Path Expressions in SQL: A User Study on Query Formulation
Authors: 
Marko Junkkari, Johanna Vainio, Kati Iltanen, Paavo Arvola, Heidi Kari, Jaana KekäläinenAuthors Info & Claims
Abstract
This article focuses on testing a path-oriented querying approach to hierarchical data in relational databases. The authors execute a user study to compare the path-oriented approach and traditional SQL from two perspectives: correctness of queries and time spent in querying. They also analyze what kinds of errors are typical in path-oriented SQL. Path-oriented query languages are popular in the context of object-orientation and XML. However, relational databases are the most common paradigm for storing data and SQL is most common for manipulating data. When querying hierarchical data in SQL, the user must specify join conditions explicitly between hierarchy levels. Path-oriented SQL is a new alternative for expressing hierarchical queries in relational databases. In the authors' study, the users spent significantly less time in writing path-oriented SQL queries and made fewer errors in query formulation.
References
[1]
AlashqurA. M.SuS. Y. W.LamH. 1989. OQL: a query language for manipulating object-oriented databases. In ApersP. M. G.WiederholdG. Eds., Proceedings of the Fifteenth International Conference on Very Large Data Bases pp. 433-442. Amsterdam: Morgan Kaufmann.
[2]
Bernauer, J. 1996. Analysis of part-whole relation and subsumption in the medical domain. Data & Knowledge Engineering, 203, 405-415.
[3]
BoyleJ. M.BuryK. F.EveyR. J. 1983. Two studies evaluating learning and use of QBE and SQL.Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, 277, 663-667. 10.1177/154193128302700732
[4]
Bray, T., Paoli, J., & Sperberg-McQueen, C. M. 1998. Extensible markup language XML 1.0 W3C recommendation. Retrieved from http://www.w3.org/TR/1998/REC-xml-19980210/
[5]
Burrough, P. A., & McDonnell, R. A. 1998. Principles of geographical information systems 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
[6]
Cattell, R. G. G., & Barry, D. K. Eds. 2000. The object data standard: ODMG 3.0. San Francisco, CA: Morgan Kaufmann.
[7]
ChamberlinD. D.BoyceR. F. 1974. SEQUEL: A structured English query language. In RustinR. Ed., Proceedings of the 1974 ACM SIGFIDET Workshop on Data Description, Access and Control pp. 249-64. Ann Arbor: ACM.
[8]
Chan, H., Wei, K., & Siau, K. 1993. User-database interface: The effect of abstraction levels on query performance. Management Information Systems Quarterly, 174, 441-464.
[9]
Chan, H. C. 2007. A two-stage evaluation of user query performance for the relational model and SQL. Proceedings of PACIS '07. Retrieved from http://aisel.aisnet.org/pacis2007/118
[10]
Chan, H. C., & Lim, L. H. 1998. Database interfaces: A conceptual framework and a meta-analysis on natural language studies. Journal of Database Management, 93, 25-32.
[11]
Chan, H. C., Lu, H. J., & Wei, K. K. 1993. A survey of SQL language. Journal of Database Management, 44, 4-16.
[12]
Chan, H. C., Siau, K., & Wei, K. 1997. The effect of data model, system and task characteristics on user query performance: An empirical study. ACM SIGMIS Database, 291, 31-49.
[13]
Clark, J., & DeRose, S. 1999. XML path language XPath version 1.0, W3C recommendation. Retrieved from http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-xpath-19991116/
[14]
Cluet, S. 1998. Designing OQL: Allowing objects to be queried. Information Systems, 235, 279-305.
[15]
Codd, E. F. 1983. A relational model of data for large shared data banks. Communications of the ACM, 261, 64-69.
[16]
Conover, W. J. 1999. Practical nonparametric statistics 3rd ed. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons.
[17]
David, M. M. 2003. ANSI SQL hierarchical processing can fully integrate native XML. SIGMOD Record, 321, 41-46.
[18]
Deutsch, A., Fernández, M. F., Alon, D. F., Levy, Y., & Suciu, D. 1999. A query language for XML. Computer Networks, 3111-16, 1155-1169.
[19]
Elmasri, R., & Navathe, S. B. 1989. Fundamentals of database systems 1st ed. Redwood City, CA: The Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Company.
[20]
Elmasri, R., & Navathe, S. B. 2011. Fundamentals of database systems 6st ed. Borton: Pearson.
[21]
GreenblattD.WaxmanJ. 1978. A study of three database query languages. In ShneidermanB. Ed., Proceedings of the International Conference on Databases: Improving usability and responsiveness pp. 77-97. Haifa: Academic Press.
