Princeton University |
Computer Science 425 |
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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 digital library activities. Some of the topics covered are: levels of abstraction and views of data; relational databases, relational algebra and calculus; examples of query languages; storage and indexing structures, query processing, transaction management.
COS 217 and 226.
Meeting time: Mon, Wed, Fri 11:00--11:50 AM
Meeting place: Room 103 CS building
Extra meetings: We may need to make up a class or two that we miss due to my schedule. Therefore, we may have a class during reading period and/or
some evening classes during the semester. Class participants will be consulted
before a make-up class time is chosen.
Professor: Andrea LaPaugh,
304 CS Building, 258-4568,
aslp@cs.princeton.edu,
Office hours Monday 12 - 1pm or by appointment. Please send email
to make an appointment.
Course secretary: Sandra Barbu, 323 CS building, 258-4562, barbu@cs.princeton.edu
Graduate teaching assistant: Jie Chen, 317 CS building, 258-1796,
jennifer@cs.princeton.edu
Office hours 5-6pm Wednesdays or by appointment.
Required text: Raghu Ramakrishnan and Johannes Gehrke, Databse Management Systems, Second Edition, McGraw-Hill, 2000.
Supplemental reading on reserve at Engineering Library
This course will be essentially ``paperless''. All assignments will be posted only on the course Web site. ``Handouts'' and copies of 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 we will grade and hand back.
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.
The course will have the following components weighted as indicated:
There will be 6 problem sets distributed throughout the semester. Most will be written work, although you may be asked to write a few very short programs.
There will be an 90 minute midterm exam. Changed 3/15/00: The midterm exam will be a take-home exam distributed MON 3/27 at the end of class and due Wed 3/29 at the beginning of class.
The final exam will be a 3 hour exam held during finals period.See changes in final exam format on the What's New page.
You will do a final project that asks you to implement database concepts. This project will be done in pairs.