Chapter 6: Basics of Data Processing

Chapter 6
Basics of Data Processing
 Data → raw facts
 Information → processed data
 Data processing
Input Process Output

Data processing is converting data into information

6.1 Data Hierarchy

Examples of data: name of students, amount of goods sold …

Data hierarchy is hierarchy of the form:

Database

File … File … File

Record … Record Record … Record Record … Record

Field … Field …
…

… Character Character
… …
Definitions
Character - is the smallest element in the hierarchy and can be alphabetic, numeric, or
special symbol
Field (attribute or column) – an indivisible unit of data that represents an attribute of
some entity
 is group of characters
Record ( tuple or row)- group of fields
File – collection of all records for a particular entity
Database - collection of logically related files

6.2 Data Collection

 Is the process of getting data from its origin to the computer in a form suitable for
processing is called data collection

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Steps in data processing

1. Data Creation (data capture)

 preparing data clerically on source documents → data creation
 producing data in a form suitable for computer, for example, by reading
directly by a suitable device like a barcode reader → capturing
2. Data Entry – converting (transcripting) data from source document to machine
readable form
E.g converting into soft copy format
N.B. there is no need of transcription for data capture
3. Data Manipulation
 Before processing, the transcripted may have to be:
 Classified (grouping data according to certain characteristics)
 Sorted ( rearranging data in a sequence required for processing
 Verified (checking data for validity before using it for processing)
E.g birth date 2010 is currently invalid
 Summarized (reducing a large amount of data to a suitable form)
4. Data Output
 Once data has been manipulated into the required form for processing, it
has to be computed by the computer. The result of the computation has to
be outputted in a form which provides meaningful understanding of the
result.
5. Data Storage
 For future use or reference, the processed data has to be stored on some
storage device

6.3 Files Vs Databases

6.3.1 Files
1. Types of Files
a. Master File – a file of permanent records e.g students record
b. Transaction File – results from various transactions and is used to update
the master file. E.g grade report file
 it is of temporary nature
c. Program Files – contains a simple program or collection of program parts.
 E.g application software
d. Work File – during process, an intermediate file might be created. Such an
intermediate file is called a network file. eg. Log files
2. File Processing Operations
a. When a particular application program is in use, it will have to access the
relevant file(s)
b. The major file processing operations are:
 File updating – changing data in a records, inserting a new record,
or deleting an existing record
 File search
 File retrieval

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3. File Organization
a. File organization refers to the arrangement of records within a particular
file
b. The two basic methods of file organization are:
 Sequential files- the data is stored one after the other in sequence
according to some key
 Direct access files – data is stored in such a way that they will
have direct access
6.3.2 Databases
 A database (DB) is a non redundant collection of structured data or
logically related files. The data in the database is common to all users of
the system but is independent of programs that use the data
Types of DB
 Relational DB
- data is organized in tables
- each row represents a single record in a file
 Network DB
- A child in the relationship can have more than one parent
- An item in a structure can be linked to any other item
 Hierarchical DB
- Composed of a hierarchy of nodes which form a tree
- The upper part most node is root
- No node can have more than one parent but can have more than
one children
 Object-oriented DB
- Made up of object interacting via their methods
 Deductive DB
- Also known as knowledge base
- Is AI database used in AI systems
Database Management System (DBMS)
 Software that construct, expands and maintains the DB
Function of DBMS
- Allocation of storage to data
- Retrieval and cross referencing of data in the DB
- Protecting of data against unauthorized access
- Provision of data recovery and restart facilities after a hardware or
software failure
- Provision of statistics of the use made of the data in the in the DB
Database Administrator(DBA)
DBA is a person who is responsible for the overall functioning of the database.
Some of the Responsibilities of DBA are:
 Creating and updating database that meets the needs of an organization
 Preparing of making available manuals about the facilities of the DB and
how to make use of these facilities
 Providing security for the DB

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 Ensuring that the data in the DB is complete, accurate, up-to-date and not
redundant.

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