Human activity at all times was a systemic process aimed at achieving certain goals. In this case, human activity is significantly different from animal. The behavior of our little brothers in most cases is coordinated only by instincts. In turn, a person works on the basis of consciousness, by processing information. Over time, human thinking has undergone a change. This significantly influenced the ways and methods of processing, fixing information. In these aspects, a large amount of formalism has appeared.
In addition, the development of the political system and, of course, law made a significant contribution to the mechanism of human work with information. All the factors presented have led to the fact that one of the main sources of fixing information and displaying it is documents. Many people mistakenly believe that only written sources of any statements are called documents. This is far from the case, because the presented method of fixing information has a broader meaning, as well as a large system of functions, which will be discussed later in the article.
General document concept
Many terms exist today in doctrinal judgment and law. This duality is a positive factor, since it allows you to derive the most accurate and competent concepts. As for the document, its meaning also exists in several variations. The most simplified doctrinal variant suggests that a document is a material object of reality, which contains a certain kind of information. That is, the term characterizes the carrier of any statements. But there are also other ways of interpreting the concept.
Legislative wording
The value of the document in the provisions of the current legislation is broader. According to it, the term is characterized by a storage medium of any kind, having established details and intended for reproduction and transmission of certain statements.
As we can see, wording of this kind significantly expands the understanding of the document. Because it gives a description of the necessary elements of such a storage medium that make it possible to consider it as such.
Key features of documents
Given all the concepts presented above, it is possible to derive key features of information carriers. At the same time, it should be noted that the key features come from the legislative interpretation of the category presented in the article, since it is the main one due to the presence of exceptional legal significance. Thus, the main features of the document include the following:
- material form;
- the ability to consolidate information of any kind (sound, speech, visual, etc.);
- the presence of a specific author;
- the presence of mandatory design elements (details) ;
- legal value.
Thus, the document is an important part of human life. Therefore, the category is divided into a large number of species, and also has a number of important functions.
What are document functions?
Almost all the objects, phenomena, scientific categories that exist today are used in any way. That is, their very creation was realized for something. Documents in this case are no exception. In the everyday life of every person, they play a significant role. Thus, the functions of a document are the target or actual purpose of a category, which is its integral characteristic, regardless of the author’s volitional preferences. It should be noted that each document is multifunctional in nature. This suggests that the category is used in various sectors of human life.
The main functions of the document can be divided into several blocks. The first one contains the intended purposes, which are endowed with the categories of any of the existing industries, that is, absolutely all sources of information. This block is called “general document functions”. There are also a number of special purposes that are inherent in documents only in the context of certain factors. It is also worth noting the exceptional importance of industry functions. Such, for example, are the functions of legal documents.
General purpose block
As a rule, scientists distinguish three classical functions performed by documents of all types and types. These assignments show a common goal for the sake of which the category presented in the article was deduced.
- The information function of a document is key. It is she who determines the need for the existence of a category for storing, transmitting and reproducing information of a different type.
- The social function of the document emphasizes its exceptional importance to society. In other words, the category not only coordinates social relations, but also generates new ones. Thus, the document occupies an important place in society and government activities.
- The communicative function indicates that the document is a kind of example of human interaction. With its help, there is an accelerated exchange of information of any type.
There are also other, narrower in their specificity areas of the category. These are the functions of the document in management, organization, culture and jurisprudence.
Functions of Special Documents
So, we examined the main functions of documents of the general block. But there are also a number of other category assignments, which are not always manifested. Their existence is determined by certain legal facts. Special functions of the document have six main areas in their system.
- The most common is the management function. Its existence is determined by the fact that the document is one of the means or methods of management or coordination of specific activities. Information carriers in this context have the form of orders.
- The organizational function of the document suggests that the category is able to establish and organize the specific actions of all, without exception, participants in legal relations.
- The general cultural function shows the critical importance of the category to society. Because the documents are preserved, and then transferred to many cultural positions, norms, rites, rituals, etc.
- Culturally similar is a historical function. It allows you to transmit statements of modernity to all future generations.
- The legal function of a document is the ability of a category to be a source of law. But this thesis does not apply to all existing storage media. Because the legal function of a document is inherent exclusively in normative acts.
Thus, the presented functions are implemented by many modern documents. An exception are targeted areas that characterize special types of documents.
Classification of storage media
The types and functions of documents are key aspects that need to be considered in the process of studying a category. The purpose of the storage media we have already considered, so you can pay attention to their classification. It should be noted that the entire array of documents can be divided into many groups, based on completely different factors. Thus, today the classification is based on the following points:
- origin of the information carrier;
- the number of moments developed in it;
- degree of limited familiarization;
- direct documentation method.
The groups represented are the main ones. Therefore, for a more detailed development of the classification categories mentioned in the article, it is necessary to analyze separately.
Origin factor
The document, as we understand it, is far from every paper with inscriptions. In order to acquire its status, the document goes through the process of creation and certification by authorized persons. In this case, the storage medium must contain the required details. However, the document may well come directly from the person. Therefore, carriers according to this classification are divided into personal and official. The first of them appear in the process of ordinary life. Official documents are issued by authorized entities. These include legally relevant carriers. At the same time, the functions of regulatory documents will be determined by both a general doctrine and the existing legal framework.
Species according to the number of questions analyzed
If the document has an algorithm for solving any one situation, then it is simple. That is, there will be no unique legal consequences in this case. However, if a document addresses several issues, then it is complex. As a rule, such storage media are found in official activities and are issued in the form of orders, protocols, decisions, etc.
Documentation Classification
An important factor is the way the document is created. As already indicated above, in most cases, a document that is written on a paper sheet with certain details is recognized as a document. But in theory one can come across such an institution as the functions of an electronic document. In this case, the question arises of what constitutes such a storage medium.
It should be noted that the electronic document is not the only type. Today there are text, handwritten, typewritten, photo documents, video documents, etc. This list is not exhaustive, because new types of carriers appear due to the evolution of human relations.
Degree of access restriction
There are documents, the information inside of which is limited due to any important reasons. Therefore, in the Russian Federation a gradation of degrees of secrecy has been created. Each level toughens access criteria to familiarize yourself with the document. Thus, the following types of such storage media are distinguished:
- secret;
- for administrative use.
Conclusion
So, we tried to consider the types, as well as the main functions of the document. It is worth noting that soon the type of such information carriers and the very principle of their use will change significantly, because humanity is relentlessly moving forward in its progress.