Complete specification for Units 1 to 4, Levels 1 and 2 - October 2005

Any research project involves gathering information for particular purposes, perhaps to:

• increase knowledge
• help with decision-making
• make recommendations

In this section you will gather important knowledge and skills concerning information gathering, selection and recording.

Surveys can be used to gather information on  for example, opinions, likes and dislikes, buying habits, and life styles. Surveys can provide information that can, for example, help a local council to provide a better service or a company to improve its products. This section will help you to carry out surveys and analyse the information that you gather from them.

Databases are used to store and handle structured data, such as medical records and details of stock items for sale. This Section, Unit 1: 1.3, will show you how you can use databases for such information handling.

This section of D201 looks at examples of different kinds of documents and presentations which aim, for example, to attract attention, persuade, summarise information, or simply inform or enlighten. You will gain practice in the creation of various types of print and screen-based document an learn to take into account the needs of your target audience.

In this section of Unit 1 you will learn how to communicate information effectively on paper and on screen. All the documents you produce will have a clear purpose and be directed at a target audience. The content, style and presentation of each document should be determined by what you expect it to achieve.

In this section you will learn about standard paper document layouts, such as letters, reports, leaflets and newsletters. You will also learn to use specific features of paper documents, such as headers, footers and margins and draw on the more general design skills developed in section 1.5 Presenting Information.

In this section you will apply Web page and slide presentation software skills to produce on-screen presentations. Storyboarding is mainly associated with film and television production, but you will use the same techniques to make your presentations "tell their stories".

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A collection of interactive tutorials on how to perform practical tasks. These can be used independently by students, or for re-inforcement after the teacher has introduced a skill. Students can also use them if, when they are working on an Activity, they forget how to carry out a procedure.

Skill Development Journals (SDJ) allow students to record occasions when they use skills in Activities, where they apply them to particular problems. They can also record how confident, or otherwise, they were in using the skill.

This section helps you to:

1. Plan your project. (Unit 1: 2.1)
2. Review and evaluate your completed project. (Unit 1: 2.2)
3. Follow standard ways of working, such as using ICT efficiently in your project. (Unit 1: 2.3)