Examiners’ Report

Principal Examiner Feedback

Summer 2023

Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Level

In Information Technology (WIT11) Paper 01
Unit 1
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Summer 2023
Publications Code WIT11_01_2306_ER
All the material in this publication is copyright
© Pearson Education Ltd 2023
Introduction
This is the second full live series for this unit of the IAL IT. The first was in 2019 and the
intervening years were disrupted due to Covid19.

Interpreting words used in the questions

The command taxonomy, available in the specification appendix 6, details the
requirements for responses to both the command word explain and the command
word describe. These command words are most often seen in questions worth two
marks. The first mark is for a statement. The second mark is for a development of that
statement (describe) or a justification of that statement (explain). The statement and
the expansion must be linked and make sense together.

In the summer, responses were often seen for these questions that could only be
awarded a single mark, as the development or justification was missing. The mark
scheme for Q02d and Q06a demonstrates patterns for responses to an explain
question that achieve both marks.

In some questions, the command word describe is used where the response is a
description of a process. These questions may be worth more than two marks. Each
mark is a step in the process.

The command word construct may be used to indicate that an arithmetic expression is
required. In these cases, the question states that completion of the arithmetic is not
required. Working out the numbers could, in fact, introduce errors. An expression
showing how the calculation would be done can be awarded partial marks, where a
worked-out answer cannot. The mark scheme for Q01d demonstrates examples of
expressions that are awarded full marks. Should part of the expression be inaccurate,
the remainder of the expression could still be awarded partial marks.

The words used in the questions should help students identify what is required in the
response. There is a difference between characteristics (what something is),
functionality (what it does), affordability (what it allows you to do), and its benefits or
drawbacks (why you would/would not use it). Q04c asks for characteristics of cloud
storage, i.e. what cloud storage is, rather than how to use it or what it lets you do.
Subject-specific terminology
Across all the questions, there was a tendency to omit the use of subject-specific
terms or to confuse some words with others. Confusion with the terms shown in the
table were seen in many responses.

Term Observation
Cable No modifier for fibre-optic or copper
Memory Used to mean secondary storage
Process Confused with file or application. Not often connected with
running in the CPU, using memory or CPU cycles
Internet and Wi-Fi Often used interchangeably, but they're not the same thing
Bandwidth Confusion between bandwidth of a network (the maximum
capacity available) and the bandwidth of a computing device
(the maximum number of instructions possible per unit time)
Speed Confusion between distance divided by time, as in science; the
number of CPU cycles per time, as in devices; and the number
of bits per second being transmitted right now, as in
networking
Allocate Not used often. General terms such as 'make sure a process
<resources> has enough memory' should be avoided
Schedules CPU Not used often. General terms such as 'decides how much of
the CPU is given' should be avoided
Resources There are many resources that the O/S controls access to, for
processes, the most important are memory and CPU time.
Media The physical structure over which network transmission takes
place. This was often confused with protocol.
Protocol The rules of communication between devices and over a
network. This was often confused with media.
Q01a(i)
A majority of students were awarded a mark for this question.

The format of this question requires a response that is a definition. The term to
define is emboldened. In this case, it is copyright.

Many responses expressed the idea of ownership.

Responses were seen that included ways to avoid breaking copyright, but that is
not required by the question.

Some students confuse copyright with ways to prevent copyright laws being
broken, such as attribution or referencing.

There were some responses that indicated that copyright prevented artefacts
from being copied. These could not be awarded a mark, as copyright cannot
prevent the copying of artefacts; it just makes the copying illegal.

1 mark

1 mark
1 mark

0 mark

0 mark
Q01a(ii)
This question was very well answered.

This question requires application of knowledge to a context, given in the first

column. A wide range of responses were acceptable for the three missing cells.

The term plagiarism was seen in some response. While it is unethical, it is not a
legal issue, as the use may be with or without consent of the copyright holder.

1 mark

1 mark
 3 marks

Q01b(i)
This question requires students to state one reason encryption is secure. The key
to this question is addressing why it is secure, with a technically accurate reason,
rather than how it is made secure.

