IT 240 Introduction to Desktop Databases
Lucia Dettori

Winter 2005

Course web site

The official web site and official syllabus for this course is on DLWEB. You need your campus connect ID and password to access the site

Contact Information

Lucia Dettori
Office: CTI 745 (243 S. Wabash )
Voice: 312 362 8243    
Fax: 312 362 6116
ldettori@cs.depaul.edu
http://facweb.cs.depaul.edu/ldettori/default.htm

Office Hours  (no appointment needed)

T, TH:     10:45 - 11:30 & 3:15 - 4:00   LOOP CTI 745

If these times do not work for you please email me to set up an appointment

T, TH:   10:00 - 10:30  CTI 745

W     :    10:00 - 12:00 CTI 745

Course Description

Information derived from databases is central to the
effective operation of any organization. This course will introduce students
with the understanding of the methods for the design, development,
implementation and administration of desktop databases.  Concepts we will cover include:

• Design a database: Entity Relation (ER) modeling and normalization techniques
• Create and maintain a database using Microsoft Access.
• Compose and use queries in Structured Query Language
• Create and customize forms and reports
• Integrate databases with other sources of data and applications

If you have substantial experience in designing databases and programming in SQL you might be better served by a more advanced course. In this case you should consider taking the IT 240 self test.

Prerequisite : None

Textbook/Materials

The required textbook for the course is Modern Database Management (7th edition).
by Hoffer, Prescott, McFadden, Prentice Hall, 2005. The ISBN is 0-13-145320-3. 

Additional resources will be listed on the DLWEB website.

Course Structure

You are expected to play a very active role in this course. I will prepare some notes for each class that I will try to make available on DLWEB before class and will serve as guide a structure for the lecture. However I will also have frequent group exercises in class and your participation will be crucial to your learning experience. I will ask a lot of questions and you are expected to do the same. If you are confused or frustrated about a topic, just ask me and the rest of the class for clarification, you will be surprised how much you will learn from your classmates.

We will go to the computer lab a few times during the quarter but you are expected to do a lot of practice at home or in the lab on your own.

If you do not have Access and Visio on your home machine and do not plan to work in University labs you need to familiarize yourself with remote desktop to the CTI terminal services. More information is available on the course website on DLWEB.

Method of Evaluation

There will be 5 - 8 assignments/projects, 5 -8 quizzes, a cumulative midterm and a cumulative final project. The final project is in lieu of the final exam.

• The lowest assignment grade will  be dropped.
• Late assignment will not be accepted. 
• All assignment  descriptions with complete instructions will be posted only on the course web page on DLWEB. 
• Each assignment will have a specific due date and time, normally that will be 11:59 pm of the due date.  Check the course homepage frequently for assignments and announcements.
• Make sure you read the assignment description carefully, including direction on how to submit the assignment. All assignment submissions will be done using the COL interface. 
• Make up exam will not be given. If there is an extreme emergency you have to contact me before the exam takes place. 

Important Dates (also see the DePaul Academic Calendar)

Academic integrity

The course follows the  DePaul University Academic Integrity Policy.

Cheating is any action that violates university norms or instructor's guidelines for the preparation and submission of assignments, quizzes and examinations. This includes, but is not limited to:

• unauthorized access to examination materials prior to the examination itself;
• use or possession of unauthorized materials during the examination or quiz;
• having someone take an examination in one's place;
• copying from another student; unauthorized assistance to another student; or acceptance of such assistance.
• working in groups on assignments or exams without the express consent of the instructor
• Submitting as your own homework a solution provided by a tutor or lab assistant.

Plagiarism involves the presentation of the work of another as one's own. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:

• the direct copying of any source, such as written and verbal material, computer files, audio disks, video programs or musical scores, whether published or unpublished, in whole or part, without proper acknowledgment that it is someone else's;
• copying of any source in whole or part with only minor changes in wording or syntax, even with acknowledgment;
• submitting as one's own work a report, examination paper, program, computer file, lab report or other assignment that has been prepared by someone else (including research papers purchased from any other person or agency);
• the paraphrasing of another's work or ideas without proper acknowledgment.

The use of others' web/publication content (text, graphics, code) is regarded as plagiarism if credit is not given (see the above description of plagiarism).  When you directly quote someone's work, you must put it in quotation marks. Without such quotations and reference, it is regarded as an act of plagiarism (see the above description of plagiarism). 

Using materials that the student prepared for other purposes (e.g., for another course or for his/her work) needs the course instructor's prior permission.

A charge of cheating and/or plagiarism is always a serious matter.  It can result in an automatic F in the course and possible expulsion.

Online Instructor Evaluation

Course and instructor evaluations are critical for maintaining and improving course quality. To make evaluations as meaningful as possible, we need 100% student participation. Therefore, participation in the School’s web-based academic administration initiative during the eighth and ninth week of this course is a requirement of this course. Failure to participate in this process will result in a grade of incomplete for the course. This incomplete will be automatically removed within seven weeks after the end of the course and replaced by the grade you would have received if you had fulfilled this requirement.