Final Revision Checklist and Exam Day Preparation

This final lesson provides a comprehensive revision checklist for both OCR J277 papers, practical advice for the days before the exam, and what to do on exam day itself.

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Paper 1 Revision Checklist

1.1 Systems Architecture

• Label a CPU diagram (ALU, CU, cache, registers)
• Explain the fetch-decode-execute (FDE) cycle
• Describe Von Neumann architecture
• State factors affecting CPU performance (clock speed, cores, cache size)
• Explain what embedded systems are and give examples

1.2 Memory and Storage

• Compare RAM and ROM (volatile/non-volatile, read-write/read-only)
• Explain virtual memory and why it is needed
• Compare secondary storage types: HDD, SSD, optical
• Describe cloud storage advantages and disadvantages
• State factors when choosing storage (capacity, speed, portability, durability, cost)

1.3 Computer Networks

• Define LAN and WAN and give examples
• Describe star and mesh network topologies with advantages/disadvantages
• Explain key protocols: TCP/IP, HTTP/HTTPS, FTP, POP/IMAP/SMTP
• Describe the 4-layer TCP/IP model
• Compare wired (Ethernet) and wireless (Wi-Fi) connections

1.4 Network Security

• Identify types of malware: virus, worm, trojan, ransomware, spyware
• Describe social engineering attacks: phishing, pharming, shoulder surfing
• Explain prevention methods: firewalls, anti-malware, encryption, access control, authentication
• Describe penetration testing

1.5 Systems Software

• State the functions of an operating system (memory management, multitasking, peripheral management, user interface, file management)
• Describe utility software: defragmentation, compression, backup, encryption, antivirus

1.6 Ethical, Legal, Cultural, Environmental Issues

• Describe the Data Protection Act 2018 / UK GDPR
• Describe the Computer Misuse Act 1990
• Explain digital divide, privacy issues, environmental impact (e-waste, energy use)
• Discuss ethical issues: surveillance, AI, automation, intellectual property

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Paper 2 Revision Checklist

2.1 Algorithms

• Describe and trace linear search and binary search
• Describe and trace bubble sort and merge sort
• Read and create flowcharts
• Write pseudocode and convert to/from Python

2.2 Programming Fundamentals

• Use variables, constants, and data types (integer, float/real, string, Boolean, char)
• Use arithmetic operators (+, -, *, /, MOD, DIV, ^)
• Use comparison operators (==, !=, <, >, <=, >=)
• Use string manipulation (length, substring, upper, lower, concatenation)
• Use arrays (declare, access by index, iterate)
• Write and call functions and procedures
• Use file reading and writing

2.3 Producing Robust Programs

• Describe defensive design: input validation, authentication, anticipating misuse
• Describe testing types: iterative, final/terminal
• Describe test data: normal, boundary, erroneous
• Explain purpose of testing: identifying bugs, verifying requirements

2.4 Boolean Logic

• Draw and identify all six logic gates (NOT, AND, OR, XOR, NAND, NOR)
• Complete truth tables for single and combined gates
• Write Boolean expressions from truth tables and circuits
• Apply De Morgan's Laws

2.5 Programming Languages and IDEs

• Compare high-level and low-level languages
• Explain compilers, interpreters, and assemblers
• Describe IDE features: syntax highlighting, auto-complete, debugging, error messages

2.6 Data Representation

• Convert between binary, denary, and hexadecimal
• Perform binary addition and identify overflow
• Perform logical left and right shifts
• Compare ASCII and Unicode
• Calculate image file sizes (width x height x colour depth)
• Calculate sound file sizes (sample rate x bit depth x duration x channels)
• Convert between data units (bit, byte, KB, MB, GB, TB)
• Explain lossy and lossless compression (RLE, Huffman coding)

OCR Exam Tip: Use this checklist actively. Tick off topics you are confident on and spend your remaining revision time on unticked topics.

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Revision Strategies for the Final Week

Strategy	Description
Past papers	Complete at least 2-3 full past papers under timed conditions
Mark schemes	Review mark schemes to understand what examiners expect
Flashcards	Use flashcards for key definitions and comparisons
Active recall	Close your notes and try to write everything you know about a topic
Spaced repetition	Review weak topics multiple times over several days
Teach someone	Explaining a topic to someone else reveals gaps in your knowledge

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The Night Before

• Do not cram — your brain needs rest to consolidate what you have learned
• Review your flashcards or checklist briefly (30 minutes maximum)
• Pack your bag — pens (black ink), pencil, ruler, eraser, water bottle
• Set two alarms to make sure you wake up on time
• Get 8+ hours of sleep — sleep is critical for memory and performance

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Exam Day Morning

• Eat a proper breakfast — your brain needs fuel
• Arrive at school early — rushing causes stress and anxiety
• Do not try to learn new content — review key formulae and definitions only
• Stay calm — anxiety reduces cognitive performance. Take slow, deep breaths if nervous.

The full exam-day routine — from the night before to walking out of the exam hall — can be visualised as a single flow:

flowchart TD
    A[Night before: pack bag, light review, sleep 8+ hours] --> B[Morning: breakfast, arrive early]
    B --> C[Pre-exam: brief review of key formulae]
    C --> D[Enter exam: read instructions, write name]
    D --> E[Scan paper 2-3 min]
    E --> F[Pass 1: answer confident questions]
    F --> G[Pass 2: tackle starred questions]
    G --> H[Final 5-10 min: check answers]
    H --> I[Submit and exit calmly]

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In the Exam Room

1. Read the instructions on the front cover
2. Write your name and candidate number clearly
3. Scan the entire paper before starting (2-3 minutes)
4. Start with questions you are confident on to build momentum
5. Watch the clock — use the timing checkpoints from Lesson 9
6. Show working for every calculation
7. Never leave a question blank
8. Check your answers in the last 5-10 minutes

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Key Formulae to Remember