Overview
Data is everywhere! It stands to reason that there must be smart
ways of storing and retrieving it efficiently. We'll spend time
looking at how database sytems are built, how to use them, and
fundamental principles behind management of data. The most amazing
thing about this class is that it uses ideas involving computer
hardware, data structures, algorithms, database theory, new languages,
and more. If it makes sense to talk about a course as being
"interdisciplinary within computer science," this is the one.
Instructor Information
- Instructor: Dave Musicant
- Office: CMC 326
- E-mail:
dmusican
- Office phone: (507)222-4369
- Office hours:
check my web page
- Grader: David Tillery (tillerda)
Textbook
- Database System Concepts (5th ed), Silberschatz, Korth, and
Sudarshan, McGraw-Hill, 2005. Note that the 6th edition just
came out, but we won't be using it. It wasn't due to be released
until the end of January 2010, and so there wasn't time for the
bookstore to have it on hand. This works to your advantage: the
5th edition is probably available used for bargain prices,
somewhere...
Your Grade
- Assignments: 40%
- Exam 1: 20%
- Exam 2: 20%
- Exam 3: 20%
Homework Policy
- The assignments will be a mix of programming in Python, programming in SQL, and some non-programming analysis assignments.
- Each assignment will have a specific time for which
it will be due. An assignment turned in late within one day of the
due time will be docked 25%. A program turned in later than one day
of the due date but within two days will be docked 50%. A programming
assignment turned in any time after this until the last day of classes
will be docked 75%. Non-programming assignments can not be turned in
any later than two days following the due date since we may be
discussing answers in class.
Working Together
- Each programming assignment will either be a "team"
problem assignment or an "individual" assignment. You are most welcome
to pick your own partner, or I will find a partner for you if you
like. I might mandate a partner change partway through the term for
everyone.
- When working on team problems, you and your partner
should engage in the
pair programming model, that is both of you should be sitting
at a single machine, side by side. One of you is "driving,"
i.e. actually using the keyboard and mouse. The other is
actively engaged following along, stopping bugs, and providing
ideas. You should make sure that over the course of an assignment that
you spend roughly the same amount of time each "driving." I will also
ask you to turn in a form rating the work that your partner does.
- If you are determined to work alone on the team
assignments, that's fine. I will expect, however, that you do work of
the same amount and quality as those students with partners. You can
change whether or not you work alone each "cycle" that I assign new
partners.
- I will also be assigning analysis work. On these and
on the "individual" programming problems you may collaborate with
others in the class for ideas, but all students should turn in
individual assignments for these. You should be writing up or
programming your own solutions, and not sharing printouts with each
other. You may help each other debug.
Collaboration, Plagiarism, and the Difference Between the Two
There are two different kinds of working together: collaborating
and plagiarism.
Collaborating
- Collaborating is good.
- You are encouraged to collaborate on ideas and program design.
- Programming is often a social effort, and there is much you can learn
by talking out the ideas in this class with each other.
- You can by all means talk to each other, look at each others' programs
to help fix problems, and share ideas.
Plagiarism
- Plagiarism is bad. DON'T DO IT!
- Any programs that you turn in should be your work.
- Even if you work with someone else and share ideas, you must still
writ your own program.
- If a piece of your program utilizes someone else's idea, you must
make sure to give that person credit in program comments.
- Do not hand a printout of your program to other students. I
encourage you to work together to help debug your code, but you
should do so sitting together.
The following are examples of plagiarism:
- Taking someone else's program, changing comments and variable names,
putting your name at the top, and turning it in.
- Finding a similar program on the Internet, changing the variables
and comments around, putting your name at the top, and turning it in.
- Finding a similar program in a book, changing the variables and comments
around, putting your name at the top, and turning it in.
I am compelled by Carleton policy to notify the College if I find
evidence of plagiarism.