The purpose of this sheet is to serve as a study aid. You are, however, responsible for all material that I assigned to you and/or reviewed in class. I reserve the right to ask something that's not specifically stated on this sheet. Review all material from Lectures, Lecture outlines, examples, assignments, practice exercises and Access Textbook TUT Chapters 1-5.
Test Format
- Multiple choice on scantron. Bring a pencil. I'll provide the scantron.
Access: Creating Database, Tables, Relationships
- Know the differences between data and information
- Know and be able to describe what a RDBMS is, and the 3 components of the RDBMS discussed in class
- Know the names of 3 popular RDBMSs other than Access
- Know what tables, records, and fields are, and how to identify them when shown
- What is a primary key? What is a composite (or concatenated or compound) key? Be able to identify appropriate and inappropriate primary keys.
- What is the maximum number of primary keys you can identify for a table?
- Know the different Access datatypes discussed in class, what kind of data they store, how to represent the data (eg, quotes, precision, etc...) and what data types are appropriate for given fields.
- Know how to create a database in Access.
- Know the 2 different Access database file extensions discussed in class and how they differ
- Be familiar with the areas of the MS Access window/interface discussed in class.
- What are the 4 types of objects (discussed in class) that we can create in Access?
- Know how to create and rename a table in Access
- Know how to enter, update, delete, and save data in an Access table
- Know the 2 methods discussed in class for bringing in external data into Access (ie, linking and importing). Be able to discuss the differences/advantages/disadvantages between the two methods, and what type of external data can be brought into Access.
Access: Queries
- What is a query? Why do we query business data? What are advantages of querying data in a database over manipulating the data in Excel?
- Know how to create and edit a query in Access using the Design view. Know the various parts of the Design View grid.
- Know how to move and delete fields in a query.
- What kind of code is the query design view generating "behind the scenes"? How do we see this code? Can this code be changed?
- Be able to determine, for a given query, what rows, if any, would be returned. Given queries and data, be able to tell what the answer to a query would be.
- Know the operators (such as "=", in, or, like, not, >=, between, ...) discussed in class. Know what they are, how to use them in queries, what they result in.
- Know alternative ways to do the "In" and "Between" operations.
- How do you achieve "and" and "or" criteria in a query?
- Know the functions (such as count, max, ...) discussed in class. Know what they are, how to use them in queries, what they result in.
- Know how to sort data ascending and descending in a query.
- Know the different methods of eliminating duplicate records in a query result.
- Know how to target top values in a query result.
- What is a Group By? Why do we use Group By's in queries? Know how to use them in queries and what they result in.
- What is CrossTab query? Why do we use CrossTab queries? Know what they are similar to in Excel, know how to create them in Access, their limitations, and what they result in.
- Know how to check the accuracy of a given query.
- Know how to access data in multiple tables in Access. Know how to choose and connect/relate them.
- Know what an outer join is and how to accomplish it.
Access: Forms and Reports
- What is an Access form used for?
- Know how to create a form using the technique described in class and used in your assignment
- Know the 3 form views (form, form layout, form design) discussed in class. Know how to get to these views and what you can do in these views.
- What are Access controls?
- What is a control layout on a form? What are the advantages and disadvantages of using a control layout? How can you remove a control layout? Why would you want to?
- Know how to access the Expression Builder from a form and how it can be used to create data and/or validate data on a form.
- What is an Access report used for?
- Know how to create a report using the wizard technique described in class and used in your assignment. Know what options you can specify in this wizard.
- Know the 4 report views (preview, layout, design, report) discussed in class. Know how to get to these views and what you can do in these views. Know how to change things on your report in these views.
Other Topics
- Anything else related to Access we talked about in class