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Year 11 · ICT · Autumn 2 · Paper 2 practice: documents, databases, presentations

A full Paper 2

Exam practicePresent ▶

What this lesson covers

17.1 Page setup: size, orientation, margins and gutter

Cambridge IGCSE ICT 0417 · Topic 17: Document production · Paper 2

18.2 Manipulate data: calculations, sorting and queries

Cambridge IGCSE ICT 0417 · Topic 18: Databases · Paper 2

19c Transitions, animations and outputs

Cambridge IGCSE ICT 0417 · Topic 19: Presentations · Paper 2

You will learn to

  • Complete a full Paper 2 in 2 hours 15 minutes.
  • Use a timing plan with clock times for each task and 15 minutes to check.
  • Use the mark scheme to mark the paper and sort each lost mark by its cause.
  • Update your tracker from the result.

Success criteria

  • I can write my clock times on the paper before I start.
  • I can attempt every task, even if some steps are not finished.
  • I can say which skills went red, amber or green on my tracker.
The syllabus points for these sections
  • Set page size and orientation as instructed.
  • Set top, bottom, left and right margins exactly.
  • Explain and set a gutter margin.
  • Check page setup has not moved the header and footer out of line.
  • Create calculated fields in queries and calculated controls in reports and forms.
  • Use sum, average, maximum, minimum and count.
  • Sort on one or more fields, ascending or descending.
  • Write query criteria with =, >, <, >=, <=, <> and AND, OR, NOT.
  • Use LIKE with the wildcards * and ?.
  • Give clear evidence of every query you build.
  • Apply transitions and animations consistently.
  • Hide a slide without deleting it.
  • Set up a looped presentation or a presenter-controlled presentation.
  • Print slides, presenter notes and handouts as evidence.

Key words

Say each word, then read what it means. Every one is in the glossary too.

Page orientation
Whether the page is portrait (tall) or landscape (wide).
Margin
The blank border between the edge of the paper and the text.
Gutter
Extra margin on the edge that will be bound, so text is not lost in the binding.
Column
A vertical strip of text; text flows from one column to the next.
Column spacing
The gap between two columns.
Page break
A marker that forces the text after it onto a new page.
Column break
A marker that forces the text after it into the next column.
Line spacing
The space between lines inside one paragraph.
Tab stop
A set position on a line that the cursor jumps to when the tab key is pressed.
Hanging indent
All lines of a paragraph except the first are moved in from the margin.
Find and replace
A tool that finds text and swaps it for other text.
Match case
A find option that only finds text with the same capital and small letters.
Database
An organised store of data that can be searched, sorted and reported on.
Table
A set of records about one kind of thing, such as members or bookings.
Record
One row of a table: all the data about one item.
Field
One column of a table: one piece of data stored for every record.
Field type
The kind of data a field holds: text, numeric, date/time or Boolean.
Display format
How a value looks on screen or paper, without changing the stored value.
Query
A search that shows only the records that meet given criteria.
Criteria
The conditions a record must meet to appear in a query result.
Wildcard
A symbol in a search pattern: * means any number of characters, ? means exactly one.
Calculated field
A field in a query that is worked out from other fields, not typed in.
Calculated control
A box on a report or form that shows a calculation, such as a total.
Slide layout
A pattern of placeholders, such as title and content or two content.
Transition
The visual effect when one slide changes to the next.
Animation
A visual effect that makes an object on a slide appear, move or disappear.
Presenter notes
Notes for the speaker under each slide, not shown to the audience on screen.
Hidden slide
A slide kept in the file but skipped when the show runs.
Looped presentation
A show that advances on timings and restarts by itself after the last slide.
Presenter-controlled
A show that moves to the next slide only when the speaker clicks or presses a key.
Handout
A printout with several slides on each page for the audience.
Slide sorter
A view showing small copies of every slide, used to reorder, hide or check slides.

The explanation

Read it here, or open the study page below to go one step at a time with things to try.

Timing a practical paper

Paper 2 is 70 marks in 2 hours 15 minutes. That is 135 minutes: just under 2 minutes a mark.

  1. Spend the first few minutes reading the whole paper.
  2. Write a clock time on the paper for moving on from each task.
  3. Keep the last 15 minutes for the final check and the last save.
e.g.Example

Start at 09:00. The paper ends at 11:15. Start the final check at 11:00.

!Watch out

Do not spend ten minutes on one step. Note it, move on and come back. Many later steps do not depend on it.

Reviewing the paper

Mark the paper with the scheme. Then sort every lost mark by its cause.

