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Report writing For A-Level IT Practical


Generic file formats are needed Images can be saved in a variety of file formats. Different file formats exist because some are better at certain tasks than others.

Graphics packages allow the user to save their work in compatible file formats that can be used in a variety of software programs - eg .jpg, .gif, .tiff. Most digital cameras automatically save photographs as .jpg.

JPG - Joint Photographic Group (pronounced 'Jay peg')

The JPG is probably the most common file format now in use for storing digital images, especially on the web. It is ideal for images that use more than 256 colours, such as digital photographs.

When you save an image using this format, some of the data is lost because the file is compressed. JPG files can be saved at various quality settings which are measured as a percentage of the original quality. The lower the quality percentage, the higher the compression rate; therefore if storage space is an issue, you should aim to save your JPG file at 30 per cent quality.

GIF - Graphics Interchange Format (pronounced 'giff')

Like the JPG, the GIF file format is commonly used on the web. It is ideal for images that have large blocks of a single colour, and it can support up to a maximum of 256 colours. Unlike with JPGs, it is possible to alter the background colour of a GIF to make it transparent. This makes it possible to place it over other images or on webpages.

TIFF - Tagged Image File (pronounced 'tiff')

Like a JPG, a TIFF file can be compressed to reduce the file size, while still maintaining a high degree of image detail. Alternatively, it can be saved without compression to retain 100 per cent of the original image taken - where each pixel is identical to the or

iginal image taken. Like a GIF, you can also save it with a transparent background

BMP - Bit-mapped

This is an appropriate file format for Windows users. It is used for general storage purposes - such as when images are awaiting editing - or as wallpaper for a Windows desktop. BMPs aren't really suitable for Macintosh computers or the web. BMP images are large files that require a lot of storage space because no effort is made to reduce the file size.

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Reduce file sizes for storage or transmission

Email Etiquette 1. Start with a salutation

Your email should open by addressing the person you’re writing to. Sure, you can get away with leaving out the

salutation when you’re dashing off an email to your friend, but business-like messages should begin with:

Dear Mr Jones, or Dear Professor Smith, (for someone you don’t know well, especially if they’re a superior)

Dear Joe, or Dear Mandy, (if you have a working relationship with the person)

It’s fine to use “Hi Joe”, “Hello Joe” or just the name followed by a comma (“Joe,”) if you know the person well –

writing “Dear Joe” to one of your team-mates will look odd!

2. Write in short paragraphs

Get straight to the point – don’t waste time waffling. Split your email into two to four short paragraphs, each one

dealing with a single idea. Consider using bullet-points for extra clarity, perhaps if you are:

Listing several questions for the recipient to answer

Suggesting a number of alternative options

Explaining the steps that you’ll be carrying out

Put a double line break, rather than an indent (tab), between paragraphs.

3. Stick to one topic

If you need to write to someone about several different issues (for example, if you’re giving your boss an update

on Project X, asking him for a review meeting to discuss a payrise, and telling him that you’ve got a doctor’s

appointment on Friday), then don’t put them all in the same email. It’s hard for people to keep track of different

email threads and conversations if topics are jumbled up.

4. Use capitals appropriately

Emails should follow the same rules of punctuation as other writing. Capitals are often misused. In particular, you

should:

Never write a whole sentence (or worse, a whole email) in capitals

Always capitalize “I” and the first letter of proper nouns (names)

Capitalise acronymns (USA, BBC, RSPCA)

Always start sentences with a capital letter.

This makes your email easier to read: try retyping one of the emails you’ve received in ALL CAPS or all lower case,

and see how much harder it is to follow!

5. Sign off the email

For short internal company emails, you can get away with just putting a double space after your last paragraph

then typing your name. If you’re writing a more formal email, though, it’s essential to close it appropriately.

Use Yours sincerely, (when you know the name of your addressee) and Yours faithfully, (when you’ve

addressed it to “Dear Sir/Madam”) for very formal emails such as job applications.






Use Best regards, or Kind regards, in most other situations.

Even when writing to people you know well, it’s polite to sign off with something such as “All the best,” “Take

care,” or “Have a nice day,” before typing your name.

6. Use a sensible email signature

Hopefully this is common sense – but don’t cram your email signature with quotes from your favourite TV show,

motivational speaker or witty friend. Do include your name, email address, telephone number and postal address

(where appropriate) – obviously, your company may have some guidelines on these.

It makes it easy for your correspondents to find your contact details: they don’t need to root through for the first

message you sent them, but can just look in the footer of any of your emails.

Putting it all together

Validation Rules

Improve the quality of your data using validation rules. Validation rules verify that the data a user enters in a record meets the standards you specify before the user can save the record. A validation rule can contain a formula or expression that evaluates the data in one or more fields and returns a value of “True” or “False.” Validation rules also include an error message to display to the user when the rule returns a value of “True” due to an invalid value.

Include More

Corporate House Style What makes a House Style?

A corporate design is the official graphical design which most organizations have. This can be seen in the logo and name of a company or institution used on letterheads, envelopes, forms, folders, brochures, business cards, advertising, websites, company vehicles and, of course, their products. The International Companies or the institutions are probably recognized from there color scheme or other stylistic features they use, long before you can read the company name on the material.

