DTP Coursework

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GCSE ICT - an excellent site, of great help to anyone tackling a GCSE ICT project

A guide to DTP projects from Thorpe St Andrew School

Project Ideas:

Possible projects include:

  • Advertising material (flyers, posters, magazine adverts)
  • Magazine and newspaper pages
  • Coursework reports for other subjects (must be something that contains graphics)
  • Brochures
  • Catalogues
  • Newsletter
  • Programme for a school play
  • Menu for a restaurant

A simple poster is not enough but a whole magazine is probably too much.  Five or six pages will be sufficient.

It is acceptable to do several small tasks e.g. a poster, a business card and a flyer.

Extension Projects

In order to get maximum marks, it is important to do an "extension task".  In your IDENTIFY section, you must make it clear that you will do at least two of the following tasks:

  • Image editing (e.g. use an application such as Microsoft Photo Editor to crop, resize and/or sharpen photographs).
  • Scanning photographs and importing them into Publisher.
  • Using a digital camera and importing the images into Publisher.
  • Text flow between blocks
  • Creating a logo
  • Importing a graph from Excel.

 

 

1.  Identify (5 marks)

Name your "End User"

You need to state the name of a person for whom you will produce a leaflet or a newsletter.

 

What is the End User's Problem?

You are producing this publication for someone.  That person must have a need for this publication.  Why do they need a publication?

If you were producing a leaflet to publicise a business, you could, for example, explain that your end user has a need for effective advertising material to help him to promote the business.  Your end user might not have the ICT skills necessary to produce such a publication and you can help him out.

 

Solution 1

Explain a solution that you will not choose.  This could be a manual solution i.e. producing a leaflet without using ICT.  This might involve handwriting instead of typing up the test, or it could involve using a manual typewriter.  It might also involve generating the pictures by cutting them up, pasting them to paper and then photocopying them.  Explain all the reasons why this would be a bad idea. 

 

Solution 2

Explain all the reasons why using DTP software would be an effective way of solving your end user's problem.

 

Objectives

List at least three quantitative objectives and don't forget to explain what extension features you will use in this project.

2.  Analyse (9 marks)

What hardware and software will you use and why?

You will need a computer, a printer and possibly a scanner and/or digital camera.  Explain why you need to use this hardware.

Software will be Microsoft Publisher.  Explain why DTP software is the best software to use to produce printed publications like leaflets or newsletters.

You might also use software such as image editing software to manipulate images.

 

Backup and Security

Once you have produced the publication, you need to hand it over to your end user who will need to back it up to avoid losing it.  He should ensure that he saves the file on a suitable backup device, such as a USB flash drive, for safe-keeping.

He should probably also use security software such as anti-virus software.  Explain why this would be effective.

 

Choice of Output (identify two output options and say which is the best and why)

Identify two output solutions e.g. you could look at the publication on-screen or you could print it out.  The benefit of printing it out would be that a paper "hard copy" would be produced that could be sent out to people or pushed through letter boxes.

You might also compare the merits of using a black laser printer of a colour inkjet.  The black laser printer would be fast and fairly cost-effective but it wouldn't produce colour copy.  You might investigate the cost of printing on a computer printer, compared to a photocopier.

 

Produce some sort of flowchart

How to Draw Flowcharts

How to Draw a Systems Flowchart

It doesn't really matter what sort of diagram you produce.  What is important is that you illustrate the "data flow".  In the form of a diagram, try to illustrate what the data is (the pictures and text), where that data comes from, how it gets inputted into a computer, how it gets processed and how the information is eventually outputted.

 

Data Dictionary

It is probably a good idea to present this in the form of a table that lists all the "data items" in the leaflet.  This means all the pictures and items of textual information.  here is a brief example (your table should be much longer):

Item of data Where it comes from Method of input How it will be processed
Picture of the restaurant Supplied by my end user Scanner I will crop, rotate and resize the photograph
Address and phone number of the restaurant From the letter sent to me by my end user Keyboard I will adjust the font, font size and colour of the text
Map showing people how to get there www.streetmap.co.uk Copy and paste map I will crop and add an arrow pointing out the location of the restaurant, using image editing software

 

3.  Design (9 marks)

Initial Designs

Produce two rough designs for the layout of your leaflet.  Then say which of these initial designs you prefer and why.

 

Detailed Design

Produce a detailed and annotated diagrams for your chosen design. 

On your design you should show where pictures will appear, what headings you will use, fonts, columns, text flow, dimensions and white space.  The design should be as detailed as possible and it should show where the extension features will be used.

 

End User Comments on Your Design

You should include some handwritten comments from your end user, as evidence that you have shown him your designs and considered his reaction. 

 

Action Plan

Make a list of all the sub-tasks that you will have to carry out in order to complete your project.

 

Test Plan

Suggested tests for a DTP project are: Does the publication print properly?  Is the page size correct?  Do the colours print as intended?  Are the photographs/logo included?  Are there any spelling mistakes?  Is the necessary information included?

Produce a table like the one below.  Fill in all columns but leave the "Actual Result" column clear.

For further guidance see the guide on Testing a GCSE Project (word document)

You should do around 6-7 tests.

Test No. Description of Test Expected Result Actual Result
1      
2      
3      
4      

 

4.  Implement (12 marks)

Evidence of Solution

Print out the completed leaflet.  Annotate this leaflet thoroughly to explain what you did and why you did it.  Include screenshots to explain all the features you used.

 

Evidence of Extension Features

You must show that you carried out your extension tasks.  Screenshot evidence is probably necessary for this.  If you did image editing, you must show the picture "before" and "after" to show that the picture was, in fact, edited.

 

Progression

You should show an earlier version of your work and explain why it was changed/developed.

 

Testing

Reproduce your test plan.  This time, fill in the "actual result" column.  Provide evidence to show how you carried out each test in the form of screenshots.  It is necessary that you say whether or not the test worked as expected.

 

Error Correction

You must identify an error that occurred and show how you corrected it. 

 

Compare your original design with your final outcome.

Explain any differences.

 

5.  Evaluate (5 marks)