CPS 116 (Fall 2009):
Introduction to Database Systems

Course Information
Lecture Notes
Assignments
Tentative Syllabus
Programming Notes
Getting Started with cps116 Server
Getting Started with Gradiance
DB2 SQL Notes
Using ra
JDBC Notes
Tomcat Notes
XML Notes
Blackboard (Grades)

Getting Started with Gradiance


Index


Introduction

Gradiance (also known as GOAL, for Gradiance Online Accelerated Learning) is a system pioneered by Prof. Jeffrey Ullman. It offers many advantages over traditional written assignments. Given one "root question," Gradiance can generate different instances of this question. Therefore, you are permitted to test yourself on the same root question as many times as you like, and receive immediate feedback for each attempt. Gradiance also has a lab component that automatically tests your solutions on different inputs. Hence, it avoids the shortcoming of the traditional submit-and-then-wait-for-grades assignments where one error in understanding can permeate solutions to multiple problems and does not get rectified until much later. We encourage you to continue testing on each topic until you complete the assignment with a 100% score. For each Gradiance problem set or lab, your score is the highest score achieved as of 11:59PM on the due date.


Purchasing access

You can purchase Gradiance access online at https://register.pearsoncmg.com/reg/buy/buy1.jsp?productID=37277. (The last time I check the price was $34.00.) You will get a 6-word access code. Keep it safely for your records.

Another way to obtain Gradiance access is to purchase a valuepack which bundles the book together with a Gradiance access kit. The combined price might be cheaper. You will find a 6-word access code inside the kit. If you are buying a used valuepack, beware that the access code might have already been used. If that is the case, you will not be able to sign up with the access code.


Signing up

Point your browser to http://esminfo.prenhall.com/goal/students.html, and register for "Garcia-Molina/Ullman/Widom: Database Systems: The Complete Book, 2e." Follow the instructions. (If you purchased access online, you probably have already created a Pearson Education account.) During the registration process, enter the access code that you obtained earlier.


Logging in

Point your browser to http://www.gradiance.com/pearson and follow the instructions to log into Gradiance. If this is the first time that log in, enter the class token 4106477C to sign up for CPS 116. From this point on, CPS 116 will be listed automatically as one your classes (at the top of the Web page) as you log in. Click on CPS 116 to continue.


Additional information

You might want to read this Gradiance Guide for Students before starting your first Gradiance assignemnt. This document is very short and provides very useful hints on how to approach Gradiance-style multiple-choice questions. Note that Section 1 of the guide is outdated; please refer to the updated sign-up and login instructions on this Web page.

Last updated Sat Aug 15 22:19:46 EDT 2009