[Year 12 Its] Re: Internal documentation

[Kevin Feely]

Hi Charmaine,

snip ....

> In my view the technical documentation is a primary data source.

yes, but if it was written by a technical writer not directly involved 
with the software, and was supplied the information to create the 
technical documentation then surely this must be secondary, as in a 
biography - authorised or otherwise.

> The technical documentation is written for those who maintain or 
> update the structure of the software application. In essence, it 
> explains how the software works eg which procedures do what, what 
> variables are used and why, and how to change these. 

the purpose of the data is irrelevant to it being classified as primary 
or secondary?

> The name or origin of the author is irrelevant: the fact that the 
> document is supplied with the application and thus authorised by the 
> producers specifies it as primary data.

no i dont think so - there has been hundreds of authorised biographies 
but they are still secondary, the author can only relate the life of 
their subject as told to them or from researching articles about them. 
Only an autobiography can be regarded as primary - from direct experience.

> I guess a means of distinction would be to ask "Is the information an 
> interpretation of some fact/event that might be interpreted 
> differently by another author with a different bias". Does that help?
>
iam not sure. In the example of a crime scene, their may be lots of 
witnesses with their own direct primary experience and the statements 
they make are regarded as primary, even though there will be huge 
variations between those statements. While the police or reporters 
compiling those statements to conclude what actually occured will be 
producing secondary data.

> I gather from the debate which admittedly I have not followed closely 
> that some think the options must be one primary and one secondary data 
> source. I believe they are both primary data sources. There seems to 
> be confusion about mixing internal/external documentation and 
> primary/secondary data sources - Its always a dangerous practice to 
> mix your drinks!
>
nonononononononononononono! 2 separate discussions
On the primary/secondary discussion the point is the 2004 Exam Question 
about this - 1st part on technical documentation - the question is 
ambiguous as there is not enough information to answer either way. It 
would depend on who wrote the document as in it depends on who wrote the 
statement about the crime scene. witnesses - primary, reports by police 
or papers - secondary.
so if written by the people who were part of the software company or 
project then primary, if it was outsourced to a technical writing 
company (as most are today) the secondary.

regards
Kevin Feely
WSC



> Charmaine Taylor
> Sunbury Downs College
>
>
>
> Kevin Feely wrote:
>
>> Hi Charmaine,
>> Perhaps you  could clarify my problem with the 2004 Question
>>
>> i. The technical documentation of a software program
>>
>> From my viewpoint the answer would be primary if the actual 
>> programmers or members of the actual project team, that put the 
>> software together, wrote the technical documentation. As in an 
>> autobiography - primary.
>> But if the technical writing was outsourced (as is common) then it 
>> would be secondary as the writers would have no direct knowledge of 
>> the software, and would be going from details supplied to them.. As 
>> in a biography - secondary.
>>
>> regards
>> KevinF
>>
>> Charmaine Taylor wrote:
>>
>>> Hi all,
>>> There appear to be some problems with understandings of the meanings 
>>> of words being used in both the threads running on primary v 
>>> secondary data and internal v external documentation.
>>> Rob's use of the terms primary and secondary seem to be in terms of 
>>> use ie the farmer's purpose in using the weather chart is primary as 
>>> it is his/her livelihood but for the beach trip this is of secondary 
>>> importance to the family. However, the distinction between the 
>>> classifications relates to the actual data itself rather than its 
>>> purpose . The chart is a primary source as it is a record of logged 
>>> data at a particular point in time and is presented as recorded. It 
>>> hasn't been interpreted or re-worked from the original.
>>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> http://www.edulists.com.au
>> IT Systems Mailing List kindly supported by
>> http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment 
>> Authority and
>> http://www.vitta.org.au  - VITTA Victorian Information Technology 
>> Teachers Association Inc
>>
>> .
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> http://www.edulists.com.au
> IT Systems Mailing List kindly supported by
> http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment 
> Authority and
> http://www.vitta.org.au  - VITTA Victorian Information Technology 
> Teachers Association Inc
>