Appendix E
A SYSTEMS ANALYSIS APPROACH TO INFORMATION-
LEVEL REQUIREMENTS
CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS
1. Use books, the Internet, and/or other sources to inves琀椀gate “best prac琀椀ces” in conduc琀椀ng interviews to
determine system requirements. Prepare a one-page, double-spaced document report that summarizes
your 昀椀ndings. Include links or cita琀椀ons for your source documents.
Answers will obviously vary, but “best prac琀椀ces” in conduc琀椀ng interviews to determine systems requirements
start with the same “best prac琀椀ces” in conduc琀椀ng general interviews such as…
--crea琀椀ng a convenient loca琀椀on and comfortable environment
--pu琀�ng the interviewee at ease
--properly reviewing, con昀椀rming, and documen琀椀ng all informa琀椀on gleaned from the interview.
Students may consult the following scholarly ar琀椀cles for more insight:
h琀琀ps://pdfs.seman琀椀cscholar.org/1dd4/cacef15f08074c85fdde6c733300f9ddc95a.pdf
h琀琀ps://www.wisdomjobs.com/e-university/system-analysis-and-design-interview-ques琀椀ons.html
h琀琀p://www.cs.uu.nl/research/techreps/repo/CS-2008/2008-047.pdf
h琀琀p://www.umsl.edu/~sauterv/analysis/analysis_links.html
2. Use books, the Internet, and/or other sources to inves琀椀gate “best prac琀椀ces” in crea琀椀ng ques琀椀onnaires to
determine system requirements. Prepare a one-page, double-spaced document report that summarizes
your 昀椀ndings. Include links or cita琀椀ons for your source documents.
Answers will obviously vary, but “best prac琀椀ces” in crea琀椀ng ques琀椀onnaires to determine systems requirements
start with the same “best prac琀椀ces” in crea琀椀ng ques琀椀onnaires in general such as…
,--crea琀椀ng unambiguous ques琀椀ons that are clear and easy to answer
--using a 5- or 7-point Likert scale to measure degrees of sa琀椀sfac琀椀on or other subjec琀椀ve opinions as appropriate
--tes琀椀ng the ques琀椀onnaire on a pilot group of users and revising it as needed
--comple琀椀ng the ques琀椀onnaire with an open-ended ques琀椀on in case the interviewee wants to o昀昀er informa琀椀on
that has not previously been addressed
Students may consult the following scholarly ar琀椀cles for more insight:
h琀琀ps://www.pewresearch.org/methods/u-s-survey-research/ques琀椀onnaire-design/
h琀琀ps://www.gssaweb.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Best-Prac琀椀ces-in-Ques琀椀onnaire-Design-1.pdf
3. Use books, the Internet, or other sources to inves琀椀gate modeling tools such as use cases and data 昀氀ow
diagram tools. Prepare a one-page, double-spaced document report that summarizes the features and
bene昀椀ts of use cases versus data 昀氀ow diagram tools. Include a sample of each, as well as links or cita琀椀ons
for your source documents.
Answers will vary, but a recogni琀椀on that each diagramming tool is primarily aimed at a di昀昀erent por琀椀on of the
analy琀椀cal process is key. One of the major bene昀椀ts of a use case diagram is communica琀椀on. By looking at
the use cases, developers learn what func琀椀onality will be included in the system. A data 昀氀ow diagram is a
graphic representa琀椀on of a system. It consists of data 昀氀ows, processes, sources, des琀椀na琀椀ons and
dependencies.
Samples of each and scholarly documents on the comparison of diagramming tools can be found at:
h琀琀p://www.umsl.edu/~sauterv/analysis/f06Papers/Nitakorn/
h琀琀p://www.ijsrp.org/research-paper-0316/ijsrp-p5122.pdf
The following links reference use case diagram tools.
h琀琀ps://www.visual-paradigm.com/solu琀椀on/usecase/use-case-tool/
h琀琀ps://www.smartdraw.com/use-case-diagram/
h琀琀ps://creately.com/diagram-type/use-case
,The following links reference data 昀氀ow diagram tools.
h琀琀ps://www.draw.io/
h琀琀ps://www.lucidchart.com/pages/examples/data-昀氀ow-diagram-so昀琀ware
h琀琀ps://online.visual-paradigm.com/diagrams/features/dfd-maker/
, Module 2
The Relational Model:
Introduction, QBE, and Relational Algebra
Solutions
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Which of the following is not a characteristic of a healthy relation?
a. Each column has a dis琀椀nct name (technically called the a琀琀ribute name).
b. Each intersec琀椀on of a row and column in a table may contain more than one value.
c. All values in a column are values of the same a琀琀ribute (that is, all entries must match the column
name).
d. The order of the rows and columns is not important.
2. Which of the following sentences explains how entities, attributes, and records work together?
a. A record contains a single a琀琀ribute with many en琀椀琀椀es.
b. An en琀椀ty can have only one a琀琀ribute in a record.
c. A record contains all related en琀椀琀椀es and all of their a琀琀ributes.
d. A record is all of the a琀琀ribute values for one item in an en琀椀ty.
3. The _____ contains values that uniquely identify each record in a table and serves as the linking
field in the table on the “one” (parent) side of a one-to-many relationship.
a. primary key 昀椀eld
b. foreign key 昀椀eld
c. calculated 昀椀eld
d. natural 昀椀eld
4. What is the purpose of the foreign key field?
a. It is the linking 昀椀eld in the table on the “one” (parent) side of a one-to-many rela琀椀onship.
b. It establishes the order of the records in a table.
c. It is the 昀椀eld in the table on the “many” (child) side of a one-to-many rela琀椀onship.
d. It links two tables that do not have a common 昀椀eld.
