2009 HSC Notes from the Marking Centre – Business Services
Contents
Introduction
This document has been produced for the teachers and candidates of the Stage 6 course in Business Services. It contains comments on candidate responses to the 2009 Higher School Certificate examination, indicating the quality of the responses and highlighting their relative strengths and weaknesses.
This document should be read along with the relevant syllabus, the 2009 Higher School Certificate examination, the marking guidelines and other support documents which have been developed by the Board of Studies to assist in the teaching and learning of Business Services.
Teachers and students are advised that, in December 2008, the Board of Studies approved changes to the examination specifications and assessment requirements for a number of courses. These changes will be implemented for the 2010 HSC cohort. Information on a course-by-course basis is available on the Board’s website.
General comments
Teachers and candidates should be aware that examiners may ask questions that address the syllabus outcomes in a manner that requires candidates to respond by integrating their knowledge, understanding and skills developed through studying the course.
Candidates need to be aware that the mark allocated to the question and the answer space (where this is provided on the examination paper) are a guide to the length of the required response. A longer response will not in itself lead to higher marks. Writing far beyond the indicated space may reduce the time available for answering other questions.
Candidates need to be familiar with the Board’s Glossary of Key Words which contains some terms commonly used in examination questions. However, candidates should also be aware that not all questions will start with or contain one of the key words from the glossary. Questions such as ‘how?’, ‘why?’ or ‘to what extent?’ may be asked or verbs may be used which are not included in the glossary, such as ‘design’, ‘translate’ or ‘list’.
Candidates are reminded that they should become familiar with the terminology of the Business Services syllabus.
Generally, most candidates applied the criteria of the rubric to the extended response questions and included workplace examples in their answers.
Section II
Question 16
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Better responses identified the steps required to remove an electronic portable storage device safely from the computer.
Some candidates had difficulty with the term ‘electronic portable storage device’ and did not equate this with devices such as USBs. Their answers often included references to filing systems and storage systems as well as procedures dealing with OHS.
- Most candidates identified an outcome if the storage device was not removed correctly. Candidates who were not able to accurately identify the procedures in part (a) were generally not able to identify why it is important to follow the procedures.
- Better responses stated the various components of a maintenance log book. Some responses showed little understanding of a log book or any of the features. The weaker responses confused a log book with an assets register.
- Better responses analysed the problems, identified a range of implications and showed a link between the two. The majority of responses identified a problem and the implications or provided a range of problems with no implications. Weaker responses merely identified a problem.
Question 17
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Better responses clearly understood the purpose of style guides and provided a range of reasons to explain why it was important for organisations to refer to them.
Some responses identified the purpose of style guides and provided one or two reasons to explain their importance.
Poorer responses appeared to have little knowledge of how style guides are used in an organisation.
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Better responses provided clear advantages of proofreading a soft copy, as opposed to a hard copy. Most provided at least two advantages.
Many understood the importance of proofreading but provided only general reasons, instead of relating them specifically to soft copies.
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Most responses identified a limited number of formatting commands, but were unable to indicate the main features of formatting procedures to use to ensure correct alignment on to a preprinted letterhead.
The poorer responses demonstrated confusion about the features of a preprinted letterhead and the formatting procedures required. Many referred to printing procedures rather than formatting procedures.
Question 18
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Most candidates identified at least two considerations when developing a budget for office resources.
Poorer responses only mentioned ‘petty cash’ and listed items which did not relate to a budget.
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This question was poorly answered by most candidates and there were many non-attempts.
In the better responses, candidates clearly understood the role of the periodic forecasts in the acquisition of resources. They showed some understanding of periodic forecasts but some found it difficult to articulate their answer.
In the poorer responses, candidates demonstrated little understanding of the term ‘periodic forecasts’ often making reference to past and not future predictions. These responses named a characteristic of periodic forecasts but failed to focus on their role.
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Better responses identified a range of factors to be considered in the ongoing management of human resources. They also related the impact of these factors on the organisation.These responses had a clear understanding of human resources and were clearly articulated.
Many candidates identified some factors to be considered in the ongoing management of human resources, but they were unable to relate the impact on the organisation.
Poorer responses appeared to have little knowledge of human resources with many misinterpreting human resources as business resources/facilities.
Question 19
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Most responses indicated the main areas of responsibility of an OHS officer.
The better responses provided several essential elements of OHS.
Poorer responses were restricted to making general statements about identifying hazards and risks as the main areas of responsibility for an OHS officer.
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Better responses made a sound evaluation of the role of an OHS officer in assessing and controlling a chemical spill.
Many candidates were only able to provide a limited evaluation of the role of an OHS officer in handling a chemical spill. They had difficulty in separating the assessing and controlling aspects of the spill.
Poorer responses simply provided general statements about cleaning up the chemical spill.
Section III
Question 20
Most candidates had some understanding of anti-discrimination and anti-discrimination legislation.
In the better responses, candidates correctly named and demonstrated a sound understanding of more than one piece of legislation, such as the Anti-Discrimination Act, Sex Discrimination Act or Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity legislation. These candidates clearly understood the differences between principles and practices.
Better responses provided a description of how an organisation’s equity principles and practice were affected by this legislation, using detailed relevant workplace examples. These responses used appropriate industry terminology throughout the response and provided concise, sequential responses with little or no repetition of previously stated ideas.
In weaker responses, candidates attempted to link principles and practices to the effects of anti-discrimination legislation on organisations. Some appeared to struggle with their understanding of the differences between principles and practices. These candidates used some industry terminology and appropriate workplace examples. The responses were mostly well-structured, avoided repetition of previously stated ideas, and named at least one piece of legislation correctly.
The poorest responses did not make substantial and clear links between principles and practices and the effects of the legislation on organisations. Such responses contained general statements about anti-discrimination legislation with little or no workplace examples as evidence. The structure of the responses was poor, with little or no industry terminology. Often legislation that was mentioned was misnamed or fabricated. There was extensive repetition of previously stated ideas, and personal opinions which did not relate to the question were presented. Limited understanding of the terms equity, principles or practices was apparent.
Question 21
Most candidates attempted this question. More candidates used appropriate workplace examples and made good use of a range of industry terminology compared to previous years.
In the better responses, candidates identified a range of strategies a business could use in order to ensure effective oral and written communication. The strategies were clearly linked to organisational requirements using relevant workplace examples. The better responses demonstrated a thorough understanding of the syllabus and used precise industry terminology.
Many candidates did not understand the term recommend, limiting their understanding to simply identifying the various methods of communication.
In weaker responses, candidates identified some strategies to ensure effective oral and written communication but did not justify these strategies. Some responses simply made general statements about oral and written communication.
Question 22
This question required students to produce a document rather than write a report. The document had to be new policy and procedures rather than based on an existing firm’s policies and procedures.
Better responses created a new document that focused on both incoming and outgoing mail, differentiated between policies and procedures, as well as making reference to electronic mail including faxes and email. These responses generally had headings and subheadings for a range of procedures and policies and included justifications for the choice.
Some candidates provided detailed information about mail both incoming and outgoing mail in a report format rather than a document.
Poorer responses lacked terminology and structure and provided general but incomplete discussions on mail. Such candidates only looked at either incoming or outgoing mail and briefly mentioned electronic mail. Policies were generally not mentioned or, if so, were not complete. They limited discussion of procedures to mail registers and how to deal with suspicious mail.
2010018
NSW Government