Course Syllabus
Contact Information
Course Overview
MIS 3353 Database Management provides a strong foundation for understanding organizational information use and management. Concepts discussed are vital to anyone pursuing a career in information systems management, data analysis, or any field where understanding and use of stored data is important (e.g., most business fields).
We will cover important concepts and skills useful in the rest of your coursework as well as your future careers, including:
- The fundamentals of database use and design:
- SQL to interact with functional databases.
- Conceptual, logical, and physical design of databases.
- Database implementation.
- Organizational issues involved in data management.
- Basic business cycles (revenue, expenditure, production) and the data and database structures needed to support them.
This is not an easy class; expect to expend considerable time and effort. However, it can be fun learning the different aspects of data management. Plan to get started on the semester project early and don’t hesitate to ask the instructor any questions you may have about the material as the course progresses.
Course Objectives
This class combines a variety of techniques to capture student interests from several possible angles. The readings and lectures provide a base of knowledge that students can use in other components of the course. In-class workbook exercises provide an avenue for applying the knowledge base. Class discussions provide an opportunity for discovery. This approach only works when students complete the readings before class and then participate in the exercises and discussions.
Course Requirements
Performance in this course will be evaluated in the areas of class participation, homework assignments, quizzes, a group project, and two exams. These components will be weighted according to the table below.
|
Class Participation & Attendance |
5% |
|
Homework Assignments |
20% |
|
Quizzes |
5% |
|
Reflections |
10% |
|
Exam I |
20% |
|
Exam II |
20% |
|
Final Exam |
20% |
Participation & Attendance
For the design of this class to work, students must be actively involved in the class. Active involvement consists of three components: (1) class attendance; (2) reading and thinking about the material before coming to class; and (3) sharing of and discussing thoughts and ideas. Students’ participation grades are dependent on all of these, culminating on the third item.
To receive attendance (2.5%), you must be present in class
To receive participation (2.5%), you must do the participation exercises scheduled for each class.
Please realize that, during class discussions and exercises, it is okay to be wrong! You will get a participation point whether you are correct or not. If you try to answer a question, and your answer is incorrect, there is a good chance you are not the only one who thought that way. By seeing the wrong answers and understanding why they are wrong, everyone can learn. Wrong answers on exams, of course, still carry a penalty, so it’s important to get those answers sorted out during class time.
Homework Assignments
Homework assignments for this course are designed to encourage students to work actively with the course material and thereby master course materials. Further, homework enables students and the instructor to recognize any points that are not yet fully understood. Students are expected to complete each of the homework problems. If, after considerable effort, you are stuck on a problem, note (on the homework) the specific difficulty you are having and move on.
Students may discuss homework problems and approaches to answering them with their classmates. However, students are expected to work independently in the actual completion of their work. For instance, if two (or more) homework answers have the same typos, it will be assumed that work was not done independently and therefore represents an honor code violation. In such cases, the instructor will take appropriate action, ranging from a reduction in grade to reporting of the violation. More importantly, it is essential that you understand the homework assignments to do well on the exams.
Exams
There will be two midterm exams and one comprehensive final exam. All exams will consist of multiple-choice, short answer problems, writing SQL queries, etc. These exams are designed to assess your basic understanding of the concepts and their application. These exams are scheduled in-person. Please check Canvas for any updates.
Quizzes
To provide an incentive for students to come to class prepared, quizzes are assigned that correspond with reading assignments. These quizzes will be available via Canvas and are due before the start of class on the date noted in the calendar at the end of this syllabus. These quizzes are open-book and must be taken individually, with no help from other students or individuals. Each quiz may be taken twice. The two lowest quiz scores will be dropped in evaluating each student’s semester quiz grade.
Grading
Final grades for the course will be assigned based on the following scale:
|
Grade |
Range |
|
A |
Above 90% |
|
B |
80-90% |
|
C |
70-80% |
|
D |
60-70% |
|
F |
Below 60% |
Timeliness
To receive full credit for a written assignment, assignments must be turned in before class and at the time mentioned on Canvas on the day it is due. Late work will not be accepted. If you have obligations that conflict with exam or assignment due dates, you should make arrangements with the instructor as soon as possible to complete these ahead of time. Feel free to submit homework assignments early.
Missed Exams/Assignments
Make-up exams will be given only in extraordinary circumstances. If you expect to miss an exam or to be unable to meet another requirement, please discuss this with the instructor before the scheduled date.
Score/Grade Appeals
Students wishing to appeal a grade or score must submit the appeal to the instructor in writing within 48 hours of receiving the graded work. Score changes are at the discretion of the instructor, not the TA. It is important to understand that your score may go up or down based upon a complete review of the work in question. It is usually the case that changing a few points on an assignment rarely makes a difference in the final grade.
University Academic Policies and Student Support
Access the University Academic Policies Document.