Information Processing

Evaluating File
online data organization

Choosing a file
Information access method
& Data

Prepared by Ms. A. Cole

At the end of the lesson students should be able to

 Differentiate between validation and verification of data

 Identify appropriate validation and verification checks given a

particular scenario.
 DATA VERIFICATION
&
DATA VALIDATION

Data collected on forms or other hardcopy documents, must be entered into the computer system

for processing. This may be done manually by a data entry clerk who types the data on a

keyboard or by use of data capture device such as a scanner or optical character recognition

(OCR) device.

Humans are prone to making mistakes, therefore, measures (verification and validation checks)

must be put in place to identify and correct errors that may occur during the data entry process.
 TYPES OF ERRORS

• Transmission errors: Occurs when data received is not the same as that transmitted by the

sender. A computer electrical fault (hardware corrupted) and faulty cabling may result in this

type of error.

• Transposition errors: Occurs when two letters or digits are swapped.

E.g. typing “adn” or “163” instead of “and” or “136”.

• Accidental errors: These are errors that are unintentional (mistake).

 TYPES OF ERRORS

• Typographical errors: a typing error that affects the text, such as missing or additional

character.

Examples are Cornwalll and Jamaiaca.

• Deliberate errors: These are errors made on purpose.

 Put your brain to work!!
INSTRUCTION: In your notebooks answer the questions below.

Proofreading is a method of verification used to identify and correct typographical and transposition
errors. The report below shows unedited report was submitted to the production manager by an
employee; it contains SEVEN errors. Read the report and answer the questions that follow.

DAILY PRODUCTION REPORT

The furnace was fired on Monday, September 3 and remained operational for three (4)
days, having shut down on Thursday, September 6. The total number of item fired was
723. These 732 peices included 17 spoilt pieces, 221 pieces to be refried, and the
remaining and the remaining peices 502 which were all perfectly finished. The 212 pieces
will be re-fired next week.
a. Name the TWO types of errors identified.

b. Name the type check used to identify the types of errors named in part (b)

c. For ANY ONE type of error named above, provide TWO(2) examples of the

error identified in the report.

d. Rewrite the report, correcting all the errors

 PREVENTING HUMAN ERROR

• Methods used to prevent data errors caused by humans are:

• Data Verification

• Data Validation
 DATA VERIFICATION

Verification is a process ensuring that the data input or captured is checked to

certify that it matches the data on the source document, ensuring that the data

entered is error free.

Good verification significantly reduces the number of typographical and

transposition errors that occur during data entry.

 DATA VERIFICATION METHODS

Double Entry Proofreading

 the data be entered twice  A manual method of verification

 this should be done by two  a data entry clerk visually check

different data entry clerks. the source document against data

 both entries are checked against that has been inputted by another

each other to ensure that a they are data entry clerk.

identical.  Less reliable than double entry but

quicker
 DATA VALIDATION

Validation is a checking process in a program which aimed at finding out

if the data is genuine. Validation ensures that data entered into a database
form, web form or computer program conforms to a set of validation rules.

Any data that is invalid is rejected by the validation process and must be
corrected before the data is accepted.

It does not check the accuracy of the data.

 DATA VALIDATION METHODS
Method Ensures that… By… For example

Range Check the data entered checking that an input value is A month must be in range 1-12
falls within the within a predetermined range of
expected range values
Reasonableness the input conforms comparing the input value with A field that requires the number of
check to a specific criteria expected reasonable values or CSEC passes may flag an entry of
testing it based on set rules ’55’ because the rule may say that
a reasonable range is 0-5
Data type check data entered in a comparing an input value with An integer field will typically
particular field is the type of data permissible for expect and whole number, so a
correct for the data the specified data type. value of 1.2 will result in an error.
type defined for
that field
Consistency the does not detecting whether the current If the ‘data of final exam’ field is
check contradict other value is in contradiction with empty, then there should not be
data in the set other data or a reference data any data in the ‘year of graduation’
item. field
Method Ensures that… By… For example

Presence data has bee entered Enforcing a rule that he field Date of birth MUST be present
check in the field cannot be left blank or empty on an application to join the
under-15s team.
Format check data is supplied in checking the character type ( An ID number may be in the
the format expected numeric, alphabetic, symbol) form A99-9999 where the ‘A’
entered at each position in the represent a character between ‘A-
field. Z’ and the ‘9’ represents any
value 0-9.
Length check the data entered isn’t Counting the number of An eight-character ID number
too short or too long characters entered and will be checked to ensure that
comparing it with what is only eight characters are
expected accepted.
 V e rif ica tion

• Ensures that the data entered in the

computer system exactly matches the
original source..
• Carried out by humans
VERIFICATION
VS
VALIDATION V a l i d a t io n

• Ensures that the data being entered

satisfies a certain criteria, based on
validation rules.
• Carried out by a computer system
 Put your brain to work!!
INSTRUCTION: In your notebooks answer the questions below.

Figure 1 shows a parking ticket issued by an automated parking attendant at a shopping mall in

the Caribbean City. The ticket is usually processed by a machine at exit gate however when it is

out of service, a parking lot attendant process the ticket manually. Figure 2 shows the screen used

to verify the ticket.

a. Name the method of verification used by the parking system.

b. Name TWO methods of validation that is appropriate for

checking the correctness of the ticket number that us enters

c. Outline what is likely to happen when the verify button is

pressed.

d. Explain what is likely to happen if the two ticket numbers

entered do not match.

File organization & Access