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About IAS Exam. that is ephemeral in character having, however, historical value. Data and Information The term "data refers to "an individual fact, statistic, or a piece of information or a group or a body of facts, statistics or the like “Thus, data may be described as discrete and unorganized pieces of information. Data become "information" when these pieces are processed, interpreted and presented in an organized or logical form to facilitate a better comprehension of the concerned topic or issue. In other words, data become information when processed and presented to form an intelligible context. The following examples will be helpful in bringing out the difference between the two The Meteorological Department is responsible for the daily collection of atmospheric data on weather. These data are presented in quantitative terms, e.g., tables containing rainfall or temperature figures over a period relating to different regions. The pilot of an aircraft needs weather data relating to the region over which he/she would fly. He /She would rather prefer a brief forecast note on the weather conditions based on these tables which would tell him/her whether he/she would face air turbulence on the route. These processed and interpreted data then become information. Reserve Bank of India Bulletin regularly publishes notification son exchange control regulations as and when some existing regulations are amended or new ones introduced. We may say that each notification contains discrete pieces of facts or information. If, however, these notifications, at a later stage, are organized or consolidated in such a manner that all the related pieces are brought together and then such a consolidation becomes information. A scientist studying the behavior of a chemical compound under different physical conditions would observe and record the relevant data provided by the experiments. These data or raw facts would not convey any meaning unless he filters; analyses and integrates them and finally interprets his findings. The resultant product-then becomes information. Usage in the Context of Library and Information About IAS. Services In library and information science, there is, however, no need for making such distinction between data and information, because many users would consider data and facts as information. For example, data on national income presented in a tabular form would enable an economist to make an Assessment of the health of the national economy. To him/her, it is ``statistical information. He she may like to interpret the data and publish a paper on the topic. A reader who is not adequately conversant with national income statistics or who is interested in getting a quick grasp of the national economy would find this paper more useful. This paper, rather than the statistical tables, provides him/her the necessary "information". However, a conscious awareness of the distinction between the two is helpful in providing information services to different types of users having different kinds of information needs. Categories of Information in Social Sciences It would be useful, particularly in social sciences, to group information into three categories: ">Concise Oxford Dictionary defines News as "new or interesting information" or "fresh events reported'". In short, all that a newspaper contains is not news. Only episodic information in it is news. These may pertain to current political affairs, sports and games, economic and commercial activities, arts and culture and sociology-political engagements. These are all episodes or events and, therefore, it is said that news is episodic information About IAS Exam. that is ephemeral in character having, however, historical value. Data and Information The term "data refers to "an individual fact, statistic, or a piece of information or a group or a body of facts, statistics or the like “Thus, data may be described as discrete and unorganized pieces of information. Data become "information" when these pieces are processed, interpreted and presented in an organized or logical form to facilitate a better comprehension of the concerned topic or issue. In other words, data become information when processed and presented to form an intelligible context. The following examples will be helpful in bringing out the difference between the two The Meteorological Department is responsible for the daily collection of atmospheric data on weather. These data are presented in quantitative terms, e.g., tables containing rainfall or temperature figures over a period relating to different regions. The pilot of an aircraft needs weather data relating to the region over which he/she would fly. He /She would rather prefer a brief forecast note on the weather conditions based on these tables which would tell him/her whether he/she would face air turbulence on the route. These processed and interpreted data then become information. Reserve Bank of India Bulletin regularly publishes notification son exchange control regulations as and when some existing regulations are amended or new ones introduced. We may say that each notification contains discrete pieces of facts or information. If, however, these notifications, at a later stage, are organized or consolidated in such a manner that all the related pieces are brought together and then such a consolidation becomes information.
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