Any transmission across a network can be intercepted or accessed, even

encrypted transmissions. If that transmission is intercepted then it can be read,
as in viewed.

However, should a transmission be intercepted, it can not be understood or made

sense of without the use of a decryption key.

Therefore, the reason it is secure, is not that it cannot be accessed, but that it
makes no sense to whomever is looking at it.

Some responses did not use subject-specific terminology, such as key.

0 mark
 1 mark

0 mark

Q01b(ii)
This was well answered, with a majority of responses awarded the mark.

Q01c(i)
This question was not well answered, with few responses awarded one or both
marks.

This question specifically asks for two tasks that can be done with client-side
scripting, not what is meant by the term client-side scripting.

Many responses indicated that client-side scripting ran in the client's browser.
There were a significant number of responses that indicated client-side scripting
is used to create/view/load static web pages. A common response was to
display/show the web page. There were a few vague responses about carrying
out user's requests or updating the page to fit the user's preferences.

The most commonly awarded mark was for a response that indicated client-side
scripting was used to provide interactivity or run videos on a web page.
 1 mark

1 mark

2 marks
Q01c(ii)
This question was not well answered, with few responses awarded one or both
marks.

This question specifically asks for two tasks that can be done with server-side
scripting, not what is meant by the term server-side scripting.

Many responses indicated that server-side scripting ran in the server, reducing
the load on the client machine.

The most commonly awarded mark was for creating dynamic web pages.

2 marks

1 mark

2 marks
Q01d
Responses to this question achieved a range of marks. The majority of responses
were award one or two of the available marks.

This question requires substituting the numbers from the question into a given
formula and using conversion units to derive a file size.

The use of conversion units presented a challenge for many students.

Some responses carried out part of or the whole of the calculation. The question
states that completion of the arithmetic is not required. Working out the numbers
could, in fact, introduce errors. An expression showing how the calculation would
be done can be awarded partial marks, where a worked-out answer cannot.

2 marks

2 marks
3 marks

4 marks
Q02a
This question was well answered, with a large majority of responses achieving marks.
This question asks for two factors on which to judge the performance of a device.
Where responses did not receive a mark, it was usually because they attempted to describe
how to actually run a test to determine the performance of a device.

1 mark

1 mark

2 marks
0 mark
Q02b
A majority of responses was award one or both marks.

This question asks for two of the remaining concepts of an IT system. The first,
people, is given in the question.

Where responses did not earn a mark, it was commonly due to the inability to
distinguish whether the provided answer was hardware, software, or processes.

1 mark

1 mark
2 marks

1 mark
Q02ci
This question was well answered, with about half the responses awarded both
marks.

This is an explain question for two marks. It requires a statement, followed by a

justification. The context is a dog, wearing a GPS device, helping rescuers to find
a lost person in the mountains.

There are no marks in this question for explaining how GPS works. Examiners did
see many of those.

There were many creative responses that indicated tracking the dog (one mark)
to the person's location (one mark). However, there were many different
expressions that could achieve both marks.

Responses that indicated that the GPS device was held by the lost person could
not be awarded marks.

2 marks

2 marks
1 mark
Q02c(ii)
This was another very well answered question.

This question asks students to name two digital components of a drone.

Where responses did not achieve marks, it was mainly due to confusion about the
type of connectivity the drone required. There was confusion about RFID tags and
Bluetooth communications, which are not suitable over distance. Further, there
was confusion about the use of a network interface card (NIC). Infrared
communication is not appropriate, as it is line of sight.

Some responses included non-digital components of the drone, such as

propellers or wings.

All kinds of sensors were acceptable and awarded to the first bullet in the mark
scheme.

1 mark

1 mark
 1 mark

Q02d
This question asks students to explain how IT can be used for environmental
monitoring.

This is a contextualised question. A pattern for a response was given in the

question. However, students still struggled to contextualise responses to the
mountainous areas indicated in the question. Therefore, responses were
awarded for other contexts, as long as it was identifiable as impacting the
environment.

