Relational Database Design: A Practical Approach

Course specifications

Course number: 076 410

Software version number:

Course length: 1 day

Course description

Overview: Students will learn the general principles involved in designing a database that complies with the relational database model.

Prerequisites: Some familiarity with data tables and basic knowledge of how to create queries in Access 97 or Access 2000.

Delivery method: Instructor-led, group-paced, classroom-delivery learning model with structured hands-on and minds-on activities.

Benefits: Students will learn how to correctly design tables for use in a relational database application.

Target student: Students enrolling in this course should have a need to design or modify the design of tables to be used in a relational database management system.

Relational Database Design: A Practical Approach

Performance-based objectives

Lesson objectives help students become comfortable with the course, and also provide a means to evaluate learning. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

  •  Be conversant with the terminology used in reference to relational databases and be familiar with the design process.
  •  Identify data as fields, group fields into tables, select key fields, and identify table relationships.
  •  Identify data problems and apply data normalization techniques to solve them.
  •  Use referential integrity and other data integrity techniques to support the accuracy of data in the database.
  •  Use criteria and operators and perform appropriate table joins in queries.
  •  Understand basic SQL queries and techniques for improving the performance of queries.

Relational Database Design: A Practical Approach

Course content

Lesson 1: Introduction to Relational Databases

The Basics of Relational Databases
Planning the Database

Lesson 2: Designing Tables

Deciding on Tables and Fields
Selecting Primary Key Fields
Identifying Table Relationships
More on Keys and Relationships

Lesson 3: Data Normalization

Solving Data Problems
Higher Normal Forms

Lesson 4: Data Integrity

Referential Integrity
Field-level Integrity
Table-level Integrity
Reviewing and Finalizing the Database Design

Lesson 5: Query Basics

Performing Queries
Multiple Table Queries

Lesson 6: More on Queries

Other Types of Queries
SQL
Optimizing Query Performance

Appendix: Additional resources