Personalised Feedback Sheet for IGCSE Section 1 Types and Components of Computers

Name: Milly Alcock

Target grade:
Score on this assessment: 37/58
Grade for this assessment: C

General feedback/class needs:
The majority of you in this class really nailed this test. You clearly knew the main components of a
computer and most of you could give a definition for RAM and ROM.
Software and Hardware didnt seem to pose any problems for you, most students achieved the full 8
marks on question 8.
Common problems seemed to be that you didnt know the reasons why components such as RAM
and ROM are needed in a computer system and that Backing Storage is NOT backup!
Next, most of you seemed to struggle on things that an operating system does. Many of you told me
it was software that controls the whole system but we were looking for more in depth answers such
as handles any program errors or crashes to prevent the whole computer freezing.
Finally, the weakest area for you all was types of computers and their uses. It was clear that many of
you didnt know what a mainframe was, for example, nor the types of situations it would be used in.
Your personal targets:
1. To revise effectively for each test not just reading notes, but doing practise questions from
lessons or from the websites provided by my teacher.
2. To check the number of marks available for each question and to assure that I always
provide at least one clear point for each mark.
3. To revise RAM and ROM and be able to describe clear differences between their purposes
and uses.
Review:
One question that I got right is the one that said Give one disadvantage of a laptop. For this I
wrote, if it runs out of battery a power source has to be found to recharge it. The reason I knew this
is because I purely think that I built on prior knowledge as I think it is something that everyone who
has a laptop of has used one should know about.
One question that I nearly got right was the one that said Who would use a mainframe computer?
For this I wrote universities and scientists as it is a two mark question. However I could only
remember universities from my notes however I didnt realise what I could put for the other one so I
had to guess.
One question that I got completely wrong was the one that said describe the difference between
RAM and ROM or the one that said give a reason for why RAM, ROM and Backing Storage are
needed in a computer system. I think I got this one wrong because I didnt know what Backing
Storage was to begin with but also I got RAM and ROM muddled up. I got them very mixed up with
Volatile and also got the opposite meaning for Volatile too.

Challenge/Extension
You will have been allocated an exam question to further your knowledge or help you to overcome a
misconception. Copy out the question here in full and answer it.

Describe the FOUR features of ROM. (four marks)
1. ROM stands for Read Only Memory
2. It is used in computers to hold BIOS which checks the computers hardware and then loads
the operating system.
3. Is Non-Volatile
4. The contents will not be lost when the power is turned off.

Describe three drawbacks of using a Command-Line (CLI) interface. (three marks)
1. If you dont know how to use it then it is pointless as it is difficult to use.
2. You have to type set commands
3. Counter iniutive