ISM 4212 Database Management

Course Information

Meeting Times:
Classroom:
Credit Hours:
Prerequisites:

Instructor

Tsangyao Chen, Ph.D.
Office:
Office Hours:
Email:
Messaging:
 

Work with the Instructor

Office Hours Come to the office hours for technical consultation when you need step-by-step assistance or in-depth walk-through for certain topics.
Text Messaging Use text messaging for quick technical assistance such as debugging. When texting, please include screenshots of your full code, and briefly describe the issue and how you have tried to solve the problem. Note: Phone numbers of current students are not added to the instructor's contact list and messages are deleted regularly to protect students' privacy. Please assume each question as an independent meeting session.
 
Online conferencing Text to start an online conference with the instructor during office hour when you are not able to come to the office hour. Always share your screen and explain your issues and your thoughts on approaching a solution.
Course Communication
  1. Use Canvas Inbox email instead of regular emails for non-technical communications with the instructor. Inbox emails are threaded correspondences and easy to manage.
  2. Emails are generally responded to within 24 hours.
  3. If needed, the instructor's email address is tychen@university.edu.

Course Description

This course covers the theory, techniques, and applications of information management and control including organizations as information-processing systems and executive support systems.

Learning Objectives

Upon successfull completion of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Use a database management system.
  2. Understand data management concepts and explain the role of databases in organizations.
  3. Analyze an existing information system.
  4. Generate alternative solutions to an information systems problem and choose among them.
  5. Understand and explain how a database management system supports the chosen solution.
  6. Work successfully with a group of peers on a system-related problem.

Course Assignments

Examination

Exams are comprehensive assessments of student learning over a period of time. An exam will include all the content learned prior to the exam.

Homework

There will be multiple homework assignments for the students to practice conceptual and technical topics covered in class. Homework assignment instructions are detailed separately in each assignment and are due on the dates identified in the course summary.& nbsp ;  

Lab

Lab assignments and quizzes are quick formative assessments of student learning. Lab exercises are given for students to practice technical skills and increase conceptual understanding of the concepts and skills covered.

Project

The project will require you to work individually or as a group to develop a three-tier web-based application. The details on the project will be issued in a separate handout and will cover how your work will be evaluated.

Quiz/Participation

In-class assignments and quizzes serve as records of class attendance. Quizzes serve to assess a student 's prior knowledge and diagnose student learning during a short period of time.

Note: No late or makeup submissions for in-class assignments / quizzes are allowed as they are meant to be your attendance records and to evaluate whether you are following the class closely.

Course Materials

  • A textbook is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED if you are learning about relational databases for the first time. They don't have to be the most recent version and one general introduction and one hands-on guide would suffice.

No textbook is required for this course. Readings and practical materials for lectures and activities will be provided. Students are expected to complete all assigned readings and assignments prior to class meetings and should be prepared to contribute during in-class discussions. 

Recommended

Hoffer, J. A., Ramesh, V., & Topi, H. (2019). Modern database management (Thirteenth edition). Pearson Education. (Recent early editions are acceptable but please note the difference in chapter organization)

Optional

Shellman, M., Afyouni, H., & Pratt, P. (2020). A guide to SQL (Tenth edition). Cengage. (Recent early editions are acceptable but please note the difference in chapter organization)

Grading Scheme

Student grade in this course is determined by the performance on 1 ) homework assignments, 2 ) lab activities assignments, 3 ) exams, and 4 ) attendance and participation ( including quizzes ) .

The goal for this course is to enable students to complete all of these activities correctly following the “learning by doing” principle. The grading scale is based on the assumption that the learner will work independently and collaboratively to learn together so that the students can complete all the activities with very few errors. Generally, a student attending all the class meetings and complete all the assignments by schedule will do very well in this course, even with minimal prior technical experience. The grading scale below follows the default University grading scheme. The number of points needed for each grade is provided as a reference.

The following grading standards will be used in this class:

Grade Category Number of Items Points per Item Maximum Points
Homework 10 10 100
Examination 3 50 150
Laboratory 8 10/20 150
Attendance/Participation 20 5 100
      500

 

Letter Grade Range
A 100% to ≥ 93%
A- < 93% to ≥ 90%
B+ < 90% to ≥ 87%
B < 87% to ≥ 83%
B- < 83% to ≥ 80%
C+ < 80% to ≥ 77%
C < 77% to ≥ 73%
C- < 73% to ≥ 70%
D+ < 70% to ≥ 67%
D < 67% to ≥ 63%
D- < 63% to ≥ 60%
F < 60% to ≥ 0%

Course Policies

Communications

  1. Please communicate with your instructor and peers in a timely manner and avoid last-minute requests whenever possible.
  2. Report any inappropriate communication considered to be of a serious nature to your instructor, as it may be a violation of University policy.
  3. Treat others with respect by making messages clear and succinct.
  4. Text messaging:
    • Text messaging is considered a professional channel for quick problem-solving.
    • Phone numbers of current students are not added to the instructor's contact list for privacy concerns.
    • Do not assume the instructor knows the prior conversations as the messages may have been deleted.
    • Do not introduce yourself when seeking technical assistance. Just state the course and topic, describe the problem and your thoughts, and present screenshots.
  5. Emailing: Typically, emails are responded to within 24 hours. If you do not see a response in 24 hours, assume the email is lost and resend the email or text a reminder message the instructor.  
  6. Grading: Graded assignments are typically returned within 3 days after the due date.
  7. Please place a headshot in your online learning system profile, so the instructor can better match names and faces.