This identity makes the organization easily recognizable and strengthens its reputation. In the ICT terms you should always adopt a unique style for the work that you produce. Anything produced for a company will usually have the same logo and the color scheme as the vehicles, the brochures, etc.

There are some elements of the corporate identity that must be taken in consideration while designing a Corporate House style which are the Logo size, clear space, logo colours, logo positioning and type size and font.

2. Why are house styles needed?

There are an infinite ways of laying out presentations, letters, reports or advertising material.






For instance one employee might like the colour purple and she would love to have that shade in all the material

she produces. Another might like to use weird and whacky fonts and yet another loves to write long complicated

prose.

Imagine a company having a thousand such creative people. What would a customer see every time they come

across the company's promotional material?

Answer:

Never the same thing twice!

This is not what most companies want - a customer must have a predictable and consistent experience no matter

where, how or when they come across the company.

This is the main purpose of a 'House Style'. It ensures consistency. House style enhances the 'brand image' of the

company.

House styles are needed:

- To ensure consistency across all documents- To support brand recognition (people know the documents belong

to a particular organization)

-To reduce the amount of time staff spend setting up and formatting documents- To reduce the risk of mistakes

e.g. address being misspelt, logo being omitted House style is a powerful tool that companies use to enhance their

brand image.

So what does a house style consist of?

1. Colour palette

Colours help set a mood - for instance consider these colors:

Orange: Expresses energy, warmth, attention grabbing

Blue: Seriousness, stability, trust

Black: Sophistication, technology, power

Green: Spring, generosity, health

So selecting a limited set of colours for all communication materials helps set a mood. Is this a serious company? A

youthful company? A sophisticated company?

A friendly company?

Can you think of companies that favour a particular colour? Do you think that the main colour they use is an

accident?

2. Fonts and typography

Fonts help set the tone. A heavy, dense font conveys quite a different feeling compared to a fancy, curly script.

A house style will define the font to use for headers and body text in all formal communication - whether it is a

brochure, pamphlet, PowerPoint presentation, and poster and so on. Typography defines how all the other

elements of text are to look: Capitals, italics, bullet point style and so on.

3. Margins and White space

The way words are set out on a page can help to build an impression. Perhaps wide empty margins are favored or

maybe particular line spacing is defined.

4. Graphics and Logos






Logos are considered such an important part of a company's brand image that strong laws have been put in place

to protect them. A company may have a number of 'trade marks' which they own. Logos are often placed on the

products themselves such as the badge on a car or a logo on a pair of running shoes. They let everyone know of

the company that made it. And woe betide someone who tries

to pass off their fake product using that trade mark!

5. Tone of language

There are many ways of saying the same thing. This is the power of language. A house style may have rules in place

describing what kind of phrasing and language is to be used in all communication material.

Professional advertising companies will understand the way a client wants to set out a promotion or expensive

advert. Is it a serious tone? A light-hearted tone?

It takes real skill to put together 'copy' as it is called in the industry. So all-in-all a house style is an important tool

to help build up a brand image. And for many companies, brand image is worth millions. Indeed, the most valuable

asset a company may have when being sold are not the factories it owns but the trade marks and brand image it

has built up over the years - and that is all down to applying a consistent house style.

Benefits of mail merge

Mail merge Most of us receive too much junk mail through the post these days. However, have you ever stopped to think

about how the company can send out so many letters which are personally addressed to their customers?

They manage to do this by using a process called mail merge. This technique enables them write just one letter

which they then use as a template. They then take data such as names and addresses from their database and

merge it into the template letter.

Hey presto, in just a few minutes, they can be ready to print out thousands of letters.You need to know a lot of

different terms related to mail merge in order to be able to confidently answer any examination questions on this

topic. Look through the pages in this section and make notes for yourself on the main

points.

There are many benefits to be gained from using a mail merge. They include:

Mail Merge Benefits

Easy to make a change to a single letter and for that change to happen in every letter e.g. change the date

Once the merge has been set up, thousands of letters can be produced very quickly

Much easier to proof read just one letter than thousands of individual letters

Letters can be sent to people who meet specific criteria

A standard letter can be saved and reused

Letters can be personalized

The same data source and be reused - reducing the risk of errors






Exam hint In an exam question, the benefits of mail merge need to be answered within the context of the scenario you are

given. Generally you shouldn't just list the benefits. Instead, relate them to the mail merge being discussed in the

question.

Use of mail merge

Mail merge can be used for a number of different tasks. Here are some examples:

Writing letters to customers

- to tell them about an upcoming sale or special offer

- to inform them about a change to the business e.g. new phone number

Mail shot

- sending out a survey to a large number of people

- competitions

Invoices

- sending reminders of overdue payments to a large number of customers

Schools

- students' names and grades into reports

- parents' names and addresses for letters home

- students' names onto certificates

Personal

- addressing envelopes for Christmas cards

Integrated Packages

Integrated packages combine the abilities of several general-purpose applications in one program. Integrated software is an all-in-one application package that includes word processing, spreadsheet, database manager, graphics, and communications. An integrated package works together and shares information from one program with another. Integrated packages were developed to solve the problems caused by the inability of individual programs to communicate and work with common files of data. Some integrated packages require significant amounts of memory and may compromise on the speed, power, and flexibility of some of their functions to achieve integration. Powerful microcomputers available these days, however, allow users to accomplish all their works without sacrificing computers' speed and flexibility. What happens if users want to take the data in one program and use it in another? Suppose users want to take information stored in the database manager and use it in a spreadsheet. This is not always possible with separate application packages, but it is with integrated software. With an integrated package, users can use the database manager to pull together relevant facts. An example of such facts might be the annual membership fees for a sports club for different years. Users can then use the spreadsheet to compare these membership fees. Users can use the word processing program to write a memo about these membership fees for different categories of members.

