Database Design: Spring 2014

Instructor:

Vedat G. Diker

School:

iSchool at Maryland

Semester:

Spring 2014

Description:

This course focuses on approaches to and methods for designing relational databases. After almost half a century of development, and challenges from various competing paradigms, relational databases remain to be the industry standard for data persistence. A high-quality relational database can help leverage an organization’s data and information assets for better fulfillment of its mission. On the other hand, a poor, problem-ridden database can complicate even the simplest data-driven functions within the organization. There are various factors that determine the quality of a relational database. An indispensible prerequisite for establishing a high-quality database is a robust design. This course covers principles and methods for logical and physical database design, as well as SQL, a language for maintaining relational databases and managing data held in relational databases.

Required Textbook:

Fehily, C. 2008. SQL: Visual QuickStart Guide, 3rd ed.

Link to Syllabus:

http://ischool.umd.edu/sites/default/files/syllabi/inst733_syllabus_spring_2014_v01_2014-01-26.pdf

Information for Decision-Making: Fall 2009

Instructor:

Vedat G. Diker

School:

iSchool at Maryland

Semester:

Fall 2009

Description:

Many decision problems encountered in professional life can be modeled and solved by using a range of decision-making and problem-solving methods. There are different ways to group decision-making and problem-solving methods: hard vs. soft, single-criterion vs. multi-criteria, individual vs. group, deterministic vs. probabilistic. This course will introduce basic concepts in decision theory, and a variety of methods that can be used in individual and organizational decision-making and problem-solving. The course will also provide a “descriptive” perspective (in addition to the “normative” perspective) for identifying a variety of biases and errors in human decision-making.

Required Textbook:

Winston, W. L. 2004. Microsoft Excel Data Analysis and Business Modeling.

OR

Winston, W. L. 2007. Microsoft Office Excel 2007 Data Analysis and Business Modeling.

AND

Plous, S. 2007. The Psychology of Judgment and Decision Making.

Link to Syllabus:

http://ischool.umd.edu/sites/default/files/syllabi/LBSC%20705%20Diker%20Fall%202009%20online.pdf

Web-Enabled Databases: Summer 2014

Instructor:

Vedat G. Diker

School:

iSchool at Maryland

Semester:

Summer 2014

Description:

Contemporary web applications go beyond plain HTML pages, providing interfaces to dynamic databases, and adding several other key functionalities to websites. These functionalities enrich the user experience, and facilitate porting of many information tasks to web environment. INFM 747 Web-Enabled Databases will introduce tools and methods for developing database driven websites. The course will introduce initial steps of building a dynamic website, such as installing
and maintaining a web server and a database server, as well as developing web interfaces and server-side applications that provide added functionality to the website.

Required Textbook:

Ullman, L. 2011. PHP and MySQL for Dynamic Web Sites: Visual QuickPro Guide, 4th ed.
Beighley, L., Morrison, M. 2008. Head First PHP & MySQL.
Williams, H., Lane, D. 2004. Web Database Applications with PHP & MySQL, 2nd ed.
Welling, L, Thomson, L. 2008. PHP and MySQL Web Development, 4th ed.

Link to Syllabus:

http://ischool.umd.edu/sites/default/files/syllabi/infm_747_summer_2014.pdf