Course Syllabus
Required Texts
MyEducator – Essentials of SQL ($ 35; textbook provided in Canvas; use Chrome to access it)
TopHat – Database ($ 49 + tax; join via Canvas. If you have difficulty accessing the textbook, click this link for FAQ and troubleshooting help!)
Required Software
The course requires you to create professional-quality visual diagrams. To facilitate this, you will use LucidChart: Full access to the software is available for free when you log in with your OU email.
Students will have to access SQL Server using Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio. More information will be given in class.
Course Website
Available through http://canvas.ou.edu.
Course Prerequisite
MIS 2113; majors only or by special permission.
Course Description
As organizations depend on data for their decisions, understanding database management is crucial. This course covers the structure, flow, and use of business data with an emphasis on data integrity. It covers conceptual data modeling, normalization, structured query language (SQL), physical database design and implementation, and data warehousing concepts. A team project with phased deliverables serves as the focal point.
What does that mean?
You generate, with your smartphone, tablet or computer, approximately 1.7 MB of data every second (Forbes, 2021). Assuming you sleep for 8 hours/night and don’t generate data while asleep (big assumptions!), that’s 85.68 GB of data that you generate—just you!—every day.
If everyone is generating data on this scale—taking pictures, tweeting (or whatever verb you use when posting on X), shopping online and editing TikTok videos—humans have a very interesting problem: How do we store all this data, and what do we use it for?
In this course, we will explore the problem of data storage and retrieval, starting with the traditional business uses and methods for data storage and retrieval. After we’ve used a traditional database and learned SQL so we can talk to it, we’ll jump into designing one, then building what we designed. In the last module, we’ll explore some of the new strategies for storing data that have developed in recent years—data warehouses, data lakes, blockchain and NoSQL—focusing on the ones that have been developed to handle unstructured data (like photos and videos) and semi-structured data (like social media posts).
Course Questions/Goals
OR, what you can expect to learn from this course!
How and why do we store data?
Module 1: how do we retrieve data? What are the two main methods for turning data into information? How do we use SQL slang to make retrieving data and transforming it into information easier?
Module 2: how do we visualize data? How do we use the seven principles of database design to enforce data integrity?
Module 3: how do the seven principles of database design relate to normalization? Why do we use normalized databases? How do we use SQL slang to build a database and store data in it?
Module 4: why do we use non-SQL databases? How can we apply our prior Python knowledge to store data using MongoDB? How does blockchain work, and when should we use it?
About Me
I have too many hobbies, and I am a giant nerd about all of them. My top few are: reading (mainly mystery/science fiction/non-fiction of all varieties), baking gluten-free goodies, collecting fountain pens, knitting, spinning, jogging, playing collectible card games and playing video games. I’m married to Professor Jonathan Kern (Dr. Debit) of the Accounting division, and we have (objectively) the world’s cutest cat. When not on campus, I am probably playing a card game, video game or with my cat.
Expectations
SQL is a language, and like any language, you need to use it regularly. You will need to review and practice outside of class! I recommend working with the SQL syntax and concepts we are covering for an hour a day, rather than trying to cram all your studying into one or two days a week. In the same way that spending 8 hours once a month at the gym isn't as effective as working out for an hour every day, regular practice with SQL will build your muscles more than an irregular marathon session.
Learning Activities, Assignments, and Assessments
Research shows that exposure to new vocabulary can improve the rate at which students learn the concepts that use the vocabulary, so you will complete the reading and reading quizzes before class.
I will demonstrate concepts using a handout that you can follow along with and add your own notes to. We will work through participation exercises in class to introduce you to working with the concepts. You will have homework that is a more challenging version of the in-class exercises so that you can grapple with the concepts and learn them deeply.
At the end of each module, you will write a reflection on the topics we have covered, what you find most interesting, and a question that you still have relating to the covered material. These are not graded on grammar or fancy vocabulary; instead, I am interested in your thoughts about the class, your questions and what you find interesting.
Three exams (two midterms and a final) will help you demonstrate that you know SQL and are familiar with database design, so that you have the necessary skills to succeed in your chosen career..
