\documentclass[11pt]{article}
\usepackage{latexsym}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{amssymb}
\usepackage{amsthm}
\usepackage{tikz,pgfplots}
\usetikzlibrary{arrows}
\pgfplotsset{compat=1.8}

\newcommand{\handout}[5]{
  \noindent
  \begin{center}
  \framebox{
    \vbox{
      \hbox to 5.78in { {\bf ECEN 655: Advanced Channel Coding } \hfill #2 }
      \vspace{4mm}
      \hbox to 5.78in { {\Large \hfill #5  \hfill} }
      \vspace{2mm}
      \hbox to 5.78in { {\em #3 \hfill #4} }
    }
  }
  \end{center}
  \vspace*{4mm}
}

\newcommand{\lecture}[4]{\handout{#1}{#2}{#3}{Scribe: #4}{Lecture #1}}

\newtheorem{theorem}{Theorem}
\newtheorem{corollary}[theorem]{Corollary}
\newtheorem{lemma}[theorem]{Lemma}
\newtheorem{observation}[theorem]{Observation}
\newtheorem{proposition}[theorem]{Proposition}
\newtheorem{definition}[theorem]{Definition}
\newtheorem{claim}[theorem]{Claim}
\newtheorem{fact}[theorem]{Fact}
\newtheorem{assumption}[theorem]{Assumption}

\renewcommand{\Pr}{\mathbb{P}}
\newcommand{\expt}{\mathbb{E}}

% 1-inch margins, from fullpage.sty by H.Partl, Version 2, Dec. 15, 1988.
\topmargin 0pt
\advance \topmargin by -\headheight
\advance \topmargin by -\headsep
\textheight 8.9in
\oddsidemargin 0pt
\evensidemargin \oddsidemargin
\marginparwidth 0.5in
\textwidth 6.5in

\parindent 0in
\parskip 1.5ex
%\renewcommand{\baselinestretch}{1.25}

\begin{document}

\lecture{NUMBER --- DATE, 2014}{Spring 2014}{Prof.\ Henry Pfister}{YOUR NAME}

\section{Overview}

In the last lecture we \ldots.

In this lecture we \ldots.

\section{Main Section}

We begin by describing the problem \ldots.
Make sure to use sections and subsections.

\subsection{Blah blah blah}
Here is a subsection.

\subsubsection{Blah blah blah}
Here is a subsubsection. You can use these as well.

\subsection{Using Boldface}
Make sure to use lots of boldface.

\paragraph{Question:}
How would you use boldface?

\paragraph{Example:}
This is an example showing how to use boldface to 
help organize your lectures.


\paragraph{Some Formatting.}
Here is some formatting that you can use in your notes:
\begin{itemize}
\item {\em Item One} -- This is the first item.
\item {\em Item Two} -- This is the second item.
\item \dots and here are other items.
\end{itemize}

If you need to number things, you can use this style:
\begin{enumerate}
\item {\em Item One} -- Again, this is the first item.
\item {\em Item Two} -- Again, this is the second item.
\item \dots and here are other items.
\end{enumerate}

A picture is worth $x$ words?

\begin{center}
\begin{tikzpicture}
[var/.style={draw,circle,thick,minimum size=8mm},%
factor/.style={draw,rectangle,thick,minimum size=8mm},%
weight/.style={font=\small}]

% Nodes
\node (x1) [var] at (0,8) {$x_1$};
\node (f1) [factor] at (-2,6) {$f_1$};
\node (f2) [factor] at (2,6) {$f_2$};
\node (x2) [var] at (-3,4) {$x_2$};
\node (x3) [var] at (-1,4) {$x_3$};
\node (x4) [var] at (1,4) {$x_4$};
\node (x6) [var] at (3,4) {$x_6$};
\node (f3) [factor] at (0,2) {$f_3$};
\node (f4) [factor] at (2,2) {$f_4$};
\node (x5) [var] at (2,0) {$x_5$};

% Edges
\path[draw,thick] (f1) -- (x1);
\path[draw,thick] (f2) -- (x1);
\path[draw,thick] (f1) -- (x2);
\path[draw,thick] (f1) -- (x3);
\path[draw,thick] (f2) -- (x4);
\path[draw,thick] (f2) -- (x6);
\path[draw,thick] (f3) -- (x4);
\path[draw,thick] (f4) -- (x4);
\path[draw,thick] (f4) -- (x5);

\end{tikzpicture}
\end{center}


\begin{center}
\begin{tikzpicture}
\begin{axis}[width=3in,height=2.5in,thick,enlarge x limits=false,enlarge y limits=false,grid=major,xlabel shift=-1mm,ylabel shift=-1mm,xlabel=$\epsilon$,ylabel=Rate,tick label style={font=\footnotesize}]
  \addplot+[domain=0:1,mark=none,smooth] {1-\x} node[left=17pt,above=22pt] {$C$};
  \addplot+[domain=0:1,mark=none,smooth] {1-ln(1+\x)/ln(2)} node[left=61pt,above=9pt] {$R_u$};
  \legend{$C = 1-x$,$R_u = 1-\log_2 (1+x)$};
\end{axis}
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{center}

%\bibliography{mybib}
\bibliographystyle{alpha}

\end{document}