Practicing is important in this course in order to learn the issues and to master them. Some tasks for self testing are embedded in the web-based e-learning material. These tasks are aimed to provide feedback on how you have learnt the topic. They do not give any credit points. SQL-practicing and database desing practicing in study groups instead affect the grade.

SQL practicing

SQL practicing is done using the automated SQL Trainer training system. There are about 40 tasks divided in groups to be solved.  Solving a task before its deadline gives you gredit points. A task is considered to be solved if the training system accepts the answer. Although the system accepts an answer it might not be 'really correct'. It may be, for example, too complex. Thus you should compare your answers with the published model solutions. Study group instructors provide assistance for solving the tasks. There are discussing areas in Moodle to place questions and to provide assistance. Students may assist each other by giving hints. Good hints in discussion area  may give you bonus points.

The task definitions, link to the training software and the deadlines for SQL-tasks as well as the model solutions are published in the Moodle course material.

Database design in study groups

The goal of a stydy group is to study the  structure and the design principles of the relational databases by the use of example cases. The stydy group has 4 official meetings and as many unofficial meetings as you want to. The course assistant is available as the instructor in the official meetings.

• The assignment for the study group in English is the design of a library database.
• First meeting on week 37 (starting the 12th of September) : organization on work - it is necessary to attent the first meeting
• The second meeting concentrates on the kernel structures of the relational databases: domais, keys, foreign keys and dependencies between data items.
• The third meeting concentrates on verifying that the database design is practical and serves the operations properly.
• In the final meeting study groups present their database designs to other groups and evaluate the plans of other groups.

Database design task in study groups

Each study group designs a small database and presents their plan as a written document. the document should be delivered (in Moodle) by the 14th of October 2011 at 23.59.

This document consists of:

• Title
• Description of the problem
• Definition of the information contents of the database
  • UML diagram + associated text definitions
• Descriptions of the tables
  • database schema as a diagram (either using the technique used in the course or a technique available in some design tool, the image must, however, be embedded in the document)
  • SQL create table statements with comments like the ones of the Pizza database - what values there are in columns
• Database quality analysis
  • how did the group ensure the quality of the plan
  • dependency analysis and the potential changes it caused
  • some (at least 6) important use cases and their use of the database - dependency matrix (use case vs relation) or sql-queries
  • example relations
  • changes made due to the quality analysis

In the last stydy group session groups presents their plans to other groups. The group should prepare for the presentation by making slides about

• the problem
• database schema as a diagram and
• some examples of the tables