Introduction to Databases

Summer, 2016

The course presents an introduction to database management systems (DBMS), with an emphasis on how to use the system for modeling and querying information. The course will focus on 4 main areas:

1. Database design: how can we model the world in terms of data?
2. Data analysis: how can we answer questions about the world in terms of questions on such data?
3. Concurrency and robustness: how does the DBMS allow multiple users to query and modify the same data? What happens when there is a system failure?
4. Efficiency and scalability: how does the DMBS store large amounts of data and process them efficiently?

Resources

These two resources are suggested to support your learning in the course:

• The textbook "A First Course in Database Systems" by Jeffrey D. Ullman and Jennifer Widom, 2008 (3rd Edition), available new and used at the UofT bookstore, and online from the publisher, Chapters, or Amazon. It is also available on two-hour loan at the Engineering Library in the Sandford Fleming Building.

• The online mini-courses by Jennifer Widom at Stanford University.

Course work

After each lecture, you will review the material at home, through readings or videos, and do a weekly homework, worth 10% of your mark. Homework is due at 2:00 PM each Thursday.

In addition, there are three practical assignments. These assignments use the concepts learned in class in a broader context of developing real-life database applications. Together these three assignments are worth 45%.

Grading scheme

• Weekly homework: 10%
• Assignments: 45%
• Midterm test: 10%
• Final exam*: 35%

Calendar