ERQ: controlled inference and instruction techniques for DBMS query languages

ABSTRACT

This paper describes certain aspects of the Entity Relationship Query Interface (ERQ) which is being implemented as part of a Distributed Data-base Research programme. A major objective of ERQ is to teach naive users the fundamental concepts of the Entity Relationship (ER) and Relational Data Models, and also how to use a Relational Query Language. This is achieved by providing a range of user modes, with progression through the modes as the user gains in experience. The methods used to teach system facilities (namely teaching displays, help messages) and discovering database semantics (using functional decomposition --- ER descriptions) are presented. We also discuss the ERQ Controlled Inference facility, by which the user instructs the system to make limited inferences connected with the ER model description during query formulation. The results of inferences are displayed as system generated Natural Language sentences, which are used to validate query specifications.

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