CS348: Information Systems

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Course Policy

For this course, we will be following Eugene Spafford's comprehensive course policy. Please be sure to read it over.

Academic Dishonesty

In case you didn't actually click & read the link above, academic dishonesty is covered in the section professional honesty & conduct. In the worst case, you can be expelled from the university. Don't do it!

Course Overview

This course covers fundamental concepts of database and information systems. These concepts include database modeling and design, relational databases, querying and SQL, object-based databases, XML and web databases, data storage, transactions, database system architectures, data mining and warehousing techniques, client/server paradigm, middleware, ODBC, JDBC, CORBA, privacy, integrity, and security. 

More specifically, the course covers the following topics:

• Data modeling: physical, logical and conceptual data models, the entity-relationship model
• The relational model
• SQL query language
• Other relational query languages (QBE and Datalog)
• Database privacy, integrity, and security
• Relational database design, functional dependencies, and normalization
• Object-oriented database systems
• Object-relational database systems: extensibility features and object orientation in relational systems
• XML/web databases: semi-structured data, querying, ODBC, JDBC
• Data mining, data warehousing, online analytical processing, and information retrieval
• Database system architectures: two-tier (client-server), three-tier, parallel and distributed database architectures
• Performance issues

Textbooks

1. Fundamentals of Database Systems, 5th Edition (older editions may also work), Elmasri Navathe, Addison-Wesley, 2006.

2. Oracle 9i Programming: A Primer, Rajshekhar Sunderraman, 2004.

Workload

There will be approximately four database project assignments. The projects are an important part of the course. Some of them will be SQL-related programming assignments using Oracle. There will also be approximately four home assignments, a midterm, and a final. The final exam will be cumulative.

Grading

The final grade will be based upon the following:

Programming/Project Assignments	30%
Homework Assignments	15%
Midterm	25%
Final	25%
Class Contribution	5%

Late Submission Policy

Penalty for late homework is 10% for each class day after due date. Problems on grading of assignments/exams/projects must be resolved within one week after the graded work is returned/project score is posted. The grades will not be modified after the one week time period.

Absence from Class

You must attend all classes. Absence in five or more classes will lower your final grade.