Information Processing Flashcards
What is the difference between data and information?
Data is raw, unprocessed facts, while information is data that has been processed and organized to be meaningful to the user.
Example of data: Digits 70, 80, 90, 30; Example of information: 70, 80, 90, and 30 represent test marks.
What is information processing?
Information processing is the manipulation of data to obtain information, involving gathering, interpreting, and handling data in various forms.
Includes tasks like capturing, storing, and presenting information.
List some characteristics of information processing.
- Carrying out calculations
- Printing a document
- Searching for a particular item
- Updating data in a file
- Displaying an image on screen
- Sorting data in alphabetic order
What are some advantages of information processing?
- Makes tasks easier and faster
- Quick access to stored data
- Results in automation
- Enables sharing and analysis of information
- Easy to maintain once set up
What are some disadvantages of information processing?
- Expensive to set up initially
- Maintenance can be costly
- Hardware and software require updates
- Specialists needed to operate systems
- High reliance on information processing systems
What qualities should information possess?
- Relevant
- Accurate
- Timely
- Complete
- In an appropriate medium
- Cost-effective
What is an information commodity?
An information commodity is an item of information that can be bought or sold.
Example: Online information requiring payment for access.
What are the two meanings of ‘sources of data’ in Information Technology?
- The thing that has been measured
- The person or organization that provided the data
How can data be collected for processing?
- Measurement
- Formal or informal communication
- Publications
- Questionnaires
- Products
- Data logging
- Turnaround documents
- Microfilm
- Journals, catalogues, magazines, newspapers
What is the difference between an observation and a measurement?
An observation is a subjective report made by a person, while a measurement is an objective data point obtained through instruments.
What is a source document?
A source document is one that contains data that is going to be input into a computer system or the original form of paper from which data was taken.
Examples: Payroll reports, student registration forms.
What is a turnaround document?
A turnaround document is printed by a computer system and later used to input new data into the same system.
Example: A tax return form pre-printed with personal information.
What is data logging?
Data logging is a method of automatic data capture using sensors to take readings over a period of time.
What are human-readable and machine-readable documents?
- Human-readable: Documents that need to be read by humans (e.g., handwritten forms)
- Machine-readable: Documents that can be read by input devices (e.g., barcodes, OMR sheets)
What are the four characteristics to test the reliability of online information?
- Authenticity
- Currency
- Relevance
- Lack of Bias
What is the difference between verification and validation?
- Verification is a process carried out by humans to check data entry accuracy
- Validation is an automated process to ensure data meets requirements
What are three typical errors users make during data entry?
- Typographical errors
- Transposition errors
- Transcription errors
What are accidental errors?
Accidental errors occur unintentionally, such as entering incorrect data by mistake.
What are deliberate errors?
Deliberate errors are made intentionally, often by individuals who understand how to bypass validation checks.
What are two methods of data verification?
- Double Entry
- Proofreading/Visual checks
What is validation of data?
Validation is a checking process aimed at determining if the data is genuine and meets specific criteria.
What is the purpose of double entry verification?
Double entry verification requires data to be entered twice by different clerks to ensure accuracy.
Why is proofreading quicker than double entry verification?
Proofreading involves visually checking data against source documents, making it faster than entering data twice.
What is less reliable than double entry verification but significantly quicker?
Proofreading
Name two other examples of errors that may be presented on a document such as a completed job application form.
- Missing data
- Incorrect data
What is the purpose of data validation?
To check if the data is genuine
What does a range check validate?
That the data value is within the expected range
What is an example of a range-check validation rule?
BETWEEN 13 AND 20
What does a data type check ensure?
That the right type of data has been entered
True or False: Letters should be accepted as data in a telephone number.
False
What does a consistency check ensure?
That two fields correspond with each other
What does a reasonableness check ensure?
That the data is realistic
What is an example of a reasonableness check?
Ensuring a child’s weight is not over 400 pounds
In addition to a presence check, name one other validation check that should be carried out on each data field.
Data type check
What are the two primary methods of file access?
- Direct access
- Sequential access
What is sequential access?
Data is accessed in order from the beginning until the required information is found
What is serial access?
Data is stored in the order it was written and retrieved one after the other
What type of access allows instant access to files without searching through others?
Direct / Random access
What is the main difference between serial and sequential access?
Serial access retrieves data in the order it was written, while sequential access retrieves data in a specified order
What is sequential file ordering?
A file sorted using data in one of the fields so that all records are in order
What does indexed sequential file ordering use to speed up searches?
An index file
How are payroll files organized for access?
Sequentially by EMPLOYEE NUMBER
What is a real-time computer system?
A system where response time is critical
What is the most appropriate file organization for supermarket stock records?
Random access file
How does a library catalog its books?
Sorted by ISBN
What file organization gives quick access to book details in a library?
Index-sequential file organization