In common with the other 2-mark explain questions, examiners saw responses
that earned the mark for the first statement, but could not earn the mark for the
expansion as it was omitted.

1 mark
 2 marks

2 marks

Q03a
This question was very well answered.

This question asks students to name two peripherals attached to an EPOS system.
The system is shown as a picture stimulus.

Where a response did not receive full marks, it was commonly due to misuse of
subject-specific terminology.

1 mark
0 mark
Q03b(i)
This was not answered well, with few responses awarded both marks.

This question explores the role of the operating system in a device, specifically
how the operating system manages peripheral devices.

Most responses acknowledged that the operating system acts as a way for the
user to interact with the hardware. In this case, the question was specifically
about peripheral devices and how the operating system interacts with them. The
actions of the user are not included in the context of this question.

Examiners did see vague and non-specific answers, that could not be interpreted
to match the mark scheme. Others mistakenly indicated that the operating
system gave instructions to the device.

0 mark

2 marks
2 marks
Q03b(ii)
This question was not answered well.

This is the second part of the question about operating systems. This one
explores how the operating system manages processes.

Many responses acknowledged that the operating system is responsible for

allocating resources, but did not describe what those resources are.

Vague responses such as ensuring all processes run or make sure they run
efficiently could not be awarded.

1 mark

0 mark
2 marks

2 marks
Q03c
This question was well answered, with most responses being awarded marks in
the middle band (3-4).

This question is about embedded systems. It is highly scaffolded with a

description of how a vending machine works. Responses were required to
identify specific embedded systems and explain how each carries out its assigned
task in a vending machine.

Examiners saw many responses that defined what an embedded system was.
Marks were awarded for this, where they mentioned microprocessors or
programs.

Some responses just restated how a vending machine actually works, but
remember, that's given in the question.

The best responses identified components and tied them directly to the function
they performed in the machine. The table shows components and functions
identified in some responses.

Component Function
Coin sorter Counts money inputted
Counts up money to give as change
Note reader Scan value
Calculator Add up value of money inputted
Calculate change required
Keypad Select product code
Display Tell user value of money inputted
Tell if code is invalid
Not enough money inputted
Product not available
Product is ready to retrieve
Tell amount of change returned
Product sensor To know if product is empty
Pusher (motor) To push product forward
Scale Reads a weight to see if product is dropped
Process Compare amount of money inputted with amount
entered
6 marks
6 marks
6 marks
4 marks
Q04a
This question was not answered well, with about one-third of responses
recognising the distinction between the devices.

Q04b
Overall, this question was not well answered. However, many responses earned
at least one of the two available marks.

This question asks students to describe the difference between network

bandwidth and network speed.

Both are measured in bits per second, so including units does not distinguish
the two definitions. The real difference is that speed is how fast data is travelling
now/at a specified time and bandwidth is the maximum amount of data that
could potentially be travelling at a time, if there were no interferences.

Some responses erroneously indicated that speed is equivalent to time.

Responses mentioned uploading and downloading often, which may mean

students have opportunities to measure network speeds. Responses based on
this, such as speed being a calculation of a set of speed readings, could not be
awarded.

2 marks

1 mark
1 mark

2 marks
Q04c
This question was answered well. Most students received two or more marks for
this question.

This question asks students to give three characteristics of cloud storage.

However, responses highlighted some misconceptions held by many students.

These included the idea that cloud storage could be accessed from any device,
anywhere, and at any time. This is not the case, as an Internet connection is not
guaranteed on any device, anywhere, and at any time.

The term device, itself is unclear, as a mouse is a device, but cannot access cloud
storage.

Other responses indicated that storage space in the cloud is unlimited, but there
is a physical limitation. Some responses also thought that cloud storage took up
no physical space. Clearly, data in the cloud is actually stored on hard disks
located on large storage farms and controlled by servers.

