Organizing Records in Access Flashcards
(30 cards)
What is the process of applying normalization rules to a database design called?
Normalizing the database or just normalization
Normalization helps ensure the division of information items into appropriate tables.
What are the five widely accepted normal forms in database normalization?
1NF, 2NF, 3NF, BCNF, and 4NF
These normal forms help in organizing database records efficiently.
What is the primary goal of the First Normal Form (1NF)?
Eliminate repeating groups in individual tables
This involves creating a separate table for each set of related data.
In the context of 1NF, what should you do if an inventory record may come from multiple vendors?
Place all vendor information in a separate table called Vendors
Link inventory to vendors with an item number key or vendors to inventory with a vendor code key.
What is the focus of the Second Normal Form (2NF)?
Create separate tables for sets of values that apply to multiple records
Relate these tables with a foreign key.
What must be eliminated to satisfy the Third Normal Form (3NF)?
Fields that do not depend on the key
Values not part of a record’s key do not belong in that table.
What is a multivalued dependency in the context of the Fourth Normal Form (4NF)?
A dependency where a single value of A can have multiple values of B
A table should have at least three columns to exhibit a multivalued dependency.
How can you satisfy the Fourth Normal Form (4NF)?
Separate the table into two tables
This helps eliminate unnecessary repetition of data and other anomalies.
What is a key characteristic of a relational database management system (RDMS)?
Information is divided into separate, subject-based tables
Table relationships are used to bring the information together as needed.
What must be compatible when creating a table relationship?
The fields that you connect must have the same or compatible data types
For example, you cannot create a relationship between a Number field and a Text field.
True or False: You can change the data type of a field involved in a table relationship without any restrictions.
False
You must delete the relationship to change the Field Size property, and changing the data type may require additional steps.
In a one-to-many relationship, what should you do with the primary key from the ‘one’ side?
Add it as an additional column to the table on the ‘many’ side of the relationship
This establishes the link between the two tables.
What does the term ‘primary key’ refer to in database normalization?
A unique identifier for a record in a table
It is crucial for establishing relationships between tables.
Fill in the blank: The process of normalizing a database ensures that data is divided into appropriate _______.
[tables]
What is the purpose of creating table relationships in a relational database?
To bring information together in meaningful ways
This allows for efficient data retrieval and management.
What is a one-to-many relationship in database design?
A one-to-many relationship involves a primary key on the ‘one’ side and an additional column in the ‘many’ side table.
What is a foreign key?
A foreign key is another table’s primary key.
How is the PatientID column in the AB_Abstract table characterized?
The PatientID column is a foreign key because it is the primary key in the CM_CPI table.
What ensures that two tables share a common column?
Identifying a one-to-many relationship.
What is the relationship between the AB_Abstract table and the ICD_DiagFile10 table?
The relationship is many-to-many.
What is the problem that arises from a many-to-many relationship?
It leads to inefficient design and potential data inaccuracies due to repeated information.
How can a many-to-many relationship be resolved?
By creating a third table, often called a junction table, to break it down into two one-to-many relationships.
What information does the third table in a many-to-many relationship contain?
It contains the primary keys from each of the two tables.
What is the purpose of the AB_Diagnosis table in the WinRecs database?
It serves as the junction table that relates the AB_Abstract and ICD_DiagFile10 tables.
