ARH312Y1 Lecture : Compilations - Database Design and Use
Document Summary
This topic is related to the issues we covered last week, most databases include nominal-scale information (categories) that we have to define with. Compilations: collections of data/observations, computer databases, lists, card files, atlases (compilations of maps, catalogues, site reports, web sites (hypermedia compilations) Why we need to plan database design: lack of planning leads to wast of time and money, e. g. Recording data at wrong scale of measurement, and having to redo it later: e. g. Data incompatible with the statistical analyses you need to use: e. g. Different data-entry people use inconsistent ways to categorize artifacts. Information languages: both digital and graphical information languages are important in archaeology. Computer databases: flat-file databases, basically like a stack of index cards, basic spreadsheets are also flat file (out with rows of columns) Graphical information systems: layered, relational to maps. Structure charts: used to document the fields used in each file, including key attributes and atribute pointers.