A SYSTEMS ANALYSIS APPROACH TO INFORMATION-
LEVEL REQUIREMENTS
CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS
1. Use books, the Internet, and/or other sources to inves琀椀gate “best prac琀椀ces” in conduc琀椀ng interviews to
determine system requirements. Prepare a one-page, double-spaced document report that summarizes
your 昀椀ndings. Include links or cita琀椀ons for your source documents.
Answers will obviously vary, but “best prac琀椀ces” in conduc琀椀ng interviews to determine systems requirements
start with the same “best prac琀椀ces” in conduc琀椀ng general interviews such as…
--crea琀椀ng a convenient loca琀椀on and comfortable environment
--pu琀�ng the interviewee at ease
--properly reviewing, con昀椀rming, and documen琀椀ng all informa琀椀on gleaned from the interview.
Students may consult the following scholarly ar琀椀cles for more insight:
h琀琀ps://pdfs.seman琀椀cscholar.org/1dd4/cacef15f08074c85fdde6c733300f9ddc95a.pdf
h琀琀ps://www.wisdomjobs.com/e-university/system-analysis-and-design-interview-ques琀椀ons.html
h琀琀p://www.cs.uu.nl/research/techreps/repo/CS-2008/2008-047.pdf
h琀琀p://www.umsl.edu/~sauterv/analysis/analysis_links.html
2. Use books, the Internet, and/or other sources to inves琀椀gate “best prac琀椀ces” in crea琀椀ng ques琀椀onnaires to
determine system requirements. Prepare a one-page, double-spaced document report that summarizes
your 昀椀ndings. Include links or cita琀椀ons for your source documents.
Answers will obviously vary, but “best prac琀椀ces” in crea琀椀ng ques琀椀onnaires to determine systems requirements
start with the same “best prac琀椀ces” in crea琀椀ng ques琀椀onnaires in general such as…
,--crea琀椀ng unambiguous ques琀椀ons that are clear and easy to answer
--using a 5- or 7-point Likert scale to measure degrees of sa琀椀sfac琀椀on or other subjec琀椀ve opinions as appropriate
--tes琀椀ng the ques琀椀onnaire on a pilot group of users and revising it as needed
--comple琀椀ng the ques琀椀onnaire with an open-ended ques琀椀on in case the interviewee wants to o昀昀er informa琀椀on
that has not previously been addressed
Students may consult the following scholarly ar琀椀cles for more insight:
h琀琀ps://www.pewresearch.org/methods/u-s-survey-research/ques琀椀onnaire-design/
h琀琀ps://www.gssaweb.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Best-Prac琀椀ces-in-Ques琀椀onnaire-Design-1.pdf
3. Use books, the Internet, or other sources to inves琀椀gate modeling tools such as use cases and data 昀氀ow
diagram tools. Prepare a one-page, double-spaced document report that summarizes the features and
bene昀椀ts of use cases versus data 昀氀ow diagram tools. Include a sample of each, as well as links or cita琀椀ons
for your source documents.
Answers will vary, but a recogni琀椀on that each diagramming tool is primarily aimed at a di昀昀erent por琀椀on of the
analy琀椀cal process is key. One of the major bene昀椀ts of a use case diagram is communica琀椀on. By looking at
the use cases, developers learn what func琀椀onality will be included in the system. A data 昀氀ow diagram is a
graphic representa琀椀on of a system. It consists of data 昀氀ows, processes, sources, des琀椀na琀椀ons and
dependencies.
Samples of each and scholarly documents on the comparison of diagramming tools can be found at:
h琀琀p://www.umsl.edu/~sauterv/analysis/f06Papers/Nitakorn/
h琀琀p://www.ijsrp.org/research-paper-0316/ijsrp-p5122.pdf
The following links reference use case diagram tools.
h琀琀ps://www.visual-paradigm.com/solu琀椀on/usecase/use-case-tool/
h琀琀ps://www.smartdraw.com/use-case-diagram/
h琀琀ps://creately.com/diagram-type/use-case
,The following links reference data 昀氀ow diagram tools.
h琀琀ps://www.draw.io/
h琀琀ps://www.lucidchart.com/pages/examples/data-昀氀ow-diagram-so昀琀ware
h琀琀ps://online.visual-paradigm.com/diagrams/features/dfd-maker/
, Module 2
The Relational Model:
Introduction, QBE, and Relational Algebra
Solutions
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Which of the following is not a characteristic of a healthy relation?
a. Each column has a dis琀椀nct name (technically called the a琀琀ribute name).
b. Each intersec琀椀on of a row and column in a table may contain more than one value.
c. All values in a column are values of the same a琀琀ribute (that is, all entries must match the column
name).
d. The order of the rows and columns is not important.
2. Which of the following sentences explains how entities, attributes, and records work together?
a. A record contains a single a琀琀ribute with many en琀椀琀椀es.
b. An en琀椀ty can have only one a琀琀ribute in a record.
c. A record contains all related en琀椀琀椀es and all of their a琀琀ributes.
d. A record is all of the a琀琀ribute values for one item in an en琀椀ty.
3. The _____ contains values that uniquely identify each record in a table and serves as the linking
field in the table on the “one” (parent) side of a one-to-many relationship.
a. primary key 昀椀eld
b. foreign key 昀椀eld
c. calculated 昀椀eld
d. natural 昀椀eld
4. What is the purpose of the foreign key field?
a. It is the linking 昀椀eld in the table on the “one” (parent) side of a one-to-many rela琀椀onship.
b. It establishes the order of the records in a table.
c. It is the 昀椀eld in the table on the “many” (child) side of a one-to-many rela琀椀onship.
d. It links two tables that do not have a common 昀椀eld.
