GLOSSARY
- Access time The time taken to retrieve data from storage.
- Address A data storage location.
- ADSL (asymmetric digital subscriber line) High speed digital data line.
- Advocacy Site This is a website used by an individual or group which aims to influence decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions. .
- Analog Signal This is a continuous wave in which some feature increases and decreases in the same way as the thing being transmitted. In am radio, for example, the strength of the radio wave goes up and down in analogy with the loudness of the original sound.
- Algorithm A set of step by step programming instructions followed in sequence to solve a specific problem.
- ALU (arithmetic and logic unit) A part of a computer’s CPU (central processing unit) which performs calculations and sorting operations.
- Antiglare screen A polarized screen attached to the front of the monitor, which reduces eye strain.
- APA APA format is the official style of the American Psychological Association (APA) and is commonly used to cite sources in psychology, education, and the social sciences.
- Application software Software which instructs a computer to carry out specific tasks, as in word processing, database and spreadsheet software.
- Animator This is an artist who creates multiple images, known as frames, which give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence.
- Array A set of data of the same type
- Artificial intelligence (AI) The branch of computer science concerned with making computers process information like people. Applications include game playing, decision making, natural language programming, neural networks and robotics.
- ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) A binary code which allows the computer to interpret letters, numbers and symbols.
- Assembler A translator program which converts instructions into machine code to be read by the computer.
- Attachment A file sent with an e-mail message.
- Automation Computer control of machines and processes