David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science

University of Waterloo

CS 348 - Introduction to Database Management

Winter 2013 Course Outline


Lectures

Comp Sec Camp Loc Time Days/Date Bldg Room Instructor
LEC 001 UW U 04:00-05:20 TTh MC 1056 Ashraf Aboulnaga

Online Discussion Forum (Piazza)


Course Personnel and Office Hours

Name Email Office Hours
Ashraf Aboulnaga (Instructor) ashraf@uwaterloo.ca
(Include CS348 in subject line)
Please use Piazza for general questions and comments.
It is possible to post messages that are private for the course staff.
Tuesdays 1:30 - 2:30 pm in DC 3349
Chang Ge (TA) Please use Piazza for general questions and comments.
It is possible to post messages that are private for the course staff.
Wednesdays 9:30 - 10:30 am in DC 3511
Taras Kinash (TA) Please use Piazza for general questions and comments.
It is possible to post messages that are private for the course staff.
Thursdays 11:00 am - 12:00 pm in DC 3509

Grading Scheme

First, component grades will be determined as follows:

ComponentDescription
A1, A2, A3, A4Your grades on assignments 1-4, expressed as percentages
MYour midterm exam grade, expressed as a percentage
FYour final exam grade, expressed as a percentage

Then, we will apply the following algorithm to determine your final course grade:

Normal  = (0.12*A1 + 0.08*A2 + 0.10*A3 + 0.10*A4) + 0.20*M + 0.40*F 
Exam    = (0.20*M + 0.40*F ) / 0.60

if ( Exam < 50% ) {
    Course Grade = min (Normal, Exam)
} else {
    Course Grade = Normal
}
Note in particular that you must pass the exams in order to pass the course.

Course Description

Course Objectives

The main objective of this course is to introduce students to fundamentals of database technology by studying databases from three viewpoints: those of the database user, the database designer, and the database administrator. It teaches the use of a database management system (DBMS) by treating it as a black box, focusing only on its functionality and its interfaces.

Course Overview

Required Textbook

Database Management Systems, 3rd edition. Raghu Ramakrishnan and Johannes Gehrke. McGraw Hill, 2000.

Required Course Notes

You are required to print the course notes and to bring them with you to class. Class attendance is required.

Assignment Policies


University Policies on Academic Integrity

Academic Integrity: In order to maintain a culture of academic integrity, members of the University of Waterloo community are expected to promote honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility. All members of the UW community are expected to hold to the highest standard of academic integrity in their studies, teaching, and research. The Office of Academic Integrity's website (http://www.uwaterloo.ca/academicintegrity) contains detailed information on UW policy for students and faculty. This site explains why academic integrity is important and how students can avoid academic misconduct. It also identifies resources available on campus for students and faculty to help achieve academic integrity in – and out – of the classroom.

Grievance: A student who believes that a decision affecting some aspect of his/her university life has been unfair or unreasonable may have grounds for initiating a grievance. Read Policy 70 - Student Petitions and Grievances, Section 4, http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/Policies/policy70.htm

Discipline: A student is expected to know what constitutes academic integrity, to avoid committing academic offenses, and to take responsibility for his/her actions. A student who is unsure whether an action constitutes an offense, or who needs help in learning how to avoid offenses (e.g., plagiarism, cheating) or about rules for group work/collaboration should seek guidance from the course professor, academic advisor, or the Undergraduate Associate Dean. When misconduct has been found to have occurred, disciplinary penalties will be imposed under Policy - Student Discipline. For information on categories of offenses and types of penalties, students should refer to Policy 71 - Student Discipline, http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/Policies/policy71.htm

Avoiding Academic Offenses:  Most students are unaware of the line between acceptable and unacceptable academic behaviour, especially when discussing assignments with classmates and using the work of other students. For information on commonly misunderstood academic offenses and how to avoid them, students should refer to the Faculty of Mathematics Cheating and Student Academic Discipline Policy, http://www.math.uwaterloo.ca/navigation/Current/cheating_policy.shtml

Appeals: A student may appeal the finding and/or penalty in a decision made under Policy 70 - Student Petitions and Grievances (other than regarding a petition) or Policy 71 - Student Discipline if a ground for an appeal can be established. Read Policy 72 - Student Appeals, http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/Policies/policy72.htm


Note for Students with Disabilities

The Office for Persons with Disabilities (OPD), located in Needles Hall, Room 1132, collaborates with all academic departments to arrange appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities without compromising the academic integrity of the curriculum. If you require academic accommodations to lessen the impact of your disability, please register with the OPD at the beginning of each academic term.