CauseExampleFix
Did not know howCould not make a calculated field in a reportPractise that skill on its own, then in a timed task
Did not follow the specUsed 12 point when the paper said 11 pointRead each step twice. Tick it only when it matches
No evidenceThe query was right, but there was no screenshotTake the screenshot as soon as the paper asks
Ran out of timeThe presentation was never startedUse the clock times in every practice paper
★Remember

Count your lost marks by cause. Fix the biggest group first.

17.1 Page setup: size, orientation, margins and gutter

How a Paper 2 document task starts

Paper 2 usually begins: "Open the file J2611news.rtf. Save it in your work area as a document with the file name NEWS." Then come the page setup instructions.

A typical set: "Set the page size to A4. Set the page orientation to landscape. Set all margins to 2 cm."

Do the page setup first. Everything else, such as columns and image sizes, depends on it.

?Why?

Changing margins later moves all the text, so tables, images and page breaks you placed earlier end up in the wrong place.

!Watch out

Save in the application's own format, as the task asks, not as .rtf again. Use the exact file name given, with the same capitals.

Page size and orientation

Page size is the paper size. In Spain and the UK the standard is A4 (21 cm × 29.7 cm). Letter size (21.6 cm × 27.9 cm) is used in the USA.

Orientation is the way the page is turned. Portrait is taller than it is wide. Landscape is wider than it is tall.

Use landscape for wide content, such as a table with many columns or a poster.

!Watch out

Source files from Cambridge are sometimes set to Letter. If the task says A4, change it. The examiner can see the difference in the printout's margins.

Margins and gutter

Margins are the blank borders between the edge of the paper and the text. You set four: top, bottom, left and right.

A gutter is extra margin added to the edge that will be bound, such as stapled or ring-bound. It stops text disappearing into the binding.

A typical task: "Set the top and bottom margins to 2.5 cm, the left and right margins to 2 cm, and a gutter of 1 cm on the left."

e.g.Example
A4 portrait is 21 cm wide. Left margin 2 cm + gutter 1 cm + right margin 2 cm = 5 cm. Width left for text = 21 − 5 = 16 cm.
?Why?

Knowing the text width helps you check later tasks. An image that should fill the width must be 16 cm here, not 21 cm.

!Watch out

After changing margins, check the header and footer. Right-aligned items must still sit on the new right margin. Moving the right tab stop is often needed.

18.2 Manipulate data: calculations, sorting and queries

Calculated fields and calculated controls

A calculated field is a new field in a query, worked out from other fields. It is not typed in and not stored in the table.

A calculated control is a box on a report or form that shows a calculation, such as a total.

In most database software you give the new field a name, a colon, then the formula. Field names go in square brackets.

e.g.Example
Booking 101: Hours 1.5, Rate €12.00 Cost = 1.5 × 12.00 = €18.00 Booking 103: Hours 2, Rate €11.00 Cost = 2 × 11.00 = €22.00 All eight costs: 18.00, 4.50, 22.00, 4.50, 8.00, 12.00, 24.00, 11.00
Calculated field in a query:
Cost: [Hours]*[Rate]

Calculated control in a report footer:
=Sum([Cost])
?Why?

Calculating, not storing, keeps the answer right. If someone corrects the hours, the cost updates by itself.

!Watch out

Spell the field names exactly as in the table. [Hour] instead of [Hours] makes the software ask for a value, and the answer is wrong.

Sum, average, maximum, minimum, count

These five functions summarise many records into one value. You use them in reports (calculated controls) or in queries (a totals row).

Sum adds up. Average adds up and divides by how many. Max finds the biggest. Min finds the smallest. Count counts the records.

FunctionFormula typedResult for all 8 bookings
Sum=Sum([Cost])€104.00
Average=Avg([Cost])€13.00
Maximum=Max([Cost])€24.00
Minimum=Min([Cost])€4.50
Count=Count([BookingID])8
e.g.Example
Sum: 18 + 4.50 + 22 + 4.50 + 8 + 12 + 24 + 11 = 104.00 Average: 104.00 ÷ 8 = 13.00 Max: 24.00 (booking 107) Min: 4.50 (bookings 102 and 104) Count: 8 records
!Watch out

Put a total in the report footer, not the page footer. A page footer total often shows an error or only that page's records.

Sort on one or more fields

Ascending means A to Z, smallest to largest, earliest date to latest. Descending is the reverse.

You can sort on two fields. The first sort field decides the main order. The second only matters when the first field has equal values.

In most query grids the software sorts from left to right. Put the main sort field to the left of the second one.

e.g.Example
Task: sort by Activity ascending, then by Cost descending. Padel 107 €24.00 Padel 101 €18.00 Padel 106 €12.00 Pilates 105 €8.00 Swimming 102 €4.50 Swimming 104 €4.50 Tennis 103 €22.00 Tennis 108 €11.00
?Why?

