THE FOREST HIGH SCHOOL
ASSESSMENT TASK
Subject: History
Class: 10
Name and number of task: 2
Issue Date: Week
Due Date: Thursday 5th September, 2013
Weighting of task: 30%
Outcomes /Competencies
AL 2
Students develop a knowledge and understanding of Australia’s international
relationships.
AL 4
Students develop the skills to undertake the process of historical inquiry.
Submission Instructions
Task is to be submitted by the due date in hard copy (on paper) in 12 font.
Students will be awarded a zero mark for tasks which have not been submitted on time,
unless there is illness (medical certificate supplied) or exceptional circumstances as
determined by the Principal and/or Head Teacher following a submission of an appeals form.
Task Description
Background
It is 1973. After 23 years the conservative government has just been thrown out of office by a
rampant Labor party. Under the leadership of Gough Whitlam, the new government promised
radical social, cultural and economic reforms.
The new government is keen to right the ‘wrongs’ associated with Australia’s participation in
Vietnam. The Prime Minister has already brought back the last of our combat troops and has
just announced that the last remaining troops, guarding the Australian embassy in Saigon,
will be withdrawn by 1 July this year.
Task
You are a junior political advisor to a Cabinet Minister in the Whitlam government. Depending
on which option you choose, your minister will be either:
 Minister for Veterans’ Affairs,
 Minister for Social Services or
 the Minister for Immigration).
The Minister has asked you to prepare a ministerial briefing paper in relation to the effect of
the Vietnam War on ONE of the following groups:
 Vietnam veterans,
 Vietnam veterans’ immediate families (ie spouse and children) or
 the boat people fleeing Vietnam.
The Minister wants a 1200-1500 word report setting out:
 A brief history of the experience of the group during the war (300 words maximum)
 A summary of the problems and issues (social, cultural, economic) faced by the
chosen group since its return from the war as well as the likely problems they will face
in the future (1000 word maximum)
 Your recommendations for action to be taken by the Minister to alleviate the identified
problems faced by the chosen group (200 words maximum)
You may structure your ministerial briefing paper in whatever format you wish. A scaffold is
attached to assist but you do not have to follow it. Appropriate images may be used to assist
in making your submission.
Please include a word count and a bibliography of sources used
Rubric/scaffold
You will be assessed on how well you:
 Present your research, including use of report style writing, formal language,
correct grammar and punctuation
 Demonstrate your understanding of the issues faced by the chosen group as a
consequence of their experience of the Vietnam War
 Identify mistakes made (with the benefit of hindsight) and recommend ways of
overcoming/remediating the problems faced by your chosen group
Students will be awarded a zero mark for tasks which have not been submitted on time,
unless there is illness (medical certificate supplied) or exceptional circumstances as
determined by the Principal and/or Head Teacher following a submission of an appeals form.
Marking criteria/guidelines
Criteria
 Complies with the usual conventions of report writing and exhibits an outstanding use of
language including excellent vocabulary and less than 3 grammatical and punctuation errors
 Displays an outstanding understanding of the historical significance of the various factors
affecting the chosen group following the cessation of the Vietnam War
 Makes several relevant and insightful suggestions that might have helped the chosen group
overcome the difficulties faced by it following the Vietnam War
 Uses an excellent range of relevant sources (at least 6) including books and websites which
are referred to and incorporated in the advice and appear in a bibliography
 Satisfies word limit
 Clearly demonstrates a good understanding of the structure of report writing and uses
appropriate vocabulary with few grammatical or punctuation errors
 Displays a strong understanding of the historical significance of the various factors affecting
the chosen group following the cessation of the Vietnam War
 Makes some relevant and worthwhile suggestions that might have helped the chosen group
overcome the difficulties faced by it following the Vietnam War
 Uses a good range of relevant sources (at least 4), including at least one book, which are
directly referenced and incorporated in the advice and appear in a bibliography
 Report contains at least 1200 words
 Adopts some of the usual conventions of report writing and displays a good use of
vocabulary without excessive grammatical or punctuation errors
 Displays a sound understanding of the historical significance of the various factors affecting
the chosen group following the cessation of the Vietnam War
 Makes some suggestions that might have helped the chosen group overcome the difficulties
faced by it following the Vietnam War
 Includes reference to some relevant sources which may be incorporated in the advice and
appear in a bibliography
 Report contains at least 900 words
 May adopt some aspects of report writing but will contain many grammatical and
punctuation errors
 Displays some understanding of the historical significance of the various factors affecting the
chosen group following the cessation of the Vietnam War
 Makes some basic suggestions that might have helped the chosen group overcome the
difficulties faced by it following the Vietnam War
 Includes reference to some relevant sources in a bibliography
 Report contains at least 600 words
 A very basic piece of writing is produced displaying few, if any, features of a report and a
limited vocabulary, contains many grammatical and punctuation errors
 Displays little understanding of the historical significance of the various factors affecting the
chosen group following the cessation of the Vietnam War
 May make some suggestions that might have helped the chosen group overcome the
difficulties faced by it following the Vietnam War
 May include a bibliography
Marks
A
OUTSTANDING
17 - 20
B
HIGH
13 - 16
C
SOUND
8 -12
D
BASIC
5-8
E
LIMITED
0-4
Report Writing
Reports are written to communicate information to a person or group of people in a nonemotive, factual and objective manner. In the workplace the report is always intended for a
specific audience, and its purpose is to inform, explain to or persuade the reader. It should be
written using formal language. Reports may contain any of the following:
 headings and subheadings
 point-form statements and summaries.
