AS 91528 annotated exemplars

This annotated exemplar is intended for teacher use only. Annotated exemplars are extracts of student evidence, with commentary, that explain key parts of a standard. These help teachers make assessment judgements at the grade boundaries.

Download all exemplars and commentary [PDF, 617 KB]

TKI Agricultural and Horticultural Science assessment resources (external link)

For Excellence, the student needs to carry out a comprehensive investigation into an aspect of a New Zealand primary product or its production.

This involves evaluating the validity of the method and/or reliability of the data and justifying the choices made throughout the investigation, providing a valid conclusion that discusses key agricultural or horticultural concepts and either the findings of others, or scientific principles, theories, or models.

The conclusions need to include proposed courses of action, based on the commercial significance of the findings, which the producer may undertake to achieve a specific outcome relating to the primary product or its production.

The student investigates the optimum application rate of gibberellic acid for pasture growth.

The student evaluates the validity of the method utilised by controlling the variables and eliminating possible errors (1), provides valid conclusions (2) and discusses using the findings from Dairy NZ (3). The student proposes a course of action based on the commercial significance of the findings (4). 

For a more secure Excellence, the student should include greater discussion on the findings of other sources.

For Merit, the student needs to carry out an in-depth investigation into an aspect of a New Zealand primary product or its production.

This involves developing a method that allows for collection of data that is valid and reliable, and providing valid conclusions that link key agricultural or horticultural concepts to own findings and to those from other source(s).

The student investigates the optimum application rate of gibberellic acid for pasture growth.

The student develops a method that allows for collection of data that is valid and reliable (1), provides valid conclusions (2) and links them to key agricultural concepts from their own findings (3) and to those from other sources (4).

To reach Excellence, the student should specifically state their proposed course of action based on the commercial significance of the findings.

For Merit, the student needs to carry out an in-depth investigation into an aspect of a New Zealand primary product or its production.

This involves developing a method that allows for collection of data that is valid and reliable, and providing valid conclusion(s) that link key agricultural or horticultural concepts to own findings and to those from other source(s).

The student is investigating the optimum application rate of gibberellic acid for pasture growth.

The student produces a method that is valid and reliable (1), provides a valid conclusion (2) and links key agricultural concepts on dry matter (3) with a brief link from the key agricultural concepts to their own findings and those of another source (4).

For a more secure Merit, the student should provide more detailed explanations of the key agricultural concepts and relate them to other sources.

For Achieved, the student needs to carry out an investigation into an aspect of a New Zealand primary product or its production.

This involves producing a statement of purpose, planning the method to be used, collecting, recording and processing primary data, interpreting findings based on own processed data, reporting findings and relating them to findings from another source relating to the agricultural or horticultural context, and proving a valid conclusions that relates to the purpose of the investigation.

The student is investigating the optimum application rate of gibberellic acid for pasture growth.

The student produces detailed evidence, including figures and graphs, of carrying out of an investigation. They produce a statement of purpose (1), plan the method (2), collect, record and process primary data (3), interpret and report their findings (4), and relate them to findings from another source (5). A valid conclusion is provided that relates to the purpose (6).

To reach Merit, the student should explain in detail how the method is valid and reliable and the conclusions should be better linked to key agricultural concepts.

For Achieved, the student needs to carry out an investigation into an aspect of a New Zealand primary product or its production.

This involves producing a statement of purpose, planning the method to be used, collecting, recording and processing primary data, interpreting findings based on own processed data, reporting findings and relating them to findings from another source relating to the agricultural or horticultural context, and proving valid conclusion(s) that relates to the purpose of the investigation.

The student is investigating the optimum application rate of gibberellic acid for pasture growth.

The student provides sufficient detail to carry out the investigation into the effect gibberellic acid has on pasture.  The method is aided through the use of appropriate photos. They produce a statement of purpose (1), plan the method (2), collect, record and process primary data (3), interpret and report their findings and relate them to findings from another source (4). A valid conclusion is provided that relates to the purpose (5).

For a more secure Achieved, the student should provide more detail in the conclusion and relate their findings in more depth to another source.

For Achieved, the student needs to carry out an investigation into an aspect of a New Zealand primary product or its production.

This involves producing a statement of purpose, planning the method to be used, collecting, recording and processing primary data, interpreting findings based on own processed data, reporting findings and relating them to findings from another source relating to the agricultural or horticultural context, and proving valid conclusions that relate to the purpose of the investigation.

The student is investigating the optimum application rate of gibberellic acid for pasture growth.

The student produces a statement of purpose (1), plans the method to be utilised (2), collects, records, processes and interprets their primary data (3), reports on the findings and provides valid conclusions that relate to their purpose of the investigation (4). The student attempts to relate the findings from another source back to their own findings (5).  

To reach Achieved, the student should relate their findings to the findings from another source.