Core: Information Systems and Databases

6 dot points across 6 inquiry questions, in syllabus order. Each dot point has a focused answer, with exam-style questions and worked answers where available.

What are the seven information processes and how do they describe what an information system does?

Identify and describe the seven information processes (collecting, organising, analysing, storing and retrieving, processing, transmitting and receiving, displaying)

Seven information processes. What each process does, how they chain together, worked examples, and the traps markers look for.

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How do information systems collect, analyse and display data, and what technologies support these processes?

Describe how collecting, analysing and displaying are carried out in database information systems, including data validation, querying and reporting, and the hardware and software involved

Collecting, analysing and displaying in database systems. Data validation, querying and reporting, and the hardware and software involved, with the traps markers look for.

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How is data organised for storage and retrieval beyond the relational database model?

Describe non-database methods of organising data, including flat files, hypermedia and free text retrieval, and the storage and retrieval methods used by information systems

Organising and storing data. Flat files versus databases, hypermedia, free text retrieval, indexing, online versus offline storage, and the traps markers look for.

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What social and ethical issues arise from large database information systems and who is responsible for them?

Describe the social and ethical issues raised by database information systems, including privacy, data accuracy and quality, data ownership, control, and the impact of centralised data

Issues raised by database information systems. Privacy, data accuracy and quality, ownership, control and centralisation, with the traps markers look for.

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How are relational databases structured and how is data retrieved from them using SQL?

Describe the organisation of a relational database into tables, records, fields, keys and relationships, and construct SQL queries to retrieve and manipulate data

Relational databases and SQL. Tables, records, fields, primary and foreign keys, relationships, normalisation, and writing SELECT queries, with the traps markers look for.

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How do information systems physically store data and retrieve it efficiently, and how is it kept safe?

Describe the storing and retrieving information process, including online and offline storage, indexing, the role of the schema and data dictionary, backup procedures and encryption

Storing and retrieving data. Online and offline storage, indexing, schemas and data dictionaries, backup procedures and encryption, with the traps markers look for.

6 min read →