Assigning Grades
|
Assessment |
% |
|
Exams |
60% |
|
Homework |
20% |
|
Reflections |
10% |
|
Quizzes |
5% |
|
Participation |
5% |
Your grade in the class will reflect your scores on the assignments. Therefore, I do not curve and you will be able to accurately calculate your grade using the grade scale below.
|
Grade |
Range |
|---|---|
|
A |
> 89.5% |
|
B |
Between 79.5% and 89.5% |
|
C |
Between 69.5% and 79.5% |
|
D |
Between 59.5% and 69.5% |
|
F |
< 59.5% |
If you wish to appeal a score, please submit an appeal in writing within 48 hours of receiving the graded work. It is important to understand that your score may go up or down based upon a complete review of the work in question. I encourage you to come and talk to me if you feel that your grade on an exam or assignment does not reflect your knowledge.
Tentative Schedule (Subject to Change)
Assignment due dates are visible in Canvas. Each assignment that we will cover in the module, including a reading schedule, is posted within the module. Each module is approximately 4 weeks long.
|
Week |
Topics |
Reading |
Assignments |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Course Overview Intro to Databases SELECT, FROM and WHERE |
Top Hat Ch 1 MyEducator Ch 1 MyEducator Ch 2 |
Ch 2 Quiz: Databases and Tables Ch 3 Quiz: Single-Table SELECT |
|
2 |
Buckets of Data, Counting and Math SELECT FROM Multiple Tables |
MyEducator Ch 3 MyEducator Ch 4 Top Hat Ch 4 part 1 |
Ch 4 Quiz: Multiple-Table SELECT Homework 1 |
|
3 |
Stacked and Self-referencing Queries
|
Top Hat Ch 4 part 2 MyEducator Ch 5 |
|
|
4 |
Game Show Review Day Exam 1 |
|
Homework 2 Reflection 1 |
|
5 |
Treasure Maps for Data |
|
Ch 5 Quiz: Introduction to Data Modeling |
|
6 |
Fancier Treasure Maps |
|
Ch 6 Quiz: Enhanced ERD Homework 3 |
|
7 |
The Circle of Life |
|
Ch 7 Quiz: Business Cycles |
|
8 |
The Circle of Life Pt 2 |
|
Homework 4 Reflection 2 |
|
9 |
Exam 2 Building Lumiere a Home: Logical and Conceptual Design |
|
Ch 8 Quiz: Logical Design and Normalization |
|
10 |
Building Lumiere a Home: Physical Design and Implementation |
|
Ch 9 Quiz: Physical Design Homework 5 |
|
11 |
Data Warehouses Data Lakes |
|
Reflection 3
|
|
12 |
MongoDB (NoSQL) |
|
Homework 6 |
|
13 |
MongoDB (NoSQL) |
|
Homework 7 |
|
14 |
Blockchain Bitcoin |
|
|
|
15 |
Blockchain Bitcoin Thanksgiving! |
|
|
|
16 |
Dead Week! Game Show Review Week |
|
Reflection 4 |
|
17 |
Final Exam! |
|
|
Course Policies:
Academic Integrity and Plagiarism
I am committed to your success in learning. To help you prepare for exams, I expect that you will complete the work on this course on your own. If you have questions or are struggling with an assignment and need help, please come and talk with me. If I suspect academic misconduct, I reserve the right to report to the Office of Academic Integrity Programs.
Generative AI Policy
ChatGPT and other generative AIs can speed up the process of learning code (including SQL!) enormously. I encourage using a prompt such as the one below to set up a conversation that will help you find the source of errors and guide you toward correct syntax:
- I'm an undergraduate third year student preparing code for an assignment. I'd like you to help me as a tutor by reviewing this code. Where there is an error, I’d like you to give me feedback by asking me questions, but not telling me the answer.
Generative AI is prone to hallucination, where it will make up a citation, a fact, or an entire historical figure and then continue to use the hallucination in the conversation even if told it is not real. Due to this “feature”, it is very important for anyone who works with generative AI to learn how to fact-check it. You will be held responsible for anything produced by generative AI that you use in your work.
