IB Computer Science SL study plan

Map the full IB CS SL syllabus against your own confidence, rating every assessment statement from 1 to 5 so the weakest topics are visible in writing

Define and correctly apply the core vocabulary of computer architecture: CPU, ALU, control unit, registers, cache, primary and secondary memory, and the fetch-execute cycle

Trace a simple machine instruction through the fetch-decode-execute cycle and explain the role of the bus and clock in that trace

Compare primary and secondary storage and justify a storage choice for a stated scenario using capacity, speed, and volatility criteria

Build a one-page glossary of 30 architecture terms with a one-line definition each

Explain how data is represented in binary, including unsigned integers, two's complement for negative numbers, and simple binary addition

Convert between binary, denary, and hexadecimal by hand and verify ten conversions with a calculator

Explain the purpose of logic gates and construct truth tables for AND, OR, NOT, NAND, NOR, and XOR

Combine gates into a small circuit and derive its truth table from the individual gate outputs

Describe how characters are encoded and why a standard encoding scheme is needed for interchange between systems

Explain the need for operating systems and describe the functions of resource management, scheduling, and memory management

Distinguish interrupt handling, polling, and buffering, and describe a scenario where each matters

Describe the role of translators, compilers, and interpreters, and compare their behaviour at run time

Explain the purpose of standard application software categories and justify a software choice for a given user need

Describe how data is transmitted between a computer and a peripheral, including the roles of device drivers

Explain the layered nature of networks and the role of protocols in enabling communication between dissimilar systems

Describe the function of common network hardware: hub, switch, router, and wireless access point, and select the right device for a scenario

Explain how IP addressing and the domain name system let a user reach a named host

Compare client-server and peer-to-peer architectures and justify one for a stated organisation

Describe common network security risks and the countermeasures of firewalls, encryption, and authentication

Explain the difference between data and information and describe the stages of the data-processing cycle

Describe the characteristics of a relational database and explain primary keys, foreign keys, and relationships between tables

Write and validate SQL queries using SELECT, FROM, WHERE, ORDER BY, and simple aggregate functions

Normalise a small poorly structured data set into linked tables and justify each step

Explain the purpose of validation and verification and give a concrete example of each

Define an algorithm and express solutions using pseudocode and flowcharts to a consistent style

Trace the behaviour of linear search, binary search, bubble sort, and selection sort on given data, listing each comparison

Compare algorithm efficiency in terms of the number of comparisons for a given input size

Decompose a small problem into sub-problems and write pseudocode for each module

Explain the role of abstraction in simplifying a computational problem

Explain the purpose of the main programming constructs of sequence, selection, and iteration and identify them in given code

Trace a short program containing a loop and an array, recording variable values at each step

Describe the use of arrays and collections for storing multiple related values

Explain the role of testing, including the difference between iterative and final testing and the use of test data types

Construct a set of test cases including normal, boundary, and erroneous data for a stated program

Synthesise the whole syllabus into a single condensed revision sheet of no more than four pages

Complete a full-length timed practice paper under exam conditions and mark it against the official mark scheme

Identify the three weakest topics from the marked paper and re-teach each using your own notes

Rehearse the command terms used in questions and match each answer format to the verb, such as describe, explain, and compare

Plan the final revision week with a dated schedule of the remaining weak topics