Year 10 · ICT · Spring 2

The systems life cycle; presentations · Lesson 5 of 5

Practical: proofing and checking

Practical15.1 Software tools: spell check, grammar check and validation15.2 Verification and proofreading

Year 10 · ICT · The systems life cycle; presentations · Lesson 5 of 5

You will learn to

  • Use spell check and grammar check, and judge each suggestion.
  • Explain the difference between validation and verification.
  • Identify transposition, spelling, spacing and case errors when proofreading.
  • Use a checking routine for layout: blank pages, widows, orphans and split tables.

Year 10 · ICT · The systems life cycle; presentations · Lesson 5 of 5

Success criteria

You have got it when you can say:

  • I can find the errors in a text by comparing it with the source, word by word.
  • I can explain why spell check can wrongly change a name.
  • I can use the same checking routine at the end of every practical task.

Year 10 · ICT · The systems life cycle; presentations · Lesson 5 of 5

Retrieval starter

Questions from before. Write your answers, then show them.

  1. Last lesson

    Handouts printed six to a page are for…

    A The projectorB The master slideC The audience to take away

    C. The audience to take away

  2. Last unit

    A query with Year = 8 AND Score > 60 shows…

    A Everyone with more than 60B All Year 8 pupilsC Year 8 pupils with more than 60

    C. Year 8 pupils with more than 60

  3. Earlier this year

    A style can set…

    A Only the colourB The file nameC Font, size, colour, alignment and spacing

    C. Font, size, colour, alignment and spacing

Year 10 · ICT · The systems life cycle; presentations · Lesson 5 of 5

Key words (1 of 4)

Proofing
Checking work for errors before it is used or printed.
Spell check
A tool that compares words with a stored dictionary and flags unknown ones.
Grammar check
A tool that flags possible mistakes in sentence structure.
Validation
An automatic check by the computer that data is sensible and follows set rules.

Year 10 · ICT · The systems life cycle; presentations · Lesson 5 of 5

Key words (2 of 4)

Verification
A check that data has been copied accurately from its source.
Visual verification
A person compares entered data with the source document by eye.
Double data entry
Data is typed twice and the computer compares the two versions.
Source document
The original document the data is taken from, such as a paper form.

Year 10 · ICT · The systems life cycle; presentations · Lesson 5 of 5

Key words (3 of 4)

Transposition error
Two characters swapped round, such as 54 typed as 45.
Range check
Validation that a value lies between a lowest and highest value.
Presence check
Validation that a field has not been left empty.
Format check
Validation that data matches a set pattern, such as DD/MM/YYYY.

Year 10 · ICT · The systems life cycle; presentations · Lesson 5 of 5

Key words (4 of 4)

Check digit
An extra digit calculated from the other digits, used to detect input errors.
Widow
The last line of a paragraph left alone at the top of a new page.
Orphan
The first line of a paragraph left alone at the bottom of a page.
Proofreading
Reading a document carefully to find errors in text and layout.

15.1 Software tools: spell check, grammar check and validation · The explanation · step 1 of 10 · part 1 of 2

Spell check and grammar check

A spell check compares each word with a dictionary stored in the software. Words not in the dictionary are underlined, often with a red line.

A grammar check looks for problems with sentence structure, such as "they was" or a missing capital letter.

Both offer suggestions. You decide whether to accept each one.

?Why?

These tools catch most typing slips quickly. They are a good first pass, not the last one.

15.1 Software tools: spell check, grammar check and validation · The explanation · step 1 of 10 · part 2 of 2

Spell check and grammar check (continued)

!Watch out

Set the dictionary language to English (UK). With English (US) the checker flags "colour" and "organise" as wrong, and may tempt you to change correct UK spellings.

15.1 Software tools: spell check, grammar check and validation · The explanation · step 2 of 10 · part 1 of 2

Why suggestions are not always right

A spell check only knows whether a word exists. It does not know whether it is the right word.

"Their are two bikes" passes a spell check because "their" is a real word. "Form" typed instead of "from" also passes.

Names, place names and technical words, such as Malasaña or Tawara, are flagged as errors even when correct.

15.1 Software tools: spell check, grammar check and validation · The explanation · step 2 of 10 · part 2 of 2

Why suggestions are not always right (continued)

e.g.Example
Source text: Meet at Plaza Mayor from 10:00. Typed: Meet at Plaza Mayor form 10:00. Spell check: no error found. Visual check against the source: "form" should be "from".
!Watch out

In the exam, a company or product name from the source file is often flagged. Do not accept the suggestion. The examiner wants the name exactly as given.

15.1 Software tools: spell check, grammar check and validation · The explanation · step 3 of 10 · part 1 of 3

Validation: the computer checks the data is sensible

Validation is an automatic check by the computer that data is reasonable and follows rules. It happens when data is entered.

It checks that data is sensible, not that it is correct. An age of 41 typed instead of 14 passes a range check of 0 to 120.

If data fails, the computer rejects it and shows an error message.

