Raw Data

What Does Raw Data Mean?

Raw data refers to any data object that hasn’t undergone thorough processing, either manually or through automated computer software. Raw data may be gathered from various processes and IT resources.

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Raw data is also known as source data, primary data or atomic data.

Techopedia Explains Raw Data

Raw data is primarily unstructured or unformatted repository data. It can be in the form of files, visual images, database records or any other digital data. Raw data is extracted, analyzed, processed and used by humans or purpose-built software applications to draw conclusions, make projections or extract meaningful information. The processed data takes the form of information.

Business intelligence, data mining and some artificial intelligence may process raw data to produce meaningful results.

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Margaret Rouse

Margaret Rouse is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical, business audience. Over the past twenty years her explanations have appeared on TechTarget websites and she's been cited as an authority in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine and Discovery Magazine.Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages. If you have a suggestion for a new definition or how to improve a technical explanation, please email Margaret or contact her…