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Basic Documentation Practices

Use of the term 'basic' should not be confused with 'simple'
or 'Limited'. Rather, in this context, it refers to the principles
upon which our information services are built; the concepts
that form the foundation of the methods and organizations
created to acquire, store, retrieve and exchange data.
The AGARD glossary of documentation terms(5) defines a
document as "A record in any form fiom which information
may be derived...", and gives examples of: a page containing
data, a graphic presentation, a tape recording, or a book.
Today's examples may include floppy disks and CD—ROM
reflecting the progress of technology in providing a variety of
physical forms to present information.
This term is used to denote 'actions'. However, a British
saying "practice makes perfect" rings a note of caution. The
implication is that if an action is repeated often enough, it
must be correct. This is not so. Activities may be distorted
over time, bad habits arise and consequently the purpose of
the exercise should remain in the forefrontto ensure that the
methods in use satisfy the requirements.
The volume of scientific knowledgeand the rate of publication
is such that computerization in some form is now considered
to be essentialto effective information services. According to
the Information Market ObservatoryGMO) quoted in Casey(6)
real-time databases accounted for roughly 60% of the
European information market in 1989, of which scientific and
technical databases amounted to 12%. Predictions are for a
threefold growth in the European Communiity (BC) online
databasemarket by 1996. However, this expansionis uneven
(Table 1).
The general trend is for rapid, uneven growth in information
products and services with a marked bias towards specific
countries e.g UK Predominance lies with public sector
suppliers and bibliographic databases. It is now recognized
that storage of vast volumes of data electronically does not of
itself ensure effectiveuse and that procurementof a computer
will not necessarily heal all wounds(8).