BA 4321 - Database Fundamentals

Cross-listed with

AIM 3321 – Managing Financial Data

Syllabus – Fall 2008

Course Goals:
The aim of this course is to introduce the students to the techniques and tools used to design,
implement and maintain the systems used in business for routine data processing, management
reporting, and decision support at various levels within the organization. The course focuses on
database theories, conceptual data modeling techniques, database management, and database
development practice with emphasis on relational database systems. Topics include entity-relationship
data model, data planning, data administration, SQL, relational theories, database development
project, and other database management issues, such as concurrency control, data security, and
integrity. MS ACCESS 2007 database management system software package is used to implement
working database systems.

Text:
Modern Database Management, 8th Edition, by Jeffrey A. Hoffer, Mary Prescott, Fred McFadden,
Prentice Hall, 2006 ISBN-10: 0132212110, ISBN-13: 978-0132212113

Software:
MS Access 2007, available at SOM computer labs (all you need a UTD NetID) or can be purchased at
campus bookstore (as a part of MS Office 2007 Enterprise Edition that is priced at $29 for UTD
students with valid UTD ID).

Lecture Notes:
Lecture notes will be made available online as PowerPoint slides on the class webpage through WebCT.

Instructor Information:
Dr. Kutsal Dogan, Assistant Professor of MIS
Office: SOM 3.415
Phone: (972) 883-4778
E-mail: WebCT Mail
Office hours: Wednesdays 11 AM – 12 Noon, Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:00-5:00 PM, or by
appointment.

TA Information:
Office: TBD
Phone: TBD
E-mail: WebCT Mail

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Class Website and Communications with the Instructor and the TA:
Both access to the course materials and communications with the instructor and the TA will be
possible exclusively through WebCT at http://webct.utdallas.edu. To access WebCT you will need a
UTD NetID. This is the same as your UTD Unix/Email ID and password which you may already have.
Throughout the semester your UTD e-mail may be used by your group members to reach you. You can
access your UTD e-mail and/or forward it to your preferred e-mail account by going to
http://pipeline.utdallas.edu, logging in, and following the appropriate links. If you have any problem
with your UTD account or in connecting to the UTD WebCT server, contact assist@utdallas.edu or call
the student help desk at 972-883-2911.

Laptops in Class:
If you bring a laptop, a PDA, etc. to the class; make sure you are using it properly for our class
purposes. Playing solitaire, chatting online, looking up the latest scores, doing homework for another
class are examples of improper use. If you are not sure whether what you are doing is proper or not,
ask me. All these usually do not bother me personally but they distract the students in class
(especially those behind you) a great deal. See a nice blog entry on this issue at
http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/raskin/12061. Please note that by using your laptop improperly in class,
you relinquish your right to be “offended” in case I warn you publicly in class. /

Assignments and Groups:

There will be 5 (0-4) assignments. Assignment 0 description is given below. The rest of the
assignments (1-4) will be posted on the class website. Each assignment must be submitted at the
beginning of the class period in which it is due. Late submission of homework will be penalized by the
reduction of the grade by 25% for each late day. A penalty of 25% of the assignment value per day
(including weekends) is assessed on late assignments beginning on the day due.

Students are required to do the assignments in groups of 3 or 4. Assignments are very involved and
will demand time, so it is my recommendation that you work in groups. However, inter-group
collaboration is NOT allowed and will be penalized according to the academic honesty guidelines of the
University of Texas at Dallas. Solely the group members should do the work submitted by each group.
It is your responsibility to familiarize yourselves with the academic honesty guidelines of the
University of Texas at Dallas. A brief summary of these guidelines is provided at the end of this
syllabus.
Each group needs to submit only one copy of the assignment (except assignment 0). However, you
should provide the names of all group members on the material turned in. You will NOT be able to add
a new group member once an assignment is turned in.

Forming your Group (Assignment 0)

Form your group as soon as you reasonably can. Each member of the group needs to send an e-mail to
the instructor through WebCT. The e-mail should list the names and phone numbers of all the
members of the group, including the email sender. This will help you have a soft copy of your group
members' contact information in WebCT for later use.

Exams:
There will be 3 exams done individually. Each exam will be in-class, closed-notes and closed-book. The
questions on the exams will be taken from the assigned readings of texts, class lectures and
assignments. Exams may consist of short essay, short answer, problem solving, true/false, multiple-
choice type questions. Some parts of the exam will be machine graded. You will need to bring a
Scantron to each exam, form 882-E (small green form). No other type of Scantron forms will be

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acceptable. No makeup exams will be offered, so plan ahead for the exam dates. I will have the dates
posted on the class WebCT.

Course Grade:
Grades will be calculated according to the following weights (tentative, subject to change):
Individual Weight Total Weight

Assignment 0 1% 1%

Attendance, Class 3% 3%
Participation and Small In-
Class Quizzes

Other 9% 36 %
Assignments

Exams 20 % 60 %

Total 100 %

Based on the total course score (S) you accumulate throughout the semester, letter grades will be
assigned as follows (subject to change):

97 % ≤ S < 100 % A+

93 % ≤ S < 97 % A

90 % ≤ S < 93 % A-

87 % ≤ S < 90 % B+

83 % ≤ S < 87 % B

80 % ≤ S < 83 % B-

77 % ≤ S < 80 % C+

73 % ≤ S < 77 % C

70 % ≤ S < 73 % C-

67 % ≤ S < 70 % D+

63 % ≤ S < 67 % D

60 % ≤ S < 63 % D-

0 % ≤ S < 60 % F

Readings:
For the most part I will follow the textbook. You are advised to read the chapters in advance if you
feel that you cannot keep up with the pace in the class.

Course Outline:
The course outline will be maintained online. It is your duty to visit the class website frequently for
the changes made to the class schedule. However, your instructor will make every effort to inform you
by WebCT e-mail and other means if there are major changes in the outline such as class
cancellations, homework due date changes, etc.

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Working Together:
You may work together when learning how to use computers and applications. WebCT has a message
board and you are encouraged to use the bulletin board for clarification or questions that may be
answered by other students or by the instructor. Each student, however, is expected to complete the
training modules on their own. Copying the computer files of some other student in another group
amounts to scholastic dishonesty (see below) and will be subject to disciplinary actions that could
result in a failing grade or expulsion from the University.

Scholastic Honesty:
We expect UTD students to be academically honest. Because the value of an academic degree depends
upon the absolute integrity of the work done by a student for that degree, it is imperative for
students to maintain a high level of individual honor in his or her scholastic work. Scholastic
dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts or omissions related to applications for
enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the submission as one's own work of material that is not
one's own. As a general rule, scholastic dishonesty involves one of the following acts: cheating,
plagiarism, collusion, and/or falsifying academic records. Students suspected of academic dishonesty
are subject to disciplinary proceedings. Specifically, copying another student's computer files or
buying assignments from a third party is Scholastic Dishonesty. Penalties that may be imposed for
Scholastic Dishonesty include: grade penalties, disciplinary probation, suspension, or expulsion. For more
information on Scholastic Dishonesty see http://www.utdallas.edu/judicialaffairs/UTDJudicialAffairs-
AcademicIntegrity.html

The course outline will be posted as a separate file on WebCT.