Handling data effectively depends in the first instance on understanding the meaning of some key data-related terms. After all, if you don't have a good grasp of the terminology, you're going to be at a disadvantage when it comes to some of the work you're going to want to do with data.

It's not unusual for people to have forgotten some of the basic mathematical concepts they learnt at school and college. Even when you continue with your studies after school, it's quite possible that you'll have forgotten some of the basics.

Here then, are some of the fundamental concepts outlined, explained and illustrated. There are also worksheets created to help you assess your own skills. From the most basic concepts (for example, our number system) to the more advanced processes (such as regression analysis), you should find help in gaining the data terminology grasp that you'll need.

There are four main areas of this section and you can access them at any time using the navigation bar on the left. The four sections are:

• Explanation - a guide to what is meant by some common data-related terms
• Illustration - illustrations of a variety of basic data-handling skills
• Worksheets - a range of worksheets on basic data skills
• Review - a brief summary of the topics covered in the 'meaning' section and a final activity