Late Work Policy
Late work is not accepted, except where allowed by university policy, such as religious accommodations, university sponsored events, or accommodation through ADRC, with advance notice wherever possible. If you have a university-mandated exception, please reach out at least 24 hours in advance. In the case of an emergency, such as illness, death in the family, etc., I may grant an exception if notified in a timely manner. It is always possible to submit homework and quizzes early. Please contact me as soon as possible if you will miss an exam due to a conflict and I will arrange for you to take it early.
Attendance Policy
We will walk through and submit handouts and participation exercises every class. These are valuable practice--similar to taking a weight-lifting class so that you can learn the proper form for exercises, except instead of avoiding a strained muscle, you'll avoid angry red SQL errors. Attending classes will set you up for success, both in the rest of the course and in learning valuable skills for the rest of your career. And there might be candy. I encourage you to attend every class, and reach out if you ever have to miss a class to walk through what you missed.
Technology
A laptop is required. Note that some course websites may work differently on Mac than PC, and I will not be able to help with troubleshooting if you are using a Mac. Laptops are available to borrow from the Price College of Business if you need one during class, and homework can be completed in the computer labs.
University Policies
The University of Oklahoma provides many services to support you while you are attending. I encourage you to take advantage of any resources you may need.
Mental Health Support Services
Support is available for any student experiencing mental health issues that are impacting their academic success. Students can either been seen at the University Counseling Center (UCC) located on the second floor of Goddard Health Center or receive 24/7/365 crisis support from a licensed mental health provider through TELUS Health. To schedule an appointment or receive more information about mental health resources at OU please call the UCC at 405-325-2911 or visit University Counseling Center. The UCC is located at 620 Elm Ave., Room 201, Norman, OK 73019.
Title IX Resources and Reporting Requirement
The University of Oklahoma faculty are committed to creating a safe learning environment for all members of our community, free from gender and sex-based discrimination, including sexual harassment, domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, in accordance with Title IX. There are resources available to those impacted, including: speaking with someone confidentially about your options, medical attention, counseling, reporting, academic support, and safety plans. If you have (or someone you know has) experienced any form of sex or gender-based discrimination or violence and wish to speak with someone confidentially, please contact OU Advocates (available 24/7 at 405-615-0013) or University Counseling Center (M-F 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 405-325-2911)
Because the University of Oklahoma is committed to the safety of you and other students, and because of our Title IX obligations, I, as well as other faculty, Graduate Assistants, and Teaching Assistants, are mandatory reporters. This means that we are obligated to report gender-based violence that has been disclosed to us to the Institutional Equity Office. This means that we are obligated to report gender-based violence that has been disclosed to us to the Institutional Equity Office. This includes disclosures that occur in: class discussion, writing assignments, discussion boards, emails and during Student/Office Hours. You may also choose to report directly to the Institutional Equity Office. After a report is filed, the Title IX Coordinator will reach out to provide resources, support, and information and the reported information will remain private. For more information regarding the University’s Title IX Grievance procedures, reporting, or support measures, please visit Institutional Equity Office at 405-325-3546.
Reasonable Accommodation Policy
The University of Oklahoma (OU) is committed to the goal of achieving equal educational opportunity and full educational participation for students with disabilities. If you have already established reasonable accommodations with the Accessibility and Disability Resource Center (ADRC), please submit your semester accommodation request through the ADRC as soon as possible and contact me privately, so that we have adequate time to arrange your approved academic accommodations.
If you have not yet established services through ADRC, but have a documented disability and require accommodations, please complete ADRC’s pre-registration form to begin the registration process. ADRC facilitates the interactive process that establishes reasonable accommodations for students at OU. For more information on ADRC registration procedures, please review their Register with the ADRC web page. You may also contact them at (405)325-3852 or adrc@ou.edu, or visit www.ou.edu/adrc for more information.
Note: disabilities may include, but are not limited to, mental health, chronic health, physical, vision, hearing, learning and attention disabilities, pregnancy-related. ADRC can also support students experiencing temporary medical conditions.
Religious Observance
It is the policy of the University to excuse the absences of students that result from religious observances and to reschedule examinations and additional required classwork that may fall on religious holidays, without penalty.
