1. Mary Torjussen
A2 ICT Week 1

2. The course
In the first term we shall be working on coursework. This is worth 40% of the marks and I hope you will work hard to get an A* (90%) in this.
After Christmas we shall start preparing for the exam. You will be tested every two weeks and after Easter you will be taking a timed past paper every week.

3. Rules of the class
You have this term to complete your coursework. This can only be done if everyone follows these rules:
Attend every lesson
Attend on time
me if you’re absent
Switch off your phone in class
Bring your coursework folder to each class
Carry out any corrections in your own time
Keep your file in good order
Back up your work regularly

4. Website www.a2ictmary@weebly.com
Please go to the website I’ve created and use it regularly
Messages will be posted there each week
Once marking has begun all of your marks will be entered at the end of the week on a chart
Please choose a nickname – we can’t use your real names as the Data Protection Act won’t allow it
This nickname can be kept private from everyone else if you prefer
Please tell me if you see any mistakes on the site. The theory part of the site is not finished

5. The A2 Coursework You will be creating a database project
You must work independently
Take your time choosing an organisation for your coursework – make sure you can get enough queries and reports out of it
Organisations chosen in the past have been:
Paintballing
Function room
Bed and breakfast
Companies that hire something – limos, holiday homes, bouncy castles
Driving or golf lessons

6. Presentation of Coursework
You should see the coursework as an opportunity to show your examiner exactly how capable you are.
Every document should be well written and well presented:
Use a similar header for each page
Use a footer which contains the drive and document name, so that you can always find each document.
Make sure the documents and files have sensible names
Don't page number your first draft, just make sure you keep everything in order
Annotate every screenshot
Use the same font style and size (maximum size 12) on each document
Use Control and Enter to page-break

7. Background to the Organisation
Make some notes about the background to the organisation, eg:
What is the organisation?
Where is it?
Who owns or manages it?
How big is it?

8. Ethos of the organisation
Watch the PowerPoint on Ethos of an Organisation here
Make some notes about the ethos of your own organisation

9. What the new system will be expected to do
This section should be considered very carefully. You have to make notes on:
The inputs:
what data should be entered into the new system?
how will it be entered?
The processes:
Which calculations will be needed?
Will data need to be sorted?
Will any security be needed?
The outputs:
Which reports are needed?

10. Forms
You must be able to enter data into the system and so you will need at least two forms.
One form should have a sub-form – this is a form inside a form. For example if your project is a booking system for a hairdresser’s then the main form will be the customer’s name and contact details, whereas the sub-form will contain all of the bookings made for that customer
You should use form controls such as drop down boxes, radio buttons, tick boxes on the form
You should also make sure you use at least two different types of validation – this can be set up on the table or on the form itself – a drop down list won’t count as a validation here
You should use calculated fields in the form

11. Queries
There must be six queries for six separate distinctive reasons. The reasons for each query must be realistic.
There should be two single table queries
This means that the data being searched for should come from a single table – eg if you are searching for a customer’s contact number, all of the information will come from the Customer Table
There should be one parameter query
You can have as many parameter queries as you want, but you must state which one you want to be considered for this mark
If the single table queries are also parameter queries, the same query can’t get a mark for single table and a mark for parameter

12. Queries, continued
There should be one multiple table query using relational links
This means that you should search for information from more than one table, eg you can show a list of all of your customers (data taken from the Customer Table) and the dates they stayed (taken from the Booking Table)

13. Queries, continued
There should be one multiple table query using relational links and search criteria
This means that you should search for information from more than one table, eg if you need a list of people who have stayed at your holiday home, you might need the customer’s name from the customer table and the date of stay from the booking table
You can include a parameter query here so that you can search for specific people (eg under 18) and specific dates

14. Queries, continued
You should create an Append or Delete or Update query
You would use a Delete query if you wanted to delete customers who hadn’t booked for the last two years – this would put their data into a

15. Reports Each query should have a report
You should sort the data into ascending or descending order
You should group the data
You should use calculated fields either in the queries or in the reports

16. Visual Basic Code
You should create at least two simple VB code procedures
These must not be macros
They must not be too simple

17. Security
The system should be protected, either by a password or by username and password

18. Interface
You must create a user friendly interface – this could be a switchboard with a splash
screen
Don’t forget that you should use the company’s colours and fonts – incorporate their ethos into everything you do

19. Macros You will need to create two macros
One macro can be a navigation macro, eg taking the user from the user interface to another screen
The other macro must have a different purpose
You must show how you constructed the macros