Clarification details
Updated May 2015. This document has been updated to address new issues that have arisen from moderation.
Quality and Quantity of student evidence
The quality and complexity of student evidence should reflect the appropriate level of the New Zealand Curriculum (NZC), i.e. evidence for NCEA Level 2 should reflect NZC level 7.
The depth of evidence required is indicated by the descriptors used in the standard, e.g. identify, describe, explain, explain in detail, integrate, justify.
The quantity of evidence is indicated with singular or plural phrases.
The phrase ‘specific policy objectives’ indicates that two objectives should be identified and described in the analysis.
The phrase ‘a combination of’ indicates two or more policies would make up the combination of government policies that achieves the specific policy objectives relating to one economic issue, and minimises any negative flow-on effects on two other economic issues.
The standard refers to ‘model(s)’ indicating one appropriate model may be sufficient, but when applicable the student should provide a second relevant model to support the explanation.
The AS/AD model may be sufficient for Achieved and Merit explanations. However, to achieve with Excellence a student would have used ‘models’, indicating two or more would be needed to support a comprehensive analysis.
For example, this could be done by using the AS/AD model to illustrate direct impacts of the government policies on inflation, and using the Foreign Exchange model to illustrate flow-on effects of the policies on trade, and the policies flow-on effects on growth could be illustrated using the AS/AD or PPF model.
Students need to make direct reference to the presented models by explaining the illustrated changes, using the language of the models in the analysis to meet the requirements of the Achievement Criteria, e.g. the AS/AD model; AD, AS, PL, Y, Yf.
Analysing government policies for Achievement involves students stating or describing government policies that achieve specific policy objectives relating to one economic issue.
Additionally, using an economic model, students need to explain how or why the government policies directly affect one economic issue. Students also need to explain how or why the government policies have flow-on effects on two other economic issues, using an economic model(s).
Analysing government policies in depth for Merit involves students explaining in detail how and why the government policies impact directly on one economic issue, using an economic model. Additionally, explaining how and why the government policies have flow-on effects on two other economic issues, using economic models.
Analysing government policies comprehensively for Excellence involves students justifying a combination of government policies. Explaining how the policies achieve the specific policy objectives, and explaining how any negative flow-on effects would be minimised using this combination of policies. All the relevant changes shown on models are integrated into the detailed explanation.