Multiple Document Users






It is not unusual for people to work together in "teams" in today's business environment. Instead of a single person being responsible for a given task, a group of people may be charged with its successful completion. This may mean that you have a document for which multiple people are responsible. With some Office programs (such as Excel), multiple users can share the same document and work on it at the same time.

Word does not allow multiple people to use the same Word document at the same time, since the edits by each individual could create havoc with the final document. Instead, Word provides several tools that you can use in a multi-user environment to make collaborating of a document just a bit easier.

The first such tool is referred to as Track Changes. This tool allows two different approaches to document editing, each with plusses and minuses. The first approach assumes a serial progression of the document. For instances, you have a single copy of the document, and it makes its way through each member of your team. With Track Changes turned on, each person's edits are noted and can be easily reviewed by the person ultimately responsible for the document. That person—the one with whom the document originally started and will eventually end—uses the Accept or Reject Changes feature to review each change and judge whether it should be accepted or not.

The other approach to using the Track Changes tool is to give each member of your team a copy of the document. They are free to make changes, and they don't have to do so with Track Changes turned on. Then, the person responsible for producing the final document gathers each of the modified documents and "merges" them using the Compare Documents feature. (Again, this feature is part of the overall Track Changes part of Word.) Compare Documents combines two documents, resulting in a document that shows the differences between the two original documents. Once the merging process is done, with each of the team members' documents, then the responsible person can again use the Accept or Reject Changes feature to review each change and determine its acceptability.

If you decide to utilize the Track Changes feature of Word, and particularly if you decide to use the first approach, you may want to use the Comments feature to allow team members to insert their comments into the document. These comments shouldn't reflect the actual changes to the document (which should be done to the document itself with Track Changes turned on), but can contain general comments on why certain changes were made or just general comments on document development. In effect, the Comments feature becomes a way for the team members to provide input to the development process. The team member ultimately responsible for the document can then read the comments and resolve any issues contained therein.

Understand the function and use of flat-file and relational databases

A flat file database is a type of database that stores data in a single table. This is unlike a relational database,

which makes use of multiple tables and relations. Flat file databases are generally in plain-text form, where

each line holds only one record. The fields in the record are separated using delimiters such as tabs and

commas.

Flat file database tables can be set in various application types, including HTML documents, simple word

processors or worksheets in spreadsheet applications. The tables within a flat file database can be sorted

based on column values. These tables serve as a solution for simple database tasks.

In spite of the limitations associated with flat files, flat file databases are used internally by various computer

applications to store data related to configuration. Most of the applications permit users to store and retrieve






information from flat files based on a predefined set of fields.

Flat files include data types common to other databases. A few features of the data in flat file databases

include:

Database Management System: The text data represent an intermediate style of data before being loaded

into the database.

Separated Columns: Flat file databases are based on fixed-width data formatting. Columns are separated

using delimiter characters.

Data Types: Columns in the database tables are restricted to a particular data type and are not indicated,

unless the data is passed on to a relational database.

RDBMS stands for Relational Database Management System. RDBMS data is structured in database tables, fields

and records. Each RDBMS table consists of database table rows. Each database table row consists of one or more

database table fields.

RDBMS store the data into collection of tables, which might be related by common fields (database table

columns). RDBMS also provide relational operators to manipulate the data stored into the database tables. Most

RDBMS use SQL as database query language.

Repaginate/Repagination How to Stop Repaginating in a document

When you change the layout or content of a document -- even by simply typing or editing -- Word

processor needs to repaginate, which means checking the arrangement of the pages in the document, making sure

each one contains the proper amount of content. If necessary, Word processors will move some page breaks so

that each page holds a page's worth of content. Although Word usually waits to repaginate until you pause, it

sometimes repaginates while you work, especially if your document contains many pages or uses complex

functions. If you switch to Draft or Outline view, you can turn off the background pagination feature.

Widows & Orphans

Creating a similar visual distraction, an orphan is a single line of type that appears at the top of a column or page. This creates poor horizontal alignment at the top of the page. Again, the rule of thumb is at least two lines of a sentence at the top of a column.

Headers and Footers in Your Document Oftentimes it is necessary to put vital information about your document either at the top of the

page, at the bottom of the page, or a combination of both. While you can easily enter things



http://www.sql-tutorial.net/




such as document title, page numbers, creation date, author, etc. at the top or bottom of your

document body, if you place them in a header or footer outside of the document body, you can rest assured that this information will always retain the correct placement, no matter how

much you edit the content of your document.