Attendance

  1. Definition of Absence: Excused absences, per university policy, include documented illness, deaths in the family, and other documented crises, call to active military duty or jury duty, religious holy days, and official University activities. These absences will be accommodated in a way that does not arbitrarily penalize students who have a valid excuse. Consideration will also be given to students whose dependent children experience serious illness.
  2. Communicate Professionally: Class meetings are business meetings. You are expected to attend all class meetings and participate in the class activities. Please communicate with the instructor professionally about your absence in a timely manner (this usually means at least 24 hours before the class meeting unless it's an emergency).
  3. Excuse Documents: In case of an excused absence, please attach your excuse documents in your communication with the instructor for records in a timely manner. 
  4. In-class and Attendance Assignments: There are in-class assignments for formative assessment and attendance assignments for taking attendance. These assignments are for those who attend the class meetings only.
  5. Free Passes: Two to three lowest scores from the attendance assignments will be discounted automatically at the end of the semester. 
  6. Multitasking: Unless you are being disruptive, multitasking (e.g., googling for fast fact-checks) is allowed in class. However, you are expected to take a seat in the back of the classroom if you intend to multitask often because that could be distracting for the instructor and your peers. Also, expect to be called upon to answer questions or share the information you find.
  7. First-Day Attendance Policy: The University has a mandatory first-day attendance policy for all classes, including online courses. Students who do not attend the first day of class will be dropped from the course. Any student who has been dropped for failing to comply with the first-day attendance requirement can re‐register for the course during the add/drop period. Students should confirm their enrollment in this course prior to the end of the add/drop period. 

Academic Honor

We follow the University 's Academic Honor Policy to prohibit:

  1. plagiarism,
  2. cheating,
  3. unauthorized group work,
  4. fabrication, falsification, and misinterpretation,
  5. multiple submission, 
  6. abuse of academic materials,
  7.  complicity in academic dishonesty, and 
  8. attempting to commit any above offense.  

Failing to comply with the academic honor policy will receive a zero point for the assignment for all students involved, and the Office of the Dean of Students will be notified.

Technology Support

Canvas Help Desk

Help with Canvas is available by clicking on the Help menu located on the left-hand most menu on each student 's Canvas menu. There are multiple ways to request help, including using any of the contact options below: 

  • Email: canvas@university.edu
  • Phone: (555)555.HELP
  • Website: support.canvas.university.edu
  • Hours: 8:00AM-5:00PM EST; Monday - Friday

The University ITS Service Desk

The University’s ITS Service Desk is the first point of contact for assistance with ITS Services at the University. There are multiple ways to request help, including using any of the contact options below: 

  • Submit A Service Center Ticket
  • Phone: (555)555.HELP
  • Website: its.university.edu/its-service-desk
  • Hours: 8:00AM-6:00PM EST; Monday-Friday

 University Policies

University Attendance Policy

Excused absences include documented illness, deaths in the family and other documented crises, call to active military duty or jury duty, religious holy days, and official University activities. These absences will be accommodated in a way that does not arbitrarily penalize students who have a valid excuse. Consideration will also be given to students whose dependent children experience serious illness.

Academic Honor Policy

The University Academic Honor Policy outlines the University's expectations for the integrity of students' academic work, the procedures for resolving alleged violations of those expectations, and the rights and responsibilities of students and faculty members throughout the process. Students are responsible for reading the Academic Honor Policy and for living up to their pledge to "...be honest and truthful and... [to] strive for personal and institutional integrity at the University." (For more details see the The University Academic Honor Policy and procedures for addressing alleged violations.)

Academic Success

Your academic success is a top priority for the University. University resources to help you succeed include tutoring centers, computer labs, counseling and health services, and services for designated groups, such as veterans and students with disabilities. The following information is not exhaustive, so please check with your advisor or the Dean of Students office to learn more.

Process for Resolving Academic Problems or Grievances

Please use this step-by-step guide to resolving academic problems to begin the process of communicating with your instructor to resolve any confusion or difficulty you may be having in the course. Detailed information on The University's grievance procedure, including special instructions for students enrolled in an The University branch campus, is maintained on the General Bulletin's Academic Integrity & Grievances webpage. Out-of-state distance learning students should review the Office of Distance Learning Complaint Resolution page for additional procedures.

Americans With Disabilities Act

The University ( The University ) values diversity and inclusion ; we are committed to a climate of mutual respect and full participation. Our goal is to create learning environments that are usable, equitable, inclusive, and welcoming. The University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all persons with disabilities in a manner that is consistent with academic standards of the course while empowering the student to meet integral requirements of the course.

