Need help on database

Sorry, I'm a newbie out there when it comes to creating database. I currently have an ASP.Net project which requires a database. I spent the past few days thinking about how to create a proper database for the application but to no avail. I think tis thread might be out of point for tis forum, but i am really in need of help.

Here goes the storyline of my database:

The project is an online project management system, meant for students to submit their deliverables (reports, eg. Minutes, agenda, project monitor chart) Lecturers will access the web application to grade the student’s submission. The application must allow administrators to add in new subjects. When a new subject is added, the subject leader will set a dateline for a particular module to be submitted. Eg, minutes dateline. Once the dateline is due, the system will inform the lecturers in charge of who/which group did not submit the module. Lecturers and subject leaders can then generate warning letters to be sent via email to the students involved. Lecturers and subject leaders will be able to make announcements through the system as well.

A student can either submit his/her work as an individual or as a group.
A student will be studying more than 1 subject.
A subject will consist of more than 1 module.
Every module will have a dateline for its submission.
Students can make more than 1 submission for each module.
Students belong to different groups/classes for different subjects.
For different modules, there will be different fields to be inserted into the database.
Example, in the “Minutes module”, the student will have to be able to key in the objectives, the date of the meeting, the venue, its members, absent members, actual minutes, action by and meeting end time.

In the “Project monitor chart module”, the student will have to key in the week/date, the name of the member, task involved, as well as the status.

When a new subject is created, the subject leader will have to specify the percentage of each different module. (Eg, Exams – 40%, Term test 15%, and so on.)

A subject will also be taught by more than 1 lecturer. So subject leader will specify the lecturers teaching that particular subject.


I hope someone out there can help me out on the construction of a database for the above storyline. Thanks a lot.

Hm, I tried a number of ways to get it done.

I am using a users table for the "students", "lecturers", "subject leaders" and "administrators". In this table, there are the user_id, user_name, password, access_level, contact, location, email and gender fields.

Next, I use a subjects table to contain the subjects involved in the system. This table also specifies the weightage of each module in the subject. The subjects table has the subject_id, subject_name, subject_leader, percent_agenda, percent_monitor, percent_minutes, percent_class_participation, percent_lect_evaluation, percent_peer_evaluation, percent_term_test, percent_exam.

There is another subject_users table that will specify the students/lecturers involved with the subject. It has the fields subject_users_id, user_id, subject_id.

A modules table will be used to identify the different modules involved in the system. The modules tabke have fields like the module_id, module, subject_id, date_due.

There is 1 submission table that will store data submitted by students. In the submission table, there is the submission id, user_id, module_id, group_no, class_no, submission_date and grade fields.

Basically the system only allows the students to submit 3 kinds of module. Namely, the monitor_chart, agenda and minutes.

Hence, there is a table each for every of this 3 modules. In the minutes table, there are the minutes_id, objectives, meeting_date, venue, members, absent_members, minutes, action_by, meeting_end.

Then there is the announcements table, it includes the announcement_id, announcer, ann_title, announcement, status, ann_date. However, i realized this table would not be enough if i want to include a feature that actually notifiy the students when there is a new announcement. The table is also unable to define if a particular student has actually read the announcement before.

This database i have above is unable to generate a warning letter automatically when students doesnt submit their work. As the submission table will not have an entry in the beginning. So i cant do things like select from submission where submission_date is null. Please help. Thanks.

sketch out your DFD and ERD first, than you'll have an idea where to start your table. post your diagram on the forum, people will more likely to share their ideas.