To help students develop their ideas on the project step-by-step and know how to use the database in practical ways, a weekly practical recitation/discussion TA class is offered (Fridays 12-1pm). Physical-learning students are required to attend the TA class because the TA class is designed as an important part of our database course. Participation may be counted. Worksheets and tips provided in the TA class may be highly beneficial to the final project (which counts for 45 points). Bonus points may be offered as well.

Teaching Assistants

TA Sessions

• Time: Fridays 12-1 pm


• Location: Yi Xian Building (逸仙樓) 5th floor Computer Classroom

The duties of the teaching assistant include lecture assistance, student communication, exam proctoring, e-learining platform design & maintainance, data collection & organization, and discussion sessions / computer lab preparation.

1. 
   

   Physical-Learning Students at NCCU:

   
   

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  Quizzes (5%), Midterm Exam (15%) & Final Exam (20%): Two closed-book exams and several in-class pop quizzes will be administered during the semester. If the exam(s) will be missed because of a University-excused absence (and prior notice is provided), the exam(s) will be rescheduled by the instructor based on his discretion. The format of the make-up exam(s) may vary from the formats of regularly scheduled exams. The instructor has the sole right to make determinations concerning the potential for make-up exams.

  
  


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  Final Project & Homework Assignments (45%): You will join to a team to work on the project and homework assignments. In the project, you will need to design a database for real business(es) and analyze your design strategy. Students do NOT need to build a real complete database. However, need analysis, data modeling (diagrams & descriptions), RDBS explanation, BCNF proof, potential programming needs and generated reports will be examined. At least one main function of the database systems should be developed and tested. Bonus may be offered to the more complete system prototype(s) if any (May offer at most 5 points, not necessary. Please do not spend too much time here.). Students choose the topic on their own, but the topic should be “semi-real” problem. That is, you will not build the database systems in real context but may still need to conduct interview with real business(es) to know the real needs for your proposed database design. A late penalty of 20% per 24-hour period will be imposed for projects/homework assignments turned in after the submission time. Saturday and Sunday count as one 24-hour period.

  
  
  
  
  
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    Presentation (15%): You will need to present your findings or thoughts from your project in the final two weeks in class. Students in the same group will receive the same grade. (Students SHOULD participate in the group work to receive the grade.) At least two students in a group should be presenters.

    
    
  
  
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    Final Report (25%): You will need to submit a group final report regarding to the final project by the assigned submission deadline (11:59:59 pm on Jun 30, 2021). Students in the same group will receive the same grade. (Students SHOULD participate in the group work to receive the grade).

    
    
  
  
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    Main Function Demo (5%): You will need to develop and test at least one main function for your proposed database systems using any type of programming language (e.g. Java, C#, PHP, Python, etc.). It is necessary to prove that your main function could be successfully linked with database and implemented with SQL commands. Bonus points will be offered to a more complete functional system prototype (at most another 5 points, not necessary. Please do not spend too much time here.).

    
    
  
  
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    Homework Assignments (Bonus points, if any): You may be assigned take-home group assignments in certain classes. Students in the same group will receive the same grade.

    
    
  
  
  
  


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  Cooperation w/ Distance-Learning Students (5%): To help physical-learning students at NCCU gain opportunities to interact with and learn from our distance-learning students, each team will be required to work with one distance-learning student. You will need to provide a “foreign” perspective to the assigned distance-learning student(s) to help them develop their ideas on the final projects. The distance-learning students will also provide their “foreign” perspectives to your team. Each team will need to present or express the “foreign” perspective in some (creative or practical) ways during the final presentation & through the final report.

  
  


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  TA Practical Session (10%): To help students develop their ideas on the final projects step-by-step, a weekly practical TA class is offered (Fridays 12-1 pm at Yi Xian Building 5th floor Computer Classroom). Students are required to attend the practical TA class. Participation, and tasks or worksheets provided and assigned in the sessions may be counted and will be highly beneficial to the final project (which counts for 45 points). Bonus points may be offered as well. Because of the space limit, all the students will be grouped (1-2 people use one computer). The list of group member will be finalized in the first TA practical session. Note that the group in the TA practical session will be different to your team for final project.

