This unit is designed to introduce students to the fundamental concepts necessary for the analysis, design, use and implementation of business information systems using relational database management systems. The main topics covered include requirements elicitation, systems analysis and design informed by a lifecycle based methodology, motivation for the database approach to managing information, conceptual modelling, coverage of logical process and data models, and the use of SQL and other facilities provided by database management systems.
2 hrs lectures/wk, 2 hrs laboratories/wk
Off-campus students should plan to spend a total of 12 hours per week during semester on this unit as part of their workload, and should seek advice from the lecturer when needed.
Off-campus students will not be expected to attend lectures or studio sessions, but lectures will be recorded and made available via both a unit Podcast (available through Moodle and at http://podcast.infotech.monash.edu.au/fit9003) as well as the Library's Monash University Lectures Online (MULO) service. All studio exercises and solutions will be posted to the unit's Moodle site (see below for access details), and some of the studio sessions themselves will be recorded and made available through the podcast.
Students are encouraged to post their studio solutions to the Moodle discussion forums for feedback.
FIT1004, FIT9003, CSE9002, BUS3112, BUS4112, IMS9001, IMS9003, GCO9804, BUS9003, BUS5071, GCO3851
This unit is not available to any student enrolled in an FIT degree
Completion of 24 points at level 2
None provided
Shyh Wei Teng
Consultation hours: via email and discussion forum
Shyh Wei Teng
Consultation hours: via email and discussion forum
Examination (3 hours): 70%; In-semester assessment: 30%
| Assessment Task | Value | Due Date |
|---|---|---|
| Assignment 1a - Draft Conceptual Database Design | 5% | Sunday, end of Week 6, 11.59pm |
| Assignment 1b - Database Design | 20% | Sunday, end of Week 10, 11.59pm |
| Assignment 2 - Structured Query Language (SQL) | 5% | Friday, Week 12, 11.59pm |
| Examination 1 | 70% | To be advised |
Monash is committed to excellence in education and regularly seeks feedback from students, employers and staff. One of the key formal ways students have to provide feedback is through SETU, Student Evaluation of Teacher and Unit. The University's student evaluation policy requires that every unit is evaluated each year. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the surveys. The feedback is anonymous and provides the Faculty with evidence of aspects that students are satisfied and areas for improvement.
For more information on Monash's educational strategy, and on student evaluations, see:
http://www.monash.edu.au/about/monash-directions/directions.html
http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/quality/student-evaluation-policy.html
If you wish to view how previous students rated this unit, please go to
https://emuapps.monash.edu.au/unitevaluations/index.jsp
Please check with your lecturer before purchasing any Required Resources. Limited copies of prescribed texts are available for you to borrow in the library, and prescribed software is available in student labs.
A software drawing package such as Microsoft Visio (Windows); a copy of which can be obtained from the Faculty's IT service desk. You will need access to a computer running Windows to install a copy of Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio Express Edition (version 2005 or later, also available from the Faculty's IT service desk).
For work on the SQL tutorials and Assignment 2 from off-campus, you will need to install the Monash VPN software (details on the Moodle site).
To watch the podcasts you will need podcast software such as iTunes to download and play episodes. Alternatively, episodes can be manually downloaded with a web browser and watched using either iTunes or other video software such as VLC freely available from:http://www.videolan.org/
Information about how to obtain the relevant database software from Microsoft to allow connection to Monash's database server will also be provided via Moodle. You will need to install the Microsoft VPN software if you want to access the database server from off-campus (again, instructions will be provided on Moodle).
You will also need a web browser and Microsoft Word.
These are available for use in the University computer labs.
Weekly readings will be set from the following text throughout the semester:
Limited copies of prescribed texts are available for you to borrow in the library.
Simsion, G.C. & Witt, G.C.. (2005). Data Modelling Essentials. (3rd) Morgan Kaufmann Publishers.
Information on the exam will be available on the unit website.
| Week | Activities | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | No formal assessment or activities are undertaken in week 0 | |
| 1 | Introduction to Systems and Databases | |
| 2 | ER Modelling Basics | |
| 3 | Conceptual, logical and physical models | |
| 4 | Advanced modelling techniques and the data dictionary | |
| 5 | The Consulting Process | |
| 6 | Normalisation 1 | Assignment 1a due Sunday, end of Week 6, 11.59pm |
| 7 | Normalisation 2 | |
| 8 | Introduction to SQL | |
| 9 | Advanced SQL and middleware | |
| 10 | Implementation | Assignment 1b due Sunday, end of Week 10, 11.59pm |
| 11 | Alternative Modelling Techniques | |
| 12 | Design | Assignment 2 due Friday, Week 12, 11.59pm |
| SWOT VAC | No formal assessment is undertaken in SWOT VAC | |
| Examination period | LINK to Assessment Policy: http://policy.monash.edu.au/policy-bank/ academic/education/assessment/ assessment-in-coursework-policy.html |
*Unit Schedule details will be maintained and communicated to you via your MUSO (Blackboard or Moodle) learning system.
Faculty Policy - Unit Assessment Hurdles (http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/staff/edgov/policies/assessment-examinations/unit-assessment-hurdles.html)
Academic Integrity - Please see the Demystifying Citing and Referencing tutorial at http://lib.monash.edu/tutorials/citing/
Each SQL command will be assessed as to whether the output of the command achieves the task required or answers the business question asked.
It is a University requirement (http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/conduct/plagiarism-procedures.html) for students to submit an assignment coversheet for each assessment item. Faculty Assignment coversheets can be found at http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/student/forms/. Please check with your Lecturer on the submission method for your assignment coversheet (e.g. attach a file to the online assignment submission, hand-in a hard copy, or use an online quiz).
Submission must be made by the due date otherwise penalties will be enforced.
You must negotiate any extensions formally with your campus unit leader via the in-semester special consideration process: http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/student/equity/special-consideration.html.
Monash has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University's academic standards, and to provide advice on how they might uphold them.
You can find Monash's Education Policies at:
http://policy.monash.edu.au/policy-bank/academic/education/index.html
Key educational policies include:
The University provides many different kinds of support services for you. Contact your tutor if you need advice and see the range of services available at www.monash.edu.au/students. For Sunway see http://www.monash.edu.my/Student-services, and for South Africa see http://www.monash.ac.za/current/
The Monash University Library provides a range of services and resources that enable you to save time and be more effective in your learning and research. Go to http://www.lib.monash.edu.au or the library tab in my.monash portal for more information. At Sunway, visit the Library and Learning Commons at http://www.lib.monash.edu.my/. At South Africa visit http://www.lib.monash.ac.za/.
Academic support services may be available for students who have a disability or medical condition. Registration with the Disability Liaison Unit is required. Further information is available as follows: