SQL LAB REPORT: HOW TO WRITE A DBMS PRACTICAL FILE

DBMS lab reports follow the same six-section structure as any other programming lab, but two things are different: the Code section is SQL (not C++ or Java), and the Output section is a table of result rows from a query, not a console screenshot. This page covers both, with examples.

The Standard DBMS Lab Report Sections

1. 1Aim — what the query does in plain English
2. 2Theory — the SQL concept (JOIN, GROUP BY, subquery, etc.) with a one-paragraph explanation
3. 3SQL Code — the full CREATE TABLE + INSERT + SELECT statements
4. 4Output — a screenshot of the query result in your DBMS client (MySQL Workbench, pgAdmin, Oracle SQL Developer)
5. 5Conclusion — what you learned about SQL from this practical

Sample Practical: Library Database

Most DBMS lab manuals use a small sample database. Here is a complete practical you can adapt.

Aim

To write SQL queries that demonstrate SELECT, WHERE, JOIN, GROUP BY, and subqueries on a Library database with Books, Members, and Borrow tables.

Theory

A relational database stores data in tables with rows and columns. SQL (Structured Query Language) is the standard language for querying and modifying relational data. A JOIN combines rows from two or more tables based on a related column. A subquery is a query nested inside another query, used to filter or compute values that the outer query depends on.

Schema

CREATE TABLE Books (
    book_id INT PRIMARY KEY,
    title VARCHAR(100),
    author VARCHAR(100),
    price DECIMAL(8, 2)
);

CREATE TABLE Members (
    member_id INT PRIMARY KEY,
    name VARCHAR(100),
    join_date DATE
);

CREATE TABLE Borrow (
    borrow_id INT PRIMARY KEY,
    member_id INT,
    book_id INT,
    borrow_date DATE,
    FOREIGN KEY (member_id) REFERENCES Members(member_id),
    FOREIGN KEY (book_id) REFERENCES Books(book_id)
);

Query 1: List All Books Priced Above 500

SELECT title, author, price
FROM Books
WHERE price > 500
ORDER BY price DESC;

Expected output: a table of book titles, authors, and prices, sorted by price descending.

Query 2: Count Books Borrowed by Each Member

SELECT m.name, COUNT(b.borrow_id) AS books_borrowed
FROM Members m
LEFT JOIN Borrow b ON m.member_id = b.member_id
GROUP BY m.member_id, m.name
ORDER BY books_borrowed DESC;

Query 3: Find Members Who Borrowed More Than 2 Books (Subquery)

SELECT name
FROM Members
WHERE member_id IN (
    SELECT member_id
    FROM Borrow
    GROUP BY member_id
    HAVING COUNT(*) > 2
);

The Output Section: Screenshots Done Right

For DBMS practicals, the Output is a screenshot of the query result in your DBMS client. The rules:

• ▸Show the full query in the editor pane above the result
• ▸Show the full result table below — do not crop to one row
• ▸Include the column headers and the row count at the bottom ("5 rows returned")
• ▸If your client shows execution time, that is a useful addition

Common Mistakes

• ▸Pasting the query as text in the Code section but submitting a screenshot of just the result — the evaluator cannot see what query produced the result
• ▸Forgetting to include the CREATE TABLE statements in the Code section
• ▸Using sample data that does not match the schema (typos in column names)
• ▸Submitting a screenshot of the table in design view instead of the result grid

Building a Full DBMS Practical File

A typical DBMS lab file has 10-15 practicals covering DDL, DML, joins, subqueries, views, and triggers. Each practical is a separate lab report with the same structure. Plan to write 6-8 pages per practical — the file will run 80-120 pages in total.