UNIVERSITY OF MALTA
THE MATRICULATION CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION
ADVANCED LEVEL
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
May 2011
MARKING SCHEME
MATRICULATION AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
CERTIFICATE EXAMINATIONS BOARD
Paper 1
A1.
a) This part is about Computer Systems
i.
I/O, Processor, Main Memory, Auxiliary storage.
[2]
ii.
Usual block diagram with Processor at the centre, Main Memory and auxiliary
storage reading and writing to it, while Input sends to the processor and output
receives.
[2]
iii.
2G Main Memory, Auxiliary storage 250GB, Dual core processor, with
CD/DVD, mouse pad and camera as input devices and VGA Screen and
speakers as output devices.
[2]
[Total: 6 marks]
b) This part is on Microprocessors
i.
Two from:
[2]
• Controls transmission of data from input devices to memory;
• Processes data held in main memory;
• Controls transmission of information from memory to output devices.
ii.
ALU, CU, registers, data, address and control buses.
[2]
iii.
On the main circuit board in the CPU chip.
[2]
[Total: 6 marks]
c) This part is on Input and Output Devices
i.
Two from scanner (library), barcode (shop), camera (photographer). Two from
speakers (music), plotter (architect), projector (presentation).
[2]
ii.
Any valid use!
[2]
[Total: 4 marks]
d) This part is on Storage devices
i.
Primary is Main memory while Secondary is Auxiliary storage.
[2]
ii.
Two from hard disk (office), CD (music), DVD (movie), memory stick
(sharing information).
[2]
[Total: 4 marks]
A2.
This question is about User interfaces in IS
I. To enable the interaction between a user and a computer.
Three from:
• To safely help user achieve his goal;
• To effectively perform a task;
• To efficiently achieve the user’s objective;
• To enjoy the interaction with the computer system.
[2]
[3]
[Total: 5 marks]
II. CLI and GUI.
[2]
CLI – direct instruction, non-user friendly, requires knowledge of commands.
GUI – WIMP friendliness, layer above computer command, no need to know
computer commands.
[3]
[Total: 5 marks]
III. Script recognition and Speech input/output.
Script – User friendly, requires training, adapts to user.
Speech – Most natural, requires training, customisable.
[2]
[3]
[Total: 5 marks]
A3.
This question is about Project Management
I. Project management refers to the successful staging of projects using skills and
resources etc. A project is a short-term activity bringing together people with different
skills, equipment and resources to achieve specified objectives.
[2]
Three from:
• Have specific objectives;
• Developed within a specified time period;
• Developed within a given budget;
• Brings together a group of people.
[3]
[Total: 5 marks]
II. Five from:
• Plan;
• Find staff;
• Analyse risk;
[5]
•
•
•
•
•
•
Monitor progress;
Adjust schedules;
Report project status;
Control finances;
Appraise performance;
Interact with all parties.
[Total: 5 marks]
III. To monitor and control the progress of the project.
Three from:
• Comparison between schedule and actual progress;
• Inform management about progress;
• Reconfirm current tasks and schedules are correct and on target;
• Identify any problems or slippage together with solutions;
• Encourage team spirit and communication between team members.
[2]
[3]
[Total: 5 marks]
A4.
This question is about Network Security
I. Access privileges gives the access rights a user has on data found on the network after
logging in.
[2]
The data could be read, written over, or not accessible at all.
[3]
[Total: 5 marks]
II. Access control which enables an authority to control access to areas and resources in a given
physical facility or computer-based information system.
Three from:
•
•
•
•
[2]
[3]
Password or PIN used;
ID card or smart card used;
Location accessed;
Biometric information.
[Total: 5 marks]
III. Performance management helps to collect data and statistics on all aspects of network
use to help with the management and planning of a network.
