AS 91280 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, 669 KB]

TKI Social Studies assessment resources (external link)

For Excellence, the student needs to conduct a reflective social inquiry comprehensively. 

This involves making justified generalisations that could be applied outside of the context of the inquiry.

The student has comprehensively made justified generalisations that could be applied outside of the context of the inquiry, by discussing India’s use of protest against police brutality (1). The student has briefly discussed other forms of protest in the USA against police brutality (2).

For a more secure Excellence, the student could provide a more detailed justified generalisation that could be applied outside of the context of the inquiry about the protests in the USA.

For Merit, the student needs to conduct a reflective social inquiry in depth.

This involves explaining points of view, values and perspectives that relate to the focus of the inquiry.

This student has conducted an in-depth social inquiry into feminism by explaining the points of view (1), values (2) and perspectives (3) of Kate Hawkesby, Margaret Atwood and anonymous persons from a survey.

To reach Excellence, the student could show comprehensive reflection by making justified generalisations that could be applied outside of the context of the inquiry of feminism.

For Merit, the student needs to conduct a reflective social inquiry in depth.

This involves explaining points of view, values and perspectives that relate to the focus of the inquiry. 

This student has conducted an in-depth reflective social inquiry into the Rohingya Crisis in Burma by providing an explanation of the points of view (1) values (2) and perspectives (3) of Maung Thway Chun, and a brief explanation of the points of view, values and perspectives of the United Kingdom through Mark Field.

For a more secure Merit, the student could provide more detailed information to explain, in depth, the values and perspectives that underpin the points of view that relate to the focus of the inquiry for Mark Field.

For Achieved, the student needs to conduct a reflective social inquiry.

This involves:

• deciding on the focus for the inquiry by developing questions
• gathering information and background ideas
• describing people’s points of view, values and perspectives
• considering the ways in which people make decisions and participate in social action related to the focus of the inquiry
• reflecting on and evaluating the understandings that have developed and the responses that may be required.

This student has conducted a reflective social inquiry by developing questions about lowering the voting age in New Zealand (1).

The student has gathered information and background ideas (7).

The student considers ways that people make decisions and participate in a social action (2) and describes people’s points of view (3), values (4) and perspectives (5) from Wendy Dinsdale and Jo Wrigley.

The student has reflected on and evaluated the understandings that have developed from the inquiry, and the responses that may be required (6).

To reach Merit, the student could show in depth reflection by explaining, rather than describing, the points of view, values and perspectives that relate to the focus of the inquiry.

For Achieved, the student needs to conduct a reflective social inquiry.

This involves:

• deciding on the focus for the inquiry by developing questions
• gathering information and background ideas
• describing people’s points of view, values and perspectives
• considering the ways in which people make decisions and participate in social action related to the focus of the inquiry
• reflecting on and evaluating the understandings that have developed and the responses that may be required.

This student has conducted a reflective social inquiry by developing questions about the Southern and Molyneux speech controversy (1). The student has gathered information and background ideas (not exemplified here).

The student considers ways that people make decisions and participate in a social action (2) and describes people’s points of view (3), values (4) and perspectives (5) about the Southern and Molyneux speech controversy.

There is some evidence that the student reflects on and evaluates the understandings that have developed from their inquiry, and the responses that may be required (6).

For a more secure Achieved, the student could provide further reflection and evaluation of the understandings that have developed, and the responses that may be required.

For Achieved, the student needs to conduct a reflective social inquiry.

This involves:

• deciding on the focus for the inquiry by developing questions
• gathering information and background ideas
• describing people’s points of view, values and perspectives
• considering the ways in which people make decisions and participate in social action related to the focus of the inquiry
• reflecting on and evaluating the understandings that have developed and the responses that may be required.

This student has partially conducted a reflective social inquiry by developing questions about the ‘Slutwalk’ protests (1). The student has also gathered information and background ideas (not exemplified here), and considered ways that people make decisions and participate in social action (2).

The student describes points of view (3) and brief values (4) and perspectives (5), reflects on and evaluates the understandings that have developed from the inquiry, and the responses that may be required (6).

To reach Achieved, the student could:

• describe in more detail the values and perspectives that underpin the points of view presented
• provide further reflection and evaluation of the understandings that have developed, and the responses that may be required.