Introduction
The study of the Basic Insights of Information Systems encompasses four main interrelated concepts: the Basic Concept of Facts, the Basic Concept of Data, the Basic Concept of Information, and the Scope of Information Quality. These four concepts form a logical chain that serves as the foundation of a Management Information System (MIS), particularly in the field of education.
This paper aims to elaborate comprehensively on the essence, theories, practical applications, and critical analysis of these four concepts to achieve a deeper understanding. The discussion is expanded to approximately 5000 words to provide both a broad and profound academic perspective.
1. Basic Concept of Facts
Facts are everything that truly exists or happens in reality. Facts are objective, actual, and verifiable. Within the framework of information systems, facts serve as the original source of data. Without facts, data would have no empirical basis, and without fact-based data, information would lack validity.
For example, the number of students present in a class on a certain day is a fact. This fact can be recorded, counted, and used to build attendance data. Facts may also take qualitative forms, such as "a student wins a national science competition." Such facts serve as the basis for constructing student achievement data.
In education, valid facts are highly important to avoid biased information. Facts regarding the number of teachers, facility conditions, student learning outcomes, or the school environment become the foundation that determines the quality of educational management. The essence of the concept of facts is objectivity and the authenticity of reality, which serves as the starting point for the formation of data and information.
2. Basic Concept of Data
Data is the symbolic representation of facts. If facts are objective realities, then data is the recorded, coded, or measured form of those facts. Data may take the form of numbers, text, images, or other symbols that can be stored and processed. Data is often referred to as the raw material of information.
For example, the fact "50 students were present on January 10, 2025" is represented in the attendance table with the number "50" and the status "present." These are data. At this stage, data has no inherent meaning until it is further processed. When student attendance data is collected throughout the semester, teachers or principals can use it to identify student discipline patterns.
The main characteristics of data include:
- Raw -- not yet interpreted.
- Recordable -- can be archived in physical or digital formats.
- Variable in form -- may be numeric, textual, visual, or symbolic.
- Ready to be processed -- serves as input for information.