[2]
Three from:
[3]
• Network availability;
• Response time;
• Transmission speed
• Type of network
[Total: 5 marks]
B1.
i) electronic communication: speed of communication, new opportunities, timely inf. Etc.
ii) email, sms, video conferencing, teleworking, voice conferencing etc.
iii) adverts, bulletins, emails, etc
iv) formal org. that have a name, registered org., normally head office etc.
v) Essential components of organisations;open vs closed systems;formal vs informal
organisations;authority, responsibility and delegation;centralised and decentralised;
decision-making management functions
[Total: 20 marks]
B2.
Informal methods of communication, I.e. communication that is not properly recorded or
takes place from undefined channels. Telephony, SMS, mobile phone talking, blogs, posts,
talking and discussing with co-workers in canteen are informal.
[Total: 15 marks]
B3.
This question is about change, change management and includes that the student should bring
up about ten valid points and discuss them appropriately.
[Total: 15 marks]
B4.
Org. functional areas like HR, Accounts, Production, R&D etc. E.g. HR. Management of
staff, recruitment, etc.
[Total: 15 marks]
Paper 2
A1.
e) This part is about Databases
i.
A database is a collection of non-redundant data shareable between different
applications.
[2]
ii.
Two from:
[2]
• Data redundancy;
• Data inconsistency;
• Lack of data integrity;
• Program-data dependence;
• Lack of flexibility;
• Non-shareable data.
iii.
Unproductive maintenance and Lack of security.
[2]
[Total: 6 marks]
f) This part is about DBMS
i.
A DBMS is a layer of software inserted between the application and the data
making access and manipulation easier.
[2]
ii.
Program-data independence and Restricted user access to the data. [2]
iii.
Four from:
[2]
• Data storage, retrieval and update;
• Creation and maintenance of data dictionary;
• Facilitates data sharing;
• Backup and recovery;
• Security.
[Total: 6 marks]
g) This part is about Relational Tables
i.
A relational database is a database whose data is held in tables which are
linked together by means of common fields.
[2]
ii.
By employing foreign keys.
Any example that shows a common field in two tables.
[2]
[Total: 4 marks]
h) This part is about Database Normalisation
i. To decompose relations in order to produce smaller, well-structured relations
and tables.
[2]
ii.
Two from:
• No data is unnecessarily duplicated;
[2]
•
•
•
Data is consistent throughout the database;
Table structure is flexible to allow any number of items;
User queries along different tables is possible.
[Total: 4 marks]
A2.
This question is on Generic Software
IV. A WP is a program used to enter, edit, format, store and print documents.
Three from:
• Spelling and grammar checker;
• Automatic creation of index and TOC;
• Import files;
• Mail merge;
• Template creation.
[2]
[3]
[Total: 5 marks]
V. Five from:
• Format cells, rows, and columns;
• Copy and move cell contents with automatic formula adjustments;
• What-if facility;
• Insert, move or delete rows and columns;
• SUM, AVERAGE, MAX and MIN functionality;
• Sorting and querying simple DB sheets;
• Multi-dimensional sheets;
• Cell absolute and reference;
• Creation of charts, graphs and macros;
• Pivot tables and goal seek solver.
[5]
[Total: 5 marks]
VI. Database, Electronic Mail, Presentation graphics, Web browsers.
e.g. presentation application , company wide mail system
[2]
[3]
[Total: 5 marks]
A3.
This question is about Internet-related software
I. Client-server technology.
No, the WWW is the wealth of information on the Internet.
[2]
[3]
[Total: 5 marks]
II. Three from e-mail, ftp, telnet, usenet groups, chat, and videoconferencing.
[3]
Explain any three of the above.
[2]
[Total: 5 marks]
III. Five from:
• SMTP (e-mail);
• POP (e-mail);
• IMAP (e-mail)
• FTP (files);
• HTTP (web-pages)
• TCP/IP (browsing).
[5]
[Total: 5 marks]
A4.
This question is on Software Capabilities
I. Portability is the ability to run/access the same program/file on different types of
computer.
[2]
Three from:
[3]
• Inserting an Excel sheet into a Word report;
• Importing a graphic from a drawing package into a desktop publishing system;
• Using online articles as part of a research assignment;
• Sending an email with attachments from PC to a UNIX box.
