The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 plus 6 letter word RANDOM ACCESS
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Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "method of finding data" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case method of finding data = random access.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does RANDOM ACCESS mean?
RANDOM ACCESS adjective- Capable of being accessed in any order, not required to be sequential.