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Wednesday 8th June - OCR GCSE Computing Exam

OCR GCSE Computing A451 Official Thread
Date of Exam: 08/06/2016

Hi everyone, thought I'd make the thread for our theory exam this summer.
How's everybody finding the theory content so far?
How are you planning on revising for the exam?
If anybody has any good resources, make sure to post them below so that everybody can benefit from them :smile:

I'll start this off with some:

SPECIFICATION:
http://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/72936-specification.pdf

REVISION NOTES:
http://www.teach-ict.com/gcse_computing/ocr/GCSE_A451_topics.html
teachcomputerscience.com/index.php/2012-09-16-14-22-52/revision-notes
gcsecomputing.net

YOUTUBE VIDEOS:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsBxhDfwURg-vQASN2ZeHwg
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrQ9Nl6V73zY48Zd4pMkoHw/playlists

PAST PAPERS (after your notes are solid :smile:

):
http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/gcse-computing-j275-from-2012/

Be sure to share your revision tips and what you find is helping you get through this course :h:

Good luck and have fun revising ( :colonhash:

)

(edited 8 years ago)

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Reply 1

Charles III

Hiya everyone,

I took this exam last year and I'm willing to help anyone that needs it! Simply quote me or PM me and I'll see what I can do! :yep:

Keep in mind I won't correct coursework code and I won't simply tell you answers because that would be cheating. I can give you pointers and exam information, especially what to revise! :woo:

Let me know!
Ethan :h:

Reply 2

MezmorisedPotato

Hopefully the exams won't be as dodgy as 2015, apparently 2015 was one of the most toughest exams ever for computing! Then again grade boundaries do get lower which can benefit many!

Reply 3

Ellatheawesome

I am doing AQA computer science this year and i was wondering if you had any exam theory tips... Thank you so much

Original post by iEthan

Hiya everyone,

I took this exam last year and I'm willing to help anyone that needs it! Simply quote me or PM me and I'll see what I can do! :yep:

Keep in mind I won't correct coursework code and I won't simply tell you answers because that would be cheating. I can give you pointers and exam information, especially what to revise! :woo:

Let me know!
Ethan :h:

Reply 4

Charles III

Original post by Ellatheawesome

I am doing AQA computer science this year and i was wondering if you had any exam theory tips... Thank you so much

Hiya Ellatheawesome! Sure :h:

is there anything in particular you're struggling with? I did the OCR course so I'm not too sure what comes up. Do you have a specification I can see? :h:

Reply 5

Matrix123

Original post by surina16

OCR GCSE Computing A451 Official Thread
Date of Exam: 08/06/2016

I'll start this off with some:

SPECIFICATION:
http://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/72936-specification.pdf

REVISION NOTES:
teachcomputerscience.com/index.php/2012-09-16-14-22-52/revision-notes
gcsecomputing.net

YOUTUBE VIDEOS:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsBxhDfwURg-vQASN2ZeHwg
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrQ9Nl6V73zY48Zd4pMkoHw/playlists

PAST PAPERS (after your notes are solid :smile:

):
http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/gcse-computing-j275-from-2012/

Be sure to share your revision tips and what you find is helping you get through this course :h:

Good luck and have fun revising ( :colonhash:

)

Wow thanks! This will REALLY help me :yep:

I am really far behind in theory so I'm gonna start making some revision stuff like mindmaps for it. I find they generally help me the most

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 6

Ellatheawesome

Yep its located at http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/ict-and-computer-science/gcse/computer-science-8520 i am struggling a bit with things to do with hardware and networks and just the harder things in general... Any help would be amazing!!

Original post by iEthan

Hiya Ellatheawesome! Sure :h:

is there anything in particular you're struggling with? I did the OCR course so I'm not too sure what comes up. Do you have a specification I can see? :h:

Reply 7

TheConfusedMedic

Original post by iEthan

Hiya everyone,

I took this exam last year and I'm willing to help anyone that needs it! Simply quote me or PM me and I'll see what I can do! :yep:

Keep in mind I won't correct coursework code and I won't simply tell you answers because that would be cheating. I can give you pointers and exam information, especially what to revise! :woo:

Let me know!
Ethan :h:

Hi, how did you revise for the theory exam? :smile:

Reply 8

TheConfusedMedic

Original post by Matrix123

Wow thanks! This will REALLY help me :yep:

I am really far behind in theory so I'm gonna start making some revision stuff like mindmaps for it. I find they generally help me the most

