Essentials of Systems Analysis and Design, 6e (Valacich)
Chapter 7 Structuring System Requirements: Conceptual Data Modeling
1) The characteristics of data captured during data modeling are crucial in the design of
databases, programs, computer screens, and printed reports.
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2) Processes, rather than data, are the most complex aspects of many modern information
systems.
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3) The purpose of the conceptual data model is to show as many rules about the meaning and
interrelationships among data as possible.
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4) The names of data stores on primitive-level data flow diagrams often correspond to the names
of data entities in entity-relationship (E-R) diagrams.
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5) The primary deliverable for the conceptual data-modeling step within the analysis phase is an
entity-relationship diagram.
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6) A deliverable from conceptual data modeling is a set of entries about data objects to be stored
in the project dictionary or repository.
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7) The top-down approach to data modeling derives a data model by reviewing specific business
documents.
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8) An analyst would ask, “What must we know about each object in order to run a business?” in
order to determine relationships, their cardinality, and degrees.
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9) In order to determine security controls and understand who really knows the meaning of data,
an analyst might ask, “What natural activities or transactions of the business involve handling
data about several objects of the same or different type?”
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10) In order to determine the integrity rules, minimum and maximum cardinality, and time
dimensions of data, an analyst might ask, “Are values for data characteristics limited in any
way?”
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11) An entity is a person, place, object, event, or concept in the user environment about which
the organization wishes to maintain data.
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12) Book, supplier, and state are examples of entity types.
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13) Since a name represents a set of entities, it is plural on an entity-relationship diagram.
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14) Use a verb or verb phrase to name an entity.
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15) Social security number, last name, and first name are examples of entity types.
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16) A true data entity will have many possible instances, each with a distinguishing
characteristic, as well as one or more other descriptive pieces of data.
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17) An entity instance is a single occurrence of an entity type.
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18) Employee identification number, name, address, and skill are examples of attributes.
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19) An order number is a good example of a candidate key.
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20) A faculty identification number could be used as an identifier.
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21) A primary key should be null.
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22) An identifier is a candidate key that has been selected as the unique, identifying characteristic
for an entity type.
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23) When selecting an identifier, one should choose a candidate key that will not change its value
over the life of each instance of the entity type.
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24) Analysts should use intelligent keys as identifiers.
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25) Analysts should consider substituting single-attribute surrogate keys for large composite
keys.
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26) When referencing an employee entity, an employee’s skills are an example of a multivalued
attribute.
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27) One way to handle repeating data within an entity is to separate the repeating data into
another entity, called a weak entity.
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28) A multivalued attribute is an attribute that may take on more than one value for each entity
instance.
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29) A repeating group is a set of two or more multivalued attributes that are logically related.
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30) A join is an association between the instances of one or more entity types that is of interest to
the organization.
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31) Relationships are labeled with verb phrases.
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32) The goal of conceptual data modeling is to capture as much of the meaning of data as
possible.
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33) A ternary relationship is a relationship between instances of one entity type.
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34) A unary relationship is the most common type of relationship encountered in data modeling.
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35) A ternary relationship is the equivalent of three binary relationships.
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36) Cardinality is the number of instances of entity B that can (or must) be associated with each
instance of entity A.
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37) The minimum cardinality of a relationship is the minimum number of instances of entity B
that may be associated with each instance of entity A.
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38) A plural relationship is a relationship that the data modeler chooses to model as entity type.
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39) A relationship must be turned into an associative entity when the associative entity has other
relationships with entities besides the relationship that caused its creation.
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40) Ideally, each data store on a primitive data-flow diagram will be an individual attribute.
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41) Conceptual data modeling for an Internet-based electronic commerce application differs
significantly from the process followed when analyzing the data needs for other types of
applications.
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42) During the designing the human interface step of the design phase, you would enumerate
different potential implementation environments that could be used to deliver the different sets of
capabilities.
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43) In theory, if there are four sets of requirements, three implementation environments, and four
sources of application software, then there would be thirty-six possible design strategies.
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44) In theory, if there are six sets of requirements, four implementation environments, and five
sources of application software, then there would be one hundred twenty possible design
strategies.
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45) A good number of alternatives to generate is five.
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46) Cost is the primary focus of high-end alternatives.
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47) The minimum requirements for a new system are also its mandatory features.
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48) Essential features are those that everyone agrees are necessary to solve the problem or meet
the opportunity.
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49) Conceptual data modeling is typically done in parallel with other requirements analysis and
structuring steps during:
A) systems planning and selection.
B) systems design.
C) systems analysis.
D) systems implementation and operation.
E) systems evaluation.
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50) The most common format used for data modeling is:
A) state-transition diagramming.
B) entity-relationship diagramming.
C) process modeling.
D) logic modeling.
E) a flowchart.
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51) During systems analysis:
A) a conceptual data model (E-R with attributes) is prepared.
B) a logical model (relational) is prepared.
C) physical files and database designs are prepared.
D) an enterprise-wide data model is prepared.
E) database and file definitions are prepared.
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52) The primary deliverable from the conceptual data-modeling step within the analysis phase is:
A) a state-transition diagram.
B) an entity-relationship diagram.
C) a context data flow diagram.
D) a decision table.
E) Structured English.
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53) Which of the following is a true statement?
A) A data model explains what the organization does and what rules govern how work is done in
the organization.
B) To construct a data model, you need to know how data are processed.
C) To construct a data model, you need to know when data are processed.
D) A data flow diagram graphically illustrates the structure and relationships among data items.
E) During conceptual data modeling, the preparation of a Network diagram is necessary.
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