Within the three Padel bookings, the activity is the same, so the second sort (Cost, largest first) decides their order.

!Watch out

If Cost sits to the left of Activity in the grid, the software sorts by Cost first. The printout is then in the wrong order and loses the mark.

Read a query grid: a simple search

A query asks the database a question and shows only the matching records. Most software gives you a design grid.

Each column is one field. The rows are: Field, Table, Sort, Show, Criteria and Or.

Criteria is the condition a record must meet. Show decides if the field appears in the result.

Task: find all Padel bookings, by date. The software adds quote marks around text, so "Padel" is fine.

FieldBookingIDActivityBookDateCost: [Hours]*[Rate]
TableBookingsBookingsBookings
SortAscending
Show✓✓✓✓
Criteria"Padel"
Or
e.g.Example
Result (3 records): 101 Padel 06/10/2026 €18.00 106 Padel 09/10/2026 €12.00 107 Padel 10/10/2026 €24.00

Comparison operators

Comparison operators compare a field with a value. They work on numbers, currency and dates.

= equal to. > greater than. < less than. >= greater than or equal to. <= less than or equal to. <> not equal to.

For dates, "greater than" means later. Some software puts # signs round a date for you. That is normal.

CriteriaFieldMatching bookings
>10Cost101, 103, 106, 107, 108
<=8Rate102, 104, 105
>=08/10/2026BookDate104, 105, 106, 107, 108
<>"Swimming"Activity101, 103, 105, 106, 107, 108
2Hours103, 107
!Watch out

Watch the difference between > and >=. ">08/10/2026" leaves out bookings 104 and 105, which are on 8 October. Read whether the task says "after" or "on or after".

AND: every condition must be true

AND means a record must meet all the conditions. AND makes the result smaller.

In a query grid, conditions on the same Criteria row are joined with AND.

Task: find Padel bookings that are not paid.

FieldBookingIDActivityPaid
TableBookingsBookingsBookings
Sort
Show✓✓✓
Criteria"Padel"No
Or
e.g.Example
Padel bookings: 101, 106, 107 Of these, Paid = No: only 106 Result: 1 record (106, Padel, No) A range on one field also uses AND: Cost criteria: >=10 And <=20 Result: 101 (€18.00), 106 (€12.00), 108 (€11.00)
?Why?

Cost cannot be both above 20 and below 10, so AND inside one cell gives a range. Some software also accepts Between 10 And 20.

OR: any condition can be true

OR means a record needs to meet at least one condition. OR makes the result bigger.

In a query grid, conditions on different rows (Criteria and Or) are joined with OR. You can also type "Padel" Or "Tennis" in one cell.

Each row is read as a complete condition on its own. This matters when you mix AND with OR.

FieldBookingIDActivityPaid
TableBookingsBookingsBookings
Sort
Show✓✓✓
Criteria"Padel"No
Or"Tennis"No
e.g.Example
Task: unpaid Padel or Tennis bookings. Row 1: Padel AND No → 106 Row 2: Tennis AND No → 103 Result: 103 and 106 Wrong grid: "No" typed only on row 1. Row 1: Padel AND No → 106 Row 2: Tennis (any Paid) → 103, 108 Result: 103, 106, 108. Booking 108 is paid, so this is wrong.
!Watch out

When you mix AND and OR, repeat the shared condition on every row. This is one of the most common lost marks in Paper 2.

NOT, LIKE and wildcards

NOT finds records that do not match. Not "Swimming" gives the same result as <>"Swimming".

LIKE searches for a pattern instead of an exact value. It uses wildcards: symbols that stand for unknown characters.

The `*` wildcard stands for any number of characters, including none. The `?` wildcard stands for exactly one character.

Try it below. The toy uses a different table: a sports centre's bookings. Press the Member LIKE S* example, then type Not in front of Like "S*". Watch the matching and non-matching records swap. Then try Like "?a*".

CriteriaFieldMatchesBookings / members found
Like "P*"ActivityStarts with PPadel and Pilates: 101, 105, 106, 107
Not Like "P*"ActivityDoes not start with PSwimming and Tennis: 102, 103, 104, 108
Like "*ing"ActivityEnds with ingSwimming: 102, 104
Like "?a*"LastNameSecond letter is aGarcía, Martín, Navarro (M01, M04, M05)
?Why?

In "?a*" the ? uses up exactly the first letter, so the a must be second. Ruiz and López fail because their second letters are u and ó.

!Watch out

Some database software uses % and _ instead of * and ?. Cambridge uses * and ?. If you type "P*" without LIKE, many programs search for a real star.

