The test length is 1 hour in length

1

Revision Hints

• The test length is 1 hour in length
• Tuesday 10th January at 2pm in Brindley B100
• The questions on the paper cover topics we have
  covered on the module
• You are required to answer one question from
  section A and two from Section B.
• Section A questions carry 15 marks and Section B
  carry 10 marks
• The notes today are designed to focus your
  attention on what and how to revise between now
  and the test I remind that questions can be
  drawn from the whole of the module and as such
  the following notes are for guidance
• These revision notes are frozen on the module
  website as of today

2
Revision what to use?

• Use the
• module PowerPoint slides
• module practical links and assignment work
• module schedule reading recommendations
• Computing and Computer Weekly articles library
  resources
• As you are level3 you do need to show some depth
  of reading/evidence of reading/investigation

3
Test structure

• All Section A questions are 15 marks and are
  discuss types
• All the Section B are 10 marks are comment
  on/describe/explain types
• The questions require written answers - there are
  no XML Spy development questions but use examples
  of XML syntax where appropriate if it is asked
  for or is recommended
• Each question has a subject header(umbrella) to
  focus your attention on the scope of the question
  

4
Revision topic hints

• You need to be able to discuss or describe or
  explain or appraise wrt to the question
• Discuss so discuss the topic compare and
  contrast/conclude based on evidence put forward
• Describe/explain/comment usually used to show
  knowledge of a technology/build of something
• Appraiseput forward an argument/critique of
  something
• Past papers are available from the Award Office
  but we will go through a past question today
• This years test paper is brand new by that we
  mean no repeat questions from previous years

5
Subject umbrella areas

• These are the areas
• Section A Discuss types questions (15 marks)
  one from this section to be answered.
• Web Services for E-Commerce
• Schemas for E-Commerce
• XML E-Commerce Versus EDI
• Section B Explain type questions (10 marks)
  Two from this section to be answered.
• XML Security
• Data analysis/Document analysis techniques
• XML in industry
• All questions can be enriched by evidence of
  background reading

6
Section A - Web Services for E-Commerce

• What is a web service? What is the concept?
• What is the impact for E-commerce?
• Which companies/industries are using web
  services?
• How does a web service work?
• What are the components?
• We looked at the Google example
• How does XML play a part?

7
Section A - Schemas for E-Commerce

• The role of schemas for E-Commerce
• Question asks for role of schemas for structure
  use the XML schema version
• Why necessary advantages/disadvantages
• Comment about the need for collaboration
• Schemas if you recall can be either
• Parochial
• Industry wide
• This latter one implies collaboration
• Show knowledge of the ebXML standard
• Use example syntax to illustrate the structure of
  ebXML

8
Section A - XML E-Commerce Versus EDI

• XML as a solution for small and medium sized
  enterprises (SMEs) to exchange information with
  other firms/organisations
• Why would they use it?
• What are the hurdles for them?
• What do they need to know?
• What are the alternatives?
• Compare to the more traditional EDI option
• What is EDI?/standards
• Who uses it and why?
• Why is Web EDI (XML) an alternative?

9
Section B - Data analysis/Document analysis
techniques

• The analysis and design process to derived a
  schema
• What approaches are there?
• Use an example of a typical business document
  such as an Invoice, order or proof of delivery
  document
• You need to be able to appraise the
  advantages/disadvantages of the approaches
• Data centric or document centric documents be
  able to describe the difference
• See week 3 notes data centric more structured

10
Section B - XML Security

• What techniques are available?
• Merits/demerits of each technique
• What is the progress of XML security?
• Visit W3C site to find out

11
Section B - XML in industry

• Why are MS so behind XML?
• How does their product range reflect this?
• Office suite
• IE
• Show evidence of background reading
• Understanding of the original W3C goals for XML
  see week 1 notes

12
Example question

• This question is not on this years test
• How would you tackle this question?
• Note that the marking scheme reflected a
  different weighting to this years format and this
  example is just useful for what was expected to
  be seen in the answer

13
Example Question - XML presentation and web
browsers

• a) an iterative component based life cycle for
  an E-Commerce XML development represents good
  software engineering. Discuss the significance
  of this statement making reference to the
  lifecycle followed using the XML Spy IDE. 10
  marks

14
a) answer

• Lifecycle followed during course schema gt
  documents gt presentation 2marks
• Answer expected to reflect on the experience 2
  marks
• Classic modular development separation of
  content from presentation 2 marks
• Good SE includes independence of development in
  a commercial setting
• Separation of duties iterative approach allows
  refinement as errors/extra
• Information discovered 3 marks
• How XML Spy IDE helps with lifecycle management
  1 mark

15
b)

• b) Explain with the aid of diagrams and/or syntax
  how XPath can be used to query the content of an
  XML document. Why are these languages important
  for the future of XML as an E-Business technology
  and what alternatives are there to XPath 10
  marks

16
b) answer

• Explanation of XPath standard combination of
  evidence expected experience
• from using XPath via XML Spy and evidence of
  reading from W3C 3 marks
• Examples of use and how it works 3 marks
• Impact the need to query XML content 2 marks
• Alternatives scripting languages and SQL
  queries using relational databases 2 marks
• 10 marks

17
c)

• c) Comment on how the browser Internet Explorer
  version 6.0 is XML compliant. Your answer should
  also indicate the future of the IE browser with
  regard to XML5 marks

18
c) answer

• Comment of how browser reads XML and displays at
  present 2 marks
• Mention that it is an HTML browser not an XML
  browser 1 mark
• Evidence of reading/research indicating future
  versions of IE student expected to have visited
  Microsoft research sites 2 marks

19
Summary

• If there are any questions between now and the
  test please email Yvan or myself for help
• Dont try and cram for this test read around
  the subject
• Good luck and have fun with the paper!