computer science assignment

CS 100-001 - Assignment 3
University of Regina, Fall 2010
Weight: 10% (20 marks)
Due: Week of November 30-December 2, 2010 (in your scheduled lab time)
Special note on late assignments:
• Your assignment is due at the start of your scheduled lab time. -5 marks if assignment is
submitted late, -10 marks if 2 days late, -15 marks if 3 days late, -20 marks if 4 or more days
late
• This assignment is a mandatory component of your course grade. Failure to complete this
assignment will result in a final course grade of 40%. Please know that you can submit your
assignment up to and including the last day of classes (although you will get 0 on the
assignment, you will still be able to achieve a passing grade in the class based on other grading
criteria as outlined in the course syllabus)
Assignment description:
You are to create a database using Microsoft Works. Your database must have at least fifty (50)
records and at least seven (7) fields (per record). You have to create a form for entering data into the
database and a minimum of two (2) reports.
Your database must be done as a Microsoft Works database ~ it must not be done with either Microsoft
Excel or Microsoft Access (or any other database software). Microsoft Works is available in the lab.
Given the time restrictions, both for you in completing the assignment and for the markers in the
marking of it, your assignment must be completed using only Microsoft Works
Look at the following requirements for more details on your assignment. Note that the last component
of the marking scheme involves an assessment by your marker about the competence, quality and extra
work put into your assignment. You must exceed the basic requirements in the assignment to score well
on this assessment.
Detailed requirements:
1. Each individual must create his or her own database. You can discuss your approach with
friends and help each other solve problems. However, when you create the actual database, it
must be your own work.
2. There must be at least fifty (50) records in the database and at least seven (7) fields (per
record).
3. The database must include a minimum of two (2) reports, Report #1, Report #2 as described
below in the detailed marking scheme. Reports with other names will require the markers to
guess which report is which. If they guess wrongly, you could lose many marks. So, just avoid
this by using the names, Report #1, Report #2.
Both reports must be included in one database file. That is, do not create a separate copy of the
database for each report. This comment is included because we occasionally see students
replicating their database for each report. So, we get two database files, each containing one
report. That is not what we want.
4. The first report, Report #1, is to be an ordered list of the contents of the database, sorted in
ascending order by a major field. Report #1 is to include all of the fields and records in the
database. It allows the marker to quickly determine that you have the required number of fields
and records in the database. There is to be one report summary statistic appearing only at the
end of the report. It is to be the “Count” of the major sort field. This will serve to count all of
the records in the report and, since no filter is used in Report #1, this count will be 50 (or higher
if you decided to add more than the required minimum number of records to your database).
Your report should be nicely formatted; easy to read (You may have to select “landscape”
mode), complete with meaningful titles, appropriate fonts (and sizes), etc.
5. The second report, Report #2, you must select a field for which is appropriate for creating
groups in the report. For example, if you were working with a database of music albums ~ e.g.
CDs or MP3s (like Windows Media Player or Apple iTunes), you could group the albums by
genre (alternative, pop, classical, heavy metal, etc.). There must be a significant number of
records in each group (or have meaning to the query being used). A bad group choice, for
example, would be to group CDs by album name, unless of course you have many albums in
the database with the same name.
For Report # 2 you must also apply a filter (query) that consists of two comparisons, For
example, you might wish to explore your CD database collection by a certain decade in relation
to song ratings grouped by genre, i.e. Your filter might be as follows:
Album year >= 2000 >>
and >>>> All grouped by genre
Song rating = 5 stars >>
Choice of Database Contents:
The choice of the content of your database is your decision. If you are unsure, some typical examples
could include:
1. CD (MP3) collection
2. DVD collection
3. Book collection
4. Household goods inventory
5. Recipe collection
6. Phone book (contact) inventory
While the data does not have to be real, you may find the assignment more interesting or useful if you
do create an actual database. The extra effort typically required to create a real and useful database is
part of the assessment component at the end of the marking scheme. It will take longer to collect real
data than it will to generate fictional data.
Student name:________________________________ Lab section: _____________
The following checklist will be used by the markers when you are demonstrating your database to them
in CL115. Remember that you do the demonstration during the lab period for which you registered.
Your reports must be called “Report #1” and “Report #2.” Any other reports will not be marked. All
reports must be in the same file as your database. Save your database file in the My Documents folder
when you go to CL115 for the marking of this assignment. As well, items that are marked as
mandatory components are, well, mandatory. If the mandatory components are not satisfied, a mark
of 0 will be given on the assignment
For your scheduled lab time please also bring a backup of your database as a precautionary measure
(on USB, CD, in Hyperion, Email)
1. _____/2: Mandatory database components
_____/1: Database contains at least 50 records. (mandatory component)
_____/1: Database contains at least 7 fields. (mandatory component)
2. _____/5: Form view
_____/1: Mix of font sizes and colours.
_____/1: Tasteful background colour/pattern.
_____/1: Graphic image representative of the database theme.
_____/1: Attractive, readable positioning of fields.
_____/1: Rectangles used to contain related data, such as tax or name fields.
3. _____/3: Report #1
_____/1: Lists the contents of the database and sorted in ascending order
_____/1: Contains a report summary statistic of the “Count” of the major sort field.
_____/1: Report aesthetics (readability, etc.)
4. _____/5: Report #2
_____/1: Selection of an appropriate grouping field
_____/2: Creation and utilization of a meaningful filter
_____/2: Report aesthetics (readability, etc.)
5. _____/5: Analysis and synthesis (reserved for highly exceptional work)
_____/3: for considerable additional effort that is demonstrated by two or more
meaningful additional database reports using, for example, additional built-in
functions, colours, patterns and additional formatting in a solid effort to create a
realistic and potentially useful database. The additional work must demonstrate
your understanding of a significant number of functions and your imagination in
using the functions.
_____/2: for exceptionally well done databases, basically those that blow us away.
_______/20 (total)