OCR A2 Computing F453 Official Thread 22/06/2016 Exam Discussion

Original post by King_Kauko

Same here really. I just learned the mark schemes and hit high marks in F451. Planning on doing the same for F453 as well as completing all the past papers. Fairly relaxed about it, the issue for me is bumping up my F452 mark because that exam didn't go the best for me :L

Yeah, my F452 mark was considerably lower than F451 too; don't think my brain has ever worked so hard in an exam! :afraid:

I'm not resitting but I can imagine there may be less of a focus this year given the number of complaints by both students and centres after last year's exam. Best of luck for both of them! :biggrin:

Reply 22

Original post by King_Kauko

Hopefully the F452 exam is nice this year...I guess only retakes like me will be doing it since there is a new computing specification which we have conveniently avoided LOL

I looked through the new spec for Computing when our teacher ordered the textbooks in, and I honestly really don't like some of the new content, really glad we avoided the new spec :biggrin:

Reply 23

King_Kauko

Original post by ryanroks1

Yeah, my F452 mark was considerably lower than F451 too; don't think my brain has ever worked so hard in an exam! :afraid:

I'm not resitting but I can imagine there may be less of a focus this year given the number of complaints by both students and centres after last year's exam. Best of luck for both of them! :biggrin:

Thanks mate! Yeah in an ideal situation it is a really nice exam and I can boost my grade.

Reply 24

Original post by Dapperblook22

I've just realised how I've pretty much forgotten all of the networking stuff from F451 ahaha! I created a database application and then read all of the examiner's reports and got the impression that's their least favourite type of application, but hopefully it'll not impact my marks.

I think I got 84/100 on F452 but my algorithms were shockingly bad. I tried to just include all of what I know they give you marks for (ie ending the algorithm even if it was incomplete and including a loop even if it doesn't achieve much aha). In all honesty, I reckon I must have had a very lenient examiner too!

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 25

Original post by ryanroks1

Same here, the scoreboard algorithm took me far too long. I noticed they always give a mark for remembering to close files at the end, so I know I acheived at least 1 of the 32 marks on the algorithms :tongue:

Reply 26

Original post by Dapperblook22

I think half of the trouble was OCR's poor and vague wording too - most of the time for me was spent figuring out what they were actually wanting. And damn, that scoreboard one brings back horrific memories!

Reply 27

King_Kauko

I feel for F452 I can memorise definitions and answer pretty much all the questions but I struggle with the 6-8 marker pseudo code questions and high level language ones. The annoying thing is the mark schemes are precise and only suggest one way of doing it obviously and I'm no expert so it don't help. To be honest I don't really know how to do it and get marks.

Not really sure what to do...I guess I brush up on my python and practice coding scenarios of problems then when i get better attempt past paper questions. Possibly read some examiners reports on them types of questions too maybe. I don't think I did much coding practice without prior knowledge before a level too...I just over prioritised F451.

I got the paper back and got full marks on every question but them which is frustrating.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 28

Original post by King_Kauko

As long as the examiners can follow your algorithm and it meets the requirements, then you will get marks. After they write the algorithm they usually show a list of points at the end for what parts of the algorithm get marks, eg a correct looping statement, checking files are full before writing to them, closing files at the end.
As long as your algorithm includes what they ask, and it is obvious, you should get the mark :smile:

Reply 29

King_Kauko

Original post by Dapperblook22

Did you soley use code academy and attempt past papers to hit that 80UMS mark last year? (regarding the coding big marker questions)

Reply 30

Original post by King_Kauko

Did you soley use code academy and attempt past papers to hit that 80UMS mark last year? (regarding the coding big marker questions)

For the algorithm questions, I tried to practice from past papers as much as possible. Our class used codecademy so we knew a language for the exam and could also practice writing algorithms they give on the site for Python, I think they give tasks which involve writing to lists, a battleships type task and a few others.