As stated in the introduction, this question focuses on what cloud storage is, not
how to use it, what it lets you do, or benefits of it.

1 mark
 2 marks
mark

2 marks
 3 marks
3 marks
Q04d
Although almost all responses were awarded some marks, with the majority in
the three to four range, very few were awarded all six marks.

This question asks students to complete a grid to show the type of connectivity,
the type of transmission medium, and the type of signal required for different
networking situations.

In this question, subject-specific terminology was needed. There appeared to be

confusion about the difference between media and protocols, with protocol
names appearing in both the media and connectivity columns.

There was confusion between Ethernet, the protocol, and Ethernet cable, the
medium.

While some responses incorporated electromagnetic waves in the signal column,

few demonstrated the distinction between radio waves and microwaves, and
their application as subject-specific terminologies.

• Electromagnetic spectrum includes both radio waves and microwaves. It

is a general term.
• Radio waves are a lower frequency than microwaves.
• Radio waves are used by laptops for communication.
• Microwaves are higher frequencies on the electromagnetic spectrum.
• Microwaves are used by satellites to communicate with earth-based
stations.
 4 marks

2 marks
5 marks
Q05a
Most responses were awarded three or more marks. There were few responses
that earned eight or more marks. A small number of students declined to answer
this question.

This question asks students to draw a flowchart showing how two-factor

authentication works to allow access onto a train station.

The most commonly lost mark was identifying a 2nd factor and identifying that
both factors needed verification from a database. Many responses included logic
for checking for mobile phones. This was not required, as restricting mobile
phones means that text messages can't be used as the 2nd factor.

Some responses did not use appropriate flowchart symbols. These symbols are
a subject-specific notation with which all students should be familiar.

The use of flowchart symbols, in some responses, was not always accurate. It is
important to add arrows to the connecting lines so that the direction of flow is
clear. This is even more important when the flow is backwards in the flowchart,
like a loop. Each symbol should have only a single-entry point, i.e. arrow in.
Therefore, when returning backwards into the flowchart the arrow should
connect with a line, not a symbol, such as start.
3 marks
7 marks
5 marks
10 marks
Q05b
The majority of responses were awarded one or two marks. Few responses
were awarded all four marks.

The question asks for the completion of an ER diagram in the context of the
train company. The bullets tell the student exactly what needs to be added
and the notation to use for primary and foreign keys.

The most common errors were inappropriate names for the entity
representing the train route and missing the 1:M relationships.

3 marks
4 marks
 2 marks

Q05c
Most responses were awarded one or two marks. Some were awarded three
marks, with full marks not often awarded. It was rare to see a response that
was syntactically correct.

This question asked for the construction of an SQL statement to delete rows
from a table.

The most common error was using equal (=) instead of the keyword LIKE,
even when the wildcard expression was correct.
 4 marks

3 marks
2 marks
Q06a
A full range of marks was awarded for this question. The majority of
responses was awarded one or both marks.

This is another example of a 2-mark explain question. In this case, the

question is asking for an explanation of how a dataflow diagram is used, not
what a dataflow diagram is.

Most responses tried to explain what a DFD is, not how it could be used in an
organisation. Most responses, did however, achieve at least one of the
available marks.

1 mark

2 marks
 2 marks

2 marks
Q06b
As with the previous essay question, this one was well answered. Most
responses were awarded marks in the middle band, five to eight marks.

This question is the big essay question. Students are asked to evaluate the
decision, by the train company, to structure its data and store it in a database.

Responses demonstrated some confusion between quantitative/qualitive

data and structured/unstructured data. Some stated that qualitative data
could not be stored in a database. Qualitative data can be codified before
storing in a relational database or can be stored in a NoSQL database.
12 marks
8 marks
3 marks
Summary
• Use subject-specific terminology accurately in all responses
• Identify the requirements of the response from the command word
used in the question
• Identify the requirement for subject-specific notation as indicated in
the question
• Ensure your response is phrased in the context of the question, if
there is one
• Use the bullets provided in the large discussion question to structure
your response
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