The test covers the first part of the course, The Game (relational) & I. Design. We only covered the first part of design theory, though.

Both topics covered in the readings in the textbook and in class are fair game, but with an emphasis on the class lectures. (The lectures and the readings do cover the very same materials.) The readings covered are indicated in the topic list below.

0. Basics and Overview [Ch 1]
   • evolution of database systems
   • what functions database systems provide
1. Data Models (& Schemas) [Ch 2: §1–3]
   1. overview of data models
      1. what is a data model?
      2. the relational model, in brief
      3. the semi-structured model
   2. the relational model
      1. basics
      2. data independence
   3. defining relational schema in SQL
2. conceptual modelling [Ch 4: §1–6 & Ch 7: §1.1 & 1.2]
   1. entity/relationship model
      • entity sets, relationship sets, & attributes
      • multiway relationsips
      • multiplicity in relationships
      • “recursive” relationships and roles
      • subclasses (“isa”)
   2. design principles
      1. fidelity / faithfulness
      2. brevity: avoiding redundancy
      3. simplicity
      4. naturalness
   3. constraints in the E/R model
      • keys!
      • referential integrity
   4. weak entity sets
   5. from E/R diagrams to relational designs
   6. converting subclass structures to relations
      • from entity sets to relations (tables)
      • from E/R relationships to relations
      • combining relations
      • handling weak entity sets
      • using foreign key contraints to enforce referential integrity [Ch 7: §1.1 & 1.2]
3. design theory [Ch 3: §1, §2, §3.1, & §3.3]
   1. keys & functional dependencies
      • keys, superkeys, & functional dependencies (FDs)
      • reasoning about FDs
   2. the normal forms [design theory slidedeck]
      • anomalies
      • what each normal form protects against
      • how to test a relation for a normal form
   3. not covered here:
      • decomposition [Ch 3: §3.2, §3.4 & §4]
      • synthesis [Ch 3: §5]
      (Will be covered before the next test.)

Go through the reading and the examples in the textbook. Consider the problems at the end of each chapter and work some of them. Go through the exercises I have provided.

There will not be as much depth on the test on design theory, since we have not spent much time on it.

The test will be closed-note, closed-book. You may bring a calculator, but I cannot imagine that you would need one.

There will be space on the text packet for writing answers. I will bring extra paper, in case anyone needs it, to attach.

The test will be for the class lecture time, so 75 minutes.