Data Entry Query

[Robert Emery]

Thanks for that comprehensive post Roger.

I think it is important for curator/taxonomists to remember that their
collections are actually databases, its just that the information is not
held in digital form, it is held on specimen labels.

Digitally databasing specimen information and sharing it with other
researchers provides the means to correct errors which could remain for
years, even decades unless an expert happens to visit a remote collection
and review its holdings.

In a working collection like ours it can be dangerous to have researchers
making project decisions on erroneous data taken from specimen labels,
especially if the taxonomist is not around to confirm.

We are happy to share our collection data (other than those of quarantine
significance) with national and international colleagues and look forward
to obtaining their feedback.

I am occasionally surprised to hear taxonomists say that they would rather
see an erroneous record remain on a label for a hundred years rather than
have it databased for others to see.

Digitally databasing specimen labels is not as onerous as one might expect
given the right staff, software and perhaps volunteers.

Rob Emery
(Senior Entomologist)
Western Australian Department of Agriculture
http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/ento


On Thu, 9 Jan 2003 10:24:25 +0000, Roger Hyam <roger at HYAM.NET> wrote:

>Here are my points:
>
>1) I am staggered that there is still confusion about taxonomic data and
>taxonomic opinion. The fact that a specimen exists in a certain
>collection was collected by a certain person on a certain date in a
>certain place are all "fact" as far as they can be - and will not
>change. What taxon this specimen belongs to is opinion and may well
change.
>
>2) Databasing of *data* is good as it helps people who are working with
>the specimens answering questions like "What else was collected here?"
>"What else did this person collect at this time?"
>
>3) Databasing *opinion* is of limited value and is really only a note on
>the 'main' database record for a specimen. It may be very important from
>the point of view of the output of the taxonomic process but not for the
>number crunching to facilitate the process - see below. The trouble is
>people are so used to specimens being arranged in taxonomic order in
>collections and, dare I say it, value their own opinions on such matters
>so highly that they can't see this. It is the only way they can find the
>thing both in the collection and in their own mind. They hate the fact
>that it could be arranged differently in some one elses mind/collection.

.....