QUESTION
- Describe the kinds of data that are handled by both input and output devices.
- Describe how you can use IT in the context of social sciences.
Data is defined as the collection of facts and details like text, figures, observations, symbols or simply description of things, event or entity gathered with a view to drawing inferences. It is the raw fact, which should be processed to gain information. It is the unprocessed data, that contains numbers, statements and characters before it is refined by the researcher. Data are those facts and descriptions from which information can be extracted. Data alone has no certain meaning, i.e. until and unless the data is explained and interpreted, it is just a collection of numbers, words and symbols. Unlike information, which does not lack meaning in fact they can be understood by the users in normal diligence.
The term data is derived from Latin term ‘datum’ which refers to ‘something given’. The concept of data is connected with scientific research, which is collected by various organisations, government departments, institutions and non-government agencies for a variety of reasons. There can be two types of data:
- Primary Data
- Qualitative Data
- Quantitative Data
- Secondary Data
- Internal Data
- External Data
Qualitative Data refers to the data that provides insights and understanding about a particular problem. It can be approximated but cannot be computed. Hence, the researcher should possess complete knowledge about the type of characteristic, prior to the collection of data.
The nature of data is descriptive and so it is a bit difficult to analyse it. This type of data can be classified into categories, on the basis of physical attributes and properties of the object. The data is interpreted as spoken or written narratives rather than numbers. It is concerned with the data that is observable in terms of smell, appearance, taste, feel, texture, gender, nationality and so on. The methods of collecting qualitative data are:
- Focus Group
- Observation
- Interviews
- Archival Materials like newspapers.
Quantitative Data, as the name suggests is one which deals with quantity or numbers. It refers to the data which computes the values and counts and can be expressed in numerical terms is called quantitative data. In statistics, most of the analysis are conducted using this data.
Quantitative data may be used in computation and statistical test. It is concerned with measurements like height, weight, volume, length, size, humidity, speed, age etc. The tabular and diagrammatic presentation of data is also possible, in the form of charts, graphs, tables, etc. Further, the quantitative data can be classified as discrete or continuous data. the methods used for the collection of data are:Surveys ,Experiments, Observations and Interviews
In computing, an input device is (a piece of computer hardware equipment) used to provide data and control signals to an information processing system such as a computer or information appliance. Examples of input devices include keyboards, mouse, scanners, digital cameras and joysticks.Input devices can be categorized based on:
- Modality of input (e.g. mechanical motion, audio, visual, etc.)whether the input is discrete (e.g. pressing of key) or continuous (e.g. a mouse’s position, though digitized into a discrete quantity, is fast enough to be considered continuous)
- The number of degrees of freedom involved (e.g. two-dimensional traditional mice, or three-dimensional navigators designed for CAD applications)
Pointing devices, which are input devices used to specify a position in space, can further be classified according to; Whether the input is direct or indirect. With direct input, the input space coincides with the display space, i.e. pointing is done in the space where visual feedback or the pointer appears. Touchscreens and light pens involve direct input. Examples involving indirect input include the mouse and trackball.Whether the positional information is absolute (e.g. on a touch screen) or relative (e.g. with a mouse that can be lifted and repositioned)
Direct input is almost necessarily absolute, but indirect input may be either absolute or relative. For example, digitizing graphics tablets that do not have an embedded screen involve indirect input and sense absolute positions and are often run in an absolute input mode, but they may also be set up to simulate a relative input mode like that of a touchpad, where the stylus or puck can be lifted and repositioned.
The following are the input devices that are used to handle and describe the kinds of data as seen below;
The Keyboard, One of the primary input devices used with a computer.The keyboardlooks very similar to the keyboards of electric typewriters, with some additional keys. Keyboards allow a computer user to input letters, numbers, and other symbols into a computerUses an arrangement of buttons or keys. Requires pressing and holding several keys simultaneously or in sequence.
