Version of 23 November 2007

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT YOUR FINAL PROJECT - 11/23/2007

There is now a set of detailed requirments for your Final Project. Access it here.

A general discussion of your project is on this page.

Overview and schedule

You can send me or give me draft versions of your project or discuss your project with me during my office hours, or IM hours, by email, or by appointment.

• First handin, your preliminary plans, Project version 1. Due 11:59 Tuesday, October 23rd. Hardcopies are also required and are due the next morning, before class on the 24th.


• Then hand in your first results and a more substantial writeup, Project version 2. Due 11:59 Tuesday, November 13th. Hardcopies are also required and are due the next morning, before class on the 14th.


• Finally, hand in your completed project, Project version 3. Due 11:59 Tuesday, December 4th, immediately before the last class of the Semester. Hardcopies are also required and are due the next morning, before the last class on the 5th.

Additional details

• Project version 1: This should contain some serious specifics, including:
  1. Length of this report: Minimum of 750 words plus 100 word summary, plus any figures you might include.
  2. What data will be created or gathered or downloaded for your database content.
  3. What database system you will use, MySQL, SQL Server, Berkeley DB, etc.
  4. How will you set up and use your database? How many tables do you estimate you will design?
  5. What kind of queries will be used and what types of results will be returned?
  6. What important concepts and strategies from the textbook will you use?
  7. How will you make sure that your database works correctly, e.g., no update anomalies, etc.
  8. What type of results will you handin and what sort of writeup will you have that explains what you did, how, and why?
  9. If you project will involve programmatic access to your database, e.g., using JDBC, what will your goals be for your programmed interactions?


• Project version 2: Your goal for this version is to have your system basically working, with some tables designed and filled with data so you can successfully demonstrate the execution of some basic queries. At this stage you should be paying careful attention to E-R design and functional dependencies, to carefully avoid any anomalies. You can experiment with indexing and views at this stage, as well as ramping up programmatic interactions, if you are doing that. This version will also allow you to address any deficiencies we find when grading Version 1.


• Project version 3 - Your final semester project: You will probably have added more tables, with careful attention to design issues. You will run more sophisticated queries create more useful indexes, etc. The final project should have an extensive and readable report, illustrated with E-R diagrams, excerpts from tables, listings of all your queries and any code you've written,etc.

Return to CSU430 Fall 2007 homepage. or RPF's Teaching Gateway or homepage