This is a 6 credit internal external
This achievement standard involves using advanced programming techniques to develop a computer program.
The programming language chosen must support the required data types, control structures, advanced programming techniques, and have good commenting facilities
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Achievement
Use advanced programming techniques to develop a computer program
This involves you: | You can show this by: |
---|---|
writing code for a program that performs a specified task | |
using advanced techniques in a suitable programming language | |
setting out the program code clearly and documenting the program with comments | |
testing and debugging the program to ensure that it works on a sample of expected cases |
An advanced computer program:
- uses variables storing at least two types of data (e.g. numeric, text, Boolean)
- uses sequence, selection and iteration control structures
- takes input from a user, sensors, or other external source
- produces output
- uses two or more advanced programming techniques
Examples of advanced programming techniques include:
Advanced programming technique | Example / Explanation |
---|---|
modifying data stored in collections (e.g. lists, arrays, dictionaries) | |
storing multidimensional data in collections | |
creating methods, functions, or procedures that use parameters and/or return values | |
responding to events generated by a graphical user interface (GUI) | |
using non-trivial string manipulation | Searching and replacing characters, counting occurrences of characters, modifying contents of strings, using Regex (regular expressions) |
using additional non-core libraries | downloaded Python libraries, imported C# libraries, external APIs |
can include complex programming techniques | See the Level 3 Programming standard |
Achievement with Merit
Use advanced programming techniques to develop an informed computer program
This involves you: | You can show this by: |
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documenting the program with appropriate names and comments that describe code function and behaviour | |
following conventions for the chosen programming language | |
testing and debugging the program effectively to ensure that it works on a sample of both expected cases and relevant boundary cases |
Achievement with Excellence
Use advanced programming techniques to develop a refined computer program
This involves you: | You can show this by: |
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ensuring that the program is a well-structured, logical response to the task | |
making the program flexible and robust | |
comprehensively testing and debugging the program |
Example ways of making a program flexible and robust include (but are not limited to):
Flexible and robust evidence | Example / Explanation |
---|---|
using actions, conditions, control structures and, methods, functions or procedures effectively | |
checking input data for validity | |
correctly handling expected, boundary and invalid cases | |
using constants, variables and derived values in place of literals |