Mouse, a device that controls the movement of the cursor or pointer on a display screen. The mouse is important for graphical user interfaces because user can simply point to options and objects and click a mouse button. touchpad small, touch-sensitive pad used as a pointing device on some portable computers. By moving a finger or other object along the pad, you can move the pointer on the display screen.
Graphic Tablet,A graphics tablet (or digitizer, digitizing tablet, graphics pad, drawing tablet)is a computer input device that allows one to hand-draw images and graphics, similar to the way one draws images with a pencil and paper.
Touchscreen, A touchscreenis an electronic visual display that can detect the presence and location of a touch within the display area. The term generally refers to touching the display of the device with a finger or hand.
Light Pen,A light penis a computer input device in the form of a light-sensitive wand used in conjunction with a computer’s CRT display. It allows the user to point to displayed objects or draw on the screen in a similar way to a touchscreen but with greater positional accuracy.
Joystick, A joystickallows an individual to move an object in a game such as navigating a plane in a flight simulator.
Digital Camera, A camera that stores the pictures or video it takes in electronic format
Instead of to film.Digital cameras have become the camera solution for most users today
as the quality of the picture they take has greatly improved and as the price has decreased.
Webcam,A webcams a hardware camera connected to a computer that allows anyone connected to the Internet to view either still pictures or motion video of a user or other object
Optical Scanner,An optical scanneris a hardware input device that allows a user to take an image or text and convert it into a digital file, allowing the computer to read or display the scanned object
Barcode Reader, Abarcodereaderorscanneris a hardware device capableofreadingabarcodeandprintingoutthedetailsof theproductorloggingthatproductintoadatabase
Microphone, A microphoneis a hardware peripheral that allows computer users to input audio into their computers.
The following are the output devices that are used to handle and describe the kinds of data as seen below;
Monitor,The device which displays computer output.The monitor displays the video and graphics information generated by the computer through the video card. Monitors are very similar to televisions but usually display information at a much higher resolution.
Printer, Printer is an external hardware device responsible for taking computer data and generating a hard copy of that data. Printers are one of the most used peripherals on computers and are commonly used to print text, images, and photos.
Plotter, The plotteris a computer printer for printing vector graphics.Plotters are used in applications such as computer-aided design such as diagrams, layouts, specification sheets and banners. The plotter is capable of producing colour drawings in a matter of minutes Plotters differ from printers in that they draw lines using a pen ,Plotters are considerably more expensive than printers.
Headphones, Headphones give sound output from the computer.They are similar to speakers, except they are worn on the ears so only one person can hear the output at a time.
Projector, An output device that can take the display of a computer screen and project a large version of it onto a flat surface. Projectors are often used in meetings and presentations so that everyone in the room can view the presentation.
- b) The first definition is of “information technology”. Information technology is the technology used to store, manipulate, distribute or create information. The type of information or data is not important to this definition. The technology is any mechanism capable of processing this data. As it is widely known to perform a calculation of any type manually is very cumbersome and time consuming. But if we could develop efficient programs written in many languages and get them thoroughly tested for every function it is expected to perform before putting to use could save lot of efforts and time. Information technology (IT) is the application of computers to store, study, retrieve, transmit, and manipulate data,or information, often in the context of a business or other enterprise. IT is considered a subset of information and communications technology (ICT). In 2012, Zuppo proposed an ICT hierarchy where each hierarchy level “contain[s] some degree of commonality in that they are related to technologies that facilitate the transfer of information and various types of electronically mediated communications.”
The term is commonly used as a synonym for computers and computer networks, but it also encompasses other information distribution technologies such as television and telephones. Several industries are associated with information technology, including computer hardware, software, electronics, semiconductors, internet, telecom equipment, and e-commerce.
The following are uses of IT in the context of social sciences as seen below;
Communication,For many companies, email is the principal means of communication between employees, suppliers and customers. Email was one of the early drivers of the Internet, providing a simple and inexpensive means to communicate. Over the years, a number of other communications tools have also evolved, allowing staff to communicate using live chat systems, online meeting tools and video-conferencing systems. Voice over internet protocol (VOIP) telephones and smart-phones offer even more high-tech ways for employees to communicate.
