1. Home
2. HSC
3. HSC Exams
4. 2014 HSC Exam papers
5. 2014 HSC Notes from the Marking Centre — Agriculture

2014 Notes from the Marking Centre – Agriculture

Introduction

This document has been produced for the teachers and candidates of the Stage 6 Agriculture course. It contains comments on candidate responses to the 2014 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 Agriculture Stage 6 Syllabus
• the 2014 Higher School Certificate Agriculture 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 Agriculture in Stage 6.

Section I – Part B

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• identifying links between farming practices and soil degradation (Q.21b)
• identifying components of IPM strategies for named pest/disease (Q.22b)
• identifying the number of stomachs in each animal (Q.23b)
• identifying environmental constraints on plant production systems (Q.24b)
• giving at least one reason for selecting or not selecting artificial insemination in a farming system (Q.25a)
• providing relevant examples (Q.25a)
• describing objective measurement (Q.25b)
• identifying a consumer product from a farm product (Q.26a)
• identifying aspects of product quality or quantity (Q.26b)
• naming and outlining a marketing strategy or advertisement (Q.26c)
• giving specific examples of financial circumstances that can affect farm profitability (Q.27a)
• identifying techniques that can be used to analyse the financial performance of farms, such as a gross margin budget (Q.27b).

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• linking all three parts of the question to the one identified problem (Q.21 a, b and c)
• linking IPM strategies to their purpose (Q.22b)
• understanding the role of microbes in protein and carbohydrate digestion (Q.23b)
• explaining how management strategies can be used to overcome environmental constraints and providing relevant examples (Q.24 b)
• understanding the reasons for using artificial insemination (Q.25a)
• understanding the negative aspects of artificial insemination (Q.25a)
• linking objective measurement programs with the animal’s potential to transmit favourable characteristics to future offspring in a breeding program (Q.25b)
• giving relevant industry examples (Q.25b)
• identifying a processing step from the farm product (Q.26a)
• linking the timing of a farm operation with an aspect of quality or quantity (Q.26b)
• linking the marketing strategy to consumer awareness (Q.26c)
• making a judgement about the effectiveness of a marketing strategy (Q.26c)
• making a judgement about specific techniques that can be used to analyse the financial performance of farms, such as a gross margin budget or return to capital (Q.27b).

Section II

Question 28 – Agri-food, Fibre and Fuel Technologies

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• stating a valid conclusion from a published research study (part ai)
• stating a recommendation from this study for farmers to implement (part ai)
• identifying the main elements of experimental design (part aii)
• identifying the important elements for attaining accurate results (part aii)
• understanding that accurate results and data lead to valid conclusions (part aii)
• identifying both beneficial and detrimental effects of biotechnology on production (part b)
• demonstrating an awareness of ethical issues associated with the use of various biotechnologies (part b)
• providing relevant examples (part b).

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• choosing a published research study to analyse (part a)
• understanding the difference between a conclusion and results (part ai)
• realising that future strategies to improve production should be based on the recommendations from the research study (part aii)
• understanding why the elements of experimental design are necessary (part aii)
• making links between accurate results and valid conclusions (part aii)
• using criteria to support response (part b).

Question 29 – Climate Challenge

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• stating a valid conclusion from a published research study (part ai)
• stating a recommendation from this study for farmers to implement (part ai)
• identifying the main elements of experimental design (part aii)
• identifying the important elements for attaining accurate results (part aii)
• understanding that accurate results and data lead to valid conclusions (part aii)
• identifying strategies to minimise risk in agricultural settings (part b)
• understanding the potential impact of climate change (part b)
• understanding the link between climate change and farm profitability (part b).

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• choosing a published research study to analyse (part a)
• understanding the difference between a conclusion and results (part ai)
• realising that future strategies to improve production should be based on the recommendations from the research study (part aii)
• understanding why the elements of experimental design are necessary (part aii)
• making links between accurate results and valid conclusions (part aii)
• identifying links between risk management strategies and potential impacts of climate change (part b)
• expressing a judgement based on criteria (part b).

Question 30 – Farming for the 21^st Century

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• stating a valid conclusion from a published research study (part ai)
• stating a recommendation from this study for farmers to implement (part ai)
• identifying the main elements of experimental design (part aii)
• identifying the important elements for attaining accurate results (part aii)
• understanding that accurate results and data lead to valid conclusions (part aii)
• identifying a technology (part b)
• outlining the effect of the technology on agricultural production (part b)
• outlining issues related to the application of the technology (part b).

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• choosing a published research study to analyse (part a)
• understanding the difference between a conclusion and results (part ai)
• realising that future strategies to improve production should be based on the recommendations from the research study (part aii)
• understanding why the elements of experimental design are necessary (part aii)
• making links between accurate results and valid conclusions (part aii)
• using criteria to support results (part b)
• identifying recent technologies rather than older, established technologies (part b).