Data Entry

Abstract

In the not-too-distant future, field workers in the forest will use hand-held com-puters to record the information they collect, and after a few days of work, results will be downloaded directly into a large computer. For the time being, though, field data are recorded by pencil and must be transcribed later into a computer for analysis. However, data entry is more than just copying field sheets into a computer: there are bigger issues to consider. First, it is crucial to catch and eliminate errors during data entry and database organization. This is especially true of propagating errors—those that multiply by causing further errors when databases are linked. Second, data entry must anticipate database organization: the separate databases created from various field sheets must be easily merged into a single, well-organized unit that fosters analysis.