Information about assignments will be accessible through this web page.
Check this web page every weekday,
in case that there are any announcements or changes.
In fact, the first homework is already accessible at
here.
Readings: It is recommended that you read chapters in the above books before the class where they are covered, or at least after the class.
Homeworks: There will be three assignments requiring increasing amounts of programming. There will be one test corresponding to each homework. Some of the test questions will be derived from those homeworks (or will be similar to homework questions).
Exams: There will be two tests, and one final exam. Exams will have theory questions (based on Elmasri's book) and practical (SQL) questions based on the lecture, Sunderraman's book and most importantly on the Homeworks.
| Test 1 | 140 |
| Test 2 | 140 |
| Homeworks 1-3 | 3*40 = 120 |
| Final | 200 |
| Total | 600 |
The following are guaranteed an A:
If you are in the top 30% of the class you are guaranteed an A.
If you have more than 550 points you are guaranteed an A.
However, you have to get an AFS account (ID), if you don't have one. Otherwise you cannot log into into ORACLE. Media Services can be reached at (973) 596-3005.
Go to: http://prophet.njit.edu/isqlplus
The ORACLE Web page will ask you for your AFS ID, password and connection identifier.
You should have received (or will receive) your own password by Web mail in the first week of classes. (If you didn't get the password email then check your email on "oak.njit.edu" AND on Web mail.)
The connection identifier that you are asked for is "course".
Furthermore, you can get extensive explanations of the ORACLE set up by going to:
There, click on the + sign next to Databases and then on ORACLE.
I also expect you to have "extensive" programming experience in either C++
or another high level language, such as Java.
(There will be no C++ programming, though).
My advice is to make a friend in the class and call your friend if you missed a class, to find out if I made any announcements. Class participation is not graded, but highly encouraged.
I ask you to take notes in every class. I do not hand out notes. It has been proven that students taking notes remember the material much better.
You may "talk" about problems with each other. Where does talking end and cheating start? You may NOT copy lines of code from anybody. You may NOT use code in your program where you don't understand WHY it works, even if it works, and you wrote it yourself.
Cheating on exams (or talking to class mates during exams) will result in an F for the whole course.
NOTE: The following table uses Elmasri/Navathe 3rd Edition (the "White Book"). However, you can use the 2nd Edition (the "Blue Book") with no problem. Just note that chapters are numbered in a slightly different way.
| DATE | ASSIGNMENTS | MATERIAL |
| 5-22 | Introduction | |
| S: Chapter 2.1, 2.2 | ||
| 5-24 | E: Ch. 1: Databases and Users | |
| S: Ch. 2.3, 2.4 | ||
| 5-25 | E: Ch. 2: Concepts and Architecture | |
| S. Ch. 2.4 cont., 2.5 ... 2.6 | ||
| 5-31 | TEST 1 and Program 1 DUE | xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx |
| 6-1 | E: Ch. 3: Entity Relationship Model | |
| S: 2.7 - 2.9 | ||
| 6-5 | E: Ch. 5 (partial): File Organizations | |
| S. Ch. 5.1 ... 5.3 | ||
| 6-7 | E: Ch. 6 (partial): Index Structures | |
| S. Ch. 5.4 | ||
| 6-8 | Program 2 DUE | E: Ch. 7 Relational Algebra |
| S: Ch. 5.5 | ||
| 6-12 | TEST 2 | xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx |
| 6-14 | E: Ch. 13 (partial): Object-Relational DBs | |
| S: Ch. 5.7 | ||
| 6-15 | E: Ch. 14: Functional Dependencies | |
| 6-19 | E: Ch. 15 (partial): Relational DB Design | |
| 6-21 | E: Ch. 19: Transaction Processing | |
| 6-22 | Program 3 DUE | E: Ch. 20 (partial): Locking |
| 6-26 | FINAL EXAM | xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx |