Brief description
On successful completion of this module, students will be familiar with the ideas used in database packages for personal computers and be able to design and construct a database using such a package to store and retrieve information of the type they will encounter in their studies.

Aims
This module provides an introduction to the use of a relational database management system so that:

• students will be able to design, construct and use simple databases from (appropriate) material they encounter elsewhere in their studies;
• students will gain an appreciation of the ideas that lie behind the relational database paradigm

The philosophy of the course will be to provide students with a tool and with techniques that they can use elsewhere in their studies. The practicals will be based on the microcomputer package Microsoft Access.

Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:

• set up and interrogate a single-table database, and produce well-designed forms and reports from it;
• explain the reasons for using a multi-table database;
• recognise the problems leading to modification anomalies and be able to address simple examples of them using the relational model and normalisation;
• design, construct and use a simple multi-table database.

Syllabus
1. Introduction - 2 Lectures
The idea of a database, Database Management System and Database Application; a simple and a more complex example; records; fields; objects.

2. Tables and forms - 4 Lectures, 2 Practicals
The views of a table; field data types, properties; validation; primary keys and indexes; Access form wizards; varieties of form available; the views of a form; controls; tab order; visual design; forms for data entry.

3. Interrogating a Database - 3 Lectures, 2 Practicals
Simple search; wildcards; filters and select queries; crosstab, parameter, groups and totals queries. Elementary SQL for queries.

4. Reports - 1 Lecture, 1 Practical
Access report wizards; varieties of report; the views of a report; controls.

5. Multi-table databases - 4 Lectures, 3 Practicals
Entity-relationship modelling: entities, attributes, relationships, many-to-many relationships. Primary and foreign keys. Derivation of a set of tables from a model.

6. Normalisation - 4 Lectures
Data redundancy, inconsistencies, modification anomalies. Relational integrity. Functional dependencies. Domain/Key normal form. Implementation in Microsoft Access. Improving and modifying a database.

7. Other Database Management System Facilities - 2 Lectures
Security issues; introduction to transaction processing.

8. Debriefing - 2 Lectures
Some lecture time each week will be devoted to a debriefing on the previous practical. Two of the practical sessions will be allocated to work on the assignments, but students should expect to have to spend further time on their assignments.