AS 91225 annotated exemplars

An annotated exemplar is an extract of student evidence, with a commentary, to explain key aspects of the standard. It assists teachers to make assessment judgements at the different grade levels. 

Download all exemplars and commentary [PDF, 664 KB]

TKI Economics assessment resources (external link)

For Achieved, the student needs to analyse unemployment using economic concepts and models. 

This involves:

• Identifying, defining, or describing unemployment concepts
• Providing an explanation of causes of changes in unemployment using economic models
• Providing an explanation of the impacts of changes in unemployment on various groups in NZ society. 

The student has defined the economic concepts related to unemployment (1). 

Two causes of changes in unemployment have been explained (2) using the Labour Market Model and the AS-AD model with the recessionary gap (3). 

The student has explained the impacts of changes in unemployment on various groups of NZ society, using a journalist in their early 20s, with no family, living in Hamilton, compared to a journalist in their 30s-40s, with family, living in Wellington (4). 

To reach Merit, a more detailed explanation would include an explanation of the recessionary gap (use of resources). In the market for commercial construction workers, an explanation of the changes in involuntary and voluntary unemployment, with reasons, would add further depth. 

For Merit, the student needs to analyse unemployment in depth, using economic concepts and models. 

This involves:

• providing a detailed explanation of causes of changes in unemployment using economic models
• providing a detailed explanation of the impacts of unemployment on various groups in New Zealand society. 

The student has analysed, in depth, the causes of changes in unemployment.  

The student has explained in detail the causes of changes in unemployment using models. Cuts in government spending were explained using the AS-AD model with recessionary gap and Labour Market model. An explanation of the recessionary gap was included. An increase in the minimum wage was also explained using the Labour Market model and the AS-AD model with a recessionary gap. An explanation of why E, IU and VU would change was also included for both causes. (1) 

A detailed explanation of the impacts of changes in unemployment on low-skilled minimum wage workers and higher-skilled managers over the short and long term has been provided. (2)

The impacts of change in unemployment on low-skilled minimum-wage workers versus highly skilled managers in the short term have been compared and/or contrasted. The Labour Market models were referenced, but changes on the models were not integrated into explanations. (4)

To reach Excellence, the evidence would include a more comprehensive comparison of the causes of changes in unemployment using the models. An explanation of why one cause is greater than the other was included by referencing the number of affected workers, and models were used. However, adding a minimum wage line to model 2 (Labour Market model for the first cause—cut in government spending) would have provided the opportunity to include a more detailed comparison of the size of the impacts on IU and VU, using the model. (3)

For Excellence, the student will analyse unemployment comprehensively, integrating economic concepts and models. 

This involves:

• Comparing and/or contrasting the causes of changes in unemployment.
• Comparing and/or contrasting the impact of changes in unemployment on various groups of New Zealand (NZ) society.
• Integrating changes shown on economic models into detailed explanations. 

The student has comprehensively analysed the causes of changes in unemployment. Economic concepts have been used, and changes shown on the AS-AD model and Labour Market model have been integrated into the explanation (1).

The causes of change in unemployment have been compared and contrasted in a ‘greater than/less than’ sense in the analysis by providing estimated numbers for the job losses due to the two events and explaining the impacts over the short and long term (2).

The impacts of the changes in unemployment on various groups of NZ society have been explained in detail. The groups discussed were public sector skilled managers versus minimum wage workers (3).

The impact of the changes has been compared and contrasted in a ‘greater than/less than’ sense. The language of the Labour Market model along with economic concepts, is integrated into the explanation. (4)