B461: Database Concepts

Time & Location

Tuesday & Thursday (TR) 2:30-3:45P
Lindley Hall (LH) 102

Instructor

Prof. Cathy Wyss
Email:
Office: Informatics West 233 (856-1099)
Office Hours: TR 12noon-1pm

• Official Course Description



• Class Text:

  	Database Systems: An Application-Oriented Approach 2/e. Kifer, Bernstein, and Lewis. Addison-Wesley, 2005. Click on the picture of the text to visit the text website.



• Course Overview: We will cover most of the material in the course text, roughly in order. Topics include:
  1. Introduction and Overview
  2. Database Management: The Relational Model, ER Modeling, RA, SQL, Relational Normalization, Triggers.
  3. Database Optimization and Transactions: Storage and Indexing, Query Processing and Optimization, Transactions, Recovery Management.

• Assignments: There will be 6 assignments counting a total of 25% (weighted evenly).



• Tests:
  • There will be 2 in-class tests, each counting 25%.
  • The final exam will be held at the scheduled place and time. The final counts as 25%.

The information contained herein is not optional. You are responsible for conducting yourself in accordance with the rules below. Ignorance of a rule stated or referred to here is not grounds for excusal. If you have questions regarding a policy, ask one of us before you act.

Assignments

• Group Work:
  • You can work in groups of 2-3 for the assignments. It is recommend the members of your group collaborate on all questions (as opposed to dividing them up). The assignments are practice for the exam material, and it is up to you to ensure you do enough to know this material well.
  • If any significant part of your group's submitted assignment overlaps with another source, you will receive a flat "0" for that assignment. In the case of unreferenced sources, you will be reported to the IUB Office of Student Ethics.


• Assignment Submission:
  • You must submit your assignments on or before the due date using Oncourse.
  • The only acceptable formats for submission are PDF or plain text. We must be able to easily view and print your submissions for you to receive credit. Scanned handwritten solutions are not acceptable.
  • Ensure the names of all members of your group appear on the first page of the assignment.
  • Do not put your student ID number on your assignments, especially if it is also your SSN.


• Late Policy:
  • You may submit an assignment up to 24 hours late for a 5% reduction in credit. After 24 hours, no assignments will be accepted.

Exams

It should be obvious, but group work is not permitted on the exams. The exams must be entirely your own work. If you are caught talking to another student or otherwise using an unpermitted source during an B461 exam, the penalty will be immediate failure of the course and a report to the IUB Office of Student Ethics. Note that two such reports of this type of incident are usually grounds for expulsion or suspension from the University.

Grading

We will try to have your assignments and exams graded in a timely manner. You can assist this process by conforming to the stated guidelines for submission.

Academic Integrity

Read the Indiana University Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct to be sure you understand the rules under which IU courses operate. Cases of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Office of Student Ethics, a branch of the Office of the Dean of Students. If you have any questions about the official document, ask one of us.

Withdrawal

Make sure you know the last day to drop a course or withdraw from all courses with an automatic 'W'. After that date, a student may withdraw only with the permission of his or her dean. This approval is normally only for urgent reasons related to extended illness or equivalent distress.

Incomplete grade

An incomplete ("I") final grade will be given only by prior arrangement in exceptional circumstances conforming to university and school policy which requires, among other things, that the student must have completed the bulk of the work required for the course with a passing grade, and that the remaining work can be made up within 30 days after the end of the semester.