Posted from TSR Mobile

No problem! And I'm behind on it too, so I might start to make notes this weekend :biggrin:

I'm a mindmap person too :tongue:

Reply 9

Matrix123

Original post by surina16

No problem! And I'm behind on it too, so I might start to make notes this weekend :biggrin:

I'm a mindmap person too :tongue:

PRSOM - cool, yay! :smile:

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 10

Undec

Original post by iEthan

Hiya everyone,

I took this exam last year and I'm willing to help anyone that needs it! Simply quote me or PM me and I'll see what I can do! :yep:

Keep in mind I won't correct coursework code and I won't simply tell you answers because that would be cheating. I can give you pointers and exam information, especially what to revise! :woo:

Let me know!
Ethan :h:

Hey,
I'm really struggling to understand the concept of databases.
Have you got any tips on how to learn this or any good videos?
Also what are your exam techniques?
Thank You
:biggrin:

Reply 11

1rs

I'm doing computer science too, it's a subject I'm passionate about, I have a mock for it tomorrow actually lmfao

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 12

Charles III

Original post by Ellatheawesome

Thank you! I can go into detail there, if you get me a question from a past paper (or a group of them) that you can't answer: i.e. "What is a computer network?" or "One characteristic of a tablet computer is that it has a number of built-in physicaldevices to input data, such as a touchscreen. State three other built-in physical devices that allow data to be input to a typical tabletcomputer." — gather them up, send them to me and we'll work on them together :h:

— do this via PM so we don't clutter up this thread :yep:

Original post by surina16

Hi, how did you revise for the theory exam? :smile:

Hiya!

I revised by looking at the textbook (do you have a copy?) and tonnes upon tonnes of past papers! It was tiring, but it was worth it. A lot of it comes down to extra knowledge. For example, last year's question on opcodes threw a lot of people. But, you didn't have to know what opcodes were to explain what they did — does that make sense? :K:

If you want, we can go through some questions in PM to prepare you? :h:

Original post by Undec

Hey,
I'm really struggling to understand the concept of databases.
Have you got any tips on how to learn this or any good videos?
Also what are your exam techniques?
Thank You
:biggrin:

Databases are lovely. You have to remember the types of data a database stores. To go over this quickly… let's remember the definition of a database. "A database is a persistent collection of data or information which is held together in an organised or logical way." A basic example of a database would be a school register. Simple, right? Names, ages, addresses, attendance etc. would be stored there logically. Remember the computerised vs. paper-based argument that OCR makes… I've put a table below to help you remember.

Do you remember structure, the DMBS (database management system) i.e. how the database is controlled? A popular example being MySQL, using queries to control the database. Having the abilities to drop, add, edit, insert records, produce reports, process data, etc.?

FYI to all of you: There's an excellent site that covers a lot of the AQA and OCR course: http://www.teach-ict.com/gcse_computing.html

Please, please, let me know should you guys need any more help!

Spoiler

Reply 13

Charles III

Original post by 1rs

I'm doing computer science too, it's a subject I'm bare passionate about, I have a mock for it tomorrow actually lmfao

Best of luck! :h:

Reply 14

peterw55

Original post by iEthan

Best of luck! :h:

Good luck

I had a mock yesterday. In my January mock paper (it was the 2015 paper I think) I lost a mark for spelling and grammar because I put my reasons for a long-answer in a numbered list of points, even though the points were in full sentences. In the end, I did fine (96% :biggrin:

) but there aren't that many marks, so it could be the difference between grades.

Not sure I did so well in this mock :frown:

...

Also,
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/ocr-gcse-computing-a451-revision-sheets-11070415 is quite good and very concise.

Reply 15

Charles III

Original post by petrus123

Good luck

) but there aren't that many marks, so it could be the difference between grades.

Not sure I did so well in this mock :frown:

...

Also,
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/ocr-gcse-computing-a451-revision-sheets-11070415 is quite good and very concise.

Thanks for the well wishes! But I've taken the exam :wink:

I passed with A*! I'm just here to help :yep:

I'm going to tag in everyone else so they see your resource! :h:

Original post by 1rs

Original post by Ellatheawesome

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 16

Charles III

Original post by MezmorisedPotato

Hopefully the exams won't be as dodgy as 2015, apparently 2015 was one of the most toughest exams ever for computing! Then again grade boundaries do get lower which can benefit many!