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Course Summary
The objective of this course is to study both the theoretical and practical
aspects of database systems. We will also study the application of database
concepts to web and information retrieval activities. Some of the topics
covered are: levels of abstraction of data; relational databases, relational
algebra and calculus; examples of query languages; storage and indexing
structures; query processing; transaction management.
Prerequisites
COS 217 and 226.
Administrative Information
Meeting time: Mon., Wed., 1:30-2:50
Meeting place: Room 105 CS building
Extra meetings: We may need to make up a class or two that we
miss due to my schedule. Any make-up class will be scheduled during reading
period and/or in the evening during the semester. Class participants will
be consulted before any make-up class time is chosen.
Professor: Andrea
LaPaugh, 304 CS Building, 258-4568,
aslp@cs.princeton.edu,
Office hours Monday 3pm - 4:30pm in my CS Building Office
or by appointment. Please send email to make an appointment.
Graduate Teaching Assistant:
Sumeet Sobti, 103c CS Building, 258-0419,
sobti@cs.princeton.edu,
Office hours Monday 10:00am-11:00am, Thursday 11:00am-12:00pm
Course secretary: Mitra Kelly, 323 CS building, 258-4562,
mkelly@cs.princeton.edu
Reading
Required text: Raghu Ramakrishnan and Johannes Gehrke,
Database
Management Systems, Third Edition, McGraw-Hill, 2003.
Supplemental reading on reserve at Engineering Library
-
Abraham Silberschatz, Henry Korth, and S. Sudarshan,
Database System
Concepts, Fourth Edition, McGraw-Hill, 2002.
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Ramez Elmasri and Shamkant Navathe, Fundamentals of Database Systems,
Fourth Edition, Addison-Wesley, 2004.
Communication
This course will be essentially ``paperless''. All assignments will be
posted only on the course Web site. ``Handouts'' and copies of any
transparencies used in class will be posted on the course Web site as well.
Important announcements on all aspects of the course will be made on the
"What's
new" page.
Students are responsible for monitoring the postings
under "What's new". Schedule changes will be made on the on-line
schedule
page. and announced under "What's new". The only paper we will exchange
is your solutions to the problem sets, which will be graded and handed
back, the exam questions and your responses, and your project reports.
You are encouraged to use electronic mail to set up appointments, leave
messages, and ask quick questions (like "What was that reference you gave
today in class?" or "I've been at McCosh Infirmary all week; can I have
an extension on my assignment?") However, an old fashioned face-to-face
meeting is still best for clarifying confusions and other technical discussions.
Work of the Course
The course will have the following components weighted as indicated:
-
Problem sets 20%
-
Midterm Exam 20%
-
Final Exam 20%
-
Design Project 30%
-
Class Participation 10%
Problem sets
There will be 7 problem sets distributed throughout the semester. Most
will be written work, although you may be asked to write a few short programs.
Exams
There will be two take-home exams, each of equal weight. The first exam
will be during week 8 of the semester and the second during final
exams period. Please note that while the second exam occurs during final
exams period, it is not a cumulative exam; each exam covers the material
of roughly one half of the semester. See the schedule
page for scheduling details.
Project
You will do a final project of your own design that address issues of database
design or use. This project may be done in pairs.
A.S. LaPaugh Thu Sep 9 15:43:43 EDT 2004
