Geotechnical data management plays a key role in problem solving for oil company exploration and development operations. Managing geotechnical data usually takes a unique professional - one with both an engineering and IT background. Effective Database Design for Geoscience Professionals is a complete manual that geoscientists can use to provide a basic introduction to data management concepts. A highly organized work, each chapter is complete with an introductory synopsis and key terms where necessary. Overall, Hoffman provides practical information sprinkled with cautionary advice on avoiding potential database design pitfalls. Contents: Overview and Introduction; Key Terms and Concepts; Pre-Planing Database Projects; Data Types and Formats; Designing the Database; Geotechnical Data; Data Reformatting; Data Loading and Input; Data Normalization; Data Validation, Editing, and Quality Control; Designing the User Interface; Summary; Additional Resources; Appendix A: Checklist for Geological Data Types; Glossary of Key Terms.