CIS 761. Database Management Systems, Spring 2012
Basics
- Classes are MWF, 2:30-3:20pm, in N019.
- The Captain's log
gives up-to-date information about
what has been covered so far and what is expected to happen
in the near future.
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K-State Online is used
to report grades, and to upload material relevant for the course
(slides, assignments, model solutions, etc.)
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Email: tamtoft hat k-state dot edu
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Office: 219C Nichols
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Office Hours: Tuesdays 2pm-4pm, and by appointment
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Phone: 532-7917
TA: Balaji Rayakota
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Email: balaji87 hat k-state dot edu
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Office: Nichols 16
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Office hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 1pm-2:30pm, and by appointment.
Required Textbook
Database Systems:
The Complete Book, Hector Garcia-Molina &
Jeffrey D. Ullman & Jennifer Widom,
Prentice Hall, 2nd edition.
Prerequisites
You should have a bit of mathematical background,
in particular be familiar with reasoning about sets.
Preferably, you should also have a bit of familiarity with databases.
Expected Outcome
At the conclusion of the course, students should have a good understanding of
many advanced concepts necessary for designing, using, and implementing
database systems.
Topics
A core part of the course will be Chapters 2, 3, 5, 6.
Tentatively, we will also cover selected parts of
Chapters 4, 7&8, 13&14, 15&16, 17&18&19, 22&23.
Grading
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Homework: 30 %
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Exam 1, February 22: 20 %
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Exam 2, April 11: 20 %
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Final Exam, May 8: 30 %
In addition, you can earn up to 5 percent of extra credit for
constructive and interesting comments and questions,
as subjectively judged by me.
Grades are curved, but as a rule of thumb, expect
that it requires
80 % to earn an A,
60 % to earn a B, 40 % to earn a C, and 20 % to earn a D.
In general, my approach to grading is expressed well by
this
piece by S.A. Miller.
Homeworks
There are three kinds of homework exercises.
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There will be frequent (around 20 during the semester) assignments
through the
Gradiance system.
Instructions for using it will be posted on K-State Online.
These exercises contribute approximately half of the total
homework credit.
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There will be around 4 "manual" assignments, to
be handed in on paper:
either to me in class,
or to the homework tray in the CIS office, Nichols 234 (please make
sure to include your name, my name, the course number,
and that they stamp it with not only the date but also
the time of day).
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There will be at least one major design & implementation project.
Assignments that are late
will not be graded,
unless in case of documented medical or family emergencies.
Exams
will be closed book but you can bring up to 4 sheets (double-paged)
of hand-written notes.
The final is comprehensive,
but with emphasis on the last part of the course.
In case you miss an exam due to a documented medical or family
emergency, and a make-up exam is not possible, you'll be assigned
for that exam the average score of your other two exams.
Grievances
If you think that the instructor or the TA has made an oversight
when grading your test or your homework, you are of course
very welcome to ask for clarification. But complaints about
judgment calls, like how much credit to give for a partially
correct solution, are not encouraged---it is like
arguing balls and strikes. In particular this holds
for homeworks (since each assignment carries so little weight
towards the final grade).
Academic Honesty
Kansas State University has an Honor System based on personal
integrity, which is presumed to be sufficient assurance that, in
academic matters, one's work is performed honestly and without
unauthorized assistance. Undergraduate and graduate students, by
registration, acknowledge the jurisdiction of the Honor System. The
policies and procedures of the Honor System apply to all full and
part-time students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate courses
on-campus, off-campus, and via distance learning. The honor system
website can be reached via the following URL:
www.ksu.edu/honor.
A component vital to the Honor System is the inclusion of the Honor
Pledge which applies to all assignments, examinations, or other course
work undertaken by students. The Honor Pledge is implied, whether or
not it is stated: "On my honor, as a student, I have neither given nor
received unauthorized aid on this academic work." A grade of XF can
result from a breach of academic honesty. The F indicates failure in
the course; the X indicates the reason is an Honor Pledge violation.
You are very welcome to discuss the course material, as well as
specific questions, with your fellow students. However, all submitted
answers must be your own work: you are not allowed to show your
answers to anyone else, or look at the answers of any other student;
neither are you allowed to consult previous model solutions that
may be around, or solicit the Internet for solutions to
specific homework problems.
If you are in doubt about what is permissible, please ask me.
Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Any student with a disability who needs a classroom accommodation,
access to technology or other academic assistance in this course
should contact Disability Support Services (dss@k-state.edu) and/or
the instructor. DSS serves students with a wide range of disabilities
including, but not limited to, physical disabilities, sensory
impairments, learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder,
depression, and anxiety.
Expectations for Classroom Conduct
All student activities in the University, including this course, are
governed by the Student Judicial Conduct Code as outlined in the
Student Governing Association By Laws, Article VI, Section 3, number
2. Students who engage in behavior that disrupts the learning
environment may be asked to leave the class.
Acknowledgment and Notice of Copyright
Copyright 2012(Torben Amtoft) as to this syllabus and all lectures. During this course students are prohibited from selling notes to or being paid for taking notes by any person or commercial firm without the express written permission of the professor teaching this course.
Torben Amtoft