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ISYS2120
Data and Information
Management
Week 13: Exam Review
Matloob Khushi
School of Computer Sciences
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Agenda
– Focus of the Unit
– Exam Coverage
– Exam Structure
– Exam Advice
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Reminder
– Fill out online Unit of Study Survey
– Answer a few questions online at
https://student-surveys.sydney.edu.au/students/
– Use the free text to help us make this better for next years
students
– “Pay it forward”
– Be specific.
– Be constructive.
– Be relevant.
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Week 13 lab
– Presentation of Assignment 3
– Checkout related discussions and posts on Edstem
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What is examinable?
– Everything from the lectures, the referenced sections of
the textbooks, the labs, the weekly challenge tasks, the
quizzes, the assignments
– except when explicitly labeled as non-examinable
– If it happened during this unit, you are expected to know
about it!
– But, focus on the things we put most emphasis on, as
seen in labs and assignments
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From Unit Outline, Handbook entry
– “The ubiquitous use of information technology leaves us facing a
tsunami of data produced by users, IT systems and mobile devices.
The proper management of data is hence essential for all
applications and for effective decision making within organizations.
– This unit of study will introduce the basic concepts of database
designs at the conceptual, logical and physical levels. We will place
particular emphasis on introducing integrity constraints and the
concept of data normalization which prevents data from being
corrupted or duplicated in different parts of the database. This in
turn helps in the data remaining consistent during its lifetime. Once a
database design is in place, the emphasis shifts towards querying the
data in order to extract useful information. The unit will introduce the
SQL database query languages, which is industry standard. Other
topics covered will include the important concept of transaction
management, application development with a backend database,
and an overview of data warehousing and OLAP. “
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ISYS2120 Learning outcomes (start)
– 1. Ability to design a schema which says how information about
a particular domain will be stored in a relational DBMS (given
a conceptual data model); also ability to apply normalization
theory to evaluate or improve a relational schema. Ability to
capture business rules as integrity constraints in a database
schema.
– 2. Understanding of the concept of a DBMS: differences from
other ways to store and share data; DBMS role in
organizations; the types of work done with a DBMS.
– 3. Ability to work with data stored in a relational database
management system (understand table definitions including
integrity constraints, extract information through SQL queries,
modify information through SQL queries, use views and
permissions for security)
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ISYS2120 Learning outcomes (rest)
– 4. Experience of how application software can use data stored
in a DBMS (eg a dynamic content web site) and understand the
basic architectural alternatives for data management
applications.
– 5. Understanding of the basic concepts of transaction
management.
– 6. Understanding of the relational data model
– 7. Ability to connect general database concepts to both
theoretical abstract formulations, and details of specific
software platforms.
– 8. Understanding of the SQL mechanisms for basic concepts of
data security and privacy
– 9. Work effectively in a team with members whose skills and
interests differ
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ISYS2120 Final Exam is a Canvas Quiz
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Final Exam Instructions
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Practice Exam
– Practice exam will be released at the end of Week 13
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Exam has two sections
Question type Points Recommended time
spent
Section 1 MCQs 30 40 minutes
Section 2
Short answer and/or
extended response
70 80 minutes
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Exam Structure
– Two hours writing plus 10 minutes reading at the start
– Total 130 minutes
– Open book exam
– You can consult any lecture or tutorial material
– Can use calculator
– Do all questions worth in total 100 points
– Exam is worth 50% of overall isys2120 grade
– reminder: you must get at least 40 points on exam, in order to
pass the unit
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Exam quiz structure
– 27 questions worth 30 points
– Points are not equally distributed
– Dropdown options
– Radio button
– Some questions have checkboxes means there could be multiple options
correct
– 23 descriptive questions worth 70 points
– Total 50 questions
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Question hints
– Logical design starting from a given conceptual model
(as EER diagram)
– Given a relational schema write SQL CREATE TABLE
statement, including appropriate constraints
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Question hints continued ….
– Functional dependencies and normalisation theory
– Start with a relation and given fds, work through
theory/show understanding, end with lossless-join
decomposition into relations in BCNF.
– Given schema (as CREATE TABLE statements), write
SQL to find information or modify the database contents
– Write SQL statements to set permissions
– Discuss transaction concept applied to a situation
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Reminder for Exam Barrier
– In order to pass ISYS2120, you must
– score at least 40 out of 100 points on the exam,
– and also get at least 50 marks overall in the unit
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Exam technique
– Plan how you will allocate time (wisely)
– Use “reading time” to check your understanding (ask questions
for clarification)
– Also to plan time allocation to questions (approx 1 min per point!)
– Answer everything (get the “easy marks”)
– Even if you don’t know the answer, show that you have some
relevant knowledge
– Sentences should make sense
– Write efficiently
– Practice with keyboard
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Illness
– If you are unwell, and it seems that you won't be able to
demonstrate your knowledge/skill properly, then you can
request special consideration
– Follow the same procedure as during semester (get
medical person to fill out special USyd form, scan and
attach when you fill in the online form, within 3 days)
– Usual outcome: an alternate test, a few weeks later
– If you become sick during the exam itself, raise hand and
speak to the invigilator
– The University goal is to get a fair assessment of what
you have achieved
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Special consideration
– Yours special consideration may be rejected if based claims of
technology failure that you are responsible for.
– Example of where special consideration may be declined:
– Internet not working
– Computer not working
– I could not see images
– Canvas wasn’t loading
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Pragmatic Advice
– Ensure you have a reliable wifi internet
– Make sure you have back up internet such mobile
internet which you could do use by hot spot
– Login in various browsers Edge, Firefox, Chrome &
Safari
– Every time you log into a new browser you have to pass
the Okta security, make sure you have done this well in
advance.
– Check canvas sample exam on various browser and
ensure images and all questions loads.
– For any problem, on the day of exam contact ICT and
email Matloob.Khushi@sydney.edu.au and Harshana
sidath.randenikadupitige@sydney.edu.au
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Pragmatic Advice
– Make sure your computer has all software updates done
couple of days before the exam
– Switch off mobile phone and put it away
– Breathe
– Relax
Good Luck and wish you all the best











































































































































































































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