STUDENT NAME:

___________________________________________________________

COURSE:

HNC IN COMPUTING AND SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT

LEVEL:

UNIT TITLE:

CENTRE#:

64450A

COURSE#:

UNIT#
:

MN302

21783C

Unit 17 Database Design Concepts

ASSESSMENT DETAILS:

Assignment 1

REF#:

1 OF 1

GRADING CRITERIA COVERED:

P1, P2, P3, M1, M2, M3, D1, D2, D3

GRADING CRITERIA ATTEMPTED:

_____________________________________________

TUTOR:

Christopher Hunt (chunt@guildford.ac.uk)

ISSUED:

07/11/2016

SUBMISSION:

12/12/2016

FEEDBACK ON:

9/01/2017

WORK SUBMITTED AFTER THE DEADLINE CANNOT BE UPGRADED

INTERNAL VERIFICATION OF ASSESSMENT (SEE ALSO: IV FORM C)
Is the level
appropriate?
YES / NO

Are the activities/ tasks

valid?
YES / NO

Is there relevance to
the grading criteria?
YES / NO

Is the assessment brief

clear?

Is this assessment to be
cross-marked this
year?

YES / NO

YES / NO

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM INTERNAL VERIFIER:

SIGNED INTERNAL VERIFIER:

PRINT NAME:

Sepideh Nazemi

DATE:

07/11/2016

Sepideh Nazemi

STUDENTS CONFIRMATION OF AUTHENTICITY:

STUDENTS SIGNATURE:

I confirm this assignment is solely my own

work except for where I have clearly
indicated that it is the work of others.

__________________________________

Page 1 of 9

DATE:

__________

Achievement Summary
Learners Name:

________________________

Criteria:

P1

P2

P3

Understand databases and data management

systems
1.1 analyse the key issues and application of
databases within organisational environments
1.2 critically evaluate the features and advantages
of database management systems
Understand database design techniques
2.1 analyse a database developmental
methodology
2.2 discuss entity-relationship modelling and
normalisation
Be able to design, create and document databases
3.1 apply the database developmental cycle to a
given data set
3.2 design a fully functional database (containing at
least four inter-relational tables) including user
interface
3.3 evaluate the effectiveness of the database
solution and suggest methods of improvement
3.4 provide supporting user and technical
documentation

M1

Identify and apply strategies to find appropriate

solutions: effective judgements have been made

M2

Select/design and apply appropriate

methods/techniques: relevant theories and
techniques have been applied

M3

Present and communicate appropriate findings: a

range of methods of presentation have been used
and technical language has been accurately used

D1

Use critical reflection to evaluate own work and

justify valid conclusions: self-criticism of approach
has taken place

D2

Take responsibility for managing and organising

activities: the importance of interdependence has
been recognised and achieved

D3

Demonstrate convergent/lateral/creative thinking:

problems have been solved

Page 2 of 9

Assessor:

Christopher Hunt

Achieved:
(Y/N)

Feedback and advice for

improvement:

Quality of work including spelling, grammar, punctuation, vocabulary and referencing:

General comments including commitment, effort and advice for improvement:

Assessors signature:
Referral
appropriate):

Date

Date:
(if

Page 3 of 9

Assessment and Grading Criteria

To achieve a pass grade, the To achieve a merit grade, the
evidence must show that the evidence must show that, in
learner is able to:
addition to the pass criteria, the
learner is able to:

To achieve a distinction grade,

the evidence must show that, in
addition to the pass and merit
criteria, the learner is able to:

P1
Understand databases and data management
systems
1.1 analyse the key issues and application of
databases
within
organisational
environments
1.2 critically evaluate the features and
advantages of database management
systems

M1
identify and apply
appropriate solutions

P2
Understand database design techniques
2.1 analyse a database developmental
methodology
2.2 discuss entity-relationship modelling
and normalisation

M2
select/design
and
methods/techniques

relevant theories and techniques have been

applied

the importance of interdependence has been

recognised and achieved

P3
Be able to design, create and document
databases
3.1 apply the database developmental cycle
to a given data set
3.2 design a fully functional database
(containing at least four inter-relational
tables) including user interface
3.3 evaluate the effectiveness of the
database solution and suggest methods of
improvement
3.4 provide supporting user and technical
documentation

M3
present and
findings

D3
Demonstrate
thinking

strategies

to

find

D1
use critical reflection to evaluate own work
and justify valid conclusions
self-criticism of approach has taken place

effective judgements have been made

apply

communicate

appropriate

appropriate

a range of methods of presentation have been

used and technical language has been
accurately used

Assignment 1

Page 4 of 9

D2
take responsibility
organising activities

for

managing

and

convergent/lateral/creative

problems have been solved

Scenario
Your customer, AfricaCanVest is an emerging markets investment specialist.
The company receives daily emails from the Ghana Stock Exchange with an attached
spreadsheet reporting the days Stock Exchange trades.
An excerpt of this Excel file follows:

ISIN

No.

Year
High
(GH)

Year
Low
(GH)

Previou
s
Closing
Price VWAP
(GH)

0.02
37.00
0.14
0.18

0.01
37.00
0.07
0.10

0.01
37.00
0.14
0.10

Share
Code

Equities
1
2
3
4

African Champion Ltd

AngloGold Ashanti Ltd.
Aluworks Limited
Ayrton Drug Manufacturing Ltd.

