OCR IT Level 1/Level 2 (J836) Past Papers

For the Data Manipulation unit, the key to distinction-level work is selecting the most appropriate function for each data task and explaining why. VLOOKUP (=VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, FALSE)) searches a column for a value and returns a corresponding value from another column — useful for looking up product prices or employee details. IF statements (=IF(logical_test, value_if_true, value_if_false)) create conditional outputs — use nested IFs for multiple conditions or the IFS function. Pivot tables are the most powerful tool for summarising large datasets: drag a field to Rows, a field to Columns, and a field to Values to create a cross-tabulation in seconds. IT in the Digital World assignments should address digital safety with specific, practical advice, not generic warnings. Password security: use a password manager, enable two-factor authentication on important accounts, use a unique password for every account. Social media privacy: review privacy settings regularly, be aware that anything posted online can persist indefinitely even after deletion, avoid sharing personal information that could enable identity theft (full name + date of birth + address = enough for most fraud). Digital wellbeing: know the features built into smartphones for managing screen time (iOS Screen Time, Android Digital Wellbeing) and when to recommend them. For the AR unit, distinguish between the technology types clearly: augmented reality adds digital content to the real world, visible through a camera — Pokémon GO, IKEA's app showing furniture in your room. Virtual reality replaces the real world entirely — requires a headset. Mixed reality anchors digital objects to real surfaces with greater fidelity — Microsoft HoloLens. When designing an AR experience for a given purpose, justify choices about what digital content to overlay, why AR is more effective than alternatives, and how the experience is accessible to the target audience.