Economics 2010
Sample assessment instrument
Research assessment: Multimodal presentation
(Contemporary micro-economic issues —
Year 11)
This sample has been compiled by the QSA to help teachers plan and develop assessment
instruments for individual school settings. It demonstrates the following dimensions:
• Knowledge and understanding
• Investigation
• Synthesis and evaluation
Assessment instrument
To ensure the economic issues within the task are
able to be addressed, access to a variety of
sources, including data and information, needs to
be available.
Comments
Context
The task provides an
opportunity for students
to apply the inquiry
process to explore an
economic issue.
Micro-economics focuses on the decision-making processes used by
individual consumers, businesses and government within the marketplace.
However, economic decision making is complex as choices on how best to
use scarce resources must be made. As a result, decision makers use the
cost–benefit model to make choices between alternatives and to maximise
their economic surplus, i.e. to minimise their opportunity cost.
Students are required
to:
• describe economic
ideas and apply and
explain using
examples, concepts,
models, data and
information
• select and organise
data and information
from sources,
examine data, and
analyse economic
relationships
• construct economic
understanding,
appraise ideas to
draw conclusions,
and communicate
information
Task
You have been engaged to apply the cost–benefit model for economic
decision making to one of the following topics. Deliver the outcomes of your
analysis as a multimodal presentation.
•
Does the growth of online shopping warrant government intervention to
prevent the collapse of “traditional” businesses?
•
Should tobacco products be sold in plain packaging?
•
What impact does carbon pricing have on a firm’s or an industry’s
decision to expand?
•
Should the Brisbane City Council’s bicycle hire scheme be maintained?
•
Should Brisbane introduce a traffic congestion charge on vehicles which
enter the central business district (CBD)?
•
Should another floating walkway be built on the Brisbane River in the
future?
•
Is the Queensland Government’s decision to host the Commonwealth
Games justified economically?
•
Another relevant topic in consultation with your teacher.
Syllabus references
Sections 2, 3, 4 and 5
• Section 4: Learning
experiences in
Economics
• Section 5.5.2:
Research
assessment
When researching a topic and preparing your multimodal presentation
(3–5 minutes), consider the approach below. This is based on the Economics
inquiry process.
• Given the context provided, identify the economic problem or issue for
inquiry. What is the central question/argument?
• Consider how the cost–benefit analysis model might be applied to the
topic. What are the economic aspects of the issue?
• Identify and analyse the costs associated with the economic issue.
• Identify and analyse the relevant economic benefits which should be
considered as part of the decision-making process.
• Within the context of the inquiry topic, evaluate the economic costs and
benefits involved.
• Given the cost-benefit analysis model for economic decision making,
identify what conclusions can be drawn. How and why can these be
supported?
Note: Documentation to support your multimodal presentation is required.
This includes evidence of the research inquiry process and a bibliography of
sources used. Graphs and statistics used within the context of your
multimodal presentation are to be referenced appropriately.
2 | Economics 2010: Sample assessment instrument
Investigation
Knowledge and understanding
Instrument-specific criteria and standards
Standard A
Standard B
Standard C
Standard D
Standard E
The student work has the
following characteristics:
The student work has the
following characteristics:
The student work has the
following characteristics:
The student work has the
following characteristics:
The student work has the
following characteristics:
•
thorough and accurate
description of economic
terms, facts, concepts,
principles, and the structure
and operation of economic
models in a variety of
economic contexts
associated with a
contemporary microeconomic issue
•
accurate description of
economic terms, facts,
concepts, principles and the
structure and operation of
economic models in a
variety of economic contexts
associated with a
contemporary microeconomic issue
•
description of economic
terms, facts, concepts,
principles and the structure
and operation of economic
models associated with a
contemporary microeconomic issue
•
partial description of
economic terms, facts,
concepts or principles
associated with a
contemporary economic
issue
•
statement of economic
terms, facts or concepts
associated with a
contemporary economic
issue
•
systematic application and
thorough explanation,
making links and using
examples of economic
concepts, models,
similarities and differences
in data and information.
•
application and detailed
explanation, using examples
of economic concepts,
models, similarities and
differences in data and
information.
•
application, using simple
examples of economic
concepts, models, and
similarities and differences
in data and information.
•
partial application of
economic concepts, models
or information.
•
statement of economic
techniques, concepts,
models or information.
The student work has the
following characteristics:
The student work has the
following characteristics:
The student work has the
following characteristics:
The student work has the
following characteristics:
The student work has the
following characteristics:
•
discerning selection,
thorough and coherent
organisation of data and
information from a
comprehensive variety of
sources
•
selection and coherent
organisation of data and
information from a variety of
sources
•
selection and organisation of
data and information from
sources
•
selection and organisation of
data or information
•
selection of data or
information
•
thorough examination of
data for completeness,
relevance, accuracy and
bias to determine validity
•
detailed examination of data
for completeness,
relevance, accuracy and
bias to determine validity
•
examination of data for
completeness, relevance,
accuracy and bias to
determine validity
•
simple examination of data
for completeness or
relevance
•
rudimentary examination of
data
•
analysis of complex
economic relationships
through the reasoned
interpretation of data and
information.
•
analysis of economic
relationships through the
interpretation of data and
information.
•
analysis of economic
relationships through the
identification of data and
information.
•
identification of economic
relationships from economic
data or information.
•
statement of economic
relationships.
Queensland Studies Authority May 2012 | 3
Synthesis and evaluation
Standard A
Standard B
Standard C
Standard D
Standard E
The student work has the
following characteristics:
The student work has the
following characteristics:
The student work has the
following characteristics:
The student work has the
following characteristics:
The student work has the
following characteristics:
•
discerning use of a
comprehensive variety of
viewpoints, economic ideas
and decisions to construct
complex and substantiated
economic understanding
•
use of a wide variety of
viewpoints, economic ideas
and decisions to construct
substantiated economic
understanding
•
variety of viewpoints,
economic ideas and
decisions to construct
economic understanding
•
narrow selection of
viewpoints, economic ideas
or decisions to construct
economic understanding
•
statement of economic
understanding using
provided viewpoints,
economic ideas or decisions
•
appraisal of economic ideas,
through the critical use of
implicit or explicit criteria, to
draw valid and supported
conclusions
•
appraisal of economic ideas,
through the considered use
of implicit or explicit criteria,
to draw valid conclusions
•
appraisal of economic ideas,
through the use of implicit or
explicit criteria, to draw
conclusions
•
appraisal of economic ideas
to draw conclusions
•
statement of economic ideas
or conclusions
•
purposeful and effective
communication of
information through
sequencing relevant and
substantial subject matter to
enhance economic
meaning.
•
purposeful communication
of information through
sequencing relevant subject
matter to enhance economic
meaning.
•
communication of
information through
sequencing relevant subject
matter to convey economic
meaning.
•
communication of
information through
sequencing of subject
matter to convey aspects of
economic meaning.
•
communication of aspects of
economic meaning using
provided subject matter.
Acknowledgments
The QSA acknowledges the contribution of Loreto College, Coorparoo in the preparation of this document.
4 | Economics 2010: Sample assessment instrument