Microsoft Word includes a considerable amount of advanced options for working with headers and footers; you can insert AutoText entries such as filename and path, dates, and page

numbers that will automatically update as your document changes. Additionally, you can specify that the first page and/or odd pages have different headers and/or footers; once you

understand how they work and how to manipulate the options by taking advantage of section breaks, you can even give every single page a different header and footer!

You can work with headers and footers much the same way you work with text in the body of

your document: Toolbar buttons are still available for use, so you can change the font, add different formats to it, and specify paragraph options. You can also copy information from the

body of your document and paste it into the headers and footers or vice versa.

While they will appear on the page in Print Layout view, you will not be able to edit your headers or footers as you would the rest of your document. You must first open them for

editing from the View menu; double clicking on the text within the header/footer will also open them for editing. You can return to the body of your document either by selecting Close from

the toolbar or by clicking within the body of the document.

Validation/Verification Rules

Validation and verification are two ways to check that the data entered into a computer is correct. Data entered incorrectly is of little use.

Validation

Validation is an automatic computer check to ensure that the data entered is sensible and reasonable. It does not check the accuracy of data.

For example, a secondary school student is likely to be aged between 11 and 16. The computer can be programmed only to accept numbers between 11 and 16. This is a range check.

However, this does not guarantee that the number typed in is correct. For example, a student's age might be 14, but if 11 is entered it will be valid but incorrect.

Types of validation

There are a number of validation types that can be used to check the data that is being entered.






Validation type

How it works Example usage

Check digit the last one or two digits in a code are used to check the other digits are correct

bar code readers in supermarkets use check digits

Format check

checks the data is in the right format

a National Insurance number is in the form LL 99 99 99 L where L is any letter and 9 is any number

Length check

checks the data isn't too short or too long

a password which needs to be six letters long

Lookup table

looks up acceptable values in a table

there are only seven possible days of the week

Presence check

checks that data has been entered into a field

in most databases a key field cannot be left blank

Range check

checks that a value falls within the specified range

number of hours worked must be less than 50 and more than 0

Spell check looks up words in a dictionary when word processing

Improve the quality of your data using validation rules. Validation rules verify that the data a user enters in a record meets the standards you specify before the user can save the record. A validation rule can contain a formula or expression that evaluates the data in one or more fields and returns a value of “True” or “False.” Validation rules also include an error message to display to the user when the rule returns a value of “True” due to an invalid value.

Verification

Verification is performed to ensure that the data entered exactly matches the original source.

There are two main methods of verification:

1. Double entry - entering the data twice and comparing the two copies. This effectively doubles the workload, and as most people are paid by the hour, it costs more too.

2. Proofreading data - this method involves someone checking the data entered against the original document. This is also time consuming and costly.






Importance of accurate data entry

Corporate House Style What makes a House Style?

A corporate design is the official graphical design which most organizations have. This can be seen in the logo and name of a company or institution used on letterheads, envelopes, forms, folders, brochures, business cards, advertising, websites, company vehicles and, of course, their products. The International Companies or the institutions are probably recognized from there color scheme or other stylistic features they use, long before you can read the company name on the material.

This identity makes the organization easily recognizable and strengthens its reputation. In the ICT terms you should always adopt a unique style for the work that you produce. Anything produced for a company will usually have the same logo and the color scheme as the vehicles, the brochures, etc.

There are some elements of the corporate identity that must be taken in consideration while designing a Corporate House style which are the Logo size, clear space, logo colours, logo positioning and type size and font.

2. Why are house styles needed?

There are an infinite ways of laying out presentations, letters, reports or advertising material.

For instance one employee might like the colour purple and she would love to have that shade

in all the material she produces. Another might like to use weird and whacky fonts and yet

another loves to write long complicated prose.

Imagine a company having a thousand such creative people. What would a customer see every

time they come across the company's promotional material?

Answer:

Never the same thing twice!

This is not what most companies want - a customer must have a predictable and consistent

experience no matter where, how or when they come across the company.

This is the main purpose of a 'House Style'. It ensures consistency. House style enhances the

'brand image' of the company.

House styles are needed:






- To ensure consistency across all documents- To support brand recognition (people know the

documents belong to a particular organization)

-To reduce the amount of time staff spend setting up and formatting documents- To reduce the

risk of mistakes e.g. address being misspelt, logo being omitted House style is a powerful tool

that companies use to enhance their brand image.

So what does a house style consist of?

1. Colour palette

Colours help set a mood - for instance consider these colors:

Orange: Expresses energy, warmth, attention grabbing

Blue: Seriousness, stability, trust

Black: Sophistication, technology, power

Green: Spring, generosity, health

So selecting a limited set of colours for all communication materials helps set a mood. Is this a

serious company? A youthful company? A sophisticated company?

A friendly company?

Can you think of companies that favour a particular colour? Do you think that the main colour

they use is an accident?

2. Fonts and typography

Fonts help set the tone. A heavy, dense font conveys quite a different feeling compared to a

fancy, curly script.

A house style will define the font to use for headers and body text in all formal communication -

whether it is a brochure, pamphlet, PowerPoint presentation, and poster and so on.

