11-631: Data Science Seminar

Fall 2024

Course Learning Outcomes

The main learning objectives of the course are for students to (a) demonstrate a basic understanding of the Data Science literature (via sample application areas, associated publication venues, and writing styles), (b) apply this understanding to specific publications (by writing and justifying academic evaluations of the work), (c) report on a Data Science publication in a comprehensive, collaborative presentation of a given publication and its related works, (d) defend and criticize, via relevant statements, questions and form-based evaluation, reports, and presentations on Data Science publications while participating in constructive discussion about such presentations, and (e) able to critically analyze and synthesize Data Science literature individually from the lens of a specialist role and collaboratively in a group.

All of these outcomes are essential preparation for the subsequent MCDS capstone course sequence (11-634 Capstone Planning Seminar, 11-632 Data Science Capstone, and 11-635 Data Science Capstone Research).

Course Format

In-Person. The course opens with an initial overview of the Data Science literature and tutorials on how to analyze and critique Data Science publications. The course also provides tutorials on preparing and presenting reviews of Data Science publications and related literature.