Query Evaluation Techniques for Large Databases; Graefe, ACM
Computing Surveys 25(2), 1993, pp. 73-170. However, you do not
have to read the entire paper. Instead, only read sections 1-3, 5, 7,
8, and the summary. Do not worry about the details of the formulas;
the goal is to understand the basic ideas of what goes into executing
a query in a database.
Warning. Make sure that your copy is in double column
format, otherwise you have a slightly different version and the numbering
will not make sense