Typography defines how all the other elements of text are to look: Capitals, italics, bullet point

style and so on.

3. Margins and White space

The way words are set out on a page can help to build an impression. Perhaps wide empty

margins are favored or maybe particular line spacing is defined.

4. Graphics and Logos

Logos are considered such an important part of a company's brand image that strong laws have

been put in place to protect them. A company may have a number of 'trade marks' which they

own. Logos are often placed on the products themselves such as the badge on a car or a logo






on a pair of running shoes. They let everyone know of the company that made it. And woe

betide someone who tries

to pass off their fake product using that trade mark!

5. Tone of language

There are many ways of saying the same thing. This is the power of language. A house style may

have rules in place describing what kind of phrasing and language is to be used in all

communication material.

Professional advertising companies will understand the way a client wants to set out a

promotion or expensive advert. Is it a serious tone? A light-hearted tone?

It takes real skill to put together 'copy' as it is called in the industry. So all-in-all a house style is

an important tool to help build up a brand image. And for many companies, brand image is

worth millions. Indeed, the most valuable asset a company may have when being sold are not

the factories it owns but the trade marks and brand image it has built up over the years - and

that is all down to applying a consistent house style.

Mail merge

Mail merge

Most of us receive too much junk mail through the post these days. However, have you ever

stopped to think about how the company can send out so many letters which are personally

addressed to their customers?

They manage to do this by using a process called mail merge. This technique enables them

write just one letter which they then use as a template. They then take data such as names and

addresses from their database and merge it into the template letter.

Hey presto, in just a few minutes, they can be ready to print out thousands of letters.You need

to know a lot of different terms related to mail merge in order to be able to confidently answer

any examination questions on this topic. Look through the pages in this section and make notes

for yourself on the main

points.

There are many benefits to be gained from using a mail merge. They include:

Mail Merge Benefits






Easy to make a change to a single letter and for that change to happen in every letter

e.g. change the date

Once the merge has been set up, thousands of letters can be produced very quickly

Much easier to proof read just one letter than thousands of individual letters

Letters can be sent to people who meet specific criteria

A standard letter can be saved and reused

Letters can be personalized

The same data source and be reused - reducing the risk of errors

Exam hint

In an exam question, the benefits of mail merge need to be answered within the context of the

scenario you are given. Generally you shouldn't just list the benefits. Instead, relate them to the

mail merge being discussed in the question.

Use of mail merge

Mail merge can be used for a number of different tasks. Here are some examples:

Writing letters to customers

- to tell them about an upcoming sale or special offer

- to inform them about a change to the business e.g. new phone number

Mail shot

- sending out a survey to a large number of people

- competitions

Invoices

- sending reminders of overdue payments to a large number of customers

Schools

- students' names and grades into reports

- parents' names and addresses for letters home

- students' names onto certificates

Personal

- addressing envelopes for Christmas cards

Integrated Packages

Integrated packages combine the abilities of several general-purpose applications in one program. Integrated software is an all-in-one application package that includes word processing, spreadsheet, database manager, graphics, and communications. An integrated package works together and shares information from one program with another.






Integrated packages were developed to solve the problems caused by the inability of individual programs to communicate and work with common files of data.

Some integrated packages require significant amounts of memory and may compromise on the speed, power, and flexibility of some of their functions to achieve integration. Powerful microcomputers available these days, however, allow users to accomplish all their works without sacrificing computers' speed and flexibility.

What happens if users want to take the data in one program and use it in another? Suppose users want to take information stored in the database manager and use it in a spreadsheet. This is not always possible with separate application packages, but it is with integrated software. With an integrated package, users can use the database manager to pull together relevant facts. An example of such facts might be the annual membership fees for a sports club for different years. Users can then use the spreadsheet to compare these membership fees. Users can use the word processing program to write a memo about these membership fees for different categories of members.

Multiple Document Users

It is not unusual for people to work together in "teams" in today's business environment. Instead of a single person being responsible for a given task, a group of people may be charged with its successful completion. This may mean that you have a document for which multiple people are responsible. With some Office programs (such as Excel), multiple users can share the same document and work on it at the same time.

Word does not allow multiple people to use the same Word document at the same time, since the edits by each individual could create havoc with the final document. Instead, Word provides several tools that you can use in a multi-user environment to make collaborating of a document just a bit easier.

The first such tool is referred to as Track Changes. This tool allows two different approaches to document editing, each with plusses and minuses. The first approach assumes a serial progression of the document. For instances, you have a single copy of the document, and it makes its way through each member of your team. With Track Changes turned on, each person's edits are noted and can be easily reviewed by the person ultimately responsible for the document. That person—the one with whom the document originally started and will eventually end—uses the Accept or Reject Changes feature to review each change and judge whether it should be accepted or not.






The other approach to using the Track Changes tool is to give each member of your team a copy of the document. They are free to make changes, and they don't have to do so with Track Changes turned on. Then, the person responsible for producing the final document gathers each of the modified documents and "merges" them using the Compare Documents feature. (Again, this feature is part of the overall Track Changes part of Word.) Compare Documents combines two documents, resulting in a document that shows the differences between the two original documents. Once the merging process is done, with each of the team members' documents, then the responsible person can again use the Accept or Reject Changes feature to review each change and determine its acceptability.

