Option A: Databases Objectives:
A.1 Basic Concepts
A.1.1	Outline the differences between data and information.
A.1.2	Outline the differences between an information system and a database.
A.1.3	Discuss the need for databases.
A.1.4	Describe the use of transactions, states and updates to maintain data consistency (and integrity).
A.1.5	Define the term database transaction.
A.1.6	Explain concurrency in a data sharing situation.
A.1.7	Explain the importance of the ACID properties of a database transaction.
A.1.8	Describe the two functions databases require to be performed on them.
A.1.9	Explain the role of data validation and data verification.
A.2 The Relational Database Model
A.2.1	Define the terms: database management system (DBMS) and relational database management system (RDBMS).
A.2.2	Outline the functions and tools of a DBMS.
A.2.3	Describe how a DBMS can be used to promote data security.
A.2.4	Define the term schema.
A.2.5	Identify the characteristics of the three levels of the schema: conceptual, logical, physical.
A.2.6	Outline the nature of the data dictionary.
A.2.7	Explain the importance of a data definition language in implementing a data model
A.2.8	Explain the importance of data modelling in the design of a database
A.2.9	Define the following database terms: table, record, field, primary key, secondary key, foreign key, candidate key, composite primary key, join.
A.2.10	Identify the different types of relationships within databases: one-toone, one-to-many, many-to-many.
A.2.11	Outline the issues caused by redundant data.
A.2.12	Outline the importance of referential integrity in a normalized database.
A.2.13	Describe the differences between 1st Normal Form (1NF), 2nd Normal Form (2NF) and 3rd Normal Form (3NF).
A.2.14	Describe the characteristics of a normalized database.
A.2.15	Evaluate the appropriateness of the different data types.
A.2.16	Construct an entity-relationship diagram (ERD) for a given scenario.
A.2.17	Construct a relational database to 3NF using objects such as tables, queries, forms, reports and macros.
A.2.18	Explain how a query can provide a view of a database.
A.2.19	Describe the difference between a simple and complex query.
A.2.20	Outline the different methods that can be used to construct a query.
A.3 Further Aspects of Database Management
A.3.1	Explain the role of a database administrator.
A.3.2	Explain how end-users can interact with a database.
A.3.3	Describe different methods of database recovery.
A.3.4	Outline how integrated database systems function.
A.3.5	Outline the use of databases in areas such as stock control, police records, health records, employee data.
A.3.6	Suggest methods to ensure the privacy of the personal data and the responsibility of those holding personal data not to sell or divulge it in any way.
A.3.7	Discuss the need for some databases to be open to interrogation by other parties (police, government, etc).
A.3.8	Explain the difference between data matching and data mining.
HL Extension: A.4 Further Database Models and Database Analysis
A.4.1	Describe the characteristics of different database models.
A.4.2	Evaluate the use of object-oriented databases as opposed to relational databases.
A.4.3	Define the term data warehouse.
A.4.4	Describe a range of situations suitable for data warehousing.
A.4.5	Explain why data warehousing is time dependent.
A.4.6	Describe how data in a warehouse is updated in real time.
A.4.7	Describe the advantages of using data warehousing.
A.4.8	Explain the need for ETL processes in data warehousing.
A.4.9	Describe how ETL processes can be used to clean up data for a data warehouse.
A.4.10	Compare the different forms of discovering patterns using data mining.
A.4.11	Describe situations that benefit from data mining.
A.4.12	Describe how predictive modelling is used.
A.4.13	Explain the nature of database segmentation.
A.4.14	Explain the nature and purpose of link analysis
A.4.15	Describe the process of deviation detection.