15.1 Software tools: spell check, grammar check and validation · The explanation · step 3 of 10 · part 2 of 3

Validation: the computer checks the data is sensible (continued)

CheckWhat it testsExample
RangeValue is between a lowest and highest valueExam mark from 0 to 70
LengthNumber of characters is allowedSpanish mobile number has 9 digits
Type (character)Data is the right type, such as numbers onlyQuantity must be a whole number
FormatData matches a patternDate as DD/MM/YYYY; Spanish car plate 1234 ABC
PresenceField is not left emptyEmail address must be filled in
Check digitLast digit, calculated from the others, matchesSupermarket barcode (EAN-13), ISBN

15.1 Software tools: spell check, grammar check and validation · The explanation · step 3 of 10 · part 3 of 3

Validation: the computer checks the data is sensible (continued)

?Why?

Validation stops impossible or badly formed data entering a system, such as a negative price or a date of 31/02/2026.

15.1 Software tools: spell check, grammar check and validation · The explanation · step 4 of 10 · part 1 of 2

Where validation appears in the practical papers

In a database task, you may set a validation rule on a field, such as `>=0 And <=70`, with a validation text message such as "Mark must be from 0 to 70".

In a spreadsheet task, data validation can allow only a list of values, such as Road, Mountain, Electric.

You then test it: try a value that should be accepted and one that should be rejected. Take screenshots of both as evidence.

15.1 Software tools: spell check, grammar check and validation · The explanation · step 4 of 10 · part 2 of 2

Where validation appears in the practical papers (continued)

e.g.Example
Field: Hours (number of hours a bike is hired) Rule: >=1 And <=8 Test 1: enter 4 → accepted. Test 2: enter 9 → rejected with message "Hours must be from 1 to 8".
!Watch out

Showing only the accepted value proves nothing. The rejected test and its error message are the evidence that the rule works.

15.2 Verification and proofreading · The explanation · step 5 of 10 · part 1 of 3

Verification: is it the same as the source?

Verification checks that data has been copied or typed accurately from the source document. The source is the original, such as a paper form.

There are two methods. Visual verification: a person compares the entered data with the source by eye. Double data entry: the data is typed twice, and the computer compares the two versions.

If the two versions differ, the computer flags the item so a person can check it.

15.2 Verification and proofreading · The explanation · step 5 of 10 · part 2 of 3

Verification: is it the same as the source? (continued)

e.g.Example
Double data entry of a phone number: First entry: 612 345 678 Second entry: 612 354 678 The computer finds a mismatch, so the operator checks the paper form and corrects it.
?Why?

Validation cannot know what the source said. Only comparing with the source, by eye or by a second typing, can catch a sensible but wrong value.

15.2 Verification and proofreading · The explanation · step 5 of 10 · part 3 of 3

Verification: is it the same as the source? (continued)

!Watch out

Double data entry does not mean typing it twice and seeing if it "looks right". The computer compares the two entries character by character.

The explanation · 5 more steps

More on the lesson page

The lesson page has the rest of the explanation, step by step:

  • Errors to look for in a visual check
  • Try it: verify or validate?
  • Validation vs verification
  • Proofread the layout
  • A proofing routine for the practical exam

Open the lesson page

Year 10 · ICT · The systems life cycle; presentations · Lesson 5 of 5

Quick quiz · 1 of 3

Validation checks that…

  1. A The data is sensible: the right type and in range
  2. B The spelling is right
  3. C The data is what the person meant

A. The data is sensible: the right type and in range

It cannot know the truth, only the shape.

Year 10 · ICT · The systems life cycle; presentations · Lesson 5 of 5

Quick quiz · 2 of 3

Double data entry is…

  1. A Validation
  2. B Verification
  3. C Proof-reading

B. Verification

Typing it twice and comparing.

Year 10 · ICT · The systems life cycle; presentations · Lesson 5 of 5

Quick quiz · 3 of 3

A widow or orphan is…

  1. A A single line of a paragraph left alone at the top or bottom of a page
  2. B A spelling mistake
  3. C A blank page

A. A single line of a paragraph left alone at the top or bottom of a page

Fix it before you save in the exam.

Year 10 · ICT · The systems life cycle; presentations · Lesson 5 of 5

Exit ticket

Answer on paper before you go. Then check.

  1. A format check on a postcode…

    A Checks only the lengthB Checks the postcode existsC Checks the pattern of letters and numbers

    C. Checks the pattern of letters and numbers The shape, not the truth.

  2. Parallel running means…

    A Switching over in one goB Testing in one branch firstC Old and new systems run together for a while

    C. Old and new systems run together for a while Safe but twice the work. Direct changeover is quick but risky.

Year 10 · ICT · The systems life cycle; presentations · Lesson 5 of 5

Homework and the challenge

Homework

The ICT 7 and ICT 19 quizzes.

End-of-unit challenge

End-of-unit test: topic 7 theory plus a timed presentation task.