Assessment Objective A01 Demonstrate good working practices with files, directories/folders and subdirectories/su b-folders Pass Candidates will set up at least two directories. They will save some files in appropriate locations using appropriate filenames. They will demonstrate the ability to password protect files. They will locate and open existing files that they have saved in their directories. They will backup files onto a removable medium. They will create shortcuts to at least one directory and one file. Merit Candidates will create an appropriate directory structure with at least two main directories, each containing at least two subdirectories using appropriate names. They will save most files in appropriate locations using appropriate filenames. They will demonstrate the ability to password protect files. They will locate and open existing files from a range of sources. They will provide evidence of at least one instance of deleting, copying and moving files and directories. They will backup and restore files from a removable medium. They will create shortcuts to at least one program, directory and file. Candidates will create an appropriate directory.,/ structure with at least two main directories, each containing at least two subdirectories using appropriate names. They will save all files in appropriate locations using appropriate filenames and will provide evidence of at least one instance of deleting, copying, moving and renaming files and directories. They will demonstrate the ability to password protect files. They will locate and open existing files, using search facilities of operating systems software where necessary. They will backup and restore files from a removable medium. They will create, edit and delete shortcuts to at least one proqram, directory and file. Comments: (from Task 1) The candidate has created six folders in which the work from this unit is stored, along with some sub-folders to help organise the work. Appropriate names have been used. A screenshot shows that files are saved in an appropriate location with suitable filenames. The candidate has provided screens hots to show that they have deleted, copied, moved and renamed files and directories. Evidence is provided of password-protecting their spreadsheet file. The candidate has the used the operating system search facility to locate and open a file saved in their folder structure and one on their Flash Pen Drive. The candidate has made a backup of their folder structure to a Flash Pen Drive and has provided evidence of using this to restore the files to their computer. Shortcuts have been created, edited and deleted to the database file, to one folder that they created and to Microsoft Internet Explorer.
A02 Using appropriate software, select and use tools and facilities to download files/information and to send and receive email messages Candidates will use search engines to find information on the Internet, although they may not use the most efficient criteria. They will provide their source(s) website addresses. They will send, receive, reply and forward email, including at least one message with a document attached. There should be some text and a header, although the quality of these may be poor. They will open an attachment sent to them via email and will save it to their work area. They will send messages to multiple recipients. Candidates will make a brief comment about the risks of opening email attachments. Candidates will locate suitable elements from local media and the World Wide Web, using effective search criteria eg keywords. They will provide their source(s) website addresses and will comment on the trustworthiness of the source. They will use bookmarks/favourites to store useful links. They will understand the implications of copyright. They will copy and paste text and graphics from the World Wide Web in compliance with current copyright legislation. They will send, receive, reply and forward em ail, including messages with multiple documents attached. They will use appropriate subjects and message text. They will send messages to multiple recipients and demonstrate an understanding of the use of cc. They will set messages as high or low importance. Candidates will summarise the risks of receiving and opening email attachments. Candidates will locate suitable elements from local media and the World Wide Web, making effective use of advanced search criteria eg quotes, Boolean operators. They will comment on the validity of their source(s): provide name of their source(s) website addresses, note trustworthiness of source(s) and date of information. They will use bookmarks/favourites to store useful links and will organise these into folders. They will understand the implications of copyright. They will download graphic and text files in compliance with current copyright legislation. They will acknowledge all sources used. They will send, receive, reply and forward email, including messages with multiple documents attached. They will send messages to multiple recipients using cc and bcc appropriately, considering privacy issues. They will store, retrieve and use email addresses and details of personal contacts. They will make effective use of features of email software, including creating and using an email signature. They will consistently use appropriate subjects and message text. Candidates will summarise the risks of receiving and opening em ail attachments and suggest actions that could be taken to reduce these risks. Comments: (from Tasks 2 and 3) There is clear evidence of using a search engine (Google) to find information and images about the given subject. There is no evidence of searching local media. Keywords have been used as part of the Internet searches but there is no indication that the candidate believes them to be effective. The candidate has also shown that the search results yielded relevant information. Website addresses are listed. They have provided some comments on the trustworthiness of the sources. Useful links have been bookmarked. No evidence is provided to show that they understand the implications of Copyright. The candidate has received an email from the owner of Downloadable Tunes containing an attachment. This attachment has been saved to an appropriate folder. A reply has been sent with an attachment added (no multiple attachments have been sent - required for both Merit and ). The original email has also been forwarded to multiple recipients. The use of cc: and bcc: has also been evidenced with a comment about privacy issues. Email addresses have been stored, retrieved and used form the Address Book. A suitable email signature has been created and used. Appropriate subjects and message text is used throughout. The candidate has also summarised the risks of opening email attachments and has suggested actions to reduce these risks. A PASS grade is awarded. The evidence provided for Task 2 meets the Pass criteria fully and some of the Merit criteria. The evidence provided for Task 3 meets all of the Merit and criteria EXCEPT for the sending of multiple attachments. Therefore, the Pass grade that has been awarded is close to the Merit boundary.
