A-Level Computer Science — Diagnostic Guide

Coverage Map

Diagnostic File	Topics Covered	Source Files
diag-fundamentals.md	Binary/hex, two's complement, floating point, Boolean algebra, logic gates	01-number-systems.md, 02-floating-point.md, 03-boolean-algebra.md, 04-computer-architecture.md
diag-data-structures.md	Arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues, hash tables, binary search trees, graphs	01-arrays-and-records.md, 02-linked-lists.md, 03-stacks-and-queues.md, 04-trees.md, 05-graphs.md, 06-hash-tables.md
diag-algorithms.md	Big O notation, bubble/merge/quicksort, binary search, recursion, graph algorithms	01-searching-algorithms.md, 02-sorting-algorithms.md, 03-graph-algorithms.md, 04-complexity-analysis.md
diag-programming.md	OOP, encapsulation, polymorphism, SQL queries, normalisation, recursion	01-programming-constructs.md, 02-object-oriented-programming.md, 03-data-representation-in-programming.md, 01-relational-databases.md
diag-networks.md	TCP/IP, OSI, IP addressing, subnetting, symmetric/asymmetric encryption, TCP vs UDP, web technologies	01-network-fundamentals.md, 02-network-security.md, 05-web-technologies.md
diag-theory-of-computation.md	FSM, regular expressions, Turing machines, halting problem, complexity classes	01-automata-and-computability.md

Topics Covered Through Integration Tests

Topic	Covered In	Source File
Software Engineering / SDLC	IT-1 (programming), IT-2 (theory)	01-software-development-lifecycle.md
Testing	IT-1 (programming)	02-testing.md
Operating Systems	Throughout (process management references)	05-operating-systems.md
Legal/Ethical Issues	IT-2 (networks security)	06-legal-ethical-moral.md

Grading Rubric

PASS Criteria

• Correctly solve at least 2 out of 3 Unit Tests with complete working
• Correctly solve at least 2 out of 3 Integration Tests showing cross-topic reasoning
• Correct use of Big O notation, binary representations, and SQL syntax
• Code/pseudocode is logically correct and follows structured programming principles

PARTIAL Criteria

• Correctly solve 1--2 Unit Tests and 1 Integration Test
• Shows understanding of concepts but has errors in implementation or calculation
• Partially correct code with logical gaps or syntax issues
• Correct high-level approach but incorrect details (e.g., wrong subnet mask, off-by-one in binary search)

FAIL Indicators

• Cannot perform basic binary/hex conversions or two's complement
• Confuses data structure operations (e.g., stack vs queue behaviour)
• Cannot analyse algorithm complexity (assigning wrong Big O class)
• Unable to write basic SQL queries or identify normal form violations
• Fundamental misunderstanding of FSM/Turing machine concepts

Prerequisite Chains

Fundamentals (number systems, binary, Boolean algebra)
  └── Data Structures (arrays, linked lists, trees, hash tables)
        ├── Algorithms (sorting, searching, graph algorithms, complexity)
        │     └── Theory of Computation (FSM, regular languages, decidability)
        └── Programming (OOP, SQL, data representation)
              └── Software Engineering (SDLC, testing)

Networks (TCP/IP, addressing, security)
  └── Web Technologies (HTTP, protocols)

Recommended order of diagnostic completion:

1. diag-fundamentals -- foundational number systems and logic
2. diag-data-structures -- requires binary understanding
3. diag-algorithms -- requires data structure knowledge
4. diag-programming -- requires algorithm and data structure understanding
5. diag-networks -- largely independent
6. diag-theory-of-computation -- builds on algorithms and programming

Timing Recommendations

Diagnostic	Recommended Time	Notes
diag-fundamentals	35 minutes	Binary arithmetic requires careful work
diag-data-structures	40 minutes	Hash table tracing takes time
diag-algorithms	40 minutes	Sorting traces are time-consuming
diag-programming	50 minutes	OOP design and SQL queries need thought
diag-networks	35 minutes	Subnetting calculations require practice
diag-theory-of-computation	35 minutes	FSM design and Turing machine traces

Total recommended time: approximately 3.9 hours (spread across multiple sessions).

Full battery timing: Complete all 6 diagnostics over 3--4 sessions of 60--70 minutes each.

How to Use These Diagnostics

1. Complete each diagnostic without referring to notes or reference materials.
2. For programming questions, write pseudocode or actual code on paper first.
3. Check solutions immediately after each question to identify gaps.
4. If you score FAIL, review the corresponding source file before retrying.
5. Integration Tests are the strongest predictor of exam readiness -- they test your ability to combine concepts from different topics, which is essential for A-Level exam questions that often span multiple areas of the specification.
6. Pay special attention to: binary arithmetic accuracy, Big O notation, SQL syntax, and FSM design -- these are frequently tested and easy to lose marks on through small errors.