9626_s26_qp_32 — 2026 May-June Information Technology 9626 Question Paper 3 Variant 2 · Cambridge CAIE AS & A Level

Insufficient technical detail and use of slang or vague terminology

“Candidates are also reminded that this examination is intended to assess their knowledge of Information Technology to a high level of understanding. Therefore, it is a reasonable expectation that candidates will be able to use technical terms from across the syllabus accurately and employ suitably technical terms in their answers. In a small number of cases, candidates use slang terms as part of their answer.”— 9626 Paper 11, June 2025

How to fix: Use precise IT vocabulary from the syllabus — 'firewall checks IP addresses against a rule set and drops packets that do not match' beats 'firewall blocks bad stuff'. Avoid slang terms (24/7 is acceptable but only because it is in common use). For every technical concept, learn the textbook definition, the components involved, and one applied example. The mark tariff is your guide: 4 marks = 4 distinct technical points or 2 well-developed ones.

Ignoring the question scenario / context — answering generically

“Typically, candidates focused on the use of microprocessors in general and did not address the issue of the use of microprocessors to control devices in a smart home.”— 9626 Paper 11, June 2025

How to fix: Underline the scenario words in the question (e.g. 'in a bank', 'for a smart home', 'in healthcare', 'in education') before you write. Every paragraph of your answer should reference that scenario. Do not just describe a feature — link the feature to why it matters in this specific context. 'Mainframes have minimum downtime' is a feature; 'banks process millions of transactions per day so any downtime would block customer payments and lose revenue' applies the feature to the context.

Listing features instead of giving advantages, drawbacks or comparisons

“Therefore, simply stating that a spreadsheet could, for example, create a graph from the data input was a statement of fact, rather than a comparison. Unfortunately, this answer typifies the answers that were given, and, only in a small number of cases did candidates provide comparative statements.”— 9626 Paper 11, June 2025

How to fix: When the question says 'benefits', 'drawbacks', 'advantages' or 'compared to', a feature alone is not enough — you must turn it into a consequence. Use this template: 'Feature X means Y, which is an advantage/disadvantage because Z'. 'Spreadsheets can create graphs' is a feature. 'Spreadsheets can create graphs which lets the gym owner spot membership trends faster than scrolling rows in a database' is a benefit. Always do the 'so what' step.