Unit 8.

2
Superhero Database
 Key Word Vocabulary
During this unit you will hear the following key words.
Make sure you listen carefully to each lesson as you may
be asked questions at any time.

Table
Database
Record
Field
Data
Query Form

Paper-Based
Report
Computerised

Primary Key Data Types

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 Lets create our folders!
• We need to create folders where we will save the work
we do in this unit.

1. Go into your student drive

2. Open the Year 8 folder
3. Open the ICT folder
4. Create another folder called Databases

To create a new folder: All work for this unit

• Click in a BLANK SPACE should be saved in
the Databases folder
• Click New  Folder

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 Definition of a Database
Question!
What do you think a database is?

Answer!
A database is a collection of data or
information which is stored in an organised
way (in some sort of order)

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 Paper-Based Databases

Diary Calendar

Phone
Directory

Personal
Rolodex Organiser

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 Paper-Based Databases
• Advantages of paper-based databases:
1. Cheap to set up
2. Don’t need power supply so you can use them in a power cut
3. Don’t need to buy an expensive computer to use them
4. Most can easily be carried around with you
5. You don’t need training to learn how to use them.

• Disadvantages of paper-based databases:

1. They can be lost or misplaced
2. Very hard to make copies
3. Hard to correct mistakes made to data entries
4. Order or data can get muddled up. This is difficult to re-sort
5. Are hard to search and find specific data.
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 Computer-Based Databases

Internet Search
Engines
Microsoft
Access
Online Phone
Directory

Flight Booking
Social Networking
Websites
Sites
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 Computer-Based Databases
• Advantages of computer-based databases:
1. Very easy to make back-up copies
2. Easy to update data and correct mistakes
3. Easy to sort data into order (alphabetical for example)
4. Very easy and quick to search for specific data
5. They can be secured with passwords.

• Disadvantages of computer-based databases:

1. They can be expensive to set up (especially if you hire an expert)
2. They need power to run (won’t work during power cuts)
3. They need computers in order to run
4. They are not portable (unless you take your computer with you)
5. They can be difficult to use so you would need lots of training.
EOS
 What can databases store?
Example
• Your school stores lots of data about every student.

• Think of some of the information they keep about you:

Name Allergies
Parent’s
names
Address
Illnesses
D.o.B. Phone
Doctor’s name number
EOS
 Fields
• Fields are used as places to store information held in the
database.

• Each of the pieces of information below is an example of a

field:
Name Allergies
Parent’s
names
Address
Illnesses
D.o.B. Phone
Doctor’s name number
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 Fields on a Database Example

Fields Fields Fields

Student Surname First D.O.B. Address Phone Illnesses Allergies Doctor

number name number

1042 Jones Emma 05/04/95 123 High 01234 Nuts Dr. Brown
Street 765555
1043 Smith Louise 12/08/95 45 Low 01234 Diabetes Dr. Green
Road 688674
1044 White Simon 26/06/95 67 Middle 01234 Wasp Dr. Yellow
Lane 984532 stings

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 Quick Question about Fields
• A shop selling DVD’s has a database.

• What could be the field names in their database?

Title of DVD Running

time
Genre
Price

How many
Actors in stock

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 Records
• Records are stored within fields.

• A record is all the data about a person or an object.

Record
Student Surname First D.O.B. Address Phone Illnesses Allergies Doctor
number name number

1042 Jones Emma 05/04/95 123 High 01234 Nuts Dr. Brown
Street 765555
1043 Smith Louise 12/08/95 45 Low 01234 Diabetes Dr. Green
Road 688674
1044 White Simon 26/06/95 67 Middle 01234 Wasp Dr. Yellow
Lane 984532 stings

Record
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 Quick Question about Records
• What records could we store in each of the field names in
our DVD shop database?

Title of DVD Running time

Spiderman 120 minutes

Genre
Action
Price
How many
£12.99
in stock
24
Actors
Tobey Maquire
EOS
 Fields and Records

Fields

Student Surname First D.O.B. Address Phone Illnesses Allergies Doctor

number name number

1042 Jones Emma 05/04/95 123 High 01234 Nuts Dr. Brown
Street 765555
1043 Smith Louise 12/08/95 45 Low 01234 Diabetes Dr. Green
Road 688674
1044 White Simon 26/06/95 67 Middle 01234 Wasp Dr. Yellow
Lane 984532 stings

Record

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 Tables
• All the fields and records are stored together in a table.

Student Surname First D.O.B. Address Phone Illnesses Allergies Doctor

number name number

1042 Jones Emma 05/04/95 123 High 01234 Nuts Dr. Brown
Street 765555
1043 Smith Louise 12/08/95 45 Low 01234 Diabetes Dr. Green
Road 688674
1044 White Simon 26/06/95 67 Middle 01234 Wasp Dr. Yellow
Lane 984532 stings
1045 Wood James 14/05/95 89 Uphill 01234 Dr. Black
Drive 927347
1046 Wythe Hannah 18/04/95 101 Down 01234 Asthma Plasters Dr. Blue
Avenue 836475

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 Database Key Words
Database - collection of data or information that has been
stored in an organised way.

Field - one type or one piece of information.

Record - all the data about a person or an object.

Table - collection of all the database’s fields and

records.

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 What have you remembered?
Your objectives for this part were:

 Understand what a database is.

 Know some of the key words associated with

databases.

 To be able to discuss advantages / disadvantages

of paper and computerised databases.

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