Methods of capturing data

Question 1

What is one method of capturing data and describe it.

Answer 1

Paper data capture form

• Dedicated sheet with all the fields you want to collect, clearly labelled
• Only complete with black pen in capital letters
• May have boxes to clearly tick and squares you can enter each letter
• Ensures person entering the data is less likely to make a mistake.

Question 2

How could you speed up capturing data?

Answer 2

Using OCR or OMR. Automatically read text from the form.

Question 3

What can be used for selecting data?

Answer 3

SQL - Structured Query Language
Allows data to be extracted from the database.
An interface could be presented to the user containing drop down and text boxes allowing data to be searched and filtered.

Question 4

How could you manage the data?

Answer 4

DBMS - Provides layer of abstraction for user and programmer hiding underlying structure of data storage.

Ensures data is kept integral by preventing duplicate primary keys, enforcing validation rules, providing secure access, encryption and program/data independence. Manages many connections to the data source and prevents to users changing the same record at the same time.

Question 5

What is SQL?

Answer 5

Both a data definition language and a manipulation language.

Can change the data set, adding tables and records etc

Don’t need interface to make changes.

Question 6

What are the methods of exchanging data?

Answer 6

XML, JSON (human readable, open standard format of structured data). CSV (each record on separate line and fields separated by commas). Makes it easy to program routines because it is an open standard.

Interface two database together so they can read and write to each others tables, through import/export routines or a live connection. EDI (electronic data interchange) a protocol between two systems to facilitate the exchange of data.