There is something to try for this step in the IGCSE library.

Queries across two tables, and evidence

Because the tables are related, one query can show fields from both. Add both tables to the query; the relationship joins them on MemberID.

Task: show the name, activity and cost of every unpaid booking, with a charge after discount.

Evidence: take a screenshot of the design grid showing all criteria in full, and a screenshot or printout of the result.

FieldFirstNameLastNameActivityPaidCharge: [Hours]*[Rate]*(1-[Discount])
TableMembersMembersBookingsBookings
SortAscending
Show✓✓✓✗✓
CriteriaNo
Or
e.g.Example
Unpaid bookings: 103, 105, 106, sorted by LastName Carmen López, Pilates: 1 × 8.00 × (1 − 0.3) = €5.60 Diego Martín, Tennis: 2 × 11.00 × (1 − 0) = €22.00 Sofía Navarro, Padel: 1 × 12.00 × (1 − 0.2) = €9.60
?Why?

Paid is used to search but is not shown, so Show is unticked. The task decides which fields appear.

!Watch out

Common lost marks: criteria cut off in a narrow column, a typing error such as "Paddel", showing fields the task did not ask for, or no screenshot of the criteria at all. The examiner can only mark what is visible.

19c Transitions, animations and outputs

Transitions and animations, used consistently

A transition is the effect when one slide changes to the next. An animation is the effect when an object on a slide appears, moves or disappears.

Use the same transition on every slide unless the task says otherwise. Use the same animation for the same kind of object, such as all bullet points.

Choose calm effects. Many different effects distract the audience from the message.

?Why?

Consistency looks professional and keeps attention on the content. Cambridge marks consistency, not variety.

!Watch out

Using "apply to all" is the easy way to make transitions match. Afterwards check no slide kept an old, different transition.

Hidden slides

A hidden slide stays in the file but is skipped in slide show view.

This is useful for a backup slide, such as detailed prices that are shown only if someone asks.

Hiding is not deleting. If the task says hide, the slide must still be in the file and appear in the slide sorter.

!Watch out

Deleting a slide the task asked you to hide loses the mark. Show evidence with a screenshot of the slide sorter, where the hidden slide number is crossed out or greyed.

Looped or presenter-controlled

A presenter-controlled presentation moves on only when the speaker clicks or presses a key. It suits a talk to a class or a meeting.

A looped presentation runs on its own. Each slide shows for a set time, then the show starts again from the beginning. It suits a screen in a reception or a shop window.

To loop: set every slide to advance after a time, such as 8 seconds, and turn on "loop continuously until Esc" in the slide show settings.

LoopedPresenter-controlled
Who moves the slidesTimings set in the fileThe speaker, with a click or key
Typical useSports centre entrance screenManager's talk to new staff
SettingsAdvance after N seconds; loop until EscAdvance on click; no timings
MediaSet to play automaticallyCan play on click
e.g.Example
6 slides × 8 seconds = 48 seconds for one full loop.
!Watch out

Setting timings without turning on looping makes the show stop after the last slide. You need both settings for a looped display.

Print slides, notes and handouts

Slides: one slide per page, full size. Presenter notes: each slide with its notes underneath, one per page.

Handouts: several slides on one page, such as 3, 6 or 9. The 3-per-page handout has lines beside each slide for the audience to write on.

Print exactly the format asked for. Check the header or footer on the printout shows your name, centre number and candidate number.

e.g.Example
Brief: "Print a handout with 6 slides per page, in landscape, with your name in the header." Check in print preview: 6 per page, landscape, header shows name, all slides included (a hidden slide may need "print hidden slides" ticked if the task asks for it).
!Watch out

Handout and notes pages have their own header and footer settings, separate from the slides. Your name on the slide footer may not appear on a handout unless you add it there too.

Study it

Open the study page and go one step at a time.

ICT topic 17

Document production

Step by step, with exam questions and a quiz.

ICT topic 18

Databases

Step by step, with exam questions and a quiz.

ICT topic 19

Presentations

Step by step, with exam questions and a quiz.

ICT topic 11

File management

Step by step, with exam questions and a quiz.

ICT topic 13

Layout

Step by step, with exam questions and a quiz.

ICT topic 14

Styles

Step by step, with exam questions and a quiz.

ICT topic 15

Proofing

Step by step, with exam questions and a quiz.

ICT topic 16

Graphs and charts

Step by step, with exam questions and a quiz.

Topic 18 · Year 7

Data, spreadsheets and AI

Data is raw facts. Information is data with meaning. Spreadsheets calculate, databases store and search, AI learns patterns from examples.

Check yourself

One question at a time. The reason shows after each answer.

Saved on this device.