Course Materials

Textbook: Jeffery Ullman and Jennifer Widom, A First Course in Database Systems, 3^rd Edition. Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2008 - REQUIRED.

Course web site: The course schedule, reading assignments, homework assignments, and project description will be posted on the course web site, found at http://www.eg.bucknell.edu/~csci305.

Moodle: I will set up a course forum for questions about course material, homework assignments, etc. That will allow me to answer questions once for the whole class rather than multiple times for individuals. While you may email questions to me directly, I will post questions (anonymously) and answers to email questions on the forum if I think they will be useful to the class as a whole.

If I decide to use additional Mood capabilities, I will announce that in class.

Course Overview

Database systems are an important part of our world today. These systems are used when there are large amounts of data that need to be managed. They play critical roles behind the scenes of many applications; their stability and efficiency play a crucial part in the success or failure of applications we use on a daily basis.

This course provides the student with an introduction to database systems. We will explore fundamental criteria behind the design of databases and the use of database management systems for applications. The emphasis will be on the widely-used relational model and the Structured Query Language (SQL), which in its various forms is used to create, modify, and access relational databases. Relational database topics will include:

· The relational model of data, including all relevant terminology and definitions

· Designing a relational database schema; identifying redundancies and other problems; normalization; multi-valued dependencies (MVD)

· Relational algebra – a formal, abstract language for the relational model

· The Structured Query Language (SQL) – commands for creating, querying, and modifying relational databases; setting up constraints; managing views; setting up indexes; other advanced SQL topics

I hope to also spend a few weeks on other database paradigms, specifically NoSQL (Not only SQL) databases, if time permits.

Grading, Exams, and Assignments

Course grades will be computed based on your work as follows:

Category	Weight
Homework/Projects	25%
Midterm 1	20%
Midterm 2	20%
Final Exam	30%
Quizzes and Classroom Exercises	5%

Grades may be adjusted upwards or downwards at the discretion of the instructor in special circumstances. For example, a failing grade on the final exam could be the basis for a reduction of the final grade; in an extreme case, this might reduce a passing grade to a failing one.

Exams

There will be two one-hour, in-class exams during the semester and a comprehensive final exam at the end of the semester. The final exam will be cumulative; it will be roughly one-and-one-half times as long as the in-class exams, though you will have three hours to finish it. The final will be given at the standard scheduled time. You are expected to be in the exam room at the scheduled start of each exam.

Exam	Date
Midterm 1	Wednesday 7 October
Midterm 2	Wednesday 11 November
Final Exam	TBD

If an exam grade needs to be adjusted, please see your instructor as soon as possible after the return of the exam.

Completion of all assignments is required for this course.

Homework

Homework in this course will include written assignments and programming projects. You will understand the material much better (and enjoy the class more) if you complete the assignments successfully. Homework assignments are due by 5:00 p.m. on the date due.

Reading Assignments

Regular reading assignments will be posted on the course schedule. You should complete reading assignments before their corresponding lesson. Be prepared to discuss and raise questions about the material. There may be occasional quizzes on the assigned readings.

Course Policies

Late Work

Although you are expected to turn in your work on time, stuff happens. Therefore you have three “late cards,” each of which can be used to offset turning in work one day late. A “day” in this definition means a week day; weekends count as a single day. When you use a late card, you must state that you are doing so. You may use more than one late card for an assignment. To use a late card, indicate how many you are using when you submit your late assignment, and indicate how many you think you have remaining.

Under certain circumstances, assignments may be accepted after the due date without late cards. For example, written medical excuses from a doctor may be grounds for granting an extension. Also, it is sometimes possible to make prior arrangements for anticipated absences; be sure to talk to the instructor well before the anticipated absence! Finally, very late assignments are sometimes accepted at a substantial (e.g., 50%) penalty, though this is at the discretion of the instructor and must be negotiated.

Missed Exam

Missing exams because of illness will require an excuse from a doctor. Make-up exams for excuses other than illness will be given only in extraordinary circumstances and only at the discretion of the instructor. If you anticipate that you will need to take an exam at other than the scheduled time, contact your lecture instructor at least one week in advance.

Class Attendance

Attendance: Attendance is expected. Please let me know in advance if you know you will miss a class session. If you miss class, it is your responsibility to determine what material you missed. Note that lecture content may on occasion be drawn from sources other than the textbook.

Class Participation

The class will be taught using a combination of lecture, Q/A sessions, discussions, and small group exercises. You are expected to take part in all classroom activities. You are highly encouraged to ask questions, especially if you do not understand something. If you have a question, there is a good chance someone else has the same question as well. Please feel free to contribute to the questions and comments of other students. Active and cooperative participation will help with your understanding of the material.

Collaboration

Except where noted (e.g., some projects may allow pair or group work), exams, quizzes, and assignments are individual exercises. Do not look up solutions on the internet, copy the work of a classmate, share your solutions with anyone, or otherwise turn in anything that is not your own work. Although discussing course material with fellow students is a good way to learn, giving or getting information about solutions to specific assigned problems is going too far. Please see the instructor if you have problems completing homework assignments, or if you are not sure where the boundaries are in talking with your classmates about assigned work. All work you turn in should be your own.

Academic Responsibility

You are expected to adhere to The Bucknell Academic Honor Code, at http://www.bucknell.edu/x1324.xml. You should be fully aware of the standard requirements of you as laid out in the student handbook found at http://www.bucknell.edu/x4704.xml. Finally, please read the Computer Science department extension to the standard academic policy, available at http://www.bucknell.edu/Documents/Engineering/student-conduct-policy.pdf

Access Statement

Any student who may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact Heather Fowler, Director of the Office of Accessibility Resources at 570-577-1188 or hf007@bucknell.edu who will help coordinate reasonable accommodations for those students with documented disabilities.

Suggestions and Requests
Suggestions are always welcome. Feedback about the course, both positive and negative, is encouraged. Criticism (short of unjustified, scathing personal attacks) will not be held against the criticizer.