If you decide to utilize the Track Changes feature of Word, and particularly if you decide to use the first approach, you may want to use the Comments feature to allow team members to insert their comments into the document. These comments shouldn't reflect the actual changes to the document (which should be done to the document itself with Track Changes turned on), but can contain general comments on why certain changes were made or just general comments on document development. In effect, the Comments feature becomes a way for the team members to provide input to the development process. The team member ultimately responsible for the document can then read the comments and resolve any issues contained therein.

Understand the function and use of flat-file and relational databases

A flat file database is a type of database that stores data in a single table. This is unlike a

relational database, which makes use of multiple tables and relations. Flat file databases are

generally in plain-text form, where each line holds only one record. The fields in the record are

separated using delimiters such as tabs and commas.

Flat file database tables can be set in various application types, including HTML documents,

simple word processors or worksheets in spreadsheet applications. The tables within a flat file database can be sorted based on column values. These tables serve as a solution for simple

database tasks.

In spite of the limitations associated with flat files, flat file databases are used internally by various computer applications to store data related to configuration. Most of the applications

permit users to store and retrieve information from flat files based on a predefined set of fields.

Flat files include data types common to other databases. A few features of the data in flat file databases include:






Database Management System: The text data represent an intermediate style of data

before being loaded into the database. Separated Columns: Flat file databases are based on fixed-width data formatting. Columns

are separated using delimiter characters. Data Types: Columns in the database tables are restricted to a particular data type and are

not indicated, unless the data is passed on to a relational database.

RDBMS stands for Relational Database Management System. RDBMS data is structured in

database tables, fields and records. Each RDBMS table consists of database table rows. Each database table row consists of one or more database table fields.

RDBMS store the data into collection of tables, which might be related by common fields

(database table columns). RDBMS also provide relational operators to manipulate the data stored into the database tables. Most RDBMS use SQL as database query language.

Repaginate/Repagination How to Stop Repaginating in a document

When you change the layout or content of a document -- even by simply typing or

editing -- Word processor needs to repaginate, which means checking the arrangement of the

pages in the document, making sure each one contains the proper amount of content. If

necessary, Word processors will move some page breaks so that each page holds a page's

worth of content. Although Word usually waits to repaginate until you pause, it sometimes

repaginates while you work, especially if your document contains many pages or uses complex

functions. If you switch to Draft or Outline view, you can turn off the background pagination

feature.

Widows & Orphans

Creating a similar visual distraction, an orphan is a single line of type that appears at the top of a column or page. This creates poor horizontal alignment at the top of the page. Again, the rule of thumb is at least two lines of a sentence at the top of a column.



http://www.sql-tutorial.net/




Differences between formulae and functions FORMULA FUNCTION

A formula is typed directly into the formula bar

A function is built into the software.; it is a special type of formula

Unable to nest a formula Can nest functions

Formula are simple calculations Functions are used to simplify complicated maths

Formulas do not have built-in wizards A function often has a built-in wizard to help you complete them e.g. VLOOKUP

What is a data Model

What are the Three Layers of Web Development?

Content or Structure

The content or structure layer is what your readers are coming to get when they come to your

Web page. Content can consist of text or images and includes the pointers that your readers

need to navigate around your Web site. In Web development, XHTML makes up the content

layer and it also structures the Web document

Style or Presentation

The style or presentation layer is how the document will look to your readers. This layer is

defined by the CSS or styles that indicate how your document should be displayed and on what

media types.

Behavior

The behavior layer is the layer of a Web page that does something. If you use Ajax or DHTML, it






is the JavaScript that makes the page do something. If you have a PHP or CGI back-end, it is the

PHP or CGI scripts that take action when your reader clicks something. For most Web pages, the

first level of behavior is the JavaScript interactions on the page.

Explain the purpose of cells, rows, columns, ranges, worksheets and

multiple worksheets in a single data file

An Orientation� A spreadsheet program is ELECTRONIC PAPER -- also called a WORKSHEET. With MS Excel, you can have multiple worksheets contained in a WorkBook (a single Excel file). The workplace is divided into COLUMNS and ROWS. COLUMNS traditionally are designated by one or two letters (starting with A). Columns are vertical. (up and down). ROWS are generally identified by numbers (starting with 1). Rows go across. The INTERSECTION of a row and column is called a CELL. A CELL is typically referred to by its column and row designation (A1 or Z56 or AA345 or VK987) which is its unique ADDRESS within the total spreadsheet. A cell may contain one of three types of entries:

1. Numbers or values (numeric data) 2. Labels (alphabetic or alphanumeric data) 3. Formulas (expressions of calculations or relationships among cells)

Entering Data To enter information in a cell, first, select the cell by clicking on it. Next, type the data. Then, either press the Enter key or the Tab key. This will move you to another cell to continue your data entry. Enter some Sample Data: Enter the following data in your spreadsheet to play with.

