School of Information Management & Systems. Spring 1997.
M. Buckland.
Infosys 101:
Information Systems.
Assignment 3: Inmagic database.
Create your very own online retrieval system!
Part A: Select collection -- by March 4 latest:
Propose a collection of things to be described: Things, persons,
event, ideas...
No collections of books and preferably no publications.
The collection must have be of something for which you have to create
/ invent the descriptions of about 15 - 20 items.
Some of the attributes and values must be non-trivial and /
or non-obvious. Transcribing available data would defeat a central
purpose of the assignment and so is not acceptable.
Part B: Do tutorial by March 6:
Complete the INMAGIC tutorial handed out in class.
Substitute your name for that of Anne Gardner in step 28.
Use the date used in the tutorial not the date you do the
tutorial. Print the record retrieved at step 37. (It will emerge
from a laser printer near the middle of the north wall).
Hand in the record from step 37.
Part C: Define record structure. -- due March 11:
Design a record structure ("data structure") for the objects in your
collection. Specify how each field is to be indexed and how it
should be sorted (filed) when displayed.
Requirements: Use an ID number field as an unique identifier.
Use at least one name field, one date field, and a field for narrative
text (description, abstract, notes, comments, whatever). At least one
field should be repeatable. Have some variety among fields, including
Sort codes and Emphasis codes. Designate one field as the primary
sorting field, e.g. Name. Print out and hand in a copy of the Data
Structure and an sample record.
Part D: Write a Searchers's Manual -- due March 20:
Write a brief Searchers's Manual for your database using
Inmagic terminology for an imaginary student - like you - who is
somewhat familiar with online searching, but is unfamiliar
with Inmagic and with your database.
Include some worked examples of search commands and results
illustrating the versatility of your information system.
Hand
in a copy of your Searchers's manual and a diskette containing your
Inmagic file.
(Revised 2/24/97).