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IGCSE Computer Science Paper 2 Drill Guide: Pseudocode, Traces and Truth Tables
TUTORZONE EXAM DRILL GUIDE · IGCSE COMPUTER SCIENCE 0478 (ALGORITHMS AND PROGRAMMING)
IGCSE Computer Science 0478 is two papers of 50% each: Paper 2 covers algorithms, programming and logic (75 marks), Paper 1 covers computer systems (75 marks). Paper 2 is 10 questions in 1 h 45 min – about 10 minutes each, though a long question takes 20. Method only: question order, indented pseudocode, loop traces, truth tables, a 12-week plan and the error log.
How is IGCSE Computer Science Paper 2 assessed, and what does each part carry?
Paper 2 (Algorithms, Programming and Logic): Short-answer + structured + scenario, 75 marks (75 marks (50%)); Paper 1 (Computer Systems): Short-answer and structured, 75 marks (75 marks (50%))
Assessment at a glance (2027)
| Component | Content | Weighting | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 2 (Algorithms, Programming and Logic) | Short-answer + structured + scenario, 75 marks | 75 marks (50%) | 1 h 45 min |
| Paper 1 (Computer Systems) | Short-answer and structured, 75 marks | 75 marks (50%) | 1 h 45 min |
IGCSE Computer Science Paper 2 drilling technique: 10 questions in 1 h 45 min. Indent pseudocode blocks, trace loops line by line, and write full truth tables for logic gates.
What each paper is actually testing
| Paper | Drill focus | How marks are lost |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 2 (Algorithms, Programming and Logic) | indent pseudocode, write truth tables | Loop traces that drop the first or last pass – 1+2+3 recorded as 5 – with no variable values beside each line |
| Paper 1 (Computer Systems) | hardware, software, networks, security | AND written as 1 AND 0 = 1, with the result memorised instead of four complete rows |
What is each IGCSE Computer Science Paper 2 paper really testing, and what should you drill?
Paper 2 (Algorithms, Programming and Logic): indent pseudocode, write truth tables; Paper 1 (Computer Systems): hardware, software, networks, security
Drill order: by topic, then by year, then the mark scheme
| Step | What you do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1. By topic | Work through each topic, starting with the paper that allows least help (no calculator / closed book) | Exposes what is genuinely not understood |
| 2. By year | Whole papers to time, one or two a week | Trains pace, stamina and question selection |
| 3. Mark scheme | Go through the marking scheme question by question and log the scoring steps you missed | Most lost marks are written wrong, not thought wrong |
Should drilling go by topic first or by year?
By topic first, then whole papers by year, then the mark scheme. The first third of the time goes topic by topic (8-10 years of the same topic back to back), the middle switches to timed whole papers, and the last fortnight only redoes the recurring errors from your log.
A 12-week drilling timetable
| Week | Phase | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-3 | By topic: foundation | Topic by topic, starting with the easiest marks, building habits and recall |
| Weeks 4-6 | By topic: core | 8-10 years of the same topic back to back, errors classified by topic |
| Weeks 7-8 | By topic: advanced and electives | Elective and higher-order topics, now under time pressure |
| Weeks 9-10 | By year: timed papers | One full paper a week, timed, no reference materials |
| Week 11 | Mark scheme work | Question by question against the marking scheme; list the scoring steps you omitted |
| Week 12 | Plug holes and simulate | Only the recurring errors from your log, then one full exam simulation |
Subject-specific weighting for this timetable: Three rounds in 12 weeks. Weeks 1-4 write pseudocode only – one IF, one FOR and one WHILE block a week – tracing each line by hand with the variable values written alongside. Weeks 5-8 take truth tables and logic gates, two three-input tables a week. Weeks 9-10 take algorithm design (bubble sort, linear search) and require every step, not just the answer. Weeks 11-12 are timed whole papers, allocating minutes by question and moving on at 20 minutes on a long one.
Use it properly: this is not a checklist to finish. Every week must keep time for redoing errors, or from week 9 you will be repeating the same batch.
Pacing
| Paper | Time | Suggested split |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 2 (Algorithms, Programming and Logic) | 1 h 45 min | about 10 min each, allow time for pseudocode |
| Paper 1 (Computer Systems) | 1 h 45 min | show steps for binary |
How should the time be split inside each IGCSE Computer Science Paper 2 paper?
Paper 2 (Algorithms, Programming and Logic): about 10 min each, allow time for pseudocode; Paper 1 (Computer Systems): show steps for binary
The drilling mistakes that cost the most marks
| Mistake | What it looks like | What actually happens | Instead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loop trace off-by-one | sum as 5 | 1+2+3 = 6 | sum = 6 |
| AND truth table | 1 AND 0 as 1 | AND needs both 1 for 1 | Only 1 AND 1 = 1 |
| FOR/WHILE mixed | FOR as condition loop | FOR is count, WHILE is condition | FOR=count, WHILE=condition |
The error log and the mark scheme
Three columns: trace (first pass, last pass, values written down), syntax (indentation, FOR versus WHILE, variables initialised), truth table (rows equal 2 to the n, AND and OR not swapped). The third column is the least recorded and the easiest set of marks on the paper.
How many years should you drill?
Paper 2 of 0478 repeats four question types year after year: pseudocode, trace tables, truth tables and algorithm descriptions. Five sessions cover all of them, so drill by question type rather than by year – otherwise the same type comes round three times in a fortnight.
How many years of past papers is enough?
Paper 2 of 0478 repeats four question types year after year: pseudocode, trace tables, truth tables and algorithm descriptions. Five sessions cover all of them, so drill by question type rather than by year – otherwise the same type comes round three times in a fortnight.
Frequently asked questions
Is this page a mock paper or a drilling guide?
This is the IGCSE Computer Science Paper 2 drilling guide: assessment structure, drill order, a 12-week timetable, pacing, common mark losses and the error-log method. For questions with answers, use the IGCSE Computer Science Paper 2 mock papers linked under Related.
By topic or by year first?
By topic. Eight to ten years of the same topic back to back is what exposes repeating errors; going straight to whole papers just repeats the same batch under time pressure.
How should the error log be written?
Do not copy out questions. Per error record four things: question reference, which step failed (concept, wording, calculation), what the mark scheme requires, and the correct action next time.
Does the pseudocode have to follow a set syntax?
Yes, but clarity of structure matters most: indentation for blocks, initialised variables, an explicit exit condition on every loop. The examiner reads the logic, not a particular language – but the keywords such as IF, ELSE and ENDIF must all be there, or the structure is marked unclear.
Should I attempt the long questions first?
No – clear the short 1-3 mark questions in ten minutes and bank the time for programming and algorithm questions. If a long question stalls, move on at 20 minutes and return at the end; a blank earns nothing, while flowchart-style steps usually earn something.
Official references
| Resource | What to use it for |
|---|---|
| Cambridge IGCSE Computer Science 0478 syllabus (2026-2028) | Confirm the Paper 1/2 marks and times |
| https://www.tutorzone.com.hk/en-igcse-computer-science-0478-paper-1-mock-2027/ | IGCSE Computer Science Paper 1 drilling mock |
Also in this series: IGCSE Computer Science Paper 2 mock paper | Practice papers index
Next step: find a tutor / register as a tutor
After drilling, the hard part is telling a conceptual error from a writing error. Tell us the year group, the school and your available times, and TutorZone will match you with a tutor who knows the HKEAA assessment requirements.
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