AS 91244 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, 36 MB]

TKI Geography assessment resources (external link)

For Excellence, the student needs to conduct comprehensive geographic research with guidance.

This involves:

• effectively presenting a combination of spatial, statistical and visual data
• fully explaining findings
• fully explaining the strength(s) and weakness(es) of the research process and how they impact on the validity of the findings and/or conclusion
• discussing ways the research process could be improved.

The student has effectively presented spatial, statistical and visual data. Detailed annotations (1) show relevance to the research aim. The presentation method focuses on the comparison of two locations, which directly supports the aim and shows understanding of the spatial component of the research (2).

The findings are fully explained including detailed evidence from the presented data (3). This explanation demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of the natural elements and interactions (4) (5) which form the basis of the research.

A range of relevant geographic concepts, such as process, interaction and location, have been incorporated into the explanation of the findings (4) (6). The student has acknowledged and addressed the anomalies in their data, demonstrating understanding that is indicative of comprehensive research (7).

For a more secure Excellence, the student could discuss ways of improving the research. The research process is effectively evaluated (9), but the suggested improvements (8) need to be discussed further. For example, the instructions beside each recording box could be more specific, with a statement that includes the formula for calculating tree height or soil descriptors.

For Merit, the student needs to conduct in-depth geographic research with guidance.

This involves:

• accurately presenting a combination of spatial, statistical and visual data
• explaining findings in detail
• providing a detailed conclusion
• explaining, in detail, the strength(s) and weakness(es) of the research process and how they impact on the validity of the findings and/or conclusions.

The student has accurately presented data, using a combination of methods and the correct conventions (1). The quadrat annotations use specific details that directly link them to the research focus (2).

The findings are explained in detail, with specific evidence from the collected and presented data (3). The explanation also incorporates relevant geographic concepts such as interaction (4) (5), change and process.

The student has provided a detailed conclusion demonstrating an ability to extrapolate the key results of the research. The aim is directly addressed (6), and specific evidence is used (8). The student also shows understanding of how the timing of data collection influenced the results and conclusion (7).

To reach Excellence, the student could present the data more effectively to enable comparisons to be made between the two sites. This could be achieved by drawing graphs that combine data for both locations, or by presenting this data as a statistical map.

More effectively presented data could lead to a full explanation of the findings. An explanation that compares sites would demonstrate more comprehensive understanding of the research aim, interactions, and the spatial context of the research.

For Merit, the student needs to conduct in-depth geographic research with guidance.

This involves:

• accurately presenting a combination of spatial, statistical and visual data
• explaining findings in detail
• providing a detailed conclusion
• explaining, in detail, the strength(s) and weakness(es) of the research process and how they impact on the validity of the findings and/or conclusions.

This student has presented a combination of data (not exemplified here), explaining the findings in some detail through the use of specific collected and presented evidence (1) (4). The geographic concepts of change and location have been incorporated to support the explanation (2) (3).

The student also explains the strengths and weaknesses of the research process (not exemplified here).

For a more secure Merit, the student could provide more evidence from the collected and presented data to support the ideas presented in the conclusion (5), for example by including statistical evidence of temperatures at the different altitudes.

For Achieved, the student needs to conduct geographic research with guidance.

This involves:

• identifying the aim and planning the research
• collecting, recording and presenting data relevant to the research aim, using correct conventions and a combination of methods
• explaining the findings incorporating relevant geographic concepts
• providing a conclusion(s) that relates to the aim
• describing the strength(s) and/or weakness(es) of the research process and how this affects the validity of the research findings.

The student has provided clear explanations of the findings incorporating the geographic concepts of ‘process’ (2) and ‘change’. A conclusion is provided which directly relates to the research aim (4). Throughout the explanation of the findings and conclusion the student demonstrates a sound understanding of the research aim.

The evaluation includes a description of both a strength and weakness of the research process, with the strength linked to the validity of the research findings. A strength of the research process is explained with some detail, including how it impacts on the validity of the research findings (6) which demonstrates a Merit level response.

To reach Merit, the student could continue to use detailed evidence from the collected data (1) (5), throughout the explanation of the findings and the conclusion. For example, river volume (3) could have been calculated to support the explanation relating to different river processes.

In the evaluation the student needs develop the description of the ‘weakness’ (7) further to explain how it affects the validity of the findings and/or conclusions.

For Achieved, the student needs to conduct geographic research with guidance.

This involves:

• identifying the aim and planning the research
• collecting, recording and presenting data relevant to the research aim, using correct conventions and a combination of methods
• explaining the findings incorporating relevant geographic concepts
• providing a conclusion(s) that relates to the aim
• describing the strength(s) and/or weakness(es) of the research process and how this affects the validity of the research findings.

The student has collected and recorded data relevant to the aim of the research and presented data using a combination of methods (1). The findings have been explained incorporating the geographic concepts of ‘change’ (2) and ‘process’ (3).

A conclusion is provided which relates to the aim (4) and shows understanding of the research context. The evaluation focuses on a strength of the research process (5).

For a more secure Achieved, the student could improve the quality of their presented data. The use of correct conventions such as specific titles, orientation and scale for the map, and axes labels on the cross section is expected.

It is only inferred how the identified strength of the research process affects the validity of the research findings (6). A more explicit description is needed, with a sentence such as: ‘The visual evidence such as photographs and field sketches supported the statistical data shown on the graphs, and this helps to prove that this evidence is valid’.

For Achieved, the student needs to conduct geographic research with guidance.

This involves:

• identifying the aim and planning the research
• collecting, recording and presenting data relevant to the research aim, using correct conventions and a combination of methods
• explaining the findings incorporating relevant geographic concepts
• providing a conclusion(s) that relates to the aim
• describing the strength(s) and/or weakness(es) of the research process and how this affects the validity of the research findings.

The student research report included the raw primary data, providing evidence for the collection and recording of data relevant to the research aim. By combining data for the two locations, the student shows a focus on comparing sites as required by the aim (2).

The conclusion directly relates to the aim (3) and the generalisations (4) are supported with the presented evidence.

The evaluation describes a strength of the research process including how the data collection method affected the validity of the findings (5).

To reach Achieved, the student could show the use of correct conventions by labelling graph axes and providing more accurate titles for the presented data (1). A map needs to be included to show the spatial dimension of the research and meet the requirement for using a combination of methods.

The descriptions of the findings need to be developed further to provide explanations of what the collected and presented evidence shows, incorporating relevant geographic concepts.