1. Unit 5b Databases January 2011 Miss Collins

2. Unit Objectives Analysing data and asking questions: using complex searches You will learn –What is a database? –What are they used for? –How are they built? –How do we ask questions?

3. Learning objective; To be able to check information held in databases for errors.

4. What is a database?

5. A database is a structured collection of records stored in a computer system. This is what a “database” looked like in years ago! How are databases used in everyday life? School? Businesses? Banks? Government?

6. What databases are you on ?

7. We are all given unique numbers at some stages in our lives. Pupil numbers NHS number Driving licence number Passport number Teacher number

8. What databases do you use ?

9. Errors in databases. Can you think of errors that might appear in databases?

10. Personal details; incorrect addresses, postcodes or telephone numbers. Why would this be quite serious?

11. Bills, post sent to wrong address. If mistakes were made on entering names then dates of birth may appear wrong. Commercial databases? Supermarket may have wrong prices. Banks could have errors in their accounts. Medical records may have out of date reports and lead to incorrect prescriptions. Car tax.

12. The internet is not always the most reliable source. It is not always regulated and so information can be wrong or misleading. Inaccurate or biased. Often mistakes on internet due to inaccurate reporting. Who might put this information up and why?

13. Internet is a relatively new technology. It is easy for people to publish information on a website because it is not in the same legal situation as newspapers or media.

14. Fields. What are fields?

15. The fields in a table of information are in the columns heading. They are the type of information that is needed in a database. For example; in a doctor’s record the fields that you would be asked for information would be: Name Date of birth Address Contact number

16. Example on photocopy. Errors found on databases

17. Be sure to look out for; Misspellings, Miscalculations Wrong field type

18. Spreadsheet structure

19. Database structure

20. How to build a database Blockbuster Video

21. How to build a database Police Investigation

23. give uz the muny or the bear gets it

24. What do we need to know?

25. Surname Forename House number Street Town Post Code Telephone number Gender Hair Colour Colour of eyes Height Distinguishing marks Shoe size Alibi at time of kidnap

26. Creating records Surname First name Post Code Town Gender Hair Colour Shoe Size Height Eye Colour

27. What makes things unique?

28. Making records unique Record Number

29. Making records unique Record Number