GCSE (9-1) Computer Science
Mark Scheme
J277/01: Unit 1.3 Secondary Storage
Question Answer Marks Guidance
1a
  • Row 1: Solid State
  • Row 2: Magnetic
  • Row 3: Solid State
 3
AO1 (Knowledge)
1 mark per correct tick.
If multiple ticks in one row, award 0 for that row.
1b CD / DVD / Blu-Ray 1
AO1 (Knowledge)
Do not accept: "Optical Drive" (this is the reader, not the medium).
Do not accept: "Disk" on its own.
2a
  • Durability / Robustness [1]
  • SSDs have no moving parts / Magnetic drives have moving parts that can break if dropped [1]
 2
AO2 (Application)
Must link to transporting (movement).
Do not accept: "It is smaller" unless linked to portability.
Do not accept: "Reliable" without explanation of physical robustness.
2b
  • Speed (Read/Write) [1]
  • Files will load/save faster / editing software will run smoother [1]
 2
AO2 (Application)
Must link to editing (performance).
Simply saying "It is fast" gets 1 mark. Contextualising it to the photos/files gets the second.
3 Type: Magnetic [1]

Justification (Max 2):
  • It has a high capacity (to store 10 years of data) [1]
  • It has a low cost per GB / cheaper to buy large capacities [1]
  • Speed is not a priority as data is accessed rarely [1]
 3
AO1 & AO2
Do not award: "Cloud" (Question asks for a type of physical storage).
If student answers "Optical" (e.g., Tape/Archival discs), allow marks if justification is valid regarding cost/archiving.
Do not accept: "Cheap" without "per GB" or reference to high capacity.
4 Any two from:
  • Capacity: Optical has much lower capacity (700MB/4.7GB vs many GBs) [1]
  • Read/Write Speed: Optical is much slower to save files [1]
  • Portability/Durability: Optical discs scratch easily / can be snapped [1]
  • Rewritability: Some optical discs (CD-R) are read-only / cannot be reused [1]
 3
AO1 (Knowledge)
Max 3 marks.
Award 1 mark per valid disadvantage identified and explained.
Comparison must be implied or stated.
OCR 2026