Jan May Aug Oct

Houston 70 85 98 75

Portland 50 65 70 55

NYC 20 55 85 60

Formatting Data Data entered into cells can be formatted in much the same way as in word processing. You can format






a single cell by clicking on it to select it a Range of cells by clicking and dragging across the range an entire row of data by clicking on the row number at the start of the row an entire column by clicking on the column letter at the top of the column

Once you have your cell(s) selected, from the menu bar, select Format, then Cells. Select your formatting options using the tabs at the top of the windoid that appears. When you have finished, click on OK to apply your formatting selections. Format the data you have entered by adjusting the font and size of the labels, as well as the font of the data. Entering Formulas In order for the spreadsheet to do a calculation for you, you must enter formula into a cell. Formulas begin with an equal sign. Formulas use references to other cells in the form of addresses in order to indicate which values to use in the calculation. A reference identifies a cell or a group of cells, using the cell address (column and row headings) Cell references can be Relative or Absolute. "A relative reference is like giving someone directions that explain where to go from where that

person started � � go up two blocks and over one.� A relative reference tells Microsoft Excel how to find another cell, starting from the cell containing the formula." Relative references look like C7 or H4.

"An absolute reference is like giving someone a street address � �3812 Atlantic Street.� An absolute reference tells Microsoft Excel how to find a cell based on the exact location of that cell in the worksheet. An absolute reference is designated by adding a dollar sign ($) before the column letter AND the row number. References such as $D$9 and $F$16 are absolute references." To enter a formula: First, type an equal sign = Enter a cell reference (either type in the cell address or click on that cell A1 Enter an operator + Enter a second cell reference A2 Continue as needed. Press Enter.

Explain the difference between a formula and a function

So in summary, a formula is any calculation in Excel, but a function is a pre-

defined calculation. =MAX(A1:B20) is a formula containing a function. Mastering the use

of functions in formulas is a key skill in learning financial modelling.






Explain why absolute and relative referencing are used

By default, all cell references are relative references. When copied across multiple cells, they

change based on the relative position of rows and columns. For example, if you copy the

formula =A1+B1 from row 1 to row 2, the formula will become =A2+B2.

There are two types of cell references: relative and absolute. Relative and absolute references

behave differently when copied and filled to other cells. Relative references change when a

formula is copied to another cell. Absolute references, on the other hand, remain constant, no

matter where they are copied.

Relative references

By default, all cell references are relative references. When copied across multiple cells, they change based on the relative position of rows and columns. For example, if you copy the formula =A1+B1 from row 1 to row 2, the formula will become =A2+B2. Relative references are especially convenient whenever you need to repeat the same calculation across multiple rows or columns.

Absolute references

There may be times when you do not want a cell reference to change when filling cells. Unlike relative references, absolute references do not change when copied or filled. You can use an absolute reference to keep a row and/or column constant.






An absolute reference is designated in a formula by the addition of a dollar sign ($). It

can precede the column reference, the row reference, or both.

Design, create and evaluate an appropriate data entry form (including:

appropriate font styles and sizes, spacing between fields, character spacing of

individual fields, use of white space, radio buttons, drop down menus,

highlighting key fields

In order to design a usable form, keep in mind the following four rules of good design: simplicity,

structure, consistency, and tolerance.

Simplicity - The form should be as simple as possible. Do not use elements that are unnecessary. Users

typically do not read computer screens, instead they scan information. Because of this, use inputs and

visuals that match what the user would expect to find. Structure - Organize the form in a meaningful

way. Elements that are similar should be organized together. For example, inputs that gather date

information could be grouped together. Elements of the form that are not related should not be

grouped together.

Consistency - Elements of the form should have uniform placement. If an input or visual object is first

presented one way on a form, then it should continue to be presented in the same way throughout the

form. Once the user grows accustomed to the appearance and behavior of the form and its objects, then

they should remain the same throughout the interaction.

Tolerance - The form should be designed to reduce error. Select the input object that is most suitable

for the type of data being collected. For example, the Date Input object should be used for entering

dates. If a Text Input object is used, a user is more likely to accidentally enter an invalid date.

Color Using the right colors for your form is a good way to make it attractive. However, color can be

used for more than just attractiveness. It can also be used to draw attention to elements, make

elements more clear, display meaning and ensure that your form is accessible to your audience.

Depending upon the colors you chose, some users with blindness or low vision may have difficulty

seeing the colors well, if at all. You should take accessibility rules into consideration when making color

selections for your form. (You can find additional information on accessibility rules through

Usability.gov).

Contrast It is important to use legible color combinations. The contrast between elements on the

background and foreground should be highly legible. Colors that are too close in brightness or hue will

decrease legibility. For example, using black text on a blue background decreases legibility to the point

where it is difficult to read the text






Information Representation Colors can be just as powerful as words when communicating ideas and

thoughts. The following are techniques used to present information through the use of color.

Emphasis - Color can be used to draw attention to elements of the form. This should be reserved to only

key elements or very important information. When selecting colors, you should always consider the

culture of your audience and ensure that the colors you choose have the appropriate meaning for that

audience. In the United States, the color red is usually associated with directing a person to stop and pay

attention to something.

For instance, in the example below, the color red is used to draw attention to the instructions for

entering dates on which the instructor evaluation should not be administered. Instructors were

consistently making mistakes on this portion of the form. Instead of entering the date they did not want

the review administered, they would enter the date the review was to be administered. It was

important in this situation that attention was drawn to the instructions.





















