CS3811 - 2014

Instructor: Dr. R. Rosebrugh, Dunn 203

General Information

The course meeting time is 11:30MWF in AD 116. Help with assignments or projects is available other times by appointment; contact the instructor by email. For official detail see the Academic Calendar. Check this URL regularly for information about the course.

Texts

The textbook is A First Course in Database Systems, 3rd Edition by Ullman and Widom (link is to Amazon, also try AbeBooks). This book covers database design and other issues, including applications. It is the first half of Database Systems: The Complete Book, which you should choose instead if your interests go beyond database applications and include implementation of a DBMS.. Also recommended is An Introduction to Database Systems (8th ed) by C. J. Date. The page for the Ullman-Widom book (including lecture notes) is at http://infolab.stanford.edu/~ullman/fcdb.html

Syllabus

We will cover Chapters 1-12 of the Ullman-Widom book, with lighter coverage of Ch 9,10 as time allows. That is, approximately one chapter per week.

There will be written assignments, in-class quizzes (based on assigned homework), midterm tests, and a major database project.

Tests

In-class tests will be held on October 22 and November 24. There is no final examination.

Project

The project will be done in groups and will be assigned in early October. It will be completed at the end of term.

Assignments

Assignments (and project documentation) must be typeset using LaTeX. A tutorial will be provided. Late assignments not accepted.

Grades

Note: In order to pass the course:

Grades will be assigned using approximately the following weights:


Project

The Project description is at 381114pr.html .

Assignments

Assignment 1

From the text: 2.2.3 a), b), 2.3.2 a), c), e), 2.4.3 a), c), e), g), 2.5.2 a), b), c).
Due September 19.

Please attempt the other text problems.

Assignment 2

From the text: 5.1.3, 3.2.2 ii) a), b), 3.2.4 b), c), 3.2.7, 3.3.1 c) and e)
Due October 3.

Please attempt the other text problems.

Assignment 3

From the text: 3.3.2; 3.4.1 c), d); 3.5.1. c), e) (how does 3NF compare to BCNF in these cases?), 3.5.3; 4.1.1 (ER diagram does not need to be TeXed); 4.2.1
Due October 17 (please submit a pdf by email).

Please attempt the other text problems.

Assignment 4

From the text: 4.1.4 a) & b); 4.3.1 (do only for your E/R diagrams from 4.1.4); 4.5.3; 4.6.2; 6.1.4 b), c), d); 6.2.3 c); 6.3.2 c), d); 6.4.7 a), b);
Due November 7

Please attempt the other text problems.

Assignment 5

From the text: 6.5.2 c), d); 7.1.5 (first say what keys you would define in 7.1.4); 7.2.5 a), b); 7.3.2 b), c); 7.5.3 a), b); 8.1.2 b) (define any view you use)

Due November 26 (but be sure to consider these problems *before* the second mid-term)