GH0000000193
GH0000000607
GH0000000037
GH0000000672

ACI
AGA
ALW
AYRTN

AfricaCanVest would like this data imported into a database so that it is possible to produce
queries such as:

Which company has performed best in the past week/ month/ quarter/ year
Which company has performed worst
Which company(ies) have been most/ least heavily traded

It should be possible to export data from the database allowing the creation of pricing graphs
showing Hi-lo values and quantity traded over a period of time.

Task 1
Page 5 of 9

Prepare a report:

analysing the key issues and application of databases within organisational

environments. (P1.1)
critically evaluating the features and advantages of database management
systems. (P1.2)
analysing a database developmental methodology. (This could be any database
developmental methodology). (P2.1)
and discussing Entity-Relationship Modelling and Normalisation. (P2.2)

Task 2
Distinction criterion D2 requires that you take responsibility for managing and organising
activities. As a minimum, you will submit your completed work on time, but you might also
prepare and monitor a project plan.
You also need to recognise the importance of interdependence. You might think about how your
database may be affected by:

Changes to the layout of the spreadsheet supplied by the Ghana Stock Exchange
Changes in company names
Additional listings/ de-listing of companies, etc.

How will your system cope if reports are received or processed out of sequence (e.g. if Bank
Holidays do not coincide). Questions such as this can be addressed in your user/ technical
documentation (P3.4 below). (D2)
You need to apply the database developmental cycle to a given data set, based on the scenario
provided above. Make sure your answer includes, at least:

an ERD diagram and

a draft design of your forms.

Diagrams and designs can be prepared in any appropriate medium (Visio, Photoshop, Word). If
appropriate, please save your work as Word or .pdf files. (P3.1)
Select and apply appropriate methods, relevant theories and techniques in order to normalise
your ERD/database. Show the full normalisation process (0NF to 3NF). (M2)
To achieve Distinction criterion D3 you must demonstrate convergent/lateral/creative thinking
and show how you have solved problems. You may demonstrate convergent and lateral thinking
by acknowledging elements of theory in the creation of your database.
To demonstrate that you have solved problems you will need to show the process of creation of
your database. Perhaps your first solution was not properly normalised to 3NF, so you had to restructure it. Keep records of your development process and the problems you overcame (D3)
Before you start creating the Microsoft Access database, identify and apply strategies to find
appropriate solutions in order to show that effective judgements have been made while deciding
which forms you will create in your database system. Make sure your judgements and decisions
are clear and well-supported. (M1)
The first Distinction criterion (D1) requires that you use critical reflection to evaluate your work
Page 6 of 9

and justify valid conclusions. If something does not go well during the creation of your
database, record both the problem and the solution you developed. You will need to show that
self-criticism of approach has taken place. You can do this in a blog, report or work diary
associated with your project plan for D2 above. (D1)
Using the ERD you created in Task 2 and Microsoft Access, design a fully functional database
containing a) at least four inter-relational tables (with sample data in each table), and including
b) a user interface (i.e. forms). If your ERD does not produce at least four tables, you may need
to make assumptions. (P3.2)
Prepare a report evaluating the effectiveness of the database solution you created in P3.2 and
suggest methods of improvement. (P3.3)
Provide supporting user and technical documentation for the database you built for P3.2. (P3.4)

Task 3
You are now ready to deliver your database system to the customer, so you will need to present and
communicate appropriate findings. Create a presentation (in PowerPoint, Prezi or Google Slides) in order
to present to your customer the system you created for his company. A range of methods of presentation
must be used and technical language must be accurately used. (An ungraded presentation of this
PowerPoint file will take place in-class after the submission of the assignment). (M3)

Evidence Checklist
Task 1:

Word Report

Word Report
Blog/ Report/ Project Plan/ Work
Diary
Access Database file

Presentation file

Task 2:

Task 3:
References / Resources
Books

Avison D and Fitzgerald G Information Systems Development: Methodologies, Techniques and

Tools (McGraw Hill Higher Publishing Company, 2006) ISBN 0077114175
Chao L Database Development and Management (CRC Press, 2006) ISBN 0849392381
Connolly T and Begg C Database Systems: A Practical Approach to Design, Implementation and
Management (Addison Wesley, 2004) ISBN 0321210255
Howe D Data Analysis for Database Design (Butterworth-Heinemann Ltd, 2001) ISBN
0750650869
Kroenke D Database Concepts, 2nd Edition (Prentice Hall, 2004) ISBN 0131451413
Ritchie C Relational Database Principles (Thomson Learning, 2002) ISBN 0826457134

Page 7 of 9

Websites

http://geekgirls.com/category/office/databases/
(You can find more websites on Moodle)

Page 8 of 9

Assignment Answers
Task 1 P1.1
Task 1 P1.2
Task 1 P2.1
Task 1 P2.2
Task 2 P3.1
Task 2 M2
Task 2 M1
Task 2 P3.2
Task 2 P3.3
Task 2 P3.4
Task 3 D2
Task 3 D1
Task 3 D3
Task 3 M3
References

Page 9 of 9