A03 Produce a business presentation using presentation software Candidates will produce a business presentation of at least three slides using text and graphics. There may not be a consistent style to the pages. There will be some evidence that the candidate has checked for errors and the presentation will be largely fit for the purpose. Candidates will produce a business presentation of at least four slides using appropriate text and graphics. The presentation will have a consistent style. Slide transitions will have been set, but these may not always be the most effective. The presentation will be checked and free from obvious errors. The candidate will print out the presentation in handout form. Candidates will produce a business presentation of../ at least five slides using appropriate text and graphics. The presentation will have a consistent style. Slide transitions and animation will have been set and the presentation will have been checked to ensure it is appropriate to the purpose and audience. Speaker notes will be added where appropriate. The final presentation will be of near professional quality. The candidate will print out the presentation in handout form, and showina the notes oaaes. Comments: (from Task 8) The business presentation contains five slides and so can be considered for the grade. Appropriate text is included and graphics include screenshots taken from the documents produced in this Unit and the logo (made using ClipArt). There is a consistent style throughout. The candidate has set transitions for each slide (Box In) and has applied animations to the logo (on the master slide) and the titles on each slide. The presentation is appropriate to both the purpose and audience. The presentation has been checked (using the spelling and grammar checker) and appears to be free form any obvious errors. The presentation has been printed in handout form. Speaker notes have been added to the first slide and the presentation has been printed showing the notes pages (although only the first page is included). The final presentation is of a near professional standard.
A04 Select and use tools and facilities in word processing or DTP software to produce a variety of business documents Candidates will create straightforward business documents. These will include a letter and at least two other documents such as a business card, flyer, newsletter, invoice, memo, agenda, report or minutes. These may have been produced using standard templates. At least one document will include graphics using more than one source, eg clip art, the World Wide Web, scanner, digital camera, drawing package, spreadsheet or database. The documents will have been checked using a spelling checker but some errors may remain. Some formatting features, eg font style and size and paragraph justification will have been used. Candidates will create at least four types of business document, including a letter and a document of more than one page including tables, graphs and charts created in other software. They will include graphics from a range of sources. They will use spelling and grammar checks and will edit the documents to improve and correct them so that few errors remain. Text, tables and graphic images from a range of sources will be integrated into at least one document and these will be positioned and formatted appropriately. There will be some consistency to the layout of the documents, although there may be some exceptions. Although documents may be based on standard templates there will be evidence of the use of a range of software tools and facilities and these will have been used appropriately. Candidates will create at least four types of business document, including a mailmerged letter and a document of several pages including tables, graphs and charts created in other software. They will include graphics from a wide range of sources. Documents will display a consistent housestyle designed by the candidate and an extensive range of software tools and facilities will have been used. They will insert fields, including date and document information. All documents produced will have been thoroughly checked using spelling and grammar checkers, and proof read, so that they are virtually error-free, and of a near-professional standard. Comments: (from Tasks 6 and 7) The candidate has produced four good quality business documents for Downloadable Tunes: a business letter, memo, flyer and a 4-page newsletter. The business letter follows standard letter conventions and is of good quality - spelling, layout and language are well suited to purpose. The memo also follows standard conventions. The flyer is fit for purpose and links nicely with other documents such as the newsletter. The newsletter includes graphics - including a logo which has been created and used in all documents, ClipArt, images from the WWW and a digital camera image. Two graphs/charts are also included - a pie chart and a bar chart. Fields have been inserted - page numbers and a date showing when the newsletter was produced. There is a consistent housestyle throughout the documents, clearly linking them to Downloadable Tunes. All documents have been thoroughly checked using a spelling and grammar checker. The documents have also been proofread and are error-free and of a professional standard. An extensive range of formatting features has been used throughout.