Data Management, The days of large file rooms, rows of filing cabinets and the mailing of documents is fading fast. Today, most companies store digital versions of documents on servers and storage devices. These documents become instantly available to everyone in the company, regardless of their geographical location. Companies are able to store and maintain a tremendous amount of historical data economically, and employees benefit from immediate access to the documents they need.
Management Information Systems,Storing data is only a benefit if that data can be used effectively. Progressive companies use that data as part of their strategic planning process as well as the tactical execution of that strategy. Management Information Systems (MIS) enable companies to track sales data, expenses and productivity levels. The information can be used to track profitability over time, maximize return on investment and identify areas of improvement. Managers can track sales on a daily basis, allowing them to immediately react to lower-than-expected numbers by boosting employee productivity or reducing the cost of an item.
Information is not knowledge, but IT creates the illusion of knowledge because it makes so much data readily available for analysis. The result is often that well-meaning folks – even academics and professionals – believe they “know” something when actually they haven’t integrated all the information available into knowledge, but have just latched onto an informational veneer, a veneer that may currently have faddish traction or allure in their given field, but isn’t well-considered.
IT presents a limited VR dimension of experience and interaction; it does not equate the rich level of exchange that occurs in the real world. But modern society has embraced this façade as increasingly genuine, so that people believe they are really “interacting” online, really “befriending” or “falling in love” in virtual ways, really “having a conversation” on the Internet, etc. when of course they are only doing so in the most shallow and superficial ways. Face-to-face human interaction has increasingly been perceived as less important, which has devastating long-term consequences for building and maintaining “real” relationships.
Along similar lines, although on the one hand IT decreases the apparent distance between all sorts of interactions (producers and consumers, authors and readers, managers and employees, politicians and constituents, etc.) it also insulates and isolates us from the world around us. IT makes it possible for a person to do their job from home, order all consumer goods from home, interact with relatives from home, pay their bills from home, etc. And the resulting physical, psychological and emotional isolation undermines or distorts our development as human beings, our sense of political obligation and engagement, and our understanding of how we fit into the world – our sense of place and purpose.
Since its inception, IT has promised the replacement of human labor as a cost-saving and increased efficiency measure. However, this has had spotty success, because the costs are transferred from a legacy employee base and skill set to IT professionals, expensive hardware, and expensive software. In terms of efficiency, institutional memory is often lost along with specialized expertise, and replaced with much more generic (though equally specialized) IT proficiency. Additionally, the training and retraining curve for end users sometimes inhibits efficiencies – and of course IT systems can also stop working or make errors, further interrupting workflow.
In the same way, many businesses and institutions believe that IT is a panacea, able to solve all of their most persisting problems…but IT creates as many problems as it solves. However, the Pollyannaish conviction that IT is “the answer” has increasingly become quite irrational, prone to selective confirmation bias and high tolerance for cognitive dissonance, so that no matter how costly, problematic, inefficient, disruptive or crippling a given IT environment becomes, these businesses and institutions will keep investing more and more time, energy and money into it and continue blindly justifying their beliefs.
IT expands cultural connections, but it does so in ways that dilute each culture, because each culture must interface with others according to established protocols that greatly confine or narrow cultural expression. For instance, emails are expected to have a subject line that indicates content; tweets (initially) were 140 characters long; TED talks were limited to 12 minutes; English has been the dominant IT language and programming code relied on the Roman alphabet; QWERTY keyboards were the norm for many years…and so on.
In terms of organizing, storing, analyzing, compiling, generating, navigating, parsing, processing, propagating and communicating all sorts of information and media, IT is the most powerful force humanity has ever encountered outside of the human brain. IT also democratizes all of these capabilities, so that more and more people have access to that power.
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