CSCI 585: Database Systems
Dr. Saty Raghavachary
Description
Welcome to CS585 - the intense/losslessly compressed version!
What this course is about - here is a short description, from the course catalog.
Overview
This course covers the essential concepts, principles, techniques, and mechanisms for the design, analysis, use, and implementation of computerized database systems. Key information management concepts and techniques are examined: information modeling and representation; information interfaces - access, query, and manipulation, implementation structures, and issues of distribution.
The database and information management system technology examined in this course represents the state-of-the-art, including traditional approaches as well as recent research developments. By providing a balanced view of "theory" and "practice," the course should allow the student to understand, evaluate, and utilize practical database and information management systems.
The course is intended to provide a basic understanding of the issues and problems involved in database systems, knowledge of currently practical techniques for satisfying the needs of such a system, and an indication of the current research approaches that are likely to provide a basis for tomorrow's solutions.
Pre-requisites
As stated in the university catalog, a passing grade in CSCI485 or departmental permission is required to register for this class. Knowledge of relational databases, SQL, relational algebra and physical database design is desired [but not essential].
Note that this course involves several programming assignments/projects, for which some programming ability might be required. Assignments might call for the use of [the basics of] R, Python, etc.
Course links
1. Permalink to these pages you are looking at: http://bytes.usc.edu/cs585/m22_datadatadata. FYI, this entire site is created using Markdown (opposite of 'markup'), so the pages should come up nicely (on account of "responsive web design") on every device. Also, the look of the site will change periodically, fyi.. The type size is big, to make it possible for people sitting in the back of the classroom to be able to read the pages - you can reduce the size if you want, by (repeatedly) doing 'Ctrl -' We'll use this site for lecture notes (and "extras").
2. The other link: https://courses.uscden.net/d2l/home/22701 (D2L) - the course involves the use of Desire2Learn (aka 'D2L', a new-to-USC learning portal). You will submit your homeworks through D2L, and will access your scores there as well. This is also where you can access lecture videos. Note: we're not going to use Blackboard for anything.
3. Piazza page: https://piazza.com/class/l3dc0m3lfl4il [signup: piazza.com/usc/summer2022/cs585, code: datadatadata] - this is a 'discussion' page, for you to post questions related to HWs and lecture material, and post related answers/comments. Instead of mailing me or the TAs or the graders, it's oftentimes better to post a note on Piazza instead, on account of more 'eyeballs' being able to look at them, and us not having to answer same/similar questions repeatedly.
Teaching staff
Prof
Dr. Saty Raghavachary
I work in, teach, write about, lecture, consult, code and do informal research on computer graphics (CG), data science/ML, and 'AGI'. Here is my brief bio.
• office hours: by appt.
• email: saty@usc.edu, satychary@gmail.com (I'm also on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter) - several ways to be in touch!
TAs
Jincheng He - jinchenh@usc.edu
Kamonphop Srisopha - srisopha@usc.edu
Bo Wang - wang736@usc.edu
Qiangeng Xu - qiangenx@usc.edu
CPs
Mengqi Du - mengqidu@usc.edu
Utkarsh Bharadwaj - ubhardwa@usc.edu [Lead]
Utkarsh Tandon - utandon@usc.edu
Shreya Prabhu - prabhus@usc.edu
Jiaqi Zuo - jiaqizuo@usc.edu
Sejal Agrawal - sejalagr@usc.edu
Guanmeng Wang - guanmenw@usc.edu
Yash Shah - yashapur@usc.edu
Vimal Shah - vimalpar@usc.edu
Do make it a point to get to know your TAs and CPs/graders! They are all quite knowledgeable and can help you.. Please get in touch with them, to make a Zoom (etc) appointment.
Policies
ATTENDANCE!
Please DO come to class, if you are an 'OC' (not DEN) student. I will call out a random number of names (emails actually) at random, a random number of times during each lecture. If your email comes up, you need to IDENTIFY yourself right away, and EMAIL me right away after that - otherwise you will lose 5 points [out of your total]. Why? Because you are -expected- to be present! Exceptions do apply - please have them be cleared by me (eg. if you need to isolate yourself on account of a COVID test result).
Statement for students with disabilities
Any student requesting academic accommodations based on a disability is required to register with Disability Services and Programs (DSP) each semester. A letter of verification for approved accommodations can be obtained from DSP. Please be sure the letter is delivered to me as early in the semester as possible. DSP is located in STU 301 and is open 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The phone number for DSP is (213) 740-0776.
Statement on academic integrity
USC seeks to maintain an optimal learning environment. General principles of academic honesty include the concept of respect for the intellectual property of others, the expectation that individual work will be submitted unless otherwise allowed by an instructor, and the obligations both to protect one's own academic work from misuse by others as well as to avoid using another's work as one's own. All students are expected to understand and abide by these principles.
Scampus, the Student Guidebook, contains the Student Conduct Code and also the recommended sanctions for violating academic integrity. The PDF is here.
Students will be referred to the Office of Student Judicial Affairs and Community Standards (SJACS) for further review, should there be any suspicion of academic dishonesty. The Review process can be found here.
Copying (and then modification) of any portion of code from Internet sources or fellow students is prohibited unless cleared with the instructor. In addition, working together on a programming assignment is also a gray area. If your code resembles that of your friend's too closely, that will be considered a VIOLATION.
Here is my policy: if I come to find out that your submission resembles another submission (from a fellow student in your section or another section, a roommate's submission from an earlier class, submission from someone else who took the class earlier, code found on GitHub etc..), I WILL REPORT YOU TO SJACS, AND GIVE YOU A 0 FOR YOUR SUBMISSION. You can then deal with SJACS to convince them if you need to, that you did not cheat. Please take this very seriously, and BELIEVE it - if you decide to flout the rules, you do so at your own risk.
Translation/bottom line: DO NOT CHEAT under ANY circumstance(s)!!
Emergency preparedness/course continuity in a crisis
In case of a declared emergency if travel to campus is not feasible, USC executive leadership will announce an electronic way for instructors to teach students in their residence halls or homes using a combination of our course site, D2L, teleconferencing, and other technologies. LIKEWISE, on account of COVID-19!