  
  

2. 
   

   Distance-Learning Students:

   
   

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  Midterm Exam (20%) & Final Exam (20%): Two online open-book exams will be administered during the semester. If the exam(s) will be missed because of a University-excused absence (and prior notice is provided), the exam(s) will be rescheduled by the instructor based on his discretion. The format of the make-up exam(s) may vary from the formats of regularly scheduled exams. The instructor has the sole right to make determinations concerning the potential for make-up exams.

  
  


• 
  

  Final Project & Homework Assignments (50%): You will work on the project and homework assignments independently. In the project, you will need to design a database for real business(es) and analyze your design strategy. Students do NOT need to build a real complete database. However, need analysis, data modeling (diagrams & descriptions), RDBS explanation, BCNF proof, potential programming needs and generated reports will be examined. Bonus may be offered to the system prototype(s) if any (May offer at most 5 points, not necessary. Please do not spend too much time here.). Students choose the topic on their own, but the topic should be “semi-real” problem. That is, you will not build the database systems in real context but may still need to conduct interview with real business(es) to know the real needs for your proposed database design. A late penalty of 20% per 24-hour period will be imposed for projects/homework assignments turned in after the submission time. Saturday and Sunday count as one 24-hour period.

  
  
  
  
  
  • 
    

    Final Report (50%): You will need to submit a final report regarding to the final project by the assigned submission deadline (11:59:59 pm on Jun 30, 2021).

    
    
  
  
  • 
    

    Homework Assignments (Bonus points, if any): You may be assigned online assignments in certain classes.

    
    
  
  
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    System Prototype (Bonus points, at most 5 points): You are encouraged to develop and test your proposed database systems using any type of programming language (e.g. Java, C#, PHP, Python, etc.). Because TA Practical Session will be only offered for physical-learning students at NCCU, all the distance-learning students are optional to develop your proposed database systems. However, bonus points will still be offered to a more complete functional system prototype if you are able to develop on your own (at most another 5 points, not necessary. Please do not spend too much time here.).

    
    
  
  
  
  


• 
  

  Cooperation w/ Physical-Learning Students at NCCU (10%): To help distance-learning students gain opportunities to interact with and learn from physical-learning students at NCCU, each distance-learning student will need to join one or two teams (depending on how many students enroll in this course) in our physical-learning classes at NCCU. You will need to provide a “foreign” perspective to Taiwanese teams to help them develop their ideas on the final projects. Your contribution on their final projects should be presented or expressed in some (creative or practical) ways during the final presentation. Students are required to join different teams separately. Each distance-learning student will be assigned to a team if necessary. The cooperation will be evaluated by your Taiwanese team members, the course instructor, teaching assistants, and through a reflection document in the end of the semester.

  
  

Required Textbook:

• Modern Database Management by J. Hoffer, R. Venkarataman, and H. Top, Pearson FT Press, 13th Edition/Global Edition. (代理商: 開發圖書有限公司) (ISBN-13: 978-1292263359 | ISBN-10: 1292263350)

Recommended Reference:

• Fundamentals of Database Systems by R. Elmasri and S. B. Navathe, Pearson IT Certifica, 7th Edition/Global Edition. (代理商: 高立圖書有限公司) (ISBN-13: 978-1292097619 | ISBN-10: 1292097612)

Optional References:

• Concepts of Database Management by L. Friedrichsen, L. Ruffolo, E. Monk, J. L. Starks, P. J. Pratt, and M. Z. Last, Cengage Learning, 10th Edition. (代理商: 華泰文化) (ISBN-13: 978-0357422083 | ISBN-10: 0357422082)


• Database Systems: Design, Implementation, & Management by C. Coronel and S. Morris, Cengage Learning, 13th Edition. (ISBN-13: 978-1337627900 | ISBN-10: 1337627909)


• Database Administration: The Complete Guide to DBA Practices and Procedures by C. S. Mullins, Addison-Wesley Professional, 2nd Edition. (ISBN-13: 978-0321822949 | ISBN-10: 0321822943)