This EM is a brief introduction to social choice theory, or more specifically, rank aggregation voting mechanisms.
Of all social computing/computational economics topics, this one is (in Shao-Heng’s subjective opinion) the best topic for an EM in CS230 because of its discrete nature: usually when people vote, it is to decide among a finite and discrete set of candidates/alternatives.
Downstream CS courses in this direction are CS323D (Computational Microeconomics) and CS535 (Algorithmic Game Theory). There is also some social choice theory covered in CS333 (Algorithms in the Real World).
Concepts used in EMC:
- Sets and functions from Core Module 4: Sets, Functions, and Relations
- Partial/total orders from Core Module 4: Sets, Functions, and Relations
- Directed graphs from Core Module 6: Graph Fundamentals Part II
- Some Core Module 7: Combinatorics
To earn a satisfactory completion for EMC:
- Complete Assignment (individually or in pairs).
- You should submit by LDoC to ensure that you get at least one round of feedback. However, since this module is late, there is a built-in bonus mechanism in this Gradescope assignment such that anyone who attends the class and learns the voting mechanisms should be able to get the assignment in one submission.
- You can keep submitting until 5/1 11:59pm.
