SQA National 5 Administration and IT: the question paper and assignment explained

How the course is assessed

SQA National 5 Administration and IT is graded A to D from two components, both set and marked by the SQA: a question paper and an assignment. The question paper tests what you know across the course; the assignment tests what you can do with IT. This guide explains each component, the command words, how the grade is built, and how to prepare. It pairs with the assessment overview dot-point.

The question paper

The question paper is sat under exam conditions and covers all three areas: Administrative Practices, IT Solutions for Administrators and Communication in Administration. It tests knowledge and understanding and the application of that knowledge, often through short business contexts. Marks are awarded for answering the command word correctly, so technique matters as much as content.

The assignment

The assignment is the practical component. Under supervised, controlled conditions, candidates use IT applications (word processing, spreadsheets, databases) and problem-solving skills to complete a series of realistic administrative tasks. They must read the instructions, choose the right feature for each task, and produce accurate, professional documents that follow any house style. The completed work is the evidence the SQA marks.

The SQA command words

The question paper is built on command words, and answering the wrong one loses marks even when the knowledge is right.

1. Describe. Give a thorough description of features, more than a list.
2. Explain. Give reasons: a cause and its effect.
3. Outline. State the main features with a little more detail than a bare list.
4. Compare. Identify similarities and differences.
5. Identify, Give and Name. Shorter tasks: state the key factors.

How to study for National 5 Administration and IT

The course rewards precise knowledge plus confident practical skills.

1. Work from the specification. Treat each area as a checklist; question-paper items are written from it.
2. Learn definitions exactly. Terms such as record, mail merge, intranet and primary source must be used precisely.
3. Practise the command words. Turn recall into Describe and Explain answers.
4. Drill the software skills. Mail merge, spreadsheet functions and charts, and database queries must be confident for the assignment.
5. Practise past papers and the assignment. Use SQA past papers and marking instructions to learn the style and rehearse the practical tasks under timed conditions.

Check your knowledge

A short set of questions on the assessment. Attempt them, then check against the solutions.

1. Name the two components of the course assessment. (1 mark)
2. State what the assignment requires candidates to use. (2 marks)
3. What does the command word Explain ask for? (1 mark)
4. Give two ways to prepare for the assignment. (2 marks)