Summer 2023 Computer Science GCSE OCR

Paper 1 (01)
PG
online
pages:
1.1 Systems 1.1.1 • The purpose of the CPU 2-3
Architecture Architecture - What actions occur at each stage of the fetch-execute cycle
of the CPU - The role/purpose of each component and what it manages,
stores, or controls during the fetch-execute cycle
• Common CPU components and their function:
-ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit), CU (Control Unit), cache, registers
• Von Neumann architecture
-MAR (Memory Address Register), MDR (Memory Data Register),
program counter, accumulator.
1.1.2 • How common characteristics of CPU’s affect their performance: 4
CPU -Clock speed
performance -Cache size
-Number of cores
1.1.3 • The purpose and characteristics of embedded systems 4-5
Embedded • Examples of embedded systems.
systems
1.2 Memory 1.2.1 • The need for primary storage. 6-7
and storage Primary • The difference between RAM and ROM.
storage • The purpose of ROM in a computer system.
(Memory) • The purpose of RAM in a computer system.
• Virtual memory- The role/purpose of each component and what it
manages, stores, or controls during the fetch-execute cycle.
1.2.2 • The need for secondary storage 8,9
Secondary • Common types of storage:
storage -optical, magnetic, solid state
• Suitable storage devices and storage media for a given application.
• The advantages and disadvantages of different storage devices and
storage media relating to these characteristics:
-capacity
-speed
-portability
-durability
-reliability
-cost
1.2.3 Why data must be stored in binary format. 11
Units • Calculate required storage capacity for a given set of files.
• Calculate file sizes of sound, images and text files.
• Sound file size = sample rate x duration (s) x bit depth image file
size = colour depth x image height (px) x image width (px)
• text file size = bits per character x number of characters.
1.2.4 Numbers: 12- 20
Data Storage • How to convert positive denary whole numbers to binary numbers
(up to and including 8 bits) and vice versa.
• How to add two binary integers together (up to and including 8
bits) and explain overflow errors which may occur.
• How to convert positive denary whole numbers into 2-digit
hexadecimal numbers and vice versa.
• How to convert binary integers to their hexadecimal equivalents
and vice versa
 • Binary shifts.
Characters:
• The use of binary codes to represent characters.
• The term ‘character set’.
• The relationship between the number of bits per character in a
character set, and the number of characters which can be
represented, e.g.: ASCII, Unicode.
Images:
• How an image is represented as a series of pixels, represented in
binary.
• Metadata.
• The effect of colour depth and resolution on: The quality of the
image, the size of an image file.
Sound:
• How sound can be sampled and stored in digital form.
• The effect of sample rate, duration and bit depth on: The playback
quality, The size of a sound file.
1.3 Computer 1.2.5 • The need for compression. 21
Networks, Compression • Types of compression: Lossy, Lossless.
connections • Advantages and disadvantages of each type of compression
and protocols • Effects on the file for each type of compression.
1.3.1 • Types of networks: LAN (Local Area Network), WAN (Wide Area 23-29
Networks and Network)
topologies • Factors that affect the performance of networks.
• The different roles of computers in a client-server and a peer-to
peer network.
• The hardware needed to connect stand-alone computers into a
Local Area Network: Wireless access points, Routers, Switches, NIC
(Network Interface Controller/Card), Transmission media.
• The Internet as a worldwide collection of computer network s:
DNS (Domain Name Server), Hosting, The Cloud, Web servers and
clients
• Star and Mesh network topologies- advantages/disadvantages.
• Modes of connection: Wired (Ethernet), Wireless (Wi-Fi,
Bluetooth)
• Encryption
• IP addressing and MAC addressing
1.3.2 • Modes of connection: Wired (Ethernet), Wireless (Wi-Fi, 30-32
Wired and Bluetooth)
wireless • Encryption
networks, • IP addressing and MAC addressing
protocols and • The principle of a standard to provide rules for areas of computing.
layers • Common protocols including: TCP/IP (Transmission Control
Protocol/Internet Protocol), HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) ,
HTTPS (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure) , FTP (File Transfer
Protocol), POP (Post Office Protocol) ,, IMAP (Internet Message
Access Protocol, SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol)
• How layers are used in protocols, and the benefits of using layers;
for a teaching example, please refer to the 4-layer TCP/IP model.
1.4 Network 1.4.1 Threats • Forms of attack: Malware, Social engineering, e.g., phishing, 34
Security to computer people as the ‘weak point’, Brute-force attacks, Denial of service
systems and attacks, Data interception and theft, The concept of SQL injection.
networks • Common prevention methods: Penetration testing, Anti-malware
software, Firewalls, User access levels, Passwords, Encryption, Physical
security.
