AS 90823 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, 695 KB]

TKI Religious Studies assessment resources (external link)

For Excellence, the student needs to comprehensively explain the key beliefs within two religious traditions in relation to a significant religious question.

This involves explaining the wider implications of the key beliefs of the two religious traditions in relation to the significant religious question. 

The student has comprehensively explained the wider implications of suffering from two perspectives; personal and religious (1), explaining the key beliefs of Catholicism and Buddhism (2) in relation to the significant religious question of what is the nature of suffering as understood in Catholicism and Buddhism (3).

For a more secure Excellence, the student could comprehensively explain the key beliefs of Catholicism and Buddhism regarding the nature of suffering by providing evidence from the teaching of both Catholicism and Buddhism, through Church documents, Buddhist writings and teachings from authoritative sources within each of the traditions.

For example, the student could provide evidence from A Consistent Ethic of Life – Te Kahu-o-Te-Ora (NZCBC 1997) and The Four Noble Truths Teachings by Ajahn Sumedho to demonstrate the contribution they have made to the thinking of New Zealand and society in general regarding the nature of suffering.

For Merit, the student needs to explain in detail the key beliefs within two religious traditions in relation to a significant religious question.

This involves:

• outlining the details of the key beliefs of the two religious traditions in relation to a significant religious question
• explaining the significance of the key beliefs of the two religious traditions in relation to a significant religious question.

The student has outlined the details of the key beliefs of Catholicism (1) and Buddhism (2) in relation to the nature of suffering.

The student has explained in Catholicism and Buddhism the significance of the nature of suffering and their belief about its importance within their religious traditions (3).

To reach Excellence, the student would need to:

• provide an explanation of the wider implications of the key beliefs of Catholicism and Buddhism in relation to the nature of suffering as observed in a variety of situations, such as natural disasters, structural sin or terminal illness
• comprehensively explain the wider implications, the understanding of how Catholicism and Buddhism have contributed to society’s thinking in these areas.

For Merit, the student needs to explain in detail the key beliefs within two religious traditions in relation to a significant religious question.

This involves:

• outlining the details of the key beliefs of the two religious traditions in relation to a significant religious question
• explaining the significance of the key beliefs within each religious tradition.

The student has outlined some of the details of the key beliefs of Catholicism (1) and Buddhism (2) in relation to the nature of suffering.

The student has explained some of the details in Catholicism and Buddhism the significance of the nature of suffering and their belief about its importance within their religious traditions (3).

For a more secured Merit, the student would need to:

• provide a more detailed outline of the key beliefs of Catholicism and Buddhism in relation to the nature of suffering, and what both Catholicism and Buddhism believe about its importance within their religious tradition
• provide evidence of both Catholic and Buddhist teaching from authoritative sources, such as Spe salvi Benedict XVI 2007 and buddhism.org.nz (external link) on the nature of suffering. The student could explain in detail the significance of spiritual growth and suffering in Catholicism and the role the Four Noble Truths have in suffering within Buddhism.  

For Achieved, the student explains the key beliefs within two religious traditions in relation to a significant religious question.

This involves:

• outlining the key beliefs of two religious traditions in relation to a significant religious question, including their meaning and source or origin
• explaining the similarities and differences between the key beliefs of the two religious traditions in relation to the significant question.

The student has outlined the key beliefs of Catholicism (1) and Buddhism (2) in relation to the nature of suffering.

The student has explained the similarities (3) and differences (4) between the two religious traditions in relation to a significant question (5).

To reach Merit, the student would need to:

• provide more detailed evidence in the outline of the key beliefs of Catholicism and Buddhism in relation to the nature of suffering
• provide more detailed evidence of an explanation of the similarities and differences between the two religious traditions in relation to a significant question.

The student could explain in detail the significance of free will and suffering in the writing of St Augustine in Catholicism and the role the Eightfold Plan has in Buddhism and its relationship to suffering.

For Achieved, the student explains the key beliefs within two religious traditions in relation to a significant religious question.

This involves:

• outlining the key beliefs of two religious traditions in relation to a significant religious question, including their meaning and source or origin
• explaining the similarities and differences between the key beliefs of the two religious traditions in relation to the significant question.

The student has outlined some of the key beliefs of Catholicism (1) and Buddhism (2) in relation to the nature of suffering.

The student has explained some similarities (3) and differences (4) between the two religious traditions in relation to a significant question.

For a more secure Achieved, the student would need to:

• provide more evidence in the outline of the key beliefs of Catholicism and Buddhism in relation to the nature of suffering, e.g. providing more evidence of both Catholic and Buddhist teaching from authoritative sources on the nature of suffering
• provide more evidence of an explanation of the similarities and differences between the two religious traditions in relation to a significant question
• explain the similarities of Catholic and Buddhist teaching about suffering caused by the destruction of creation, explaining why Buddhists would follow the Four Noble Truths in their understanding of suffering and why Catholics would follow the Scripture and Church documents.

For Achieved, the student explains the key beliefs within two religious traditions in relation to a significant religious question.

This involves:

• outlining the key beliefs of two religious traditions in relation to a significant religious question, including their meaning and source or origin
• explaining the similarities and differences between the key beliefs of the two religious traditions in relation to the significant question.

The student has outlined some of the key beliefs of Catholicism (1) and Buddhism (2) in relation to the nature of suffering.

The student has explained a similarity (3), however the differences (4) between the two religious traditions in relation to a significant question is also required.

To reach Achieved, the student would need to:

• provide more evidence from authoritative sources in the outline of the key beliefs of Catholicism and Buddhism in relation to the nature of suffering
• provide more evidence of an explanation of the similarities and differences between the two religious traditions in relation to a significant question
• explain the similarities of Catholic and Buddhist teaching about suffering caused by free will. They could also explain why Buddhists and Catholics believe suffering is not good for us.