Static Parameter Queries

When you set up a query, if you put in a specific search criteria that you are looking

for, for example in the query below, 'chapman' has been entered as the parameter

(search criteria) for LastName.

The parameter (chapman) has been hard coded into the query. This means that

everytime the query is run, it will only ever search for records which contain the

last name of Chapman.






This is called a Static Parameter Query

Dynamic Parameter Queries

Because the type of query on page 6 would be used a lot, it wouldn't really be the

best way of setting up a query to search for a customer by their last name. It would

mean opening the query every time and manually changing the parameter before

running the query.

Instead, a 'dynamic parameter query' would be a better way of setting up such a

query.






Common features of audio editing software

Not all audio editing software packages share the same features, but most enable you do the following:

record, playback and edit audio cut and trim - remove audio from the start or end, or choose the best bit and delete the

rest remove background noise, eg hissing normalise or remove spikes and dips in volume save or output audio in different file formats and at different quality settings tag audio – add information about the audio to the file, eg author and credits

A static parameter query is when a parameter has been hard coded into the query which is

every time the query is run all it will do is search for the records which the query was initially

run for. A dynamic parameter query is a more flexible parameter query which can be changed every time and is not hard coded like a simple parameter query. To enter information into a

query about a dog’s surname we would use, [enter dog surname].






Evaluate the impact of image editing on society (including: media, advertising,

fashion, shopping, politics, and entertainment)

Pros Photo editing has changed the way we look at the world. it has brought so much

knowledge and beauty to us. Now we are able to view photography in a different way. Photo

editing makes the

unimaginable possible. It makes us able to take control of our photographs and change them

however we want to. Bibliography How has Photo Manipulation had an impact on us and the

world? By: Saskia Schneider Photoshop was one of the first ever photo editing software created

by the brothers John and Thomas Knoll in 1987. Thomas was a pHD student at the University of

Michigan and began writing a program on his McIntosh Plus (the third model of computers in

the McIntosh line) to display grey scale pictures on a monochrome display called Display.

The growing popularity of image manipulation has raised concern as to whether it allows for unrealistic images to be portrayed to the public. In her article "On Photography" (1977), Susan Sontag discusses the objectivity, or lack thereof, in photography, concluding that "photographs, which fiddle with the scale of the world, themselves get reduced, blown up, cropped, retouched, doctored and tricked out".[43] A practice widely used in the magazine industry, the use of photo manipulation on an already subjective photograph, creates a constructed reality for the individual and it can become difficult to differentiate fact from fiction. With the potential to alter body image, debate continues as to whether manipulated images, particularly those in magazines, contribute to self-esteem issues in both men and women.

In today's world, photo manipulation has a positive impact by developing the creativity of one's mind or maybe a negative one by removing the art and beauty of capturing something so magnificent and natural or the way it should be. According to the Huffington Post, "Photoshopping and airbrushing, many believe, are now an inherent part of the beauty industry, as are makeup, lighting and styling". In a way, these image alterations are "selling" actual people to the masses to affect responses, reactions, and emotions toward these cultural icons.

What is the difference between vector and bitmap graphics?

What is the difference between vector and bitmap images. A vector image uses geometrical formulas to represent images. The other way of representing graphicalimages is through bit-maps in which the image is made up of a pattern of dots (note that bit-maps are often referred to as raster graphics).



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Photography

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Sontag

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Sontag

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photo_manipulation#cite_note-43




Bitmap (or raster) images are stored as a series of tiny dots called pixels. Each pixel is actually a very small square that is assigned a color, and then arranged in a pattern to form the image. When you zoom in on a bitmap image you can see the individual pixels that make up that image. Bitmap graphics can be edited by erasing or changing the color of individual pixels using a program such as Adobe Photoshop.

Unlike bitmaps, vector images are not based on pixel patterns, but instead use mathematical formulas to draw lines and curves that can be combined to create an image from geometric objects such as circles and polygons. Vector images are edited by manipulating the lines and curves that make up the image using a program such as Adobe Illustrator.

Vector images have some important advantages over bitmap images. Vector images tend to be smaller than bitmap images. That’s because a bitmap image has to store color information for each individual pixel that forms the image. A vector image just has to store the mathematical formulas that make up the image, which take up less space.

Vector images are also more scalable than bitmap images. When a bitmap image is scaled up you begin to see the individual pixels that make up the image. This is most noticeable in the edges of the image. There are ways of making these jagged edges less noticeable but this often results in making the image blurry as well. When a vector image is scaled up, the image is redrawn using the mathematical formula. The resulting image is just as smooth as the original.

Unfortunately, vector formats are not well supported on the web. The two most popular image formats used on the Web, GIF and JPEG are bitmap formats. Most vector images must first be converted into bitmaps images (or rasterized) before they can be used on the Web. An exception is the SWF format used to create animations using Macromedia’s Flash animation software.

Bitmap formats are best for images that need to have a wide range of color gradations, such as most photographs. Vector formats, on the other hand, are better for images that consist of a few areas of solid color. Examples of images that are well suited for the vector format include logos and type.






