The examination includes questions on chapters 1-4 and 9 of your text book, 'ICT For You' by Stephen Doyle.
These chapters cover:
You will also need a good working knowledge of spreadsheets for the examination, especially formulas and functions and the IF function in particular. You should be clear on the difference between relative and absolute references and how they are used.
You will find the topics listed on this document, which was put together by the Principal Examiner from the specification.
You will also find material on these topics in your CGP ICT revision guide as follows:
You can also find material for ICT GCSE on the BBC ByteSize pages. There is a book of these pages if you prefer a paper copy (it looks very good).
All but one of the questions use the key words 'describe', 'discuss' or 'explain'. Only one question uses the term 'give an example' and none use the term 'state'. Nearly all the questions, therefore, require you to write in sentences and to use your ability to write with fluency and relevance to the question.
Use of the words 'describe', 'discuss' or 'explain' means that you do not need an exhaustive list of items or features but rather a more detailed account of two, three or four items, depending on the marks allocated to the question. 4 marks probably means two items, 6 marks means three items and 7 or 8 marks means three or four. You could play safe and describe or explain slightly more than this but the key thing is the 'expansion' or details of the item under discussion. You will get a maximum of half marks if you only give a list and no more than this if your expansion points are vague or irrelevant.
5 marks so probably requires at least 3 types but the mark scheme allows up to 4 marks for discussion of just one item - obviously the discussion in this case would have to be detailed. There is plenty to say about each item of storage:
hard disk - large capacity, fast access, removable (external), network (NAS); moving parts, magnets can corrupt, expensive
1 mark per item so sensible reason will do
scanner - non-digital source e.g. photograph, text
digital camera - take a photograph of something that you don't have in another format; or image too big to scan
clipart - images pre-drawn, save time; no other images available e.g. dinosaur; deliberately artificial for effect e.g. cartoon
painting package - to create original work or edit existing work
real: 3.14159 (pi) - number with fractional part
integer: 7 - whole number for e.g. a quantity e.g. 5 loaves, 2 fish
Boolean: true/yes - when only two answers such as Yes/No or True/False
8 marks so assume four points with expansion. Presentation software has many features so should not be too difficult. Data and photographs so plenty of scope.
Photographs - put one on each slide to separate them, add caption to describe them, add sound to make them more interesting, add animation to make presentation more lively
Data - put in a table to make them clearer, make charts to make them easier to understand
Text - make bullet points to summarise points that are spoken in full, use font sizes to make them easy to read, add notes pages to distribute as hand-outs
Designs and colours - to give consistency across slides, make it attractive and memorable
Hyperlinks - to link other relevant material, photographs of similar features or ones that you couldn't take, related data
Need four separate points from a potentially long list:
Convert data from digital to analogue with modem (unlikely today with spread of broadband)
Convert from digital to analogue with modem
Use of copper wires, fibre optic cable, satellite
Message split into packets
ISPs and routers re-direct packets to ISP in New York
Packets re-assembled in New York
Messages stored on servers of ISPs
Messages downloaded
4 marks so two points with expansion.
Speed - emails reach destination very quickly, though they not read until recipient opens them; letters take much longer e.g. a day or more for international; can have a dialogue as messages can be picked up in a few seconds
Multiple copies - can send same message to many people at same time so big saving in cost and time
Attachments - documents, images, music, video, saves postage and is more secure
Acknowledgement - so know that person has received mail
Access - people who can't get out can use email
Question scenario is school so focus on school issues first. 7 marks so at least three points with expansions.
Large amount of information available, too much for young people to cope with
Level of information may not be suitable, too easy or too hard, difficult to get this just right
Information may be wrong or out of date, someone may have played around with a site
Young people may copy without absorbing or putting into their own words so get accused of plagiarism
May be filters on school internet so not all sites are available
Data may contain malware
7 marks so three points with expansions.
Must log off so user area not left open and vulnerable
Require user IDs and passwords so only authorised users can access a network or PC
Passwords must be strong - letters, mixed case, numbers, not guessable so they are secure
Set access rights so users are restricted in what they can and cannot see and change
Use firewalls to control types of access e.g. standard ports only, close all others
Keep computers in locked rooms
Save data on non-networked devices such as memory stick so not available
Encrypt data so they cannot be read
Question is not really about genealogy but issues of home computers. Points about genealogy will score extra. Question asks for advantages and disadvantages so need two good example of each.
Home computer can have access to internet, which will aid research in a field like genealogy - web sites give guidance, on-line databases may provide information e.g. census for England & Wales available for 1901, 1891, 1881... (100 year rule so 1911 not available until 2011)
Internet gives access to email and discussion forums so can contact others working on genealogy; relatives far away e.g. Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa...
Software such as word processors and family tree construction programs allow good results
Expense - buying computer and software, running costs for ISP and anti-virus, maintenance and printing costs
Health issues - need correct equipment and conditions to prevent eye strain, RSI, back problems
Using computer - retired person may not have skills so will have to attend training, which may be hard to find
6 marks so 3 points with expansion. This question is about work, not school. Think: primary (farming, mining, fishing), secondary (manufacturing), tertiary (services).
Farming - dairy farming is controlled by computers so farmers must be IT-literate and must be very exact with things like production volume and fat content; farming more scientific, quality of food and conditions have improved.
Mining - resources identified by computer, prospectors don't stand in cold rivers panning for gold and fighting for rights; conditions of work much improved, use satellite and aerial surveys, analyse in office or laboratory.
Manufacturing - robots have replaced many manual tasks so jobs lost but unpleasant and dangerous work eliminated for people; workers need to be more technical, better qualified, have to be retrained, have better job satisfaction; productivity improved as far fewer workers used. Dirty jobs like paint spraying done by robots so way people work has improved.
Finance and administration - computer records and models improve accuracy and profits. People tied to computers so could claim that work is now monotonous and possible dangerous to health e.g. call centres.
Media and communications - growth of this area as ICT reduces cost of making publications, music and films; the way people work here has improved as software makes complex tasks easier and cheaper so work is more interesting and less strenuous e.g. professional cameras are lighter and more compact so easier to use. Results of work are improved as software allows faster and more accurate work e.g. CAD.