Lesson 1

At this point in the course, you know enough to translate much of what you have learned into an entity-relationship (ER) diagram. In this module, you will

1. identify the conventions for diagramming entities and their attributes;
2. identify the constructs used to diagram the three types of relationships (1:1, 1:N, and M:N), and
3. identify the symbols used to indicate mandatory and optional participation in a relationship.

(Note: I use the term constructs in its generic sense, referring to a collection of images or diagramming conventions.) Finally, you will complete the course project: creating an ER diagram for Stories on CD, Inc. After completing this module, you will be able to:

1. Define the function of an entity-relationship (ER) diagram
2. Describe the types of entity-relationship (ER) diagrams
3. Identify conventions for diagramming entities and attributes
4. Identify the constructs for diagramming types of relationships
5. Identify the symbols for diagramming types of participation
6. Revise an ER diagram based on a final review with users
7. Describe how to verbalize an ER diagram

The next lesson defines the function of an ER diagram. entity-relationship (ER) diagram: A diagram used during the design phase of database development to illustrate the organization of and relationships between data during database design.