AS 91434 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, 609 KB]

TKI History assessment resources (external link)

For Excellence, the student needs to comprehensively research an historical event or place of significance to New Zealanders, using primary and secondary sources.

This involves showing initiative in the gathering and selecting of relevant evidence, for example by showing perseverance, and evaluating the research process, for example by analysing the validity of findings.

This student has researched the early contact period between Maori and Pakeha. The student has shown initiative by persevering with a number of reasonably challenging sources, showing understanding of important historical themes and perspectives, rather than just seeking description of what happened historically (1) (2) (5) (6) (7) (8).

The student has also evaluated the research process, analysing strengths and weaknesses and how that may impact on the validity of findings (3) (4).

For a more secure Excellence, the student could:

• further demonstrate the use of initiative by detailing steps taken to access sources that were not easy to find, for example, going beyond school resources and the internet
• discuss in the evaluation whether evidence selected is sufficient to allow valid findings and the drawing of balanced conclusions later.

For Merit, the student needs to research, in depth, an historical event or place of significance to New Zealanders, using primary and secondary sources.

This involves making annotations that include assessment of the reliability of selected evidence.

This student has researched the Black Death. The student has provided comment about source reliability in annotations (1) (2) (3) (4) and in the evaluation (5) (6) (7), and provided evidence for other Achieved and Merit indicators that allow an holistic high Merit judgement.

To reach Excellence, the student could provide more explanation for some judgements about whether a source is reliable, for example why books may or may not be reliable (1), or why being a national document makes a source reliable (2).

For Merit, the student needs to research, in depth, an historical event or place of significance to New Zealanders, using primary and secondary sources.

This involves making annotations that include assessment of the reliability of selected evidence.

This student has researched the Battle of the Somme. The student has assessed the reliability of sources when identifying possible sources (1) and in annotations (2) (3). The evidence provided for other Achieved and Merit indicators also contribute to an holistic low Merit judgement.

For a more secure Merit, the student could elaborate on reasons for accepting or doubting the reliability of some sources, for example, why Wikipedia or ask.com may be unreliable. The opportunity could also be taken in the evaluation to discuss source reliability further.

For Achieved, the student needs to research an historical event or place of significance to New Zealanders, using primary and secondary sources.

This involves following a research process and evaluating the process.

This student has researched the New Zealand (Maori) Pioneer Battalion. The student has followed a research process by presenting a research proposal that explains why this context has been chosen (1) and developing focusing questions that are feasible to research and worthy of research (2).

The student has also conducted preliminary reading that indicates what are areas that are worth researching and whether there are suitable and sufficient sources available. Good detail is included (3).

The student has evaluated the research process by providing annotations that identify the relevance of selected evidence (5) (6) and made comment on the comparative usefulness of sources (7) (8). The student begins to indicate the reliability of sources (4) (9) (10) and comments on strengths and weaknesses in the research (12) (13) and on the relevance and usefulness of specific sources (14) (15) (16).

To reach Merit, the student could:

• provide more in-depth comment, including in the evaluation, on source reliability
• ensure that the evaluation section does evaluate the research process rather than discussing other matters such as why the research was conducted (which is the role of the research proposal) (11).

For Achieved, the student needs to research an historical event or place of significance to New Zealanders, using primary and secondary sources.

This involves following a research process and evaluating the process.

This student has researched the Gallipoli Campaign. The student has followed a research process by preparing a research proposal (1), developing focusing questions (2) and providing evidence of preliminary reading (4). There is some evidence of assessment of the reliability of sources (which is a Merit indicator) (5).

This student has evaluated the research process by annotating the selected evidence to identify the relevance of the evidence (6), writing an evaluation (7) and, in the evaluation, explaining successes (9) (10) (12) and difficulties (8) (11) (13) (14) (15) in the research process and how the research could be conducted differently in the future (16) (17) (18).

For a more secure Achieved, the student could:

• ensure that all of the focusing questions allow specific research (3)
• identify the focusing question to which each piece of selected evidence is relevant
• provide some discussion of assessment of source reliability in the annotations and the evaluation
• assess the comparative usefulness of evidence in the annotations
• provide details and examples in the evaluation.

For Achieved, the student needs to research an historical event or place of significance to New Zealanders, using primary and secondary sources.

This involves following a research process and evaluating the process.

This student has researched the Battle of Passchendaele. The student has followed a research process by preparing a research proposal (1), developing focusing questions (2) and identifying some possible sources (3).

The student has annotated the selected evidence to identify its relevance (4), has begun to provide some evidence of the comparative usefulness of sources (5) and assessment of the reliability of sources (6).

The student has evaluated the research process by providing an evaluation (7) and, in the evaluation, explained some difficulties in the research process (8) (9) (11) (12) (13) and how the research could be conducted differently in the future (14) (15).

To reach Achieved, the student could:

• provide evidence of preliminary reading by identifying some relevant evidence that has already been detected
• provide more assessment of the comparative usefulness of selected evidence
• identify the focusing question to which each piece of selected evidence is relevant
• provide details and examples in the evaluation.