CS3811 - Introduction to Database Systems - 2016

General Information

The course meeting time is 9:30MWF in Dunn 406. Help with assignments or the project is available other times by appointment; contact the instructor by email. For official detail see the Academic Calendar. Please 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, two midterm tests, and a major project.

Tests

In-class tests will be held on October 21 and November 28. 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.

The project assignment is at 381116pr.html .

Assignments

There will be (one or two question) short assignments two or three times a week, usually from the textbook. They will be handed in and taken up at the next class. Therefore, late assignments cannot be accepted. All assignments are an essential part of the course. All written work (including project documentation) handed in must be typeset using LaTeX. The exception is that you may hand draw diagrams (though there are many available packages). A LaTeX tutorial (with source code) will be provided. Be sure to attempt all problems in the text, not just the ones assigned to be handed in.

Grades

Note: In order to pass the course:

you must get a passing mark on the aggregate of the tests and the project;
and you must submit at least 80% of short assignments.

Grades will be normally assigned using approximately the following weights:

Assignments: 20
Project: 20
Tests: 60