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

Name: Olivia Gallagher

Target grade:
Score on this assessment: 41/58
Grade for this assessment: B

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 attempt all of the questions on the test paper.
2. To understand and be able to describe the purpose of Backing Storage, recognising that it
has nothing to do with backup.
3. To revise the types of computers and learn the key uses and features of each to enable me
to make comparisons between the different devices.
Review:
One question I got right was 5. Give a reason why each of the following are needed in a computer
system and this is because I wrote one point for each part of the question which got me 3 marks.
One question I nearly got right was 3.Describe the difference between RAM and ROM. And this is
because even though I stated that RAM is volatile and ROM is non-volatile I lost two marks because I
didnt say what RAM stood for or what ROM stood for which lost me two marks.
One question that I got totally wrong was 20.What is a mainframe computer and this is because I
couldnt remember what it was therefore I took a bit of a logical guess.
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.

Explain why computer systems have both backing storage and RAM (3 marks)
A computer system has RAM so that the users are able to change the data they are working on and
store the work they are currently doing.
They have backing storage so that the user can have a permanent copy of the document they are
working on and is saved when they turn the computer off.