The Internet and electronic commerce (e-commerce) generate lots of data. Data must be stored, organized, and managed. Database administrators, or DBAs, work with database software to find ways to do this. They identify user needs, set up computer databases, and test systems. They ensure that systems perform as they should and add people to the…

Ashley Baker was fed up and ready to strike out on her own and cut her own path. New salon policies aimed to eat away at her profits were forcing her to start her own business. As Ashley and her husband refurbished a downtown storefront to house her shop, she starts planning for the operational side of her new venture. Ashley is in search of an…

The vocational schools in Taiwan regard professional certifications as a badge of skills achievement. The teaching in this context usually focuses on how to help students enhance their professional skills and pass the certificate examinations, particularly for computing courses. However, due to national education policy, pure online courses are…

This case provides a real-world project-oriented case study for students enrolled in a management information systems, database management, or systems analysis and design course in which database design and development are taught. The case consists of a business scenario to provide background information and details of the unique operating…

Postbaccalaureate reverse transfer students (PRTSs) are students that enroll at a community college after completion of at least a bachelor's degree. This study expanded the definition of PRTSs by including students that had completed an associate's degree prior to enrolling at a community college. This report is an exploratory, descriptive study…

For students in many professional programs, their written work remains the chief means for them to convey their understanding and application of material presented in the classroom. Within their papers are applications of learning objectives or competencies. However, when students are asked to aggregate their acquisition of competencies, or if the…

Discusses criteria for evaluating microcomputer database management systems (DBMS) used for storage and retrieval of bibliographic data. Two popular types of microcomputer DBMS--file management systems and relational database management systems--are evaluated with respect to these criteria. (Author/MBR)

Description of database management systems for microcomputers highlights system features and factors to consider in microcomputer system selection. A method for ranking database management systems is explained and applied to a defined need, i.e., software support for indexing a weekly newspaper. A glossary of terms and 32-item bibliography are…

The University of Maryland University College (UMUC) serves a dispersed patron base, and its library has developed, over time, a circulation system for distributing physical research materials to its patrons throughout the United States. This article discusses the development of this system and its associated interface/database management system…

Student participation and performance in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) have been an education concern in the United States for years. In 2013, Texas lawmakers passed House Bill 5 (HB5) to support increases in STEM awareness, particularly among ethnic minority and female students. To date, no studies have been conducted on the…

Describes generic types of databases--file management systems, relational database management systems, and network/hierarchical database management systems--with their respective strengths and weaknesses; discusses factors to be considered in determining whether a database is desirable; and provides evaluative criteria for use in choosing…

Semantic integrity constraints are business-specific rules that limit the permissible values in a database. For example, a university rule dictating that an "incomplete" grade cannot be changed to an A constrains the possible states of the database. To maintain database integrity, business rules should be identified in the course of database…

Presents a model for the evaluation of database management systems software from the viewpoint of librarians and information specialists. The properties of data management systems, database management systems, and text retrieval systems are outlined and compared. (10 references) (CLB)

Discusses the general characteristics of database management systems and file systems. Also gives a basic framework for evaluating such software and suggests characteristics that should be considered when buying software for specific scientific applications. A list of vendor addresses for popular database management systems is included. (JN)

Enumerates principal management objectives of database management systems (data independence, quality, security, multiuser access, central control) and criteria for comparison (response time, size, flexibility, other features). Conventional database management systems, relational databases, and database machines used for backend processing are…