I also worked through this revision guide, which collates past paper answers and explains them as well as gives paragraphs as to what the examiners are expecting. It gives exact definitions as well as algorithm examples, with one specific unit on algorithms in general and then more algoirthms throughout as they are relevant to each unit.

Reply 31

GreenPlum

I'm going to join in with this topic too, A2 computing is a lot harder than first expected D: I didn't find last year too bad, got 81 on F451 and 79 on F452 which I was super surprised about because I know next to nothing about programming. Either a marking error or the biggest fluke considering I had a lot else going on in my life in the exam season
My revision's going alright for this year though, I've got the little books from amazon and they're literally a godsend! Definitely get them if you haven't, they're super useful :biggrin:

As for the project, let's forget it exists... I've been procrastinating for months and I'm absolutely miles behind the two other people in my class! I genuinely get the feeling that first day back I'll walk into class and get stabbed by my teacher because I've p***ed him off so much with it, welp :ashamed:

Reply 32

I'm quite happy with the theory, revising from ocrcomputing website, this Revision-Guide and past papers. In regards to F454, is everyone's coursework sent off for moderation or just a few? I'm happy with the marks my teacher is giving me, but whether they would be mirrored by the moderators is something I'm worried about...

Reply 33

Original post by Aydin7

This depends on your class size. Normally, it's a proportion of top, middle and lower band students, but if a class is below a certain size, they ask for all of them (the situation my school is in).

Try not to worry too much about the actual moderation; if you've been thoroughly over the marking criteria guidance and agree with your teacher's marking then you should be fine. If you think there's an area where you could improve further or the marking may have been a little generous, then make those improvements so you can be sure that the examiner won't pick it up.

Reply 34

Original post by ryanroks1

Thanks, this is helpful advice.
My main concern is that my teacher's marking is 'rushed' as we don't get a great deal of feedback and there are no visible corrections or notes that would suggest he has actually looked through the work. In one case I left a couple queries dotted about the coursework to see if he would acknowledge them, which he didn't haha. It's understandable though as he has to teach both theory and coursework to a class of 14.

Reply 35

Original post by Aydin7

Are there any other teachers in the department you could get to double mark your work? A lot of schools do this anyway just to double check. If not, another option is that your school cross-marks another school's work. To be honest, I'd be very surprised if neither of these are happening anyway; it's rare that a school would send off coursework having only being marked once unless the teacher marking is incredibly experienced.

The best thing you can do is probably to sit down with the mark scheme and just make sure you've hit everything to the best of your ability. Regardless of what happens in moderation, if you've done your best, then you'll get the mark you deserve! Good luck! :smile:

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 36

F453 Advanced Computing Theory Past Paper Questions.xlsx23.0KB

Original post by ryanroks1

Are there any other teachers in the department you could get to double mark your work? A lot of schools do this anyway just to double check. If not, another option is that your school cross-marks another school's work. To be honest, I'd be very surprised if neither of these are happening anyway; it's rare that a school would send off coursework having only being marked once unless the teacher marking is incredibly inexperienced.

The best thing you can do is probably to sit down with the mark scheme and just make sure you've hit everything to the best of your ability. Regardless of what happens in moderation, if you've done your best, then you'll get the mark you deserve! Good luck! :smile:

Unfortunately our teacher is a one man department and seems to be spread rather thin(as are many other teachers)by the school's current state of austerity. My history course work has been handled very well, marked by our teacher over Easter then cross-moderated with the other teacher on the upcoming inset day.

It's a shame the same can't be said for computing, but on the bright side our final deadline is 2 weeks after Easter hols. So like you say I'll just have to use the mark scheme. Thanks and best of luck to you too.

Reply 37

Jamuk

Not sure if this will help or not, but I thought I might add it here :wink:

I made a spreadsheet containing all past paper questions from F453 (except June 2015) organised by topic.
It is sortable by topic and I have found it useful in my revision.

I also have ones for F451 and F452 if anyone is retaking (not F454 tho :biggrin:

Reply 38