[Total: 5 marks]
II. Object Linking and Embedding.
[1]
OLE allows the sharing of information between programs and OSs.
[2]
Linked object reflect changes in the original and have only a reference to the link but
not the real file, while an Embedded object is the original file itself at the time it was
shared.
[2]
[Total: 5 marks]
III. Reliability tests are used to ensure that the software is tested with all types of data over
a specified time within a specified environment.
[2]
Test data used is Normal, Invalid, and Extreme.
[3]
[Total: 5 marks]
B1.
a) This part is about System Development
i.
All objectives are realistically chosen and achieved in the time frame
available, costs, resources, employees etc. any three.
[3]
ii.
Analysis, Feasibility study, Requirements specification, Design,
Implementation, Testing, Maintenance and Evaluation.
[1]
iii.
During project review the plan is compared to the actual progress, while
reconfirming that planned tasks and schedules are correct and on target, and if
not, identifying any problems or slippage together with solutions. [2]
[Total: 6 marks]
b) This part is about Systems Analysis
i.
System analysis involves the investigation of the user’s requirements.
[2]
ii.
Two from interviews, questionnaires, observations and inspection of
documents.
[2]
iii.
Two from:
[2]
• How current system works;
• Problems with current system;
• Client dissatisfaction;
• User requirements;
• Constraints on hardware, software, time-scales and financial.
[Total: 6 marks]
c) This part is about the Feasibility Study
i.
To understand the problem and to determine whether it is worth proceeding
with system development.
[2]
ii.
Two from technical, financial and social aspects.
[2]
[Total: 4 marks]
d) This part is about System evaluation
i.
To assess how well the system objectives have been achieved following the
entire systems development process.
[2]
ii.
Two from usability, effectiveness and maintainability.
[2]
[Total: 4 marks]
B2.
This question is about Error types and Debugging
I. Debugging is a methodical process of finding and reducing the number of bugs, or
defects, in a computer program thus making it behave as expected.
[2]
Three from Step-into, stopping, watch-window.
[3]
[Total: 5 marks]
II. Syntax, Logical and Run-time errors.
Logical errors are not detected by the debugger.
[3]
[2]
[Total: 5 marks]
III. Any example that is logically incorrect like Area = L + B.
[1]
Syntax error is an error with the use of the programming language.
[2]
Run-time error is an error that will only happen during execution like division by a
number that a user enters … and enters 0.
[2]
[Total: 5 marks]
B3.
This question is about System and information requirements
I. To analyse the system requirements from an early stage as possible.
[2]
System requirement: real-time; information requirement: input format.
[2]
System analyst.
[1]
[Total: 5 marks]
II. Storage and User interface needs.
E.g. storage size and technology
User interface = graphics card, display device etc.
III. DFD – Data flow diagram
Any practical example with its correct corresponding DFD.
[2]
[3]
[Total: 5 marks]
[1]
[4]
[Total: 5 marks]
B4.
This question is about Generation of Programming Languages
I. To translate the programming language code that a programmer writes into a form that
the computer can execute, namely, machine code.
[2]
Assembler, compiler and interpreter.
[3]
[Total: 5 marks]
II. Assembler: translates the English like Assembly code mnemonics into machine code.
Compiler: translates high-level language into machine code by scanning through it
several times and compiles an executable version on the whole.
Interpreter: Similar to the compiler but translates one line at a time and then executes
it thereby avoiding the need to create an executable version.
[4]
Assembly Language, Pascal compiler, GW Basic Interpreter.
[1]
[Total: 5 marks]
III. Machine language, Assembly code, High-level language, Specific-purpose language,
Visual language.
[3]
one from:
1: Machine Code – Requires no translation, pattern of 0s and 1s.
2: Assembly Language – Mnemonics and denary numbers.
3: Pascal – English like statements independent of machine.
4: SQL – more natural than 3rd generation used for specific commercial purposes.
5: Prolog – solves problems using constraints given to the problem.
[2]
[Total: 5 marks]