Specification points

Edexcel International AS and A level Information Technology XIT11/YIT11

301 points in 4 topics, with Edexcel's codes and titles.

Codes and titles are read by a script from Edexcel's published specification and have not been checked by a person. What each point covers is in the specification itself: Edexcel’s specification.

U1 Unit 1

1 Hardware and software
1.1 Hardware
1.1.1 Features and functions of digital devices
1.1.2 Technologies in digital devices and their impact
1.1.3 Technological convergence
1.1.4 Embedded systems
1.1.5 Firmware
1.1.6 Assessing the performance of digital devices
1.1.7 File size and transmission time calculations
1.1.8 Binary and denary units (IEC)
1.1.9 Selecting digital devices to meet needs
1.2 Software
1.2.1 Systems and applications software
1.2.2 Role of the operating system
1.2.3 Sources of software and copyright types
1.2.4 Software licensing options
1.2.5 Managing software updates
1.2.6 Selecting software to meet needs
2 Networks
2.1 Network models and protocols
2.1.1 Network models
2.1.2 Network communication protocols
2.1.3 Network standards and protocols
2.2 Network design and implementation
2.2.1 Network transmission media
2.2.2 Network metrics
2.2.3 Network components
2.2.4 Outline network designs
2.2.5 IP addressing and related concepts
2.3 Network security
2.3.1 Impact of network security issues
2.3.2 Securing a network with hardware and software
3 The online environment
3.1 The internet and the world wide web
3.1.1 The internet and its structure
3.1.2 The world wide web
3.1.3 Static and dynamic web content
3.1.4 Client-side scripting
3.1.5 Server-side scripting
3.2 Operating online
3.2.1 Working in online environments
3.2.2 Security risks to personal data online
3.2.3 Digital footprints
3.3 Online communities
3.3.1 Social and professional online communities
3.3.2 Impact of online communities
3.3.3 Monetising online communities
3.4 The cloud
3.4.1 Cloud storage
3.4.2 Cloud computing
4 IT systems
4.1 Systems design
4.1.1 Components of an IT system
4.1.2 Decomposing a system into sub-systems
4.1.3 Designing IT systems to meet requirements
4.1.4 Fitness for purpose of systems
4.2 Dataflow
4.2.1 Purpose of dataflow diagrams
4.2.2 Interpreting and creating dataflow diagrams
4.3 Flowcharts
4.3.1 Purpose of flowcharts
4.3.2 Interpreting and creating flowcharts
4.4 Systems
4.4.1 Advantages and disadvantages of IT systems
4.4.2 Devices, storage and memory in IT systems
5 Data and databases
5.1 Data and information
5.1.1 Difference between data and information
5.1.2 Structured and unstructured data
5.1.3 Value of information extracted from data
5.2 Structured data
5.2.1 Why databases are used
5.2.2 Structure of a relational database
5.2.3 Entities and relationships
5.2.4 Entity relationship diagrams
5.3 Structured query language (SQL)
5.3.1 Uses of SQL
5.3.2 Using SQL commands and functions
6 Wider issues
6.1 Environmental
6.1.1 Environmental impact of IT equipment
6.1.2 IT in environmental monitoring and resource use
6.2 Legal, moral and ethical
6.2.1 Legal issues in IT use
6.2.2 Moral and ethical issues in IT use
6.3 Society
6.3.1 Impact of ubiquitous wireless access

U2 Unit 2

7 Understanding the functionality of HTML
7.1 Document structure
7.1.1 HTML structure of web pages
7.1.2 Declaring the language of an HTML document
7.1.3 The head element
7.1.4 Organised HTML syntax
7.1.5 Global attributes
7.2 Structural markup
7.2.1 Block-level and inline elements
7.2.2 Content models
7.2.3 Elements for structuring and formatting text
7.2.4 Creating lists
7.2.5 Creating links
7.3 Page components
7.3.1 Adding images to web pages
7.3.2 Tables
7.3.3 Creating web forms
7.3.4 How web forms work
7.3.5 Adding audio and video
7.3.6 Inline frames
8 Understanding the functionality of CSS
8.1 Writing CSS
8.1.1 Purpose of CSS
8.1.2 Referencing CSS in HTML
8.1.3 Writing CSS rules
8.1.4 CSS selectors
8.1.5 Efficient style sheets and the cascade
8.1.6 The CSS box model
8.1.7 CSS attribute selectors
8.2 Styling web pages
8.2.1 Specifying colours
8.2.2 Manipulating colour
8.2.3 Length values
8.2.4 Styling elements
8.2.5 Backgrounds and borders
8.3 Positioning content
8.3.1 Positioning elements
8.3.2 Controlling box appearance
8.3.3 Designing for different screen sizes
8.3.4 Responsive design
8.4 CSS animations
8.4.1 CSS transitions, transforms and animations
9 Understanding the functions of JavaScript
9.1 Document Object Model
9.1.1 The Document Object Model
9.2 Regular expressions
9.2.1 What regular expressions are
9.2.2 Regular expressions for validation
9.2.3 Patterns of repeating characters and digits
9.3 Programmed functionality
9.3.1 Adding JavaScript to web pages
9.3.2 Programming functionality in JavaScript
9.3.3 JavaScript events
9.3.4 Page components with JavaScript, HTML and CSS
9.3.5 Error handling and debugging JavaScript
10 Designing web pages
10.1 Principles of design
10.1.1 Designing web pages
10.1.2 Web typography
10.1.3 Design principles for page layout
10.2 Principles of accessibility
10.2.1 Web accessibility and WCAG
10.3 Principles of usability
10.3.1 Navigation systems
10.3.2 Targeting devices and browsers
11 The semantic web
11.1 Writing semantic code
11.1.1 Semantic markup
11.1.2 Semantic elements for page content
11.1.3 Grouping elements with div and span
11.1.4 Semantic code and search engine optimisation
11.1.5 Semantic markup for textual meaning
11.1.6 Figures and captions
11.1.7 WAI-ARIA