AD5 Create and use a simple business spreadsheet Candidates will create a very simple business spreadsheet using a limited number of calculations. The functions/formulas may not be efficient, but will work. There will be sufficient row/column headings to make the spreadsheet reasonably easy to understand. There may be little evidence of formatting. There will be evidence that some of the data has been changed to obtain different results. Candidates will print out their spreadsheet although the format of these printouts might not be suitable. Candidates will create an effective business spreadsheet displaying accurate figures. It will contain a title and appropriate row/column headings. Several different formulas and at least one function will have been used. There will be some evidence of a range of formatting. Candidates will edit the spreadsheet by inserting/deleting rows. Formula printouts will be included. There will be evidence that some of the data has been changed to obtain different results. Candidates will preview and print out their spreadsheet using appropriate page orientation and number of pages. Candidates will create an effective business./ spreadsheet displaying accurate figures. Formulas will be used efficiently and will include the appropriate use of more than one function. The spreadsheet will be formatted effectively using a range of format options. Formula printout(s) will be included. Candidates will edit the spreadsheet by inserting/deleting rows. There will be evidence that some of the data has been changed to obtain different results. Candidates will preview and print out their spreadsheet using appropriate page orientation and number of pages. They will use appropriate headers and footers and will set other print layout features appropriately. Comments: (from Task 4) The candidate has created an effective business spreadsheet for Downloadable Tunes, accurately using the figures provided in the assignment. Formulae and functions are used efficiently - SUM and AVERAGE functions and a subtraction formula. Good use is made of row and column headings. The spreadsheet is easy to understand. Formatting has been used well - borders, shading, text enhancements. Rows have been inserted and deleted. The candidate has provided evidence of changing data in the spreadsheet to obtain different results. They have annotated one printout to show the effect of a change they have made. The candidate also provides a printout showing the formulae used - this is very helpful. The printing of the spreadsheet has been done effectively, using a range of print options. Headers and footers are used well.
A06 Select and use tools and facilities in database software to enter, sort and search for information for business purposes using a realistic business database provided by the centre Candidates will enter, edit and delete data in a database. They will create and use at least one simple query ie using a single search criterion. Candidates will enter, edit and delete data in a database. They will create and use at least one simple query ie using a single search criterion, sorting on at least one field. They will create and use a report to print out selected data for a specific need. Candidates will enter, edit and delete data in a../ database and will use the data to meet a wide range of business purposes. They will create and use at least two queries, including more than one criterion, sorting on at least one field. They will create and use at least two reports to print out selected data in different formats eg address labels, table format, list. Comments: (from Task 5) A contact details database has been provided to the candidate. The original database table has 20 records. The candidate has added one extra record and has deleted one other record from the table. They have changed a surname in the table (edit). They have created a simple query to list customers that live in Leeds. A further query showing customers living in Durham who are aged between 16 and 25 is also included. This second query is also sorted on one field. The candidate has included a screenshot of the query design in both cases which helps to confirm that it has been carried out correctly. Two different reports are also provided.
Exemplar materials for Unit 1 (Candidate 2) - Commentary Overall: 1 2 Pass 3 4 5 6 Five of the six AOs were graded. One AO has also been graded as Pass. The Pass grade awarded for A02 also contained work that met some of the requirements of Merit and. Mark Willimott August 2006