Question

What is the first step in the data normalization process?

A. Preliminary normal form
B. First normal form
C. Functional dependencies
D. Entity-relationship diagramming

Answer 1

The first step in the data normalization process is achieving the First normal form (1NF), which organizes data into tabular form with unique records and no duplicative columns.

Step-by-step explanation:

The first step in the data normalization process is to achieve the First normal form (1NF). Before moving to 1NF, data is often in an unstructured format, which can be referred to as the Preliminary normal form. However, the actual structured process of normalization begins with 1NF, where the goal is to organize the data into tabular form and eliminate duplicative columns from the same table. Each record must contain unique information, ensuring that there are no repeating groups or arrays.

To achieve First normal form, the following are typical steps:

• Eliminate duplicate columns from the same table.
• Create separate tables for each group of related data.
• Identify each set of related data with a unique column or set of columns (the primary key).