Adjustments for Pregnancy/Childbirth Related Issues
Should you need modifications or adjustments to your course requirements because of documented pregnancy-related or childbirth-related issues, please contact the Accessibility and Disability Resource Center at 405/325-3852 and/or the Institutional Equity Office at 405/325-3546 as soon as possible. Also, see the Institutional Equity Office FAQ on Pregnant and Parenting Students’ Rights for answers to commonly asked questions.
Final Exam Preparation Period
Pre-finals week will be defined as the seven calendar days before the first day of finals. Faculty may cover new course material throughout this week. For specific provisions of the policy please refer to OU’s Final Exam Preparation Period policy.
Emergency Protocol
During an emergency, there are official university procedures that will maximize your safety.
Severe Weather: If you receive an OU Alert to seek refuge or hear a tornado siren that signals severe weather.
- Look for severe weather refuge location maps located inside most OU buildings near the entrances.
- Seek refuge inside a building. Do not leave one building to seek shelter in another building that you deem safer. If outside, get into the nearest building.
- Go to the building’s severe weather refuge location. If you do not know where that is, go to the lowest level possible and seek refuge in an innermost room. Avoid outside doors and windows.
- Get in, Get Down, Cover Up
- Wait for official notice to resume normal activities.
Additional Weather Safety Information is available through the Department of Campus Safety.
The University of Oklahoma Active Threat Guidance
The University of Oklahoma embraces a Run, Hide, Fight strategy for active threats on campus. This strategy is well known, widely accepted, and proven to save lives. To receive emergency campus alerts, be sure to update your contact information and preferences in the account settings section at one.ou.edu.
RUN: Running away from the threat is usually the best option. If it is safe to run, run as far away from the threat as possible. Call 911 when you are in a safe location and let them know from which OU campus you’re calling from and location of active threat.
HIDE: If running is not practical, the next best option is to hide. Lock and barricade all doors; turn of all lights; turn down your phone’s volume; search for improvised weapons; hide behind solid objects and walls; and hide yourself completely and stay quiet. Remain in place until law enforcement arrives. Be patient and remain hidden.
FIGHT: If you are unable to run or hide, the last best option is to fight. Have one or more improvised weapons with you and be prepared to attack. Attack them when they are least expecting it and hit them where it hurts most: the face (specifically eyes, nose, and ears), the throat, the diaphragm (solar plexus), and the groin.
Please save OUPD’s contact information in your phone.
NORMAN campus: For non-emergencies call (405) 325-1717. For emergencies call (405) 325-1911 or dial 911.
TULSA campus: For non-emergencies call (918) 660-3900. For emergencies call (918) 660-3333 or dial 911.
Fire Alarm/General Emergency
If you receive an OU Alert that there is danger inside or near the building, or the fire alarm inside the building activates:
- LEAVE the building. Do not use the elevators.
- KNOW at least two building exits
- ASSIST those that may need help
- PROCEED to the emergency assembly area
- ONCE safely outside, NOTIFY first responders of anyone that may still be inside building due to mobility issues.
- WAIT for official notice before attempting to re-enter the building.
Office of Access and Opportunity’s Belonging Statement
Why You Belong at the University of Oklahoma: The University of Oklahoma fosters an inclusive culture of respect and civility, belonging, and access, which are essential to our collective pursuit of excellence and our determination to change lives. The unique talents, perspectives, and experiences of our community enrich the learning, and working environment at OU, inspiring us to harness our innovation, creativity, and collaboration for the advancement of people everywhere.
Course Reflection Survey
You’ll receive a Course Reflection Survey at the end of each semester for each course that you are enrolled in. I strongly encourage you to complete this survey. Your feedback can help me adjust my class for future semesters to help other students be successful. Your feedback is confidential and I will only receive it after final grades are due. Course Reflection Survey results may also factor into teaching evaluations and annual performance reviews and are shared with department and program chairs.
Copyright Statement
Sessions of this course may be recorded or live-streamed. These recordings are the intellectual property of the individual faculty member and may not be shared or reproduced without the explicit, written consent of the faculty member. In addition, privacy rights of others such as students, guest lecturers, and providers of copyrighted material displayed in the recording may be of concern. Students may not share any course recordings with individuals not enrolled in the class or upload them to any other online environment.