Hi Sarah,
 
I've just caught the end of this debate but I was wondering if the problem is with paper records or online records? If online, then Mark's earlier point about fields being free-text is a very fair one- people at all levels are notoriously bad at filling in data consistently and there are easy ways to get around that. Unfortunately the reality is that filling in OASIS records is not exactly seen as top priority at most units, and as such is delegated to the lowest rank of staff, who have no real idea that there is a good reason why they are doing it and why it should be done properly. This is bad, obviously, but we don't get paid to do it and there is no real incentive other than a warm toasty feeling at the end of a project. It should probably be made a requirement, but not of RAO status- make it a required part of the report production process so that people don't get paid until it's done- then you'll see more of an uptake!
 
Jo
-------------------------------------------
Joanne Cook BSc MLitt AIFA MBCS
Information Systems Coordinator
Oxford Archaeology North
-------------------------------------------

________________________________

From: Issues related to Historic Environment Records on behalf of Poppy Sarah
Sent: Thu 09/11/2006 16:12
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: OASIS geophysics help please



Hi Mark
I am finding all sorts of permutations, but particularly free text entered into the monument and find types, monuments and finds types completely missing, fictitious museums being quoted for the archive deposition, you name it!!  Type of project details not being completed. Authors being included as a single list rather than multiple entries. Spelling mistakes ...

But the two main issues are the extremely patchy uptake by contractors, and the minimal number who are actually uploading digital reports.

It may be that for certain purposes having some record is better than nothing at all, but if this is to be useful data for a HER to upload it needs to be of the same quality that the HER would expect to generate itself.  And that is not even getting into the workflows debate...

Sorry for the rant, but its difficult enough finding time to do this let alone having to correct these errors, when I have already created a complete and high quality HER record in the traditional manner.

Sorry if this conversation is boring everyone else!

Best wishes
Sarah

-----Original Message-----
From: Issues related to Historic Environment Records
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of BARRATT, Mark
Sent: 09 November 2006 15:57
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: OASIS geophysics help please


Hi Sarah
Point taken, I wasn't suggesting training is an HER issue, rather that
units should be trained to lessen the load on curators. I take it you're
finding missing fields in forms 'waiting for HER to validate', largely
monument/finds?
Mark

-----Original Message-----
From: Issues related to Historic Environment Records
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Poppy Sarah
Sent: 09 November 2006 15:48
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: OASIS geophysics help please

But Mark...
But HERs do not have the remit nor capacity to ensure the contractors
are adequately trained, and yet are having to pick up all the extra work
that results from them not having been trained or not using that
knowledge in which they were trained, with the result that confidence in
the entire system is undermined!  What's the solution?

Sorry if that's just my view.

Sarah
-----Original Message-----
From: Issues related to Historic Environment Records
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of BARRATT, Mark
Sent: 09 November 2006 15:41
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: OASIS geophysics help please


Hi Sarah
Training is indeed the nub of the issue here & I'd like to reiterate
that I am happy to arrange with any contractor to provide training free
of charge in OASIS. The monument & finds fields are of course not
required for contractors but training has taught this is an issue with a
number of HERs & may have to be looked at. The fact it is also a
free-text field can only add to the niggle!
Best wishes
Mark

-----Original Message-----
From: Issues related to Historic Environment Records
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Poppy Sarah
Sent: 09 November 2006 15:35
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: OASIS geophysics help please

Mike
I quite agree, although frequently as I am sure we are all aware, the
contractors do not fill out the form completely or adequately, and
sometimes it is simply easier to do this oneself rather than endlessly
firing off emails to the contactor.  If the information is to be at all
useful, it needs to be completed properly, and simply expecting the
contractors to do this doesn't work, and the HER is left with either
lots of editing and/or lots of poor records.

Again - a need for more training for contractors on how to do this
properly and a system which is more stringent on the quality of
information supplied? The lack of use of data standards regarding
monument & finds types is a particular niggle of mine, and I frequently
fire forms back to them, usually without any success in getting the
problem resolved.

sarah

-----Original Message-----
From: Issues related to Historic Environment Records
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Mike Shaw
Sent: 09 November 2006 15:10
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: OASIS geophysics help please


I would have thought that the onus was on the contractor who filled in
the report to ensure that they filled it in correctly, including - and
perhaps especailly - details of work that they have sub-contracted.  The
HER should not have to routinely fill in these sort of gaps.

Mike



________________________________

From: Issues related to Historic Environment Records on behalf of Poppy
Sarah
Sent: Thu 09/11/2006 09:49
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: OASIS geophysics help please



Thanks Mark.
I must say that all the other information necessary for the form was
included in the report, and if, indeed, it is such a vital piece of
information, why is it not obviously stated on the report?

This particular OASIS form was filled in by the unit who sub contracted
the geophysics work (who wouldn't necessarily know the specialist
information), so perhaps there is some need for clarification of whose
responsibility it should be, so it can be made explicit in the briefs.
Speaking to my DC colleague, geophysics usually arises as a result of it
being requested in the brief (so an OASIS request could be included),
and occasionally at the suggestion of the main archaeological
contractor, where the brief may not specify geophysics.

If the resolution is somewhere between 3 & 5, then this is not an option
on the drop down lists on the respective form. Neither is there an
unknown - perhaps some fine tuning is required if this is to be
completely usable?

Best wishes
Sarah

-----Original Message-----
From: Issues related to Historic Environment Records
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of BARRATT, Mark
Sent: 09 November 2006 07:50
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: OASIS geophysics help please


Dear Sarah
The extra geophysics details on OASIS are very new & were designed for
specialist geophysical units as only they might be expected to know the
information asked for. Eventually it is hoped that these units will be
filling in their own OASIS forms and I'd be happy to arrange training to
take this forward. I'll also investigate online help for these fields.
Could I ask whether sub-contracted geo units would be triggered by
briefs for OASIS?

Best wishes

Mark 

-----Original Message-----
From: Issues related to Historic Environment Records
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Poppy Sarah
Sent: 08 November 2006 18:56
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: OASIS geophysics help please

Dear all
I am dutifully validating an OASIS form for a geophysics project in
Cambridgeshire, and see the new (to me anyway...) geophysics detail
form, which I can complete with the exception of the "resolution in nano
tesla" field. 

Can anyone suggest to me how I might find this information in the
Stratascan report I have in front of me, or what I should be looking
for? There is no online help for this field as yet, neither is there an
option for saying unknown. As I can see the value in recording this type
of info for future research, I am doing my best to record a complete and
accurate record, but its not immediately obvious what this should be.

thanks in advance
Sarah
****************************
Sarah Poppy
Senior Archaeologist
Cambridgeshire Archaeology
ELH 1108
Shire Hall
Cambridge
CB3 0AP
tel: 01223 717312
fax: 01223 362425
[log in to unmask]
www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/archaeology


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