Background

You are to design a scenario of your choosing. This scenario will be modelled initially as an ERD, and then implemented in SQL statements. As well as creating the requisite SQL Tables, you will need to manufacture data that is imported into these Tables. You will then be required to develop several SQL queries to provide key functionality for your database.

 


 

 

Requirements

 

1.          Scenario choice: your chosen scenario must include at least three entities which are related to each other. This really can be anything you choose, but you are advised to choose something you have knowledge of, to make the exercise easier. An example could be a hobby that you have - perhaps you enjoy a sport, and you wish to develop a database that models some form of performance related to the teams and games played in this sport. Another example could be a part-time job you may have, and you may wish to develop a database to assist some aspect of that business. Another example could be some area of science, perhaps an engineering type application that models a power station or a factory or an experiment of some kind. Because this "brief" is very open-ended, you are recommended to check your chosen scenario with the teaching staff to make sure it is suitable. A final consideration when thinking of your scenario are the list of SQL queries that you will need to execute within your database. For instance you will need to include certain search and statistical functions, so your scenario will need to be sophisticated enough to make these queries possible.  PLEASE NOTE: each student is required to develop a UNIQUE scenario - it will not be permitted that two students use the exact same scenario.

 

2.          Your ER Diagram must include at least three entities. There is no upper bound on how many entities you choose, but you are advised to include no more than five. Design your ER Diagram with all entity names, attribute names, primary and foreign keys, relationships, cardinality and participation indicated. You will need to normalise all of your entities, to resolve any many to many relationships.

Observe the following restrictions when creating your scenario:

-          One (or more) of your entities must have a numeric field

-          One (or more) of your entities must contain an alphanumeric (varchar) field

-          One of your entities must contain a compound key

-          Do not have include cyclic relationship (A->B->C->A)

Your attribute names, primary and foreign keys should be indicated as per the conventions given in the lecture slides (i.e. attributes as proper nouns, primary key underlined and foreign keys in italic

All many to many relationships should be resolved, and you may wish to include a discussion of normalisation including the normal form that each entity is in and why that is optimal.

 

3.          For each entity, you must create some example data for that entity. Include at least 10 rows of data for each entity. This data must be initially stored in a text file that will be imported into the database.

 

4.          Write the SQL statements to create the table structures from your developed ERD. The structures should contain the attributes specified in your ERD. Use data types that are appropriate for the data that will need to be stored in each attribute. Enforce primary key and foreign key constraints as indicated by your ERD. Write the SQL code to insert your data from (3) into the SQL table structures.

 

 

 

5.          Write the SQL statements that provide the following database functionality:

 

Query 1. Write an SQL statement that correctly uses the 'LIKE' symbol on an alphanumeric field to select a subset of data. In the context of your scenario, explain the purpose of your query.

 

Query 2. Write an SQL statement that correctly implements a JOIN statement over two or more entities to select a subset of data. In the context of your scenario, explain the purpose of your query.

 

Query 3. Write an SQL statement that correctly uses the '>' operator to select a subset of data for a single entity. In the context of your scenario, explain the purpose of your query.

 

Query 4. Write an SQL statement that correctly uses the 'GROUP BY' operator to select an aggregation of data (e.g. SUM, AVG, COUNT). In the context of your scenario, explain the purpose of your query.

 

Query 5. Write an SQL statement that correctly uses the 'UPDATE' symbol to modify at least three rows of data in one of your tables. In the context of your scenario, explain the purpose of your query.

 

Query 6. Write an SQL statement that correctly uses the 'IN' operator to select a subset of data for a single entity. In the context of your scenario, explain the purpose of your query.

 

 

 

6.      Context and Reflection questions about your scenario:

 

Characteristics of Data

 

Question 1. Discuss the differences between numeric and character data. In your discussion, explain which of the datatypes in your chosen scenario are examples of each type.

 

Question 2. Discuss the differences between categorical and ordinal data. In your discussion, explain which of the datatypes in your chosen scenario are examples of each type.

 

Question 3. Discuss the differences between structured, semi-structured and unstructured data with the help of examples from your chosen scenario.

 

ITECH5103 additional requirement: Citing one reference from the academic literature, provide an explanation of whether JSON and RDF data formats can be considered structured, semi-structured or unstructured.

 

 

 

 

 

SQL

 

Question 4. Describe the main categories of the SQL programming language, using example keywords and code snippets from your code answers for your chosen scenario.

 

ITECH5103 additional requirement: Citing one reference from the academic literature, provide an explanation of the origins of this language.

 

 

Big Data

 

Question 5. In the context of your chosen scenario, quantify the factors of 'Volume', 'Velocity', and 'Variety' for your current solution. How much more volume, velocity or variety would be required to consider your data as 'Big Data'.

 

ITECH5103 additional requirement: Citing one reference from the academic literature, provide an explanation of the origins of this language.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

Documentation requirements

1.          Prepare a report (single Word or PDF document) which contains the following:

a).    ER diagram based on your created scenario

b).    Example data

c).    A copy of your SQL code - you must also provide associated output (as screengrabs, inserted into the report)

d).    Statement of any resources used. These includes full disclosure of assistance from all sources including tutors and other students. Full APA referencing of any resources used.