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2013 Notes from the Marking Centre – History Extension

Introduction

This document has been produced for the teachers and candidates of the Stage 6 History Extension course. It contains comments on candidate responses to the 2013 Higher School Certificate examination, highlighting their strengths in particular parts of the examination and indicating where candidates need to improve.

This document should be read along with:

the History Extension Stage 6 Syllabus
the 2013 Higher School Certificate History Extension examination
the marking guidelines
Advice for HSC students about examinations
other support documents developed by the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW to assist in the teaching and learning of History in Stage 6.

Question 1

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

demonstrating knowledge of a range and variety of sources, including contemporary sources
integrating knowledge of sources into the analysis of the Source and of the question
identifying the key historiographical issues relevant to the Source and to the question
evaluating the Source, selecting appropriate other sources all through the lens of the question
knowing their traditional historians.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

integrating the relevant parts of the Source to answer the question, rather than focusing on issues in which the candidate feels most comfortable
not depending too much on the traditional historians and considering contemporary historians
identifying and evaluating the key issues rather than just describing aspects of the Source
understanding that ‘to what extent’ does not mean present narrative response
understanding that the meaning of the term ‘context’ is not about the times about which the historian was writing.

Question 2

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

knowing their area of debates and the historians’ interpretations
clearly defining the debate at the beginning of the essay
engaging with both the statement and the question
making observations about the ongoing nature of the debates.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

dealing holistically with the statement and issues raised by the statement
going beyond descriptive surveys of historians
evaluating the case study in terms of its historiography
clarifying why interpretations differ and are shaped by the historian’s context, both personal and societal
addressing the question rather than presenting a prepared response
not dealing with too many debates which can lead to a superficial overview of the case study.