AS 90989 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, 454 KB]

TKI Media Studies assessment resources (external link)

For Excellence, the student needs to demonstrate comprehensive understanding of how individuals interact with the media. 

This involves giving reasoned explanations of the significance of at least two key patterns for the individuals and/or the media. 

This student has described key patterns of media use and identified similarities and differences between the two individuals’ interaction with news media (1). 

Reasoned explanations for the similarities and differences of news media use are given, considering age, occupation, lifestyle, personal preferences, and accessibility (2). The student builds a logical argument to explain the differences using specific evidence from both the media diary and interviews with their subjects (3).

The student gives reasoned explanations of the wider significance of these patterns for the individuals and supports the explanations by linking findings to media theory (4).

For a more secure Excellence, the student could:

• explain more fully the significance of both subjects preferring TV One, and the wider significance of this for the media in general (5)
• explain more fully at the impact of people’s media choices on the media in general (6).

For Merit, the student needs to demonstrate in-depth understanding of how individuals interact with the media.

This involves giving reasoned explanations for at least two described key patterns of media interaction, and similarities and/or differences of media use.

This student has demonstrated in-depth understanding of how two individuals interact with news media. 

The student describes, in detail, key patterns of media use and identifies similarities and differences between the two individuals’ interactions with news media (1) (2), giving reasoned explanations for the similarities and differences of news media use, considering occupation, lifestyle and personal preferences (3).

The student’s explanations are supported with specific evidence (interviews) and by building a logical argument to explain the differences, for example, justifying the difference between the two subjects’ media interaction (3).

To reach Excellence, the student could:

• explain the significance of the selected news media on the subjects’ understandings or comprehension of the news, e.g., that television and radio news sources are seen as ‘trustworthy and mostly factual’, yet traditional news media accounts for only 10% of the subject’s weekly interaction with news media (4).
• explain the significance of the similarities and differences between the subjects, such as the impact location can have on people’s choice of media (5).

For Merit, the student needs to demonstrate in-depth understanding of how individuals interact with the media.

This involves giving reasoned explanations for at least two described key patterns of media interaction and similarities and/or differences of media use.

This student has described key patterns of their use in some detail, for example what news media they interact with, how much, how often and when this is taking place (2). They have identified similarities between the patterns of media use, with evidence (4).

The student’s understanding is supported with some evidence in the form of graphs, data and interview answers with the subjects (3), giving some reasoned explanations for the patterns of media use linked to demographics and access, predicted in the student’s hypothesis (1). The hypothesis is supported with reasoned explanations and logical argument which considers the subjects’ ages, lifestyles and accessibility to media (3).

For a more secure Merit, the student could:

• choose two individuals based on more identifiable differences in their use of news media than a young adult and a teenager
• provide reasons for the differences between the subjects’ interactions with news media beyond age, lifestyle and access (3) (5), such as an explanation for subject two’s high interaction with news media on two days (6)
• provide more logical and developed reasoning for the similarity in media interaction not being ‘significantly higher…given [the subjects’] ages and the technology that is available to them’ (7).

For Achieved, the student needs to demonstrate understanding of how individuals interact with the media.

This involves describing at least two key patterns of media interaction for at least two individuals and identifying similarities and/or differences.

This student has chosen two individuals based on identifiable differences in their use of media and included a detailed description of both subjects (1). They have described in some detail key patterns of media use in terms of what news media the individuals interact with, how much, how often, and when this is taking place (2), and identified similarities and differences between the patterns of media use (4) (5).

The student’s understanding is supported with some evidence. There is an attempt to offer some generalised explanations for the patterns and differences of media use (3) (6).

To reach Merit, the student could:

• develop reasoned explanations for how and why these patterns of interaction occur, such as supporting reasons with a logical argument supported by specific evidence from the interviews conducted with the subjects about their media use (3)
• provide reasons for the differences, such as the statement about immigration status, using logical argument and supporting explanations with specific evidence (6).

For Achieved, the student needs to demonstrate understanding of how individuals interact with the media. 

This involves describing at least two key patterns of media interaction for at least two individuals and identifying similarities and/or differences.

This student has chosen two individuals based on identifiable differences in their use of news media (1). Two key patterns of media use are described in terms of what news media they interact with, how much, how often and when and where this is taking place (2). The student identifies two similarities and differences between the patterns of media use (3) (4).

The student’s understanding is supported with some evidence in the form of graphs and summarising the findings.

For a more secure Achieved, the student could:

• demonstrate understanding by describing, in more detail, how the patterns relate to each subject’s use of news media. For example, the fact that the data shows that both subjects spend about the same amount of time on social networking sites, but just at different times, is more likely due to personal preference rather than competency of media use as is suggested (5).
• identify the similarities and differences in more detail and with new, rather than repeated, explanations (4)
• support understandings of the patterns with more specific evidence.

For Achieved, the student needs to demonstrate understanding of how individuals interact with the media.

This involves describing at least two key patterns of media interaction for at least two individuals and identifying similarities and/or differences.

This student has chosen two individuals, based on perceived identifiable differences in their use of news media, as outlined in the hypothesis (1). The student identifies two key patterns of media use by two individuals, in terms of how much interaction is taking place (2), which forms of media the individuals interact with (3), and where this is taking place (7). 

Two similarities and differences between the patterns of media use are identified (6) (7). These are supported with some evidence.

To reach Achieved, the student could:

• describe the patterns by providing more details of what media is being consumed, such as the 90 minutes spent by Subject B on ‘traditional media’
• identify the similarities and differences more clearly and in more detail (2) (3) (6)
• support the descriptions with more specific evidence, such as what is being viewed on new media and traditional media (4) (5) (6).