CSC3419 XML and the Web
| Semester 2, 2013 On-campus Toowoomba | |
| Units : | 1 |
| Faculty or Section : | Faculty of Sciences |
| School or Department : | Maths and Computing |
| Version produced : | 11 April 2013 |
Staffing
Examiner: Ji Zhang
Moderator: Stijn Dekeyser
Other requisites
Recommended Pre-requisite: CSC3400 and CSC2406
Rationale
In a very short time span XML has found acceptance in a wide field of computer applications. Where one of the original reasons for the emergence of XML was exchange of data, specifically in the context of the Internet, today XML is central in topics such as web content management and delivery, document authoring and exchange, development of mark-up languages for anything from chemicals to user interfaces, and data management, integration and exchange. Furthermore, it is the basis for the ongoing development of the web, both in Web Services, and the Semantic Web. This course looks at XML from all these perspectives, and aims to develop a basis for students to consider this new technology while also looking at its shortcomings.
Synopsis
This course starts with looking at XML from the perspective of data management. As such, we look at the semi-structured data model and contrast it with the relational data model and unstructured data. Then we briefly look at XML from the perspective of document languages, by comparing it to SGML and HTML. In the second module we look at two schema definition languages which enable us to check the validity of XML documents. Next we look at using XML within programming languages, by discussing two parsing techniques for documents. The fourth module studies two query languages widely used in XML tools, namely XPath and XSLT. The latter is contrasted to XQuery in the next module, which looks at native XML databases. Module 6 gives an overview of a selection of markup languages based on XML. Finally, we look at two emerging web developments: Web Services and the Semantic Web, studying such standards as SOAP and RDF. The assessment for this undergraduate course consists of assignments and an end-of-semester examination. Note that students who have completed CSC8409 XML and Semantic Web Services may not enrol in this course.
Objectives
On successful completion of this course students will be able to:
- understand and contrast the semi-structured data model with the relational data model and unstructured data;
- create well-formed XML documents;
- create DTDs and simple Schemas, and check validity of XML documents with respect to these schemas;
- understand and contrast DOM and SAX parsers;
- translate English language query statements to XPath and XQuery expressions;
- author XSLT style sheets to transform documents into XHTML and other markup languages;
- understand the use and challenges of XML-based databases;
- have some knowledge of assorted markup languages;
- understand and use the concepts behind web services and the Semantic Web.
Topics
| Description | Weighting(%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Semi-structured data and XML | 20.00 |
| 2. | Schema Languages for XML | 15.00 |
| 3. | Parsing with SAX and DOM | 10.00 |
| 4. | XML Transformations | 15.00 |
| 5. | Markup Languages | 15.00 |
| 6. | Native XML Databases | 10.00 |
| 7. | Web Services and Semantic Web | 15.00 |
Text and materials required to be purchased or accessed
ALL textbooks and materials available to be purchased can be sourced from USQ's Online Bookshop (unless otherwise stated). (https://bookshop.usq.edu.au/bookweb/subject.cgi?year=2013&sem=02&subject1=CSC3419)
Please contact us for alternative purchase options from USQ Bookshop. (https://bookshop.usq.edu.au/contact/)
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(The Introductory Book and Study Book are also accessible from the course website and hence do not require to be purchased).
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Introductory Book 2013, Course CSC3419 XML and the Web, USQ Distance and e-Learning Centre, Toowooomba.
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Study Book 2013, Course CSC3419 XML and the Web, USQ Distance and e-Learning Centre, Toowoomba.
Reference materials
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Ayala, D, Browne, C, Chopra, V, Poornachandra Sarang, Dr., Apshankar, K & McAllister, T 2002, Professional open source web services, Wrox Press, Birmingham, UK.
(ISBN: 1-861007-46-9.) -
Bates, C 2003, XML in theory and practice, Wiley, New York.
(ISBN: 0-470-84344-6.) -
Carey, P 2004, New perspectives on XML, Course Technology, Cambridge, Mass.
(ISBN: 0-619-10188-1.) -
Castro, E 2000, XML for the World Wide Web, Peachpit Press, Berkeley, California.
(This book is also available online through Safari Books.) -
Chaudri, A, Rashid, A & Zicari, R 2003, XML data management: native XML and XML-enabled database systems, Addison Wesley, Boston.
(ISBN: 0-201-84452-4.) -
Newcomer, E 2002, Understanding web services: SML, WSDL, SOAP and UDDI, Addison Wesley.
(ISBN: 0-201-75081-3 This book is also available online through Safari Books.)
Student workload requirements
| Activity | Hours |
|---|---|
| Examinations | 2.00 |
| Laboratory or Practical Classes | 60.00 |
| Lectures | 26.00 |
| Private Study | 60.00 |
| Tutorials | 13.00 |
Assessment details
| Description | Marks out of | Wtg (%) | Due Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASSIGNMENT 1 | 20 | 20 | 03 Sep 2013 | |
| ASSIGNMENT 2 | 20 | 30 | 15 Oct 2013 | |
| 2 HOUR OPEN EXAMINATION | 100 | 50 | End S2 | (see note 1) |
NOTES
- Examination dates will be available during the Semester. Please refer to the examination timetable when published.
Important assessment information
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Attendance requirements:
It is the students' responsibility to attend and participate appropriately in all activities (such as lectures, tutorials, laboratories and practical work) scheduled for them, and to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration. -
Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
To complete each of the assessment items satisfactorily, students must obtain at least 50% of the marks available for each assessment item. -
Penalties for late submission of required work:
If students submit assignments after the due date without (prior) approval of the examiner then a penalty of 5% of the total marks gained by the student for the assignment may apply for each working day late up to ten working days at which time a mark of zero may be recorded. No assignments will be accepted after model answers have been posted. -
Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must achieve at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course. -
Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the aggregate of the weighted marks obtained for each of the summative assessment items in the course. -
Examination information:
In an Open Examination, candidates may have access to any material during the examination except the following: electronic communication devices, bulky materials, devices requiring mains power and material likely to disturb other students. -
Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
Any Deferred or Supplementary examinations for this course will be held during the next examination period. -
University Student Policies:
Students should read the USQ policies: Definitions, Assessment and Student Academic Misconduct to avoid actions which might contravene University policies and practices. These policies can be found at http://policy.usq.edu.au/portal/custom/search/category/usq_document_policy_type/Student.1.html.