Tutorial 3: Databases - Importing and Exporting Data

                Working with databases can be a very daunting task to a new user.  When presented with the task of preparing and using a database, such as a database created by Microsoft Access, to return valuable information, a couple of key steps are necessary to begin manipulating the data.  Probably the easiest and most crucial step in creating a database is to import the external data that you are going to be using throughout your work.  Finally, exporting the information that results from such data for specific usage is another crucial aspect of external data when dealing with a database.

                To begin, data comes in many different forms.  These forms are textual or hyperlink, numbers and currency, dates, times, simple ‘Yes/No’ inputs, and objects such as pictures and video to name a few.  All data must be imported into a database to be able to use it.  A few different import sources are spreadsheets from Microsoft Excel, data already in an Access file, as well as manually written text.  Once the data is imported, the data is stored in what is known as a ‘table’.  A screenshot from a sample table created by myself is shown below.

Open database connectivity, or more simply ODBC, is part of what is called the ‘network language’.  This allows users to connect databases very quickly and effectively.

                When entering textual data, you would use what is known as a ‘transitional file type’.  This file type consists of all of the text data that you are going to import into a database.  Special features of text data are the DELIMITER which is simply a character, such as a quotation mark, that separates the fields or columns of your data, a TEXT QUALIFIER which again is a specific character that encloses the actual text data field within a text file, and finally text can be imported using FIXED WIDTH capabilities which allows for no need for a delimiter.  Fixed width instead aligns each column with a specific number of characters such as ‘1-23=Street’, etc.

                There are a couple of different ways to actually import data into a database.  First, there is simply opening a pre-determined file of data such as something that is given to you by management or something found online.  These files of data are links to data sources and can be opened by clicking on the ‘External Data’ tab of the database on the Access tab bar and navigating to the ‘Import & Link’ section of the ribbon. Second, manually entering data into a text box using delimiters or fixed width fields can be used, too.

                Finally, exporting data from Microsoft Access is a cinch!  Click on the ‘External Data’ tab and venture to the ‘Export’ section of the ribbon as seen above.  You can choose several different ways to export and present your data and information from a database.

                All in all, databases are a very neat and organized utility to store and manipulate data.  After the need for data to be presented and used in such a manner, creating a database is a great way to import, manipulate, and export the information needed from the data set that you were originally given.  A link to a website containing much more detailed information about databases is http://databaseanswers.org/tutorials.htm which is full of useful information to refer to when creating and managing databases.  Most importantly, HAVE FUN!  Create your own database and explore the many wonderful opportunities that Microsoft Access has to offer!

Database Project

               After completing the database project for ISM3004, I have learned that databases are an extremely effective tool for organizing and processing data and information.  Through the use of queries, you can run specific functions for gathering information without having to manually and painstakingly browse through several, in this case thousands, of pieces of data to quickly and efficiently make decisions and inferences about such data and information.  Also, through the use of forms, you can easily create, modify, and extract information about one particular field, such as an individual member in this project, in an indexed matter.  Finally, reports are a useful tool to effectively display and print data and information on specific fields and other parameters for personal or organizational use.

                To enhance functionality of this database, a few options pertaining to the creation of different queries would thoroughly enhance the overall usage of the database.  To begin, after being a personal trainer at a gym before, a query based upon the gender of the member might be a good idea to list as to create gender-specific workout plans and also to describe the goals of the individual members.  Also, creating a query based upon the type of membership in this case could easily provide information about the overall membership usage and perhaps even discounts available to family membership holders.  Queries are an awesome tool to be very specific about the type of information that you would like to be able to view and analyze in a very quick and effective manner.

                The addition of new reports may enhance the functionality of the database, as well.  Creating a report based on the city in which the members are located might offer information about the possibility of expanding the business to various other cities.  Also, reports on the frequency of new memberships based on date might suggest the overall allocation of resources, such as staff members available, during peak months or time periods in which membership signings are high.

A Reflection of the Presentation and Web 2.0 Project

     After completing the Presentation and Web 2.0 Project, many new skills and abilities to create a successful and meaningful presentation were acquired.  Before evaluating my own project, I evaluated another student’s Web 2.0 Presentation using an evaluation rubric.  This initial evaluation immediately gave me insight into my own presentation and the project as a whole.  By critiquing another’s project, I could reflect on individual aspects of my own presentation comparing the two side by side.  I became far more objective in evaluating my personal project after completing the peer evaluation.  The student that I evaluated had similar marks on their rubric as I did after completing the evaluations.

     When evaluating my own presentation, I found a few areas that I could certainly improve upon.  Although I felt that my presentation had a logical flow of content and that I didn’t leave many if any questions unanswered about the cause and the organization which I was promoting, I didn’t directly ask the audience any questions about their thoughts or give them any scenarios in which to connect to the cause.  I felt that the second slide of my presentation, which contained statistics on acts against wildlife specifically in Colorado, sparked interest and grabbed attention with interesting yet awful statistics about wildlife and gaming violations.

     After critiquing my own project, I also felt that I set the context of the presentation early and clearly stating the organization in which I was promoting as well as their mission and reasons for which they are helping wildlife.  I didn’t use and outlandish claims and I also validated the claims which I brought forth in the presentation.  I used caution to avoid typos and grammar errors within the slides.  The slides were generally free of clutter and I ensured readability by using proper text color for the background that was chosen.  On one slide, however, I did write the entire mission statement for the organization and read it verbatim during the presentation.  I felt this was necessary and acceptable seeing as someone may want to review the presentation and have detail about what the organization was trying to accomplish.  Other than that slide, I felt that I ‘said it’ then ‘showed it’ with brief descriptions and bullets throughout the presentation.

     All in all, I learned a significant amount of new knowledge after completing the Presentation and Web 2.0 Project.  I had a wonderful time exploring Microsoft PowerPoint and learning that PowerPoint is also capable of recording direct narration and also that PowerPoint can convert the slideshow directly into a movie or otherwise presentable means of media.  I also learned that it is very important to start brainstorming and gathering information early as I ran into some trouble later on in the process with the overall organization of the information that I was trying to present.  I also learned that receiving peer critiques is an invaluable source of feedback and also that a self-critique is a great way to reflect on the overall quality of my own work.  Finally, I learned new skills such as a storyboard and source document are of great help when putting the presentation process into motion.  I had an awesome experience learning about the power of Microsoft PowerPoint and now have an amazing skillset in which to use throughout my business career both now and in the future.

The link to my presentation on YouTube is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EsZ4gOc4ms