Week 4 Lab 2 Submission 775041
Week 4 Lab 2 Submission
Use the application or pen and paper to: 5. Modify the database diagram from Lab 1 with the entities and attributes that the scenario identified (i.e., a college tracking students, courses, and instructors). 5. Create the appropriate relationships between each entity within the diagram.
Submit your modified diagram.
Write a one to two (1-2) page paper in which you: a. Discuss the degree to which you believe your diagram reflects the database design. a. Describe any assumptions that you had to make about the business rules to in order to create the diagram and the associated relationships. Section 2 of your assignment must follow these formatting requirements: . Submit the design summary as a Microsoft Word file. Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions. . Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date.
Paper For Above instruction
The task of modifying a database design to accurately reflect the specific requirements of a college system involves a careful analysis of business rules, data entities, and their relationships. The goal is to create a comprehensive and logical database diagram that captures all necessary data components—students, courses, instructors—and how they interact. This process not only helps in organizing data for efficient retrieval and management but also ensures adherence to the college's data tracking needs.
In developing the modified database diagram, the primary entities identified include "Student," "Course," and "Instructor," each with specific attributes. For the "Student" entity, attributes include Student ID, Name, Addresses, Start Date, Phone Numbers and Types, Email Addresses and Types, Gender, and Birth Date. The "Course" entity encompasses Course ID, Course Name, Department, Quarters Offered, Sections, and Instructor. The "Instructor" entity is characterized by Instructor ID, Name, Address, Phone Numbers and Types, Email Addresses and Types, Gender, Birth Date, and the courses they are qualified to teach.
The relationships between these entities are essential for a normalized and functional database design. For example, a "Student" can enroll in multiple "Courses," reflecting a many-to-many relationship that necessitates a join table, such as "Enrollment," which also stores the final grades for each student per course. Conversely, an "Instructor" can teach multiple "Courses," establishing a one-to-many relationship. The relationships are designed to be clear and enforce referential integrity, aligning with the business rules outlined by the college.
While creating the diagram, certain assumptions were necessary. For instance, it was assumed that students could have multiple contact methods, necessitating separate address, phone, and email entities or attributes with associated types. It was also presumed that each course might be offered in different quarters and sections, requiring attributes or related entities to accommodate multiple offerings. Additionally, the requirement to track final grades after course completion implied that the "Enrollment" table must include a grade attribute, linking students and courses directly.
The diagram effectively captures the college's data tracking needs, illustrating the relationships among students, courses, and instructors. It reflects the business rules that a student can enroll in multiple courses, each taught by an instructor, and that instructors can teach multiple courses. It also adheres to normalization principles, minimizing redundancy and ensuring data integrity. The assumptions made were based on typical educational institution processes and data management practices, such as the need to track multiple contact methods and course offerings.
Overall, the diagram provides a solid foundation for implementing a college database that is both comprehensive and adaptable to potential future requirements. It aligns well with the scenario's specifications, enabling effective data entry, retrieval, and reporting for college administration and academic tracking purposes.
References
- Cisnero, C. (2011). Database Systems: Design, Implementation, & Management (8th ed.). Cengage Learning.