U3 Unit 3

12 Manipulating data
12.1 Data integrity
12.1.1 Data integrity and governance
12.1.2 Data dictionaries
12.1.3 Interpreting and constructing a data dictionary
12.1.4 Data validation
12.1.5 Designing validation rules
12.2 Relational databases
12.2.1 Data redundancy
12.2.2 Normalisation
12.2.3 Normalising to third normal form
12.2.4 Logical data models
12.3 Big Data
12.3.1 Big Data and its collection
12.3.2 Infrastructure for Big Data
12.3.3 Impact of storing Big Data
12.3.4 Data mining, warehousing and analytics
12.3.5 Uses of Big Data
13 Enabling technologies
13.1 Virtualisation
13.1.1 Reasons for using virtualisation
13.1.2 Containerisation and virtual machines
13.2 Distributed systems
13.2.1 Need for distributed systems
13.2.2 Issues with distributed systems
13.3 Human computer interaction
13.3.1 Human computer interaction and user experience
13.3.2 Visual, audio and haptic interaction
13.3.3 Ergonomic principles
13.3.4 Interface design for users
13.4 Storing and securing data
13.4.1 How data is stored in the cloud
13.4.2 File encryption and password protection
13.4.3 Database management systems
13.5 Encryption
13.5.1 Symmetric encryption
13.5.2 Asymmetric encryption
13.5.3 Certificate-based encryption
14 Using IT systems in organisations
14.1 Role of IT systems
14.1.1 Role of IT systems in organisations
14.1.2 Transaction processing systems
14.1.3 Customer relationship management systems
14.1.4 Management information systems
14.1.5 Intelligent transportation systems
14.1.6 Expert systems
14.2 Operational issues
14.2.1 IT governance and policy
14.2.2 IT changeover methods
14.2.3 System maintenance
14.2.4 Archiving data
14.2.5 Disaster recovery plans
15 Systems development
15.1 Project management
15.1.1 Project management for IT systems
15.1.2 Characteristics of successful IT projects
15.1.3 SMART targets
15.1.4 Specifying SMART targets
15.1.5 Project management tools
15.1.6 Using project management tools
15.2 Waterfall method
15.2.1 The waterfall method
15.2.2 Phases of the waterfall method
15.2.3 Activities in waterfall phases
15.3 Agile approach
15.3.1 Agile approaches
15.3.2 Phases of an agile approach
15.3.3 Scrum and sprints
15.4 Diagrams used in system design and development
15.4.1 Information flow diagrams
16 Emerging technologies
16.1 Machine learning
16.1.1 Supervised and unsupervised learning
16.1.2 Impact of machine learning
16.2 Virtual and augmented reality
16.2.1 Virtual reality
16.2.2 Augmented reality
16.3 Internet of Things
16.3.1 The Internet of Things
16.3.2 Impact of the Internet of Things
16.3.3 Infrastructure of the Internet of Things
16.3.4 Security issues of the Internet of Things
16.3.5 Designing Internet of Things systems

U4 Unit 4

17 Use of features of database solutions
17.1 Database applications
17.1.1 Why database software is used
17.1.2 Database features for a given context
17.1.3 Evaluating database features
17.2 User needs
17.2.1 Analysing user needs
17.2.2 Database solutions for user characteristics
17.2.3 Evaluating database design for user needs
17.3 User experience
17.3.1 User characteristics and database design
17.3.2 Database design and user experience
17.3.3 Database solutions for a suitable user experience
17.3.4 Evaluating a database's effect on user experience
18 Relational database concepts
18.1 Structuring data
18.1.1 Constructing and amending relational databases
18.1.2 Data types
18.1.3 Formatting data types
18.1.4 Evaluating a data structure
18.2 Relational data structures
18.2.1 Purpose of relational data structures
18.2.2 Implementing data relationships
18.2.3 Evaluating a relational data structure
18.3 Data entry and validation techniques
18.3.1 Ensuring data is suitable for processing
18.3.2 Validation techniques
18.3.3 Error messages
18.3.4 Improving data entry
18.3.5 Evaluating data accuracy techniques
19 Database solutions
19.1 Using database software
19.1.1 Updating, inserting, modifying and deleting data
19.1.2 Creating relational data structures
19.1.3 Retrieving data with queries, filters and reports
19.1.4 Calculated fields
19.1.5 Outputting data in suitable formats
19.1.6 Importing data
19.1.7 Exporting data
19.1.8 Evaluating database tools and techniques
19.2 User interface
19.2.1 Data entry forms, menus and action buttons
19.2.2 System outputs for a database solution
19.2.3 Outputs and interface components that support users
19.2.4 Macros
19.2.5 Evaluating a user interface
19.3 Testing the solution
19.3.1 Need for testing
19.3.2 Testing with intended users
19.3.3 Designing and carrying out tests
19.4 Evaluation and enhancement
19.4.1 Evaluating a completed solution
19.4.2 Suggesting enhancements