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