Data vs. Information

Objectives
This tutorial covers the following objectives:
- Data vs information: Distinguish between data and information, and provide examples of each
- Describe and give an example of how data becomes information
Purpose
- All kinds of information (school records, mobile telephone records, ring tone downloads, grocery purchases) are stored in databases.
- We interact with databases every day, consciously or unconsciously.
- It is important to understand what is stored in a database and what can be retrieved from it.
Data Compared to Information
- If you work in the information-technology industry, it is essential to understand how data is modeled and stored in a database.
- If you work in any other industry, you will most likely have to work with data stored somewhere on a computer and probably be required to use data in your job to create reports and/or make decisions.
Data vs Information
- The words “data” and “information” are often used as if they are synonyms.
- Nevertheless, they have different meanings.
- Data: Raw or unprocessed material
- Information: knowledge, intelligence, a particular piece of data with a special meaning or function.
- Information is often the result of combining, comparing, analyzing or performing calculations on data.
- Whenever a student, teacher, administrator (or any person using a computer) interacts with a website, pieces of data are collected.
- The website application may be unique to that school or company, but what happens in the background?
Think about test scores, for example.
- In one class, if every student receives a numbered score, the scores can be calculated to determine a class average.
- The class averages can be calculated to determine the school average.

- The Oracle database software will transform recorded/stored data and statistics into useful pieces of information.
- Data: Each student’s test score is one piece of data.
- Information: The class’s average score or the school’s average score.
What is a Database?
- A database is a centralized and structured set of data stored on a computer system.
- It provides facilities for retrieving, adding, modifying, and deleting the data when required.
- It also provides facilities for transforming retrieved data into useful information.
- A database is usually managed by a Database Administrator (DBA).
Documents, Pictures, Video, and Sound
- Within most modern databases, you can store and retrieve a wide variety of data and documents.
- Inside the database, data is stored in its “raw” form.
- When this raw data is queried or retrieved, it is transformed into more useful information.

What Does a Database Have to do with My Everyday Life?
- Answer: More than you may realize…
- A lot of websites that you visit, if not all, are driven by a database.

If You Had One of the Jobs Listed Below, How Might You Use a Database?
- Mechanic in a repair shop
- Taxi driver
- Landscaper

Possible answers include:
- Mechanic: looking up service records on a car; pricing a part carried by a supplier.
- Taxi driver: use to determine distance to be driven so that an estimated length of time and cost of the tax fare can be provided to customer.
- Landscape gardener: looking up information on plants or pesticides.
It is useful to understand the data requirements of the business you work in.
Have You Ever Returned an Item to a Store Without a Receipt?
- What information did you have to provide?
- Were you able to return the item?

Possible answers include:
- Currently in some department stores, you can return items without receipts if you paid by check or charged with a credit card. The clerk simply types in your checking-account or credit-card number and up pops a list of every item you purchased using that payment type.
That’s an example of getting information from a database!
Terminology
Key terms used in this tutorial included:
- Data
- Database
- Information
Summary
In this article, part of the database course, you should have learned how to:
- Data vs information: Distinguish between data and information
- Describe and give an example of how data becomes information
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