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MC193 Information Systems

MC193 Information Systems

Credits: 20 Convenor: Dr. N. D. N. Measor Semester: 2
Prerequisites: desirable: MC199 or MC198 or equivalent
Assessment: Continuous assessment: 50% 2 hour exam in June: 50%
Lectures: 36 Problem Classes: none
Tutorials: none Private Study: 78
Labs: 24 Seminars: none
Project: none Other: none
Surgeries: 12 Total: 150

Explanation of Pre-requisites

Some familiarity with basics of information technology as, for example in MC198 or MC199, would be helpful.

Course Description

A common use of computers is the storage, retrieval, and organisation of all kinds of information. A program which performs these tasks is known as a database, and this module teaches both the use of databases, and how they can be built.

Aims

The module will provide students with the opportunity to learn how to design and implement small databases. It will give experience in the use of a computer as a tool for managing and processing information. Students will become familiar with the database software package Microsoft Access. By the end of the module, students will have gained proficiency in the design and implementation of a small database application.

Objectives

Transferable Skills

Syllabus

Databases, an introduction. What are data, the need for databases, data entities and attributes, relationships between entities, values and domains, keys.

Relational databases. Relational modelling, relational algebra, Entity Relationship (ER) modelling, Enhanced ER modelling, functional dependency, normal forms and normalization, database design.

Query-By-Example: Microsoft Access. Creating a database and tables, data updating, querying the database, simple forms and report generation.

Reading list

Essential:

T. Connolly, C. Begg and A. Strachan, Database Systems, Addison-Wesley 1998.

A detailed reference text on Microsoft Access will be recommended during the module,

Recommended:

C. Betini, S. Ceri and S. Navathe, Conceptual Database Design, an Entity-Relationship Approach, Benjamin-Cummings 1992.

Details of Assessment

The laboratory work, which is devoted to Microsoft Access, is examined by continual assessment via several weekly exercises and the end of semester project.

The written examination covers the rest of the material.

Next: MC198 Information Management Up: Year 1 Previous: MC192 Information Processing

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Last updated: 2001-09-20
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