Monica Wei

Key Concepts Learned This Week

Continued with Module 2: Data and Database Management Systems, building on the foundation from last week.
• The ALTER TABLE and DROP TABLE commands
• The more complex SELECT command, including FROM, WHERE, GROUP BY, HAVING, and ORDER BY
• Joining two tables
• The UPDATE command
• The DELETE command
• The difference between DELETE and DROP TABLE commands
• A comparative understanding of SQL and MySQL through their similarities and differences with other languages
• Initial exposure to database design
• A brief overview of job roles related to databases
• …

Course Progress This Week:

Grades from Last Week:

Scored a full 100 on last week’s IT assignment

Full marks on the Math quiz

Tasks Completed This Week:
• Completed all 11 questions in Module 2 Assignment 4
• Took this week’s Math quiz
• Completed the Module 2 IT quiz
• Posted the note: A Simple Database Design for a Toy Store — a simplified database design for a small store, based on the concepts I’ve learned
• Posted the note: What Can Excel Do Compared to a Database? — focused on the differences and roles of Excel vs. databases
• Participated in class discussions
• Previewed Module 3

Personal Reflections and Insights:

A. I was genuinely surprised (and delighted) to receive full marks on last week’s assignment. Not only were the 12 SQL questions correct, but even the one that required defining the Primary Key—which I had been uncertain about—was marked right. I had spent quite a bit of time thinking through it and doubting myself, but it turns out I was overthinking. Naturally, I’m happy with the result and hope to maintain this level of performance in upcoming assignments.

B. This week’s assignment was a continuation of last week’s, using XAMPP and interacting with MySQL via phpMyAdmin, involving 11 new SQL tasks that built upon concepts I mentioned above. Through this process, I not only reinforced my understanding of key commands, but also realized the importance of data preservation and cautious operation in databases. For example, after finishing a set of tasks, I learned to exit carefully to avoid losing saved work. Also, I made sure to understand each instruction clearly to avoid errors, since one mistake can affect the entire chain of questions, requiring a full reset.
One major insight: if two tables are connected by a foreign key, it may not be possible to delete a row from one table. However, if the value in that row in the original table is changed and it no longer exists in the other table, the deletion would then succeed, without violating the referential integrity.

C. When designing a commercial database for entities such as a store, it’s important to take into account the different scenarios and requirements of both online and offline modes.

D. Excel’s capabilities in data analysis and presentation, as well as its potential to directly support databases, should not be overlooked — it’s very likely to come in handy.

E. Can professional knowledge and skills — such as medical data analysis, visualization, and presentation — be adapted for public outreach, using more accessible, easy-to-understand visuals and explanations? Perhaps even made into popular videos?

Other Notes and Extensions:

I learned via email that I’m allowed to start registering for fall semester courses while still taking this summer course, which is a thoughtful setup from the university—it relieves my concern about whether I’d have enough time between sessions. As long as I pass this course, I can officially begin the master’s program in September. I also received the degree plan: 10 total courses, with 2 courses per semester, and a pre-defined course schedule.

As for Plan B, there was surprisingly no progress this week—I didn’t receive any follow-up emails. I’ve already reached out to check on this, but I’m also starting to think it might no longer be necessary.