Research and Personal Use

Suggested Answers to Exam-style Questions:

Research and Personal Use

  1. In the context of Web browsing, what is a hyperlink and what is a hotspot? (2 marks)

A hyperlink is a reference in a portion of text, an image or an object, which can be clicked upon to direct the user to a new web page or document. A hotspot is a hyperlink which is invisible and can be placed anywhere on a web page, often over part of an image.

  1. Explain the function of the following Boolean operators and how they could help improve search results:

a)AND (2 marks) Using AND will only return searches which include two specified terms or phrases.

b)OR (2 marks) Using OR will widen the scope of a search to include results which have reference to either of two specified terms or phrases.

c)NOT (2 marks) Using NOT will narrow the scope of a search by excluding any results which include a specified term or phrase.

  1. Give two reasons why information found on the Web might not be as accurate as a printed newspaper or textbook?
    (4 marks)

Information on the Web may not be updated or removed, and so could refer to data which is now obsolete. There is no editorial process for most of the pages on the Internet, so users can add whatever information they like. This means much of the information available is biased, inaccurate or simply personal opinion rather than objective fact.

  1. Explain what is meant by the term ‘social networking’.
    (2 Marks)

Social networking refers to the creation and maintenance of social networks, which are connections between friends, colleagues, families and friends of friends. These networks are normally maintained via a social networking site such as Facebook.

5. State three advantages of digital television over analogue television. (3 marks)

Digital television has improved picture and sound over analogue TV. It has increased bandwidth, resulting in more channels. It also allows for interactive services such as digital text.

6. A student visits a museum and writes a report which he saves as a Word document. He then wants to send it to his friends and include some photos.

Describe how he could successfully do this using e-mail.

(5 marks)

The student would need to have an e-mail client set up, either via his own network, or on one of the cloud-based e-mail servers (like Hotmail). He would then compose the e-mail and attach the documents. At this point he should probably consider the file size of the document he is sending, and consider reducing the amount sent so that it can be received successfully (he may need to send multiple e-mails). He would put the e-mail address of his contacts into the ‘To’ field, and separate each address with a semicolon. He would then add a sensible subject line to avoid the message being filtered out by a spam filter. Some e-mail programs automatically check attachments for viruses and this may be a sensible precaution before sending.

When happy with his message, he would press ‘Send’. He could then check the outbox of his e-mail client to ensure the message had been sent.

7. Explain two advantages of sending these documents by

e-mail rather than printing and posting them? (4 marks)

Sending via e-mail would be cheaper as he would not have to pay for printing and postage costs. Sending via e-mail would also be faster, as he would not have to wait for the photos to be developed or for the post to be collected/delivered.

8. Explain the function of the following terms in the context of
e-mail communication:

a)Phishing (2 marks) Phishing refers to malicious e-mails pretending to be from a legitimate source. They try to trick recipients into disclosing bank details or other sensitive data.

b)Spam (2 marks) Spam refers to unwanted messages which arrive in an e-mail inbox. Often they are trying to sell goods or services. Some spam messages will contain viruses. E-mail addresses are harvested into spam lists, and spammers can then send out a vast quantity of messages hoping to make some profits from the recipients.

9. Discuss how improvements in microprocessor technology have made a positive contribution to the entertainment industry.

The quality of written communication will be assessed in your answer to this question. (8 marks)

Notes on written communication:

The answer should be written in a clear and structured manner with specialist vocabulary used appropriately and spelt correctly. There should be justification of all issues raised, culminating in a reasoned conclusion. There should be few errors in spelling grammar and punctuation.

Microprocessors are fundamental to the fast and efficient processing of data. They are found in the CPU of all computers. However, they also have a number of applications outside the home. Most electronic items have microprocessors to control timing and other functions;these allow hi-fis, TVs and other electronic devices to have more advanced functions and to integrate more effectively with other systems.

Faster microprocessors improve the speed at which data can be processed. Along with improvements in data transfer speeds, this has seen a rise in web-based streaming of video and music. It also allows for online booking systems to update almost instantaneously using real-time processing.

More advanced microprocessors have also improved control systems, allowing exciting rides, theatre shows and concerts to be designed with multiple inputs and outputs whilst still maintaining safety.

Finally, an increased speed in microprocessors has allowed more complex 3D graphics to be rendered and displayed at great speed. This has improved the quality and realism of computer games, which are a popular source of entertainment for many people. Gaming has also benefitted from the online multiplayer options that improved microprocessors can offer.

Total marksavailable on this worksheet = 38marks

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