Data dictionaries and Validation

Searching and sorting a database

Produce an SQL query to display everything about anyone with Intelligence >= 90 and Charisma of >= 90 from BondCharacters

Fields
Table
Criteria
Sort Order

Understand what a data dictionary is and how to implement one
Understand and implement database validation

I am able to explain and produce data dictionaries
I am able to use validation on my database

What is a data dictionary?

Data dictionaries are simply ways of describing the structure of a database before it is created.
A data dictionary contains:
- The fields in a database table
- If it's a key
- What each field stores
- The data type of each field
- Any validation (e.g. size, range)

What is a data dictionary?

A data dictionary:
- Helps plan the structure of a database
- Reduces errors
- Ensures correct data types are used
- Makes the database easier to understand
- Helps when working in a team

Validation

Validation on a database ensures that the user inserts the correct information into the database.
Validation is applied to attributes in an entity.
There are four forms of validation required for National 5 Computing Science.

Validation icons created by Vectors Tank - Flaticon

Validation	Description	Example
Presence check	The field is required and data must be provided	Email address is required.
Restricted choice	The data must be selected from a list of valid entries (normally a dropdown box)	Class could be 2L1, 2L2, 2G1, 2G2, 2T1 or 2T2
Length check	The data must be of a specified length	Phone numbers require exactly 11 digits, a validation rule could be added to ensure that phone numbers are exactly 11 digits
Range check	The data must be within the range	A score must be between 0 and 55 marks for a prelim

Database setup - Setting up validation - restricted choice

Select the Lookup Wizard as the field type.

Data dictionaries

Attribute	Key	Type	Size	Required	Validation
BookISBN	PK	Text	13	Yes	Length = 13
BookTitle		Text
AuthorID*	FK	Number	11	Yes
BookPublishYear		Number	4		Between 1900 and 2025

Author

Attribute	Key	Type	Size	Required
AuthorID	PK	Number	11	Yes
AuthorName		Text	30	Yes
AuthorDateOfBirth		Date

Book

Data dictionaries tasks

Create data dictionaries for each of the following:
- A database table is needed to store employee information. It will store a unique employee ID (8 characters long), the employee’s forename (required), surname (required), job title, department, annual salary (in pounds, required), and whether they work full time (required).
- A database table is required to store information about video games in a shop. It will store a unique game ID (6 characters long), the game title (required), platform (required), age rating, price (in pounds, required), stock quantity (required), and release date.

Database Setup - Setting up validation

Length check

Presence check

Range check

Note - Number data types cannot have a field size - they are determined based on their data type (e.g. Integer or Double)

aDD VALIDATION

Edit your class database. If you haven't already got them, add eye colour, hair colour, year group (you are all S3, but you'll want your database to accept S1 to S6)
Add validation to your database to ensure that the user can only enter certain colours and year groups

Create a data dictionary

Open the Customer database. Create a data dictionary for that database.
Open the Database Practical notes on Google Classroom. Turn to page 10 and complete the tasks there.

Presentation Overview

Data Dictionaries and Validation

23:55 | 22-04-2026

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