Functional Skills Qualifications Functional Skills ICT — Finding and Communicating Information Syllabus

Functional Skills ICT — Finding and Communicating Information syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Functional Skills ICT — Finding and Communicating Information in Functional Skills Qualifications, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Searching and Evaluating Online Information

   4 topics

   • Searching the internet effectively
     • Using search engines and keywords
     • Refining searches and using filters
   • Evaluating sources and information
     • Judging reliability, accuracy and bias
     • Checking currency and relevance
   • Browsing, bookmarking and navigating the web
   • Acknowledging sources and avoiding plagiarism
2. 2

   Email and Online Communication

   4 topics

   • Using email
     • Composing, sending and replying
     • To, Cc and Bcc and attachments
     • Organising the inbox with folders
   • Communication tools and etiquette
     • Messaging and video conferencing
     • Appropriate tone and netiquette
   • Collaborating and sharing documents online
   • Choosing the right communication method
3. 3

   Creating and Presenting Information

   5 topics

   • Word processing documents
     • Entering, editing and formatting text
     • Layout, images and page setup
   • Spreadsheets
     • Entering data and basic formulas
     • Creating charts from data
   • Presentations
     • Designing clear slides
     • Combining text, images and media
   • Combining and integrating information
     • Importing data between applications
     • Presenting information fit for purpose and audience
   • Reviewing and improving the final output

Functional Skills ICT — Finding and Communicating Information flashcards for Functional Skills Qualifications

22 of 50 cards from the Functional Skills ICT — Finding and Communicating Information deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What is a search engine, and name three common examples.

   A search engine is an online tool that indexes web pages and returns a ranked list of results matching keywords you type. Examples: Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo.

2. What is a 'keyword' (or search term) when searching the internet?

   A keyword is a word or short phrase you type into a search engine that describes the information you want; choosing specific, relevant keywords gives more accurate results.

3. How do you search for an exact phrase rather than individual words?

   Put the phrase inside double quotation marks, e.g. "functional skills exam", so the engine returns only pages containing those words in that exact order.

4. What does adding a minus sign (-) before a word do in a search query?

   It excludes results containing that word, e.g. apple -fruit returns pages about Apple the company while filtering out fruit results.

5. What is the purpose of the site: search operator? Give an example.

   It limits results to one website or domain. Example: revision tips site:bbc.co.uk returns only pages from bbc.co.uk.

6. What is an 'advanced search' and why use it?

   Advanced search offers extra filters (language, region, file type, date, exact wording) that narrow results, helping you find more relevant and reliable information faster.

7. Name three techniques to make an internet search more effective.

   Use specific keywords; use quotation marks for exact phrases; use operators like site:, filetype: or the minus sign; and refine/filter results by date or region.

8. What does the filetype: operator do? Give an example.

   It restricts results to a particular file format. Example: budget template filetype:xlsx returns spreadsheet files only.

9. Why should you evaluate a source before trusting information from it?

   Because anyone can publish online; information may be inaccurate, biased, out of date or fake, so evaluating ensures it is reliable, accurate and fit for purpose.

10. List four criteria used to evaluate the reliability of a website or source.

    Authority (who wrote it/their expertise), Accuracy (is it correct and supported by evidence), Currency (how up to date it is), and Objectivity/bias (is it fair or trying to persuade/sell).

11. What is 'bias' in an information source?

    Bias is when information presents a one-sided or unfair viewpoint, often to persuade, promote a product, or push an opinion rather than give balanced facts.

12. How can a website's domain (e.g. .gov, .ac.uk, .org, .com) help you judge reliability?

    .gov (government) and .ac.uk (UK university) sites are usually authoritative; .org are often non-profit; .com are commercial and may aim to sell, so they need more scrutiny.

13. What is the difference between a primary and a secondary source?

    A primary source is original/first-hand information (e.g. an interview, raw data, an eyewitness account); a secondary source interprets or summarises primary sources (e.g. a news article or textbook).

14. Why is the date of a web page important when evaluating information?

    Information can become outdated; checking the publication or last-updated date ensures the facts, prices or statistics are still current and accurate.

15. What is a hyperlink, and how do you recognise one on a web page?

    A hyperlink is clickable text or an image that takes you to another page or resource; it is usually shown as underlined or coloured text and the cursor becomes a hand pointer over it.

16. What is a web browser? Name two examples.

    A web browser is software used to access and view websites on the internet. Examples: Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, Safari.

17. What is a URL?

    A URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the unique web address of a page or resource, e.g. https://www.bbc.co.uk, typed into the browser's address bar to reach it.

18. What is a bookmark (favourite) in a web browser and why is it useful?

    A bookmark saves a web page's address so you can return to it quickly with one click, instead of searching for or retyping the URL each time.

19. What do the browser Back, Forward and Refresh buttons do?

    Back returns to the previous page; Forward moves to a page you went back from; Refresh (reload) loads the current page again to show updated content.

20. What is browsing history in a web browser?

    A record the browser keeps of the web pages you have visited, allowing you to revisit pages and helping you retrace your steps; it can be searched or cleared.

21. What are browser tabs and why are they useful?

    Tabs let you open several web pages within one browser window; you can switch between them, comparing or referring to multiple sources without losing your place.

22. What does it mean to acknowledge a source, and why must you do it?

    Acknowledging a source means stating where information, images or quotes came from (e.g. author, website, date). It gives credit, avoids plagiarism, and lets readers verify the information.

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