Includes bibliographical references (p. 599-600) and index.

Relational Database Design -- The Relational Database -- Types of Databases -- Early Database Models -- The Relational Database Model -- Relational Database Management Systems -- Beyond the Relational Model -- What the Future Holds -- Design Objectives -- Why Should You Be Concerned with Database Design? -- The Importance of Theory -- The Advantage of Learning a Good Design Methodology -- Objectives of Good Design -- Benefits of Good Design -- Database-Design Methods -- Why This Terminology Is Important -- Value-Related Terms -- Structure-Related Terms -- Relationship-Related Terms -- Integrity-Related Terms -- The Design Process -- Conceptual Overview -- The Importance of Completing the Design Process -- Defining a Mission Statement and Mission Objectives -- Analyzing the Current Database -- Creating the Data Structures -- Determining and Establishing Table Relationships -- Determining and Defining Business Rules -- Determining and Defining Views -- Reviewing Data Integrity -- Starting the Process -- Conducting Interviews -- The Case Study: Mike's Bikes -- Defining the Mission Statement -- Defining the Mission Objectives -- Analyzing the Current Database -- Getting to Know the Current Database -- Conducting the Analysis -- Looking at How Data Is Collected -- Looking at How Information Is Presented -- Conducting Interviews -- Interviewing Users -- Interviewing Management -- Compiling a Complete List of Fields -- Establishing Table Structures -- Defining the Preliminary Table List -- Defining the Final Table List -- Associating Fields with Each Table -- Refining the Fields -- Refining the Table Structures -- Keys -- Why Keys Are Important -- Establishing Keys for Each Table -- Table-Level Integrity -- Reviewing the Initial Table Structures -- Field Specifications -- Why Field Specifications Are Important -- Field-Level Integrity -- Anatomy of a Field Specification -- Using Unique, Generic, and Replica Field Specifications -- Defining Field Specifications for Each Field in the Database -- Table Relationships -- Why Relationships Are Important -- Types of Relationships -- Identifying Existing Relationships -- Establishing Each Relationship -- Refining All Foreign Keys -- Establishing Relationship Characteristics -- Relationship-Level Integrity -- Business Rules -- What Are Business Rules? -- Categories of Business Rules -- Defining and Establishing Business Rules -- Validation Tables -- Reviewing the Business Rule Specifications Sheets -- Views -- What Are Views? -- Anatomy of a View -- Determining and Defining Views -- Reviewing Data Integrity -- Why You Should Review Data Integrity -- Reviewing and Refining Data Integrity -- Assembling the Database Documentation -- Done at Last! -- Other Database-Design Issues -- Bad Design--What Not to Do -- Flat-File Design -- Spreadsheet Design -- Database Design Based on the Database Software -- A Final Thought -- Bending or Breaking the Rules -- When May You Bend or Break the Rules? -- Documenting Your Actions -- Diagram of the Database-Design Process -- Design Guidelines -- Defining and Establishing Field Specific Business Rules -- Defining and Establishing Relationship Specific Business Rules -- Elements of a Candidate Key -- Elements of a Foreign Key -- Elements of a Primary Key -- Elements of the Ideal Field -- Elements of the Ideal Table -- Field-Level Integrity -- Guidelines for Composing a Field Description -- Guidelines for Composing a Table Description -- Guidelines for Creating Field Names -- Guidelines for Creating Table Names -- Identifying Relationships -- Identifying View Requirements -- Interview Guidelines -- Mission Statements -- Mission Objectives -- Relationship-Level Integrity -- Resolving a Multivalued Field -- Table-Level Integrity -- Documentation Forms -- Database-Design Diagram Symbols -- Sample Designs.

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