Data And Information SS1 Data Processing Lesson Note

DEFINITION OF DATA

Data are raw, unorganized or unprocessed facts that need to be processed. Data can be something simple and seemingly random and useless until it is organised.

TYPES OF DATA

1. Qualitative data  i.e descriptive information
2. Quantitative data  i.e  numeric information

Subdivision Of Quantitative Data

1. Continuous data: This can take any value. It is also known as measured data. It can take value within a range e.g. 0-99, 10-20 etc.
2. Discrete data: This type of data is whole. It is not continuous. It takes whole numbers and is also called Counted data.

FORMS OF DATA

1. Numeric  i. e  0-9
2. Letters  i.e  a-z or A-Z
3. Symbols  e.g   + , _ , * , % , = , <, >, etc

EXAMPLES OF DATA

Numbers, names of things, places or animals, words, measurements, observations, descriptions of things etc.

SOURCES OF DATA

Data can come from different sources depending on the importance of the data. The following are sources of data: television, internet, articles, government documents and public records, newspapers, textbooks, and biographies.

INFORMATION

This refers to data that have been converted into a more meaningful and useful form. It refers to process data that is meaningful to the user.

EXAMPLES OF INFORMATION

1. Student ID card
2. Weather reports
3. Student’s report card
4. International passport
5. Utility bills e.g PHCN bills, Water bills

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Internet, Database, Magazine/ Newspaper, Census board, Documents, Observation etc

CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD INFORMATION

1. Relevance:  it must be relevant and good enough for its purpose.

2. Reliability: it must come from a reliable source.

3. Accuracy:  it must be an end product of processed data. That is, it must be error-free.

4. Availability:  it must be available and communicated to the user when it is needed.

5. Suitability: it must be expressed in a form the user of the information can understand and of suitable for its purpose.

DATA HANDLING

This is the process of ensuring that research data is stored, archived or disposed of safely and securely during and after the conclusion of a research project.

WAYS OF HANDLING DATA

1. Electronic methods: Data can be handled electronically ensuring data integrity. It includes personal digital assistants (PDA), storage media, CD/DVD, MEMORY CARDS etc.
2. Non-electronic methods:  This method includes paper files, journals and laboratory notebooks. It is called a manual method in which human energy and effort are used to process data.

ASSIGNMENT 

1. ……..are raw facts which have not undergone processing.Information  B. Data   C.  Record D. None

2. One of the characteristics of good information has to do with the correctness of information.  reliability  B.  availability    C.  accuracy D. none

3. ……..refers to the information that has been processed.  Data  B.  Information  C. Database D. None

4. There are ………  types of data.  A.   2   B.   3   C.  4 D. 8

5. The process of surfing the NET to get information for further research is …….primary source   B. online C.  secondary source D. None