1. Save this template to your school network or computer and alter it for your own assessment design or copy the below information into your school-based assessment instrument template.
2. Delete the information that is not relevant to your assessment, e.g. if the task is for Year 11, delete the Year 12 conditions. Information is provided in tables so to delete, highlight the row you wish to remove, right click, and select Delete Rows .
3. Replace the red text with your school- and task-specific information.
4. Ensure all information has been completed, i.e. no red text remains.
5. Delete this instructional text.
(delete Extended agricultural investigation (EAI) or to stimulus depending on the instrument type and remove the bracketed text)
Context
Insert context
Task
Insert task and/or stimulus material. An extended response to stimulus involves students responding to stimulus materials related to agricultural issues or problems. Stimulus materials are known or provided materials/sources and concepts. This may include case studies, media articles, quotes, statistics, images or industry standards/data. Students respond to a seen question or statement using data, researched information, primary and/or secondary sources.
Specialised extended research response: Extended agricultural investigations (EAIs)
Students investigate an open-ended practical research question using laboratory or field-based methods to collect primary data. EAIs follow an inquiry-based investigation process. The total time taken for the various parts of the process would usually be several weeks. The process includes student research, primary data collection and the development of a response.
In conducting EAIs, students:
formulate research questions, hypotheses and plans for investigation if appropriate
(development of these may be group or individual, and teacher or student-directed)
complete risk assessments to identify potential hazards and ensure animal welfare and ethics requirements are met
collect, select and organise agricultural information from primary and/or secondary sources
analyse information and interpret agricultural information to compare research results and agricultural industry standards if relevant
evaluate information to draw conclusions and make decisions and recommendations, including modifications to equipment and procedures
justify conclusions, decisions and recommendations
communicate to audiences through a written, spoken or multimodal research response
maintain a scientific journal to accompany the research response. The main aims of the scientific journal are to:
maintain a log of the stages of the inquiry-based investigation, including modifications to equipment and procedures
1
note the primary data collected by the student in the laboratory or field.
Scientific journals do not contribute to the word limit, but may be used to support judgments about the objectives. The journal or sections of the journal may be included in the verification folio if required to substantiate teacher judgments. Common elements of scientific journals may include:
research questions and/or hypotheses
plans for agricultural investigations including modifications
primary data, including qualitative and quantitative data
conclusions, decisions and recommendations.
Supporting documentation — Extended research response
When an Extended response is presented as a spoken or multimodal response, supporting evidence must be provided.
For spoken and multimodal responses supporting documentation may include:
research
notes or annotations
summary of findings
journal entries or log book
seminar brief or conference paper
a recording of the response (as appropriate).
Conditions — Extended research response
Year 11
written response 800 –1000 words
spoken 3 –4 minutes
multimodal 3 –5 minutes
students may use class time and their own time to conduct research and develop a response
Year 12
written response 1000 –1500 words
spoken 4 –5 minutes
multimodal 5 –7 minutes
students may use class time and their own time to conduct research and develop a response
Conditions — Extended response to stimulus
Year 11
written response 600 –1000 words
spoken 3 –4 minutes
multimodal 3 –5 minutes
students may use class time and their own time to conduct research and develop a response
Year 12
written response 800 –1200 words
spoken 4 –5 minutes
multimodal 5 –7 minutes
students may use class time and their own time to conduct research and develop a response
2
1. Replace the red text with your school- and task-specific information.
2. Make the standards instrument-specific. (Words may not be added to the standards except to specify the issues, problems, concepts, recommendations, and audiences and purposes.)
3. The following words may be used in the singular: issues, problems, concepts, recommendations, and audiences and purposes.
4. Ensure all information has been completed, i.e. no red text remains.
5. Delete this instructional text.
2
Standard A
The student work has the following characteristics:
thorough definition and description of agricultural concepts
thorough explanation of agricultural systems using agricultural concepts
discerning and systematic application of understandings to agricultural issues and problems.
Standard B
The student work has the following characteristics:
definition and detailed description of agricultural concepts
detailed explanation of agricultural systems using agricultural concepts
systematic application of understanding to agricultural issues and problems.
Standard C
The student work has the following characteristics:
definition and description of agricultural concepts
explanation of agricultural systems using agricultural concepts
application of understandings to agricultural issues and problems.
The student work has the following characteristics:
formulation of questions, hypotheses and plans for agricultural investigations
Standard D
The student work has the following characteristics:
definition or simple description of agricultural concepts
simple explanation of agricultural systems using some agricultural concepts
simple application of understandings to agricultural issues and problems.
The student work has the following characteristics:
formulation of simple questions or hypotheses, and use of given plans for agricultural investigations
Standard E
The student work has the following characteristics:
statement of aspects of agricultural concepts
statement of aspects of agricultural systems
statement of agricultural concepts or systems somewhat related to agricultural issues or problems.
The student work has the following characteristics:
use of given questions or plans for agricultural investigations
The student work has the following characteristics:
formulation of purposeful and relevant questions and hypotheses, and thorough plans for agricultural investigations
purposeful and methodical collection and organisation of agricultural information
thorough analysis of agricultural information from reliable and valid primary and secondary sources
thorough interpretation and comparison of research results and industry standards.
The student work has the following characteristics:
formulation of relevant questions and hypotheses, and detailed plans for agricultural investigations
methodical collection and organisation of agricultural information
detailed analysis of agricultural information from valid primary and secondary sources
detailed interpretation and comparison of research results and industry standards.
collection and organisation of agricultural information
analysis of agricultural information from primary and secondary sources
collection and partial organisation of agricultural information
simple analysis of agricultural information
partial collection of agricultural information
identification of basic relationships or patterns
interpretation and comparison of research results and industry standards.
simple interpretation or comparison of research results and industry standards.
statement of results.
3
Standard A
The student work has the following characteristics:
Standard B
The student work has the following characteristics:
thorough evaluation of agricultural information to draw logical conclusions and make purposeful and relevant decisions and recommendations
reasoned and valid justification of conclusions, decisions and recommendations about agricultural issues and problems
coherent and clear communication using wellchosen language conventions suited to purposes and audiences.
detailed evaluation of agricultural information to draw logical conclusions and make relevant decisions and recommendations
valid justification of conclusions, decisions and recommendations about agricultural issues and problems
clear communication using appropriate language conventions suited to purposes and audiences.
Standard C
The student work has the following characteristics:
evaluation of agricultural information to draw conclusions and make decisions and recommendations
justification of conclusions, decisions and recommendations about agricultural issues and problems
communication using language conventions suited to purposes and audiences.
Standard D
The student work has the following characteristics:
simple conclusions drawn or basic recommendations made
simple justification of conclusions or recommendations
communication using inconsistent language conventions.
Standard E
The student work has the following characteristics:
statement of opinions
inconsistent use of evidence that supports opinions
communication using language conventions which impede meaning.
4