Lecture 2: Entities and Relationships

Title slideToday’s lecture introduced the basics of Entity-Relationship Modelling and in particular the graphical language of ER diagrams. This plays an important role in planning and structuring databases, bridging the gap between informal concept design and the logical precision required for machine implementation.

Link: Slides for Lecture 2; Video of Lecture 2

Homework

  1. If you haven’t already read Jeanette Wing’s Computational Thinking article, then do so now. I also recommend watching her interview for Microsoft’s Channel 9, where she talks about her research and ideas about computational thinking.

    Link: Computational Thinking; Channel 9 Interview

  2. Read §§2.1–2.4 of the lecture handout. If you don’t have a copy then pick one up from the ITO in AT 4.02. It’s a photocopy of Chapter 2 from this book:

    R. Ramakrishnan and J. Gehrke. Database Management Systems. Third Edition, McGraw-Hill, 2003.

    There are copies for those who want to read more in the HUB (High Use Books) section on the ground floor of the Main Library on George Square.

  3. Go to the library and find the HUB: see what books they have for Informatics.

  4. Look online, or in those books, for material on ER modelling and diagrams: tutorials, introductions, anything. If you find one you think looks helpful and straightforward to follow then post about it — on Piazza, here as a comment, or on the Facebook group.