Learn database design the easy, common-sense way! For years, Michael J. Hernandez's best selling Database Design for Mere Mortals® has earned worldwide respect as the clearest, most straightforward, software-independent tutorial on the basic principles of relational database design. Now, he's thoroughly updated this hands-on best-seller, making it even easier to understand and use, while thoroughly updating its coverage for today's databases and design best practices. Database Design for Mere Mortals, Third Edition opens with a completely new first chapter, and text and figures have been revised throughout for even greater clarity and simplicity. Updates also include new content explaining normalization and showing how to transparently incorporate it into database design; updated and improved coverage of data types; and extensive new support for instructional use, including spec sheets in the form of Word document templates; PowerPoint slide decks; and new test questions for instructors. Database Design for Mere Mortals, Third Edition delivers foundational, software-independent knowledge you can use immediately to start solving real-world problems immediately, and offers a smooth learning curve that prepares you to learn more advanced skills whenever you're ready!