Cambridge IGCSE ICT (0417): Audience – Study Guide

Every document, presentation or website you make is created for someone. Topic 9 of Cambridge IGCSE ICT 0417 asks you to think about that someone, the audience, and to make sure the work is suitable for them. It also asks you to understand copyright: you may not simply copy other people’s text, images, music or software. Both ideas appear in the practical papers, where you must produce work for a stated audience and use only material you have permission to use, and in the theory paper, where you must explain the reasons and the laws.

Where this fits in the specification

This topic underlies the practical topics that follow it: layout, styles, images, proofing and graphs. Every decision about font size, colour, tone, amount of text or choice of image should be traceable to the audience. The Effects of Using IT study guide also covers social and legal issues, which is useful context for copyright.

9.1 Audience appreciation

Audience appreciation means understanding who will read, view or use your work and adapting it to their needs. Features to adapt include:

• Age: young children need larger text, bright colours, simple words, short sentences and many pictures. Older readers may need larger print and clear contrast.
• Knowledge and experience: a specialist can read technical terms; a general reader needs plain language and explanations.
• Interests and purpose: a sales leaflet persuades; a safety notice informs; a report needs formal language.
• Needs and abilities: people with visual impairment need high contrast, large fonts and alt text for images. Dyslexic readers may prefer a plain sans-serif font with generous spacing.
• Setting: a presentation shown on a large screen in a hall needs bigger text than a handout read at a desk.
• Culture and language: avoid slang, idioms or images that may be misunderstood or cause offence.

Examples of matching content to audience

Audience	Suitable choices	Unsuitable choices
Children aged 6 to 8	24 pt rounded font, bright colours, large cartoon images, one idea per page	Long paragraphs, small text, technical words
Company managers	Formal tone, bullet points, summary tables and charts, corporate colours	Cartoons, slang, long unbroken paragraphs
Elderly residents	16 pt or larger sans-serif text, high contrast, plenty of white space	Light grey text on a white background, tiny fonts
Mixed-language visitors	Short sentences, symbols and pictures, translations	Idioms and humour that translate poorly

Worked example: justify design choices

A tourist office wants a leaflet for families visiting a nature reserve. Describe two features suited to the audience.

1. Large, colourful photographs of animals appeal to children and keep their interest, while giving parents a quick view of what to see.
2. Short headed paragraphs with bullet points and a simple map let parents find opening times and trails quickly, so the leaflet works for adults and children.

The pattern is: feature, then reason connected to the named audience. A mark is not given for a feature without a reason that refers to the audience. Avoid vague words such as “nice” or “attractive”.

9.2 Copyright

Copyright is a legal right that protects the creator of an original work, such as text, images, music, video, software and web pages. It gives the owner control over how the work is copied, shared and sold. Copyright usually applies automatically as soon as a work is created, and it lasts for many years. Different countries have their own laws, though most follow international agreements.

What copyright means for users

It is illegal to copy, distribute, share or use copyrighted material without the owner’s permission. Examples of breaking copyright:

• Copying text or images from a website and using them without permission or acknowledgement.
• Making copies of software and giving them to friends, or installing one licensed copy on many computers (software piracy).
• Downloading or sharing music, films or games from unauthorised sources.
• Using a photograph in a leaflet without the photographer’s permission, or without a suitable licence.
• Copying someone else’s web page layout and content.

Ways of using material legally include asking for permission, buying a licence, using work that is explicitly free to use (such as material shared under an open licence), using your own original material, and acknowledging the source with a reference. Note that giving credit does not replace permission when permission is required. Some material is in the public domain because its copyright has expired.

How software and content are protected

Companies use several methods to discourage illegal copying:

• A licence agreement that users must accept, which limits use to a specific number of computers.
• A product key or activation code that must be entered during installation.
• Requiring the original disk or an online check to run the software.
• Holograms and special packaging to help buyers identify genuine products.
• Digital rights management that restricts how files can be copied or played.
• Watermarks on images and documents.

Consequences of breaking copyright

Offenders may be taken to court, fined or imprisoned, in the worst cases. Companies lose income and may reduce investment in new products. Users of pirated software may lack support and updates and are more likely to receive malware, as illegal copies are often tampered with.

Worked example: a copyright scenario

Amira is preparing a school magazine. She finds a photograph on a website and a short poem in a published book. She also writes her own article and takes her own photograph at a sports day.

• Her own article and photograph: she owns the copyright, so she can use them freely.
• The website photograph: she needs permission from the owner or must check that the licence allows reuse. Without it, using the photograph breaks copyright.
• The poem: it belongs to its author or publisher, so Amira needs permission, or she could write a brief reference to it and not copy it.

Recommendation: Amira should use her own photograph, ask the website owner for permission in writing and keep a note of the response, and avoid copying the poem. Her answer combines what is legal, what is not and what action to take.

Common mistakes

• Saying that content on the internet is free to use because it is publicly visible.
• Thinking that adding the source or author’s name makes copying legal.
• Writing that audience means “who owns the work” when the topic is the reader or viewer.
• Describing features of a design without tying them to a named audience.
• Mixing up copyright (protects creators) with a software licence (the terms of using one product).

Exam technique

In describe questions, give the feature and its effect. In explain or justify questions, add a reason using the word “because”. In practical work, add a short note, if the task asks for it, saying which sources you used and the permission you had. Never claim you have the right to use an image you took from a search engine without checking.

Check your understanding

1. What does audience appreciation mean? Understanding who the work is for and adapting it to their age, knowledge and needs.
2. Give two features suited to a presentation for young children. Large, bright text and simple pictures, with short sentences.
3. Why might a formal report suit managers more than a cartoon style? It is professional, quick to read and appropriate for their purpose.
4. Define copyright. A legal right that gives the creator of an original work control over copying and use of it.
5. State two ways of breaking copyright. Copying images or text without permission, or sharing pirated software.
6. Give two methods software makers use to prevent illegal copying. Product keys and licence agreements, or activation checks.
7. Give one risk to a user of pirated software. It may contain malware, or it will not receive updates or support.
8. Is it legal to use a photograph you found online if you name its photographer? Not necessarily; you still need permission or a licence that allows reuse.

Frequently asked questions

What does audience appreciation mean in IGCSE ICT? In Cambridge IGCSE ICT (0417), audience appreciation means understanding who will read, view or use your work and adapting it to their age, knowledge, interests, needs and setting, for example larger text and simple words for young children.

How do you earn marks when justifying a design choice for an audience? Give the feature and then a reason that refers to the named audience, for example large photographs to keep children interested. A feature without an audience-linked reason does not earn the mark, and vague words such as “nice” should be avoided.

Is it legal to use an online photo if you credit the photographer? Not necessarily. Naming the photographer does not give permission; you still need the owner’s permission or a licence that allows reuse.

What is software piracy? Software piracy is copying software illegally, for example giving copies to friends or installing one licensed copy on many computers. It breaks copyright law and pirated software may contain malware or receive no updates.