Information Systems Program
Module 11
Normalization Concepts and Practice
Lesson 1: Modification Anomalies
Lesson Objectives
• Define modification anomaly
• Provide examples of modification anomalies
• Understand processing orientation for avoiding
modification anomalies
Information Systems Program
Modification Anomaly
• Unexpected side effect from a row operation
• Must insert, modify, and delete more data than desired
• Caused by excessive redundancies
• Strive for one fact in one place
Information Systems Program
Big University Database Table
StdNo StdClass OfferNo OffYear EnrGrade CourseNo CrsDesc
S1 JUN O1 2017 3.5 C1 DB
S1 JUN O2 2017 3.3 C2 VB
S2 JUN O3 2018 3.1 C3 OO
S2 JUN O2 2017 3.4 C2 VB
Information Systems Program
Anomaly Examples
• To insert a course (C4), must know student and offering
• Update multiple rows to change the description of course
C2
• A row deletion can cause inadvertent removal of related
entities. Deleting third enrollment row (S2, O3) loses
details about O3 and C3.
Information Systems Program
Summary
• Modification anomaly: unwanted side effect from a row
operation
• More rows impacted than anticipated
• Motivation for normalization process to remove excessive
redundancies
Information Systems Program
