[Year 12 IT Apps] ITA Section A, Q9 - dear o dear.

[Geoff Moss]

Hi Mark

I concur with your comments.  

However D is the BEST answer and should be accepted.  

The addition of the word "help" at the end of the question or at the start of the response would have created a better question.  

I suspect that most students would not be tripped over by this poor question.  Where were the proof readers?

Geoff Moss 
RMIT


> Mark Kelly <kel at mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au> wrote:
> 
> Validation is used to
> A. check the accuracy of calculations.
> B. detect software errors and alert the manager.
> C. test functions and alert programmers to errors.
> D. prevent inaccurate data from entering the system.
> 
> This is a worry.  It cannot be D because validation does NOT check the 
> ACCURACY of data, only its reasonableness. Even the sacred IT glossary 
> says validation checks data input to a system is of an "appropriate type 
> 
> for processing, and within acceptable boundaries")
> 
> B and C are silly.
> 
> So are we to accept that validation is used to check the accuracy of 
> calculations?  Not really - that's called testing.
> 
> I think the question is just plain wrong, and I'm tempted to appeal 
> against it on the grounds of factual inaccuracy.
> 
> Any other opinions?
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Mark Kelly
> Manager - Information Systems
> McKinnon Secondary College
> McKinnon Rd, McKinnon 3204, Victoria, Australia
> Direct line / Voicemail: 8520 9085
> School Phone +613 8520 9000, Fax +613 95789253
> kel AT mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au
> 
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