 1.4. • Knowledge/principles of each prevention method: What each 35
prevention method may limit/prevent, how it limits the attack
Identifying
and
preventing
vulnerabilities
1.5 Systems 1.5.1 • What each function of an operating system does. 37
software Operating • Features of a user interface.
systems • Memory management, e.g., the transfer of data between memory,
and how this allows for multitasking.
• Understand that: Data is transferred between devices and the
processor; this process needs to be managed.
• User management functions, e.g.: Allocation of an account, Access
rights, Security, etc.
• What each function of an operating system does. Features of a
user interface.
• Memory management, e.g., the transfer of data between memory,
and how this allows for multitasking.
• Understand that: Data is transferred between devices and the
processor; this process needs to be managed.
• User management functions, e.g.: Allocation of an account, Access
rights, Security, etc.
• File management, and the key features, e.g.: Naming § Allocating
to folders, moving files, Saving, etc.
1.5.2 • The purpose and functionality of utility software. 38
Utility • Utility system software: Encryption software, Defragmentation,
software Data compression.
1.6 Ethical, .6.1 • Impacts of digital technology on wider society including Ethical 40-44
legal, cultural Ethical, legal, issues, Legal issues, Cultural issues, Environmental issues, Privacy
and cultural and issues.
environmental environmental • Legislation relevant to Computer Science: The Data Protection Act
impacts of impact 2018, Computer Misuse Act 1990, Copyright Designs and Patents
digital Act 1988, Software licences (i.e., open source and proprietary).
technology • Features of open source (providing access to the source code and
the ability to change the software).
• Features of proprietary (no access to the source code, purchased
commonly as off-the-shelf).
• Recommend a type of licence for a given scenario including
benefits and drawbacks.

Paper 2 (02)
PG online
pages:
2.1.1 • Abstraction, Decomposition, Algorithmic thinking. 47
2.1 Algorithms Computational
thinking
2.1.2 • Identify the inputs, processes, and outputs for a problem. 48-53
Designing, • Structure diagrams.
creating and • Create, interpret, correct, complete, and refine algorithms
refining using: Flowcharts, Reference language/high-level
algorithms programming language.
 • Identify common errors.
• Trace tables. (How to use them, how many rows would be
needed)
2.1.3 • Standard searching algorithms: Binary search, Linear search. 54-60
Searching and • Standard sorting algorithms: Bubble sort, Merge sort, Insertion
sorting sort.
algorithms
2.2 2.2.1 • The use of variables, constants, operators, inputs, outputs and 61-77
Programming Programming assignments.
fundamentals fundamentals • The use of the three basic programming constructs used to
control the flow of a program: Sequence, Selection, Iteration
(count- and condition-controlled loops).
• The common arithmetic operators.
• The common Boolean operators AND, OR and NOT.
2.2.2 Data Types • The use of data types: Integer, Real, Boolean, Character and
string, Casting.
2.3 Producing 2.2.3 Additional • The use of basic string manipulation.
robust programs programming • The use of basic file handling operations: Open, Read, Write,
techniques Close.
• The use of records to store data.
• The use of SQL to search for data. (SELECT, FROM, WHERE).
• The use of arrays (or equivalent) when solving problems,
including both one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional arrays
(2D).
• How to use sub programs (functions and procedures) to
produce structured code.
• Random number generator.
2.3.1 • Defensive design considerations: Anticipating misuse, 78
Defensive design Authentication.
• Input validation – how to deal with invalid data.
• Maintainability: Use of sub programs, Naming conventions,
Indentation, Commenting.
2.3.2 • The difference between testing modules of a program during 80
Testing development and testing the program at the end of production.
-Types of testing: Iterative, Final/terminal
• Identify syntax and logic errors
• Selecting and using suitable test data: Normal, Boundary,
Invalid/Erroneous
• Refining algorithms-making them more effective
2.4 Boolean 2.41. Boolean • Simple logic diagrams using the operators AND, OR and NOT. 82
logic logic • Knowledge of Truth tables for each logic gate.
• Combining Boolean operators using AND, OR and NOT
• Applying logical operators in truth tables to solve problems.
2.5 2.5.1 Languages • Characteristics and purpose of different levels of programming 84
Programming language: High-level language, Low-level languages.
languages and • The purpose of translators, need for translators.
integrated • The characteristics of a compiler and an interpreter. The
development differences, benefits and drawbacks of using a compiler or an
environments interpreter.
2.5.2 • Common tools and facilities available in an Integrated 85
The integrated Development Environment (IDE): Editors, Error diagnostics, Run-
development time environment, Translators.
environment • How each of the tools and facilities listed can be used to help a
(IDE) programmer develop a program.