ParaProfessional / Clerical civil service tests (state & local) Office Records, Information & Recordkeeping Flashcards

24 sample cards from the Office Records, Information & Recordkeeping deck

Sampled from the end of the deck, so these are different cards from the ones shown on the syllabus page.

1. What is the purpose of summarizing data into a report?

   To condense large amounts of detailed records into organized totals, comparisons, and key figures that managers can quickly read and use for decisions.

2. Name three common ways to summarize tabular data in a report.

   Totals/subtotals, averages, and percentages (also counts, ranges, and groupings by category).

3. In a summary report, what is the difference between raw data and a derived figure?

   Raw data is the original recorded values; a derived figure (total, average, percentage, rate) is calculated from the raw data to aid interpretation.

4. What is 'keyboarding accuracy' and how is it commonly measured?

   Keyboarding accuracy is entering text/data with few or no errors; it is measured by error rate or by net words/keystrokes per minute (gross speed minus penalties for errors).

5. What is the standard way to compute net words per minute (WPM) on a typing test?

   Net WPM = (total words typed ÷ minutes) − errors per minute (commonly: gross WPM minus number of errors divided by the minutes).

6. Why is accuracy generally weighted more heavily than speed in clerical data entry?

   An incorrect entry can propagate through totals, reports, and downstream records, costing more to detect and fix than the time saved by typing fast.

7. What data-entry technique reduces errors when typing long numbers like account or ID numbers?

   Verifying digit-by-digit against the source and, where available, using check digits or double-entry (re-keying for confirmation).

8. What is a check digit?

   An extra digit appended to a number and calculated from its other digits; if re-computing it from the entered number does not match, an entry error is detected.

9. What is a database 'record' versus a 'field'?

   A field is one item of data (a column); a record is a complete set of related fields for one entity (a row), e.g., all fields for one employee.

10. In a database, what is a 'primary key'?

    A field (or combination of fields) whose value uniquely identifies each record in a table, so no two records share the same key.

11. What is a 'query' in a database?

    A request that retrieves, filters, or sorts records meeting specified criteria—used to extract specific information without altering the data.

12. In a spreadsheet, what is a 'cell' and how is it referenced?

    A cell is the intersection of a column and a row that holds one value or formula; it is referenced by its column letter and row number (e.g., B7).

13. What does the spreadsheet SUM function do, and give its typical form?

    SUM adds all the values in a specified range; typical form: =SUM(A1:A10), which totals cells A1 through A10.

14. What spreadsheet function computes the arithmetic mean of a range?

    AVERAGE, e.g., =AVERAGE(B2:B20), which divides the sum of the range by the count of numeric entries.

15. What is the difference between a relative and an absolute cell reference in a spreadsheet?

    A relative reference (A1) shifts when the formula is copied; an absolute reference ($A$1) stays fixed because of the dollar signs.

16. In a spreadsheet, what does sorting do versus filtering?

    Sorting reorders rows by the values in one or more columns; filtering temporarily hides rows that do not meet specified criteria, showing only matching records.

17. What is the difference between editing a record and appending a record?

    Editing changes data in an existing record; appending adds a brand-new record without altering existing ones.

18. When a record must be corrected, why is an audit trail (history of changes) important?

    It preserves who changed what and when, allows reversal of mistakes, supports accountability, and is often legally required for official records.

19. What is the recommended way to handle outdated information in a record—delete it or supersede it?

    For official records, supersede/update it while retaining the prior value in history (or per retention rules); outright deletion can destroy needed evidence and break the audit trail.

20. What is 'confidentiality' in recordkeeping?

    The obligation to protect personal or sensitive information from disclosure to anyone not authorized to see it, releasing it only on a legitimate need-to-know basis.

21. What is the 'need-to-know' principle?

    The rule that access to confidential information is granted only to individuals who require it to perform their specific job duties, not to all employees.

22. Give three basic practices that protect the security of sensitive paper and electronic records.

    Lock physical files and screens (clear-desk/screen-lock), use strong passwords and limited access rights, and shred or securely dispose of sensitive documents.

23. What is PII (personally identifiable information) and why does it require extra protection?

    PII is data that can identify a specific person (name, SSN, address, account numbers); it requires extra protection because its disclosure can cause identity theft, fraud, or legal liability.

24. What is a records retention schedule?

    A policy specifying how long each type of record must be kept and how it must be disposed of afterward, ensuring legal compliance and preventing premature destruction or indefinite hoarding.

What this deck covers

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