AS 91432 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, 613 KB]

TKI Geography assessment resources (external link)

For Excellence, the student needs to analyse a comprehensively aspects of a geographic topic at a global scale.  

This involves:

• fully explaining the factors and/or processes that contribute to the pattern
• evaluating the social and economic significance of the topic for people showing insight.

This student has shown insight and clarity of argument through application of well selected case study evidence and integration of geographic concepts with regard to tourism.

A full explanation of the factors/processes contributing to the pattern is provided, but not shown in this extract.

The economic significance is the focus of this extract, but the student response had also integrated the social significance (1). This approach demonstrates understanding of the relationship and interaction between these two aspects. This interaction is evaluated through a case study where the student recognises that social benefits may not necessarily relate to economic benefits (6).

The economic significance of tourism development has been both explained in detail and evaluated (2). The complexity of the economic significance is expressed through case study evidence (4) (6), the use of statistical evidence (5) and the multiplier model (3).

For a more secure Excellence, the student could further evaluate the social significance building on the detailed explanation. While combining both economic and social aspects demonstrates insight, a more comprehensive analysis would weigh the positive and negative aspects of each.

For Merit, the student needs to analyse, in depth, aspects of a geographic topic at a global scale.

This involves:

• explaining, in detail, the factors and/or processes that contribute to the pattern
• explaining, in detail, the social and economic significance of the topic for people.

This student has demonstrated in depth analysis through the explanation of natural and cultural factors contributing to a spatial pattern in the global topic of access to safe water. The explanations show use of geographic terminology and concepts. The student’s planning diagram (1) shows understanding of how the factors are related and interact to contribute to the pattern.

A direct link is made between the spatial pattern and climate zones (2). The explanation is developed with detail from global case studies for both water deficit (3) and water surplus areas (5). The explanation demonstrates complex understanding of relevant climatic factors.

A detailed explanation of the social and economic significance of this topic (omitted from this extract) was also completed by the student.

To reach Excellence, the student could explain more fully the interactions between the factors shown on the planning model to provide a more comprehensive analysis.

The student could further develop the reference to infrastructure and technology within the explanations of climatic factors (4). This would clarify the poverty relationship between these key factors.

A full explanation could also include reference to areas with similar climatic conditions which do not experience limited access to safe water.

For Merit, the student needs to analyse, in depth, aspects of a geographic topic at a global scale.

This involves:

• explaining, in detail, the factors and/or processes that contribute to the pattern
• explaining, in detail, the social and economic significance of the topic for people.

This student, in their planning diagram (A), has demonstrated understanding of the patterns and contributing factors of tourism. Their analysis was supported with a series of resource maps, annotated to show the patterns evolving from a concentration in Europe to a more dispersed global pattern.

The description of the pattern continues to be developed through careful integration into the detailed explanation of the contributing factors/processes (1). This approach has ensured that the focus remains on the pattern.

Transport (2) is considered a key factor contributing to each pattern, and colonialism (B) is also explained as contributing to the more dispersed pattern.

The economic significance of tourism is introduced through reference to foreign exchange earnings for the New Zealand and USA economies (4). The economic significance through employment is explained in detail (5).

For a more secure Merit, the student could extend the evidence for the social significance of tourism development to provide detailed explanations. Links between the employment evidence (5) and related positive social impacts could be made, for example an explanation of social development through investment resulting from tourism related economic growth.

A detailed explanation of economic significance could look beyond employment and perhaps take a wider approach as shown in the multiplier model.

For Achieved, the student needs to analyse aspects of a geographic topic at a global scale.

This involves:

• describing the pattern using geographic terminology
• explaining the factors and/or processes that contribute to the pattern
• explaining the social and economic significance of the topic for people.

This student has described a spatial pattern relating to availability of safe water, using geographic terminology (1). The response demonstrates a clear understanding of the complexity of the concentrated pattern and of the global spatial dimension (2).

Natural and cultural factors are explained as contributing to the pattern, with explicit reference to the pattern throughout the explanations (3). The explanations of both arid (4) and monsoon climates (4), and levels of development (5) demonstrate a relatively complex understanding of the selected factor and the causal relationship.

A detailed explanation of the social and economic significance of this topic (not shown in this extract) was also completed by the student.

To reach Merit, the student could provide detail through use of statistical data in the explanations or further develop global case study evidence. For example, the student could include human poverty index statistics or detail relating to other development indicators such as improved water source statistics. Either of these approaches would add depth and further define the pattern.

Use of research evidence in the explanation of how temperatures exacerbate water loss and impact on the availability of safe water (4a), would result in a more detailed response.

For Achieved, the student needs to analyse aspects of a geographic topic at a global scale.

This involves:

• describing the pattern using geographic terminology
• explaining the factors and/or processes that contribute to the pattern
• explaining the social and economic significance of the topic for people.

This student has addressed the geographical topic of tourism. The student has combined the first two aspects; the description of the pattern and the explanation of factors/processes contributing to the pattern. A spatial pattern has been described identifying both concentrations and dispersal (1). This description continues to be developed throughout the response (2). 

Transport development is explained as contributing to both the concentrated and dispersed aspects of the spatial pattern, with supporting global evidence (4).

An explanation of the economic significance of this topic (omitted from this extract) was completed by the student.

For a more secure Achieved, the student could further develop the explanation of a second factor or process. The identified historic and economic factors (3) need to be explained with more specific global evidence.

The student should also explain the social significance of tourism development. This could be achieved through showing how the identified economic benefits flow on to investment in social services.

The student could further develop the chronological discussion of tourism from a concentrated to increasingly disperse spatial pattern. Focusing on this significant aspect of global tourism would result in a stronger analysis.

For Achieved, the student needs to analyse aspects of a geographic topic at a global scale.

This involves:

• describing the pattern using geographic terminology
• explaining the factors and/or processes that contribute to the pattern
• explaining the social and economic significance of the topic for people.

This student’s description of a spatial pattern identifies both a concentration (1) in Africa for poor access to safe water and a dispersed pattern (3) for access to safe water. The description demonstrates understanding of the concepts of the spatial pattern and uses appropriate geographic terminology.

Several factors are identified and simply explained as contributing to the identified spatial patterns. Climate is briefly explained as contributing to the concentration in Northern Africa (2), demonstrating the beginning of analysis.

The discussion of poverty makes links to the spatial pattern (4) and shows understanding of how this aspect is significant for people (5) (6).

To reach Achieved, the student could structure their ideas more coherently to show an analysis of the topic, including more global evidence. For example, more global evidence is needed when explaining the significance of the topic and a poverty cycle could be used to organise their ideas.

The explanation of the factors/processes contributing to the pattern need to show greater depth of understanding, for example how climatic processes create water deficit areas and why this creates the identified concentrations.

The student could more effectively use of their ideas to show the quality of evidence needed at Level 8 of the New Zealand Curriculum.