- Docente: Mario Paolucci
- Credits: 8
- SSD: INF/01
- Language: Italian
- Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
- Campus: Bologna
- Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Digital Innovation Policies and Governance (cod. 5889)
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from Feb 20, 2024 to May 22, 2024
Learning outcomes
The course aims to provide the foundations of methodologies and tools for designing, implementing, and validating simulation models for the analysis and evaluation of complex social systems. By the end of the course, the student will be capable of designing, implementing, and validating simulation models by adopting the most suitable technologies for analyzing the specific problem. Additionally, the student will be able to apply the acquired knowledge to solve simulation problems of various natures, using appropriately specialized software tools for the cases of interest.
Course contents
The course in Methodologies and Techniques of Simulation offers students an in-depth experience in the field of agent-based simulation, a powerful modeling methodology for exploring complex and dynamic systems. The main objective is to equip students with the necessary skills to design, implement, and interpret agent-based simulations using one of the key platforms: NetLogo and Mesa (Python).
The course will introduce students to the practice of reading and commenting on simulations published in selected scientific articles. This aspect will provide a realistic perspective on the application of agent-based simulations in real-world research and problem-solving contexts. Students will be guided in the critical analysis of these simulations, identifying design choices, and interpreting results.
Readings/Bibliography
- Gilbert, N. and Troitzsch, K. G. Simulation for the Social Scientist, 2nd edition. Buckingham: Open University Press, 2005.
-Axtell, R. Why agents? on the varied motivations for agent computing in the social sciences. In Working Paper 17,Center on Social and Economic Dynamics, Brookings Institution, volume 17, 2000.
- Conte, R., Paolucci, M. On Agent Based Modelling and Computational Social Science (2011). http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1876517Teaching methods
Lectures, practical exercises, readings, and presentations of scientific articles.
Assessment methods
To take the simulation exam, you must select one of the following three tracks:
- Attending, Paper Discussion
Oral exam based on the discussion of one of the papers presented in class, chosen from those cited in the following lessons:
https://virtuale.unibo.it/pluginfile.php/2014030/mod_folder/content/0/Agent-Based%20Simulation-history.html?forcedownload=1
https://virtuale.unibo.it/mod/resource/view.php?id=1584139
Starting from the discussion of the paper, the student will need to demonstrate knowledge of the basic concepts of agent-based simulation as presented, and of the MESA platform, as introduced in class, referring to the material published on Virtuale.
- Attending, Project
Oral exam on a project carried out, even in groups of up to three participants, agreed with the professor at least one month before the exam date.
- Non-attending, Online Study Track.
At the end of the first lesson (link below), some freely available online courses were presented.
https://virtuale.unibo.it/pluginfile.php/1992700/mod_unibores/content/3/Intro-Complexity3.pdf
It is possible to choose one or more of these online courses, or suggest others, and take the exam on the topics of these lessons.
This track must be agreed with the professor at least one month before the exam session and discussed during office hours.
Office hours
See the website of Mario Paolucci