[4.5.2004]

The systems approach and its application to transportation engineering and planning. Prediction of flows and level of service. Production functions and cost optimization. Utility theory and demand modeling. Transportation network analysis and equilibrium assignment. Decision analysis and multidimensional evaluation of transportation projects.

Grades will be given on an absolute scale from A+ to F. Failure to do the work or cheating of any kind (including plagiarism) will result in an F for the course.

Class participation requires attendance, doing the readings before class, and participating in class discussion. Communication is an essential part of becoming a competent transportation engineer, so participation will be heavily weighted in this class. Note: The professor may not cover every reading in every class, as some are simply pre-requisites for future discussions and lectures, that does not excuse you from the readings. Class participation will include submitting one possible test question at the end of each class period.

Homework assignments will be periodically given to reinforce the examples in your text books and in class. These are practice for the Exams, and so are for your benefit. They will be grade with a +, 0 grading system (+ you really did the work and attempted the problem, 0 you didn't).

The term paper can be of any topic of your choosing related to analyzing a transportation system. Discuss your topic with the professor by the end of January, and get any data you need by the end of February. A draft will be due April 13, a final draft by the last day of class. In class presentations are required the last two class sessions.

The expectation is that the paper is about 20 pages double-spaced, following a standard format for published papers (typical for Empirical Papers) :

• Introduction - State Issue, Review Literature, Briefly Pose Question, Outline Paper
• Theory - What is the Model of the World You are Assuming, Qualitatitive or Mathematical
• Methodology - What Approach Are You Using (state briefly if well known, describe in detail if new)
• Data - Source of Data, What is Available, What is Missing, What Transformation Did You Do
• Hypotheses - What do you expect and why, How would results be interpreted (what result corroborates hypothesis, what result refutes it)
• Results - Present and Describe Result Tables and Graphs, Note Significance
• Summary and Conclusions - Summarize Findings, Interpret Implications, Suggest Future Research
• References

The Department of Civil Engineering offers two ABET accredited undergraduate degrees: Civil Engineering (CE), and Geological Engineering (GeoE). (ABET stands for Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.) To maintain ABET accreditation, the Department of Civil Engineering must demonstrate that all of their graduates have the following eleven general skills and abilities:

1. an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering
2. an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data
3. an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs
4. an ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams
5. an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems
6. an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility
7. an ability to communicate effectively
8. the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global and societal context
9. a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning
10. a knowledge of contemporary issues
11. an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice.

In this course, CE 5214 Transportation Systems Analysis, the ABET Outcomes a,b,c,f,g,h, and j will be specifically emphasized.

To successfully complete this course, you will be required to learn, develop, and ultimately demonstrates these skills and abilities within the context of this course.

Students are advised to see: http://www1.umn.edu/regents/policies/academic/ regarding policies on academic conduct.

Fall, 2000

To: Students in the Institute of Technology

From: Peter Hudleston, Associate Dean

The purpose of this letter is to call your attention to the issue of scholastic dishonesty, so that you can avoid any problems during your studies at the University of Minnesota. The basic statement on this issue appears in the Undergraduate Catalog (p. 262) and in the back of the IT Student Guide: The Institute of Technology expects the highest standards of honesty and integrity in the academic performance of its students. Any act of scholastic dishonesty is regarded as a serious offense, which may result in expulsion. The Institute of Technology defines scholastic dishonesty as

submission of false records of academic achievement; cheating on assignments or examinations; plagiarizing; altering, forging, or misusing an academic record; taking, acquiring, or using test materials without faculty permission; acting alone or in cooperation with another to obtain dishonestly grades, honors, awards, or professional endorsement. Aiding and abetting an act of scholastic dishonesty is also considered a serious offense.

The questions below are often asked by students who seek interpretation of this policy.

1. What is cheating? Cheating is the violation of rules under which an examination is given or homework is assigned. This includes submitting an examination, an essay, a report, or a computer program that is not your own.
2. Does this mean that I can never study with another student? No. We encourage students to study together, and in the workplace you will often work as part of a team. The key issue is whether you are being evaluated as an individual on the basis of the work you hand in. Your instructor should make it clear when team work is expected and when you should work alone. If you are not sure, ask!
3. What is plagiarism? An excellent definition of plagiarism is from the Modern Language Association: "In short, to plagiarize is to give the impression that you have written or thought something that you have in fact borrowed from another." W. S. Achtert and J. Gibaldi, The MLA Style Manual, New York, Modern Language Association of America, 1985, p. 4.
4. When should I cite sources? There are two issues here. The first is to avoid plagiarism. The second is to make sure that the reader can follow your line of thought, verify the information that you have used, or explore the issue further. Some things are known so widely that they do not need citing: for example, the definition of momentum or solving a linear differential equation with constant coefficients. On the other hand, if you are writing for an audience who might not know how to solve a linear differential equation with constant coefficients, you might want to give a citation so that they could find out how. If you find the solution to a homework problem in a text or journal article, you should give a citation. If you are allowed to utilize previously written computer code, published or unpublished, within your own code, you should clearly identify such code and cite the source.