provided they are verified by appropriate documentation that is received no later than 1 week after the absence(s).

Academic Honesty

Syracuse University and School of Information Studies policies on academic honesty will be adhered to strictly. Students enrolled in IST courses are required to follow the guidelines for academic honesty described in the School of Information Studies Statement on Academic Integrity, available in any IST Student Handbook, on the Web at http://istweb.syr.edu/design/academic/courses/administrative/integrity.html or on request at the IST Student Services Office in 4-206 Center for Science and Technology.

Schedule

Week	Topic	Due
1/17	Labor Day. No class.
1/24	§ Introduction to the course § What is XML and why we should learn about it § Technology catching-up: database, SQL server, Web Matrix
1/31	§ XML basics: Syntax and structure; Main components § Lab: 1) getting familiar with XML Spy, and 2) create your first DTD	Exercise 1
2/7	§ Data modeling: designing XML documents § Design of Document Type Definitions (DTDs) § Lab: creating XML instance document	Exercise 2
2/14	§ XML Schemas o Namespaces o Data types o Using schemas § Lab: 1) create a DTD with more complex content model and use of entities, and 2) convert the DTD into XML schema	Exercise 3
2/21	§ Case study: building a schema for a product catalog; developing a domain vocabulary § Lab and discussion
2/28	§ Cascading Style Sheets and XML rendition § Navigation within and between XML documents: o XPath: syntax and functions o XLink o XPointer § Lab: 1) preparing 2-3 instances for creating XML documents based on the DTD you created from last class; 2) designing a CSS for displaying the XML content in browser	Exercise 4
3/7	§ Transforming XML o Templates o Elements in XSLT o Functions § Lab: creating a simple XSLT program	Exercise 5
3/14	§ Spring break. No class.
3/21	§ XSLT (continued) o Using variables o XSLT programming style § XSL Formatting Objects § Lab: Learning XSLT programming with functions and variables	Exercise 6
3/28	§ Schema programming o Content and data model o Programming in XML DTD and schemas o Programming in XSLT and XSL-FO § Discussion	Project description
4/4	§ Lab: schema programming	Exercise 7
4/11	§ XML and Database o Storing XML in a relational DBMS o XML, SQL, and XPath
4/18	§ Lab: working with XML and SQL server	Exercise 8
4/25	§ Wrapup
5/2	§ XML project showcase	Term project