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

[Tony Beggs]

Mark
I'd opt for D as it states "inaccurate data" with my interpretation being on the emphasis of "data" part, ie validation checks data going into the system. Validation does not necessarily check accuracy of calculations.
Tony

Tony Beggs
St Patrick's College Ballarat



From: Mark Kelly
Sent: Wed 14/11/2007 11:27 AM
To: Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List
Subject: [Year 12 IT Apps] ITA Section A, Q9 - dear o dear.


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
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kel AT mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au

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