[22]
Hvorecky, J., Drlík, M., & Munk, M. 2010. Enhancing database querying skills by choosing a more appropriate interface. Proceedings of IEEE EDUCON '10 Conference pp. 1897-1905. Madrid: IEEE Press. 10.1109/EDUCON.2010.5492434
[23]
Jaakkola, H., & Thalheim, B. 2003. Visual SQL - high-quality ER-Based query treatment. In M. A. Jensfeld, & O. Pastor Eds., ER '03 Workshop, LNCS Vol. 2814, pp. 129-139. Berlin Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag.
[24]
Junkkari, M. 2005. PSE: An object-oriented representation for modeling and managing part-of relationships. Journal of Intelligent Information Systems, 252, 131-157.
[25]
Lassila, M., Junkkari, M., & Kekäläinen, J. 2015. Comparison of two XML query languages from the perspective of learners. Journal of Information Science, 415, 584-595.
[26]
Motschnig-Pitrik, R., & Kaasböll, J. 1999. Part-whole relationship categories and their application in object-oriented analysis. IEEE Transactions on Knowledge and Data Engineering, 115, 779-797.
[27]
Niemi, T., & Järvelin, K. 1995. A straightforward NF2 relational interface with applications in information retrieval. Information Processing & Management, 312, 215-231.
[28]
Ong, K. W., Papakonstantinou, Y., & Vernoux, Y. 2014. The SQL++ query language: Configurable, unifying and semi-structured.
[29]
Pazzi, L. 1999. Implicit versus explicit characterization of complex entities and events. Data & Knowledge Engineering, 312, 115-134.
[30]
Reisner, P. 1981. Human factors studies of database query languages: A survey and assessment. ACM Computing Surveys, 131, 13-31.
[31]
Reisner, P., Boyce, R. F., & Chamberlin, D. D. 1975. Human factors evaluation of two data base query languages: Square and Sequel. Proceedings of the May 19-22 National Computer Conference and Exposition pp. 447-452. New Jersey: AFIPS PRESS.
[32]
Rho, S., & March, S. T. 1995. An analysis of semantic overload in database access systems using multi-table query formulation. Journal of Database Management, 82, 3-14.
[33]
Siau, K., Chan, H., & Wei, K. 2004. Effects of query complexity and learning on novice user query performance with conceptual and logical database interfaces. IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics. Part A, Systems and Humans, 342, 276-281.
[34]
Smelcer, J. B. 1995. User errors in database query composition. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 424, 353-381.
[35]
Thomas, J. C., & Gould, J. D. 1975. A psychological study of Query by Example. Proceedings of the May 19-22 National Computer Conference and Exposition pp. 439-445. New Jersey: AFIPS PRESS. 10.1145/1499949.1500035
[36]
Urtado, C., & Oussalah, C. 1998. Complex entity versioning at two granularity levels. Information Systems, 233-4, 197-216.
[37]
Vainio, J., & Junkkari, M. 2014. SQL based semantics for path expressions over hierarchical data in relational databases. Journal of Information Science, 403, 293-312.
[38]
Welty, C. 1990. Human factors studies of database query languages: SQL as a metric. Journal of Database Management, 11, 2-11.
[39]
Welty, C., & Stemple, D. W. 1981. Human factors comparison of a procedural and a nonprocedural query language. ACM Transactions on Database Systems, 64, 626-649.
[40]
Yen, M. Y., & Scamell, R. W. 1993. A human factors experimental comparison of SQL and QBE. IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, 194, 390-409.
- Path Expressions in SQL: A User Study on Query Formulation
Recommendations
SQL-based semantics for path expressions over hierarchical data in relational databases
Hierarchical part-of relationships/aggregation structures and related queries are essential parts of information systems. However, relational database query languages do not explicitly support hierarchical relationships and queries. A hierarchical query ...
Extensions to SQL for Historical Databases
A historical management system (HDBMS) is described which uses an extended relational data model with state-oriented, instead of 'cubic', conceptualization. Two types of historical relations, called state and event relations, are provided for modeling ...
An open systems SEE query language
SEE '95: Proceedings of the 1995 Software Engineering Environment ConferencesCASE tools inevitably require query and report generation facilities on data held in the SEE repository. The speed and ease of a powerful query language significantly improves productivity in the development of such tools. In the case of relational ...
Comments
Please enable JavaScript to view thecomments powered by Disqus.Information & Contributors
Information
Published In
Publisher
IGI Global
United States
Publication History
Published: 01 July 2016
Author Tags
Qualifiers
- Article
Contributors
Other Metrics
Bibliometrics & Citations
Bibliometrics
Article Metrics
- 0Total Citations
- 0Total Downloads
- Downloads (Last 12 months)0
- Downloads (Last 6 weeks)0
Reflects downloads up to 28 Jan 2025