To receive academic accommodations, a student:

  • (1) must register with and provide documentation to the Office of Accessibility Services (OAS);
  • (2) must provide a letter from OAS to the instructor indicating the need for accommodation and what type; and,
  • (3) should communicate with the instructor, as needed, to discuss recommended accommodations. A request for a meeting may be initiated by the student or the instructor.

Please note that instructors are not allowed to provide classroom accommodations to a student until appropriate verification from the Office of Accessibility Services has been provided.

This syllabus and other class materials are available in alternative format upon request.

For more information about services available to The University students with disabilities, contact the

Office of Accessibility Services (The City Campus)
874 Traditions Way
108 Student Services Building
The University
The City, State 55555-5555
(555) 555-9566 (voice)
(555) 555-5554 (TDD)
oas@university.edu
https://dsst.university.edu/oas

Student Accessibility Services (The City Campus)
Office of Student Affairs
4750 Collegiate Drive
2nd Floor Barron Building (Room 215)
The University The City
The City, STATE 32405
(555) 770-2172 (office)
(866) 693-7872 (toll free)
Email: sds@pc.university.edu
https://pc.university.edu/students/student-affairs/sas

Confidential Campus Resources

Various centers and programs are available to assist students with navigating stressors that might impact academic success. These include the following: 

Victim Advocate Program 
University Center A, 
Room 4100, (555) 555-7161, 
Available 24/7/365, 
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 8am-5pm 
https://dsst.university.edu/vap

Counseling & Psychological Services (Main Campus)
Askew Student Life Center, 2nd Floor  
942 Learning Way 
(555) 555-8255 / (555) 555-TALK
https://counseling.university.edu/ 

University PC Counseling Center (The City Campus)
Barron Building, Room 303
(555) 770-2174 (office)
(555) 832-3594 (cell)
https://pc.university.edu/students/student-affairs/counseling-Center 

University Health Services 
Health and Wellness Center
(555) 555-6230 
https://uhs.university.edu/ 

Syllabus Change Policy

Except for changes that substantially affect implementation of the evaluation (grading) statement, this syllabus is a guide for the course and is subject to change with advance notice.

Course Summary

All course assignments and texts with due dates are listed below. To be successful in this course, be sure to complete all required assignments and tests by the due date.

Week Module Topic Technology Reading Assignment
1 Course Overview
  • Course Introduction
  • DB Overview
  • Business processes
  • SQL DBMS
  • SQL engines
  • DB job market
2 Technology Overview
  • Workflow/Business Rules
  • Enterprise Systems
  • 3-tier client-server application architecture
  • Unix-like OSs
  • DML (SELECT) syntax
  • Linux user management
  • Linux file management
  • SQLite & SQLiteStudio
HVT01
3 Database Operations w/ SQLite 1/2
  • CRUD
  • Language Documentation
  • DML (in SQLite)
  • Functions & Operators
  • Aggregate Functions (built-in)
  • Linux user management
  • Linux file management
  • SQLite & SQLiteStudio
HVT06 LinkedIn SQLite jobs
4 Database Operations w/ SQLite 2/2
  • SQL Operators
  • Tables and databases
  • Search (LIKE, regex)
HVT06
5 Database Management 1/2
  • Relational Algebra
  • RDBMSs & DB tools
  • DDL/DML (in Workbench)
  • Schema vs. Data Model
  • MySQL RDBMS
  • MySQL Workbench
  • DB/Table operations
  • Database modeling
  • Viewing MySQL sample DB
HVT02
6 Database Management 2/2
  • Logical DB design
  • Data Modeling (ERD): notations
  • Normalization
  • Business rules
  • E-R model, cardinality, entries/attributes
  • Modeling relationships
  • HVT04
  • Modeling
7 Conceptual DB Design
  • Schema vs model
  • Physical DB design
  • Optimization: Index
  • JOIN
  • Subqueries
  • Indexing
  • Partitioning
  • Index: HVT-II-5-264
8 Logical DB Design 1/3
  • Data types
  • Data integrity
  • Transaction
  • Subqueries
Midterm
9 Logical DB Design 2/3
  • View
  • CREATE VIEW AS v1
10 Logical DB Design 3/3
  • Trigger
  • Stored Procedure
  • Indexing
  • INNER JOIN
  • dump/import
  • Stored Procedure
11 Database Application Development 1/3
  • Technology stack
  • Static vs. Dynamic webpages
  • (Business process/rules/workflow; 3-tier)
  • Project: SDLC (waterfall & agile)
  • HTML, CSS, JS
  • Form-DB processing (HVT 398)
  • DB connection
Project plan (scenario, BP, business rules, DB model, schema)
12 Database Application Development 2/3
  • Form processing
  • Workflow with business rules
  • CRUD databases
IDE vs Editor: PhpStorm vs VSCode
13 Database Application Development 3/3
  • Sessions
  • DML in CRUD databases
14 NoSQL
  • JavaScript
  • CRUD
15 XML
  • JavaScript
  • CRUD
Final Exam

Course Summary

All course assignments and texts with due dates are listed below. To be successful in this course, be sure to complete all required assignments and tests by the due date.

Date Details Due