 descriptions
 lists
 numbering
 definitions
 explanations
 graphics (diagrams, charts graphs, illustrations and tables)
 executive summary or synopsis
 conclusion or recommendations
 quotes
Report writing for the Year 10 History assignment
There are many ways to write and set out a report; however, there are a few aspects that are
important.
 Executive summary – Is a paragraph at the beginning of the report that lets the
reader know exactly what the report is on and the information provided in the
report. It will include the following:
- Who the report is for
- Who prepared the report
- The information the report provides
- The recommendations made in the report.
A good start is .. “The focus of this report is….”
 Headings - The body of the report is divided into headings and if need be
subheadings. The headings will be the main points you must cover in the
assignment.
 Remember PEEL when constructing your paragraphs.
 Conclusion – Is a paragraph that summarises the main points and restates the
recommendations you are making.
Scaffold for Report
Executive Summary
A brief history of the experience of the group during the war (300 words)
A summary of the problems and issues (1000 words)
a) Social
b) Cultural
c) economic
Recommendations for action (200 words maximum)
Conclusion
Scaffold of front page (example only)
Department of Veterans’ Affairs
Department of Social Services
Department of Immigration
(delete the departments not relevant to your report)
Ministerial Briefing Paper for the Right
Honorable (insert the name of the relevant minister here)
Title:
A report into the Vietnam War and its effect
on (insert either Vietnam Veterans, Veterans’ families
or the ‘boat people’ of Vietnam) 1973
By (insert your name)
(here include a relevant photo or image)
The Forest High School
Marking Sheet
Name:
Criteria
 Complies with the usual conventions of report writing and exhibits an outstanding use of
language including excellent vocabulary and less than 3 grammatical and punctuation errors
 Displays an outstanding understanding of the historical significance of the various factors
affecting the chosen group following the cessation of the Vietnam War
 Makes several relevant and insightful suggestions that might have helped the chosen group
overcome the difficulties faced by it following the Vietnam War
 Uses an excellent range of relevant sources (at least 6) including books and websites which
are referred to and incorporated in the advice and appear in a bibliography
 Satisfies word limit
 Clearly demonstrates a good understanding of the structure of report writing and uses
appropriate vocabulary with few grammatical or punctuation errors
 Displays a strong understanding of the historical significance of the various factors affecting
the chosen group following the cessation of the Vietnam War
 Makes some relevant and worthwhile suggestions that might have helped the chosen group
overcome the difficulties faced by it following the Vietnam War
 Uses a good range of relevant sources (at least 4), including at least one book, which are
directly referenced and incorporated in the advice and appear in a bibliography
 Report contains at least 1200 words
 Adopts some of the usual conventions of report writing and displays a good use of
vocabulary without excessive grammatical or punctuation errors
 Displays a sound understanding of the historical significance of the various factors affecting
the chosen group following the cessation of the Vietnam War
 Makes some suggestions that might have helped the chosen group overcome the difficulties
faced by it following the Vietnam War
 Includes reference to some relevant sources which may be incorporated in the advice and
appear in a bibliography
 Report contains at least 900 words
 May adopt some aspects of report writing but will contain many grammatical and
punctuation errors
 Displays some understanding of the historical significance of the various factors affecting the
chosen group following the cessation of the Vietnam War
 Makes some basic suggestions that might have helped the chosen group overcome the
difficulties faced by it following the Vietnam War
 Includes reference to some relevant sources in a bibliography
 Report contains at least 600 words
 A very basic piece of writing is produced displaying few, if any, features of a report and a
limited vocabulary, contains many grammatical and punctuation errors
 Displays little understanding of the historical significance of the various factors affecting the
chosen group following the cessation of the Vietnam War
 May make some suggestions that might have helped the chosen group overcome the
difficulties faced by it following the Vietnam War
 May include a bibliography
Marks
A
OUTSTANDING
17 - 20
B
HIGH
13 - 16
C
SOUND
8 -12
D
BASIC
5-8
E
LIMITED
0-4
Areas of Learning
AL 2
Students develop a knowledge and understanding of Australia’s international
relationships.
AL 4
Students develop the skills to undertake the process of historical inquiry.
A = Extensive
B = Thorough
C = Sound
D = Basic
E = Elementary
Comment:
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Mark
/ 20