Good book for database design, normalisation etc

Hi,

I studied this as a college subject but never really got any practical experience (limited querying of databases using SQL is as much as I've done with databases). I found the college examples and problems quite structured in terms of getting to an end solution, and they only had certain level of complexity.

I always found this very tough, and am never sure if it is correct.

As an example of the type of thing I get really confused on, if I need to create a timesheet record: Employee enters timesheet for the day and their manager has to sign-off on it. The manager also has to complete their timesheet and get it signed off by their manager, etc. Now I know that there really should only be one staff table, but I am struggling to understand how best to implement this when certain staff members have multiple roles.

Can anyone recommend a good book on this whole area that they have personally used, with an emphasis on the practical. I have a few things that I would like to set up a database for, but I want it to be right from the start in terms of good design, normalised and no data redundancy.

Thanks.

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Comments

NotHackingYou

I used this book and it was fantastic

Amazon.com: Head First SQL: Your Brain on SQL -- A Learner's Guide (9780596526849): Lynn Beighley: Books

KenC

Thanks for the suggestion Carl - can I just confirm, you found it good for the database design stage (as opposed to the database creation and data manipulation/extraction)?

N2IT

Encore -- Database systems : design, implementation, and management / Peter Rob, Carlos Coronel.

This is a bit newer than the version I read but it goes through all the different types of databases and then into design immediately. The first two chapters talk about hierarcial and relational, but then transitions into design fairly quickly. Talks about the normal forms 1-4 with Boyce Codd normal form 4. No duplicates or repeating values, etc. It maybe over the top, but it's a good book. You won't need all of it though, towards the end it goes into stored procedures, triggers, views, and indexing.

That's all I know of, but I still use it today.

NotHackingYou

KenC wrote: »

Thanks for the suggestion Carl - can I just confirm, you found it good for the database design stage (as opposed to the database creation and data manipulation/extraction)?

This book is mostly about learning to write queries. However, it does cover creating tables, keys, normalization, ect - just not in great detail.

KenC

@Carl: Had a feeling it was like that, not quite what I'm looking for but thanks.

@N2IT: That's more along the lines of what I'm looking for, good to hear you still get use out of it today (The latest edition seems quite pricey). Thanks.

Anyone else with any further suggested reading material?