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 (hierarchical, network and relational data models), and the use of SQL and other facilities provided by database management systems.
Minimum total expected workload equals 12 hours per week comprising:
(a.) Contact hours for on-campus students:
(b.) Study schedule for off-campus students:
(c.) Additional requirements (all students):
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). All studio exercises and solutions will be posted to the unit's Moodle site (see below for access details).
Students are encouraged to post their studio solutions to the Moodle discussion forums for feedback.
CSE9002, BUS3112, BUS4112, IMS9001, IMS9003, GCO9804, BUS9003, BUS5071, FIT1004, FIT2010, FIT9012, FIT9019
Dr Shyh Wei Teng
Consultation hours: By appointment
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 the Student Evaluation of Teaching and Units (SETU) survey. 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, see:
www.monash.edu.au/about/monash-directions/ and on student evaluations, see: www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/quality/student-evaluation-policy.html
Based on previous student feedback this unit is well structured and no changes have been made for this semester.
If you wish to view how previous students rated this unit, please go to
https://emuapps.monash.edu.au/unitevaluations/index.jsp
| Week | Activities | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Please register for a studio session (on-campus students only) and familiarise yourself with the Moodle site and podcast | 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 | |
| 7 | Normalisation 2 | Assignment 1a due |
| 8 | Introduction to SQL | |
| 9 | Advanced SQL and middleware | |
| 10 | Implementation | Assignment 1b due |
| 11 | Alternative Modelling Techniques | |
| 12 | Design | Assignment 2 due |
| 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 learning system.
Examination (3 hours): 50%; In-semester assessment: 50%
| Assessment Task | Value | Due Date |
|---|---|---|
| Assignment 1a - Draft Conceptual Database Design | 10% | Week 7 |
| Assignment 1b - Database Design | 30% | Week 10 |
| Assignment 2 - Structured Query Language (SQL) | 10% | Week 12 |
| Examination 1 | 50% | To be advised |
Faculty Policy - Unit Assessment Hurdles (http://intranet.monash.edu.au/infotech/resources/staff/edgov/policies/assessment-examinations/assessment-hurdles.html)
Academic Integrity - Please see resources and tutorials at http://www.monash.edu/library/skills/resources/tutorials/academic-integrity/
Each SQL command will be assessed as to whether the output of the command achieves the task required or answers the business question asked.
Monash Library Unit Reading List (if applicable to the unit)
http://readinglists.lib.monash.edu/index.html
Faculty of Information Technology Style Guide
Examination/other end-of-semester assessment feedback may take the form of feedback classes, provision of sample answers or other group feedback after official results have been published. Please check with your lecturer on the feedback provided and take advantage of this prior to requesting individual consultations with staff. If your unit has an examination, you may request to view your examination script booklet, see http://intranet.monash.edu.au/infotech/resources/students/procedures/request-to-view-exam-scripts.html
Types of feedback you can expect to receive in this unit are:
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.monash.edu.au/exams/special-consideration.html
Assignments may not be resubmitted.
The nature of the assignment work in this unit means that there will be little need for citation and referencing. However, any material that is submitted as part of your assignment submission that is not your own must be cited appropriately.
See the Library website for information on citation technique: http://guides.lib.monash.edu/content.php?pid=88267&sid=656564
It is a University requirement (http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/conduct/student-academic-integrity-managing-plagiarism-collusion-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). Please note that it is your responsibility to retain copies of your assessments.
Except for off-campus students, all students should submit assignments in hard copy as directed in the assignment specifications distributed in class. Off-campus students should follow the directions for online submission also contained in the assignment specifications.
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.
You will need a software drawing package such as Microsoft Visio (Windows), a copy of which can be obtained from the Faculty's IT service desk. Equivalent software is also acceptable.
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). Software for Macintosh computers can be obtained and has been used successfully by students in the past, but no direct support for this software will be provided by teaching staff.
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). This software is compatible with both Windows and Macintosh computers.
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 (or other word processing software which is freely available). These are available for use in the University computer labs.
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 Edition) Morgan Kaufmann Publishers.
Rob, P. & Coronel, C. (2007). Database Systems Design, Implementation and Management. (7th Edition) Thomson Course Technology.
Hoffer, J.A., Prescott, M.B. & McFadden, F.R. (2005). Modern Database Management. (6th Edition) Prentice-Hall/Pearson Education.
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: www.policy.monash.edu.au/policy-bank/academic/education/index.html
Key educational policies include:
Important student resources including Faculty policies are located at http://intranet.monash.edu.au/infotech/resources/students/
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 http://www.monash.edu.au/students. For Malaysia 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, resources and programs that enable you to save time and be more effective in your learning and research. Go to www.lib.monash.edu.au or the library tab in my.monash portal for more information. At Malaysia, visit the Library and Learning Commons at http://www.lib.monash.edu.my/. At South Africa visit http://www.lib.monash.ac.za/.