Reading: Data Processing

Read the text and choose the correct answer.

As you already know, a database is a collection of data arranged so as to enable a computer program to instantaneously retrieve information. It would be next to impossible for a human to make heads or tails of all the accumulated data. Thus, to extract useable information the data must be processed by a data processing application or system.

The data processing cycle can be broken down into the following stages:

data collection – to be processed, data must first be collected. The data collection stage is of utmost importance because only structured and accurate data will yield valid and meaningful results.

input of data – data are entered into the system and validated. Validation helps determine whether or not the data will prove to be useful for making forecasts about future outcomes and trends.

data processing – this stage entails the manipulation of data. During this stage of the cycle the obtained information is categorized and sorted. In a word, it is simplified in order to make it intelligible. Data can be divided into sets, sequences, alphabetized etc.

output – is processed data in a more user-friendly format for example a pie chart, bar graph, spreadsheet, or a presentation etc.

storage – refers to the process of archiving data. We can archive data to retrieve it at a later time or simply to prevent permanent data loss.