Journal of Information Systems Education (JISE)

Volume 30

Volume 30 Issue 3, Pages 178-190

Summer 2019


Query Structure and Data Model Mapping Errors in Information Retrieval Tasks


Gretchen Irwin Casterella
University of North Carolina
Wilmington, NC 28403, USA

Leo Vijayasarathy
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA

Abstract: SQL query writing is a challenging task for novices, even after considerable training. Query writing is a programming task and a translation task where the writer must translate a user’s request for information into code that conforms to the structure, constraints, and syntax of an SQL SELECT statement and that references specific tables and columns from a database. This paper investigates the impact of two instructional interventions on query errors under conditions of low and high query complexity. Data was collected from an experimental study of 63 undergraduate students nearing completion of a 15-week database course. Our analysis reveals specific areas of query writing where each of the interventions helped, and hindered, task performance. We discuss the implications of these findings for improving SQL training and for future research on SQL training effectiveness.

Keywords: Information retrieval, Relational database, Structured query language (SQL), Human-computer interaction (HCI)

Download this article: JISE - Volume 30 Issue 3, Page 178.pdf


Recommended Citation: Casterella, G. I. & Vijayasarathy, L. (2019). Query Structure and Data Model Mapping Errors in Information Retrieval Tasks. Journal of Information Systems Education, 30(3), 178-190.