Agriculture 2019 HSC exam pack

Students should:

• use the number of lines as an indication of the expected length of the response
• write a plan to the longer response questions in Section 2 of the paper to assist in structuring the response in a logical and more cohesive sequence
• engage with any stimulus material and use the material to strengthen their response
• use relevant Agricultural terminology to improve the quality of the response
• use the key words in the stem of the question to guide the structure and depth of their response (analyse, describe, evaluate, explain)
• carefully read the question and use the questions structure to guide the response, for example, if the question asks ‘provide reasons for …….’ then students can expect that they have to provide at least two reasons
• expect questions to be drawn from the syllabus dot points and respective course outcomes
• expect to perform some basic mathematical functions, interpret data/graphs/tables and assess information for accuracy, reliability and/or validity.

Question 21

In better responses, students were able to:

• outline the structures of both family farms (family owned and operated) and corporate farms (usually larger, multiple employees/ shareholders/ investors /company owned) (a)
• outline strategies for farmers to reduce financial pressures, for example, diversify the operation to reduce risk, sell stock/machinery, second job, apply for freight subsidies for feed transport, low interest loans for farmers (b)
• discuss direct marketing as a strategy and provide points for and or against, such as selling from farm gate direct to a consumer, market stalls, farmers markets, direct to a consumer without agent via a contract (c).

Areas for students to improve include:

• greater detail on how the strategy provided reduces financial pressure for farmers
• ensuring that responses outline strategies and include points for and or against (c).

Question 22

In better responses, students were able to:

• name two physical characteristics of soil (a)
• provide details of a procedure to test a physical or chemical characteristic of soil (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• differentiating between physical and characteristics of soil (a)
• providing greater depth in responses by giving accurate details of procedure and materials used to test physical or chemical characteristic of soil (b).

Question 23

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly show how the ongoing research is important in relation to agricultural industries (a)
• comprehensively describe, specifying a specific technology, the impact on agricultural production and/or marketing (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing greater depth in their responses and not rephrasing the question (b)
• being aware of using a recently-developed technology in either production or marketing of agricultural product(s) (b).

Question 24

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly provide the main features of the impact of an Aboriginal land use practice (a)
• explain two soil (fertility) techniques and link each of these to sustainable management of soil fertility on farms (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• making the link between the technique and how it is sustainable for soil fertility (b).

Question 25

In better responses, students were able to:

• outline the methodology of the trial and clearly clear show experimental design (a)
• provide more than technique for the management of two environmental constraints on photosynthesis (b)
• construct a line graph with correct labelling, accurate information and placement of linear axes.

Areas for students to improve include:

• making sure they have a clear understanding of a component of experimental design such as randomisation, replication, standardisation and a control, and their purpose/role in valid experimental design (a)
• ensuring more than one environmental constraint is described (b)
• understanding correct labelling of axes, choice of linear scales and type of graph to use (c).

Question 26

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide details to manage one market specification for a product using more than one management strategy.

Areas for students to improve include:

• only using one market specification and providing multiple methods of management (c).

Question 27

In better responses, students were able to:

• outline heritability as the likelihood of the inheritance of genetic traits from a parent animal to its offspring (a)
• give reasons why farmers would choose to use linebreeding, for example, in a stud operation as it is a quicker way to achieve a desirable trait like polled genetics and can save money using the same sire (b)
• provide reasons for and/or against both the use of Hormone Growth Promotants (HGPs) in production and ways that their administering could affect animal welfare from extra handling causing stress or infection at the injection site (c).

Areas for students to improve include:

• giving a reason for linebreeding as asked in the question, not just defining it (b)
• reading the question carefully to ensure they respond to all components asked, such as both HGP use in animal production AND possible effects on animal welfare (not ethical debate) (c).

Question 28

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly state the aim for any research paper relevant to the development and/or implementation of an agricultural biotechnology (ai)
• provide a justification for the use of TWO methodologies in the research paper such as the use of randomisation for reduced bias and repetition for greater accuracy with both contributing to improved results for agricultural biotechnology (a ii)
• provide clear and detailed issues and points for and against the use of genetically modified organisms in food production, citing specific examples (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing a clear aim for a relevant research paper for an agricultural biotechnology (ai)
• developing a better understanding of the meaning of the word and components of research methodology and supporting the reason for sound methodology as part of experimental design for an agricultural biotechnology (aii)
• developing more cohesive responses that clearly provide points for and against the use of GMO’s in food production (b)
• providing examples that specifically link Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) to issues related to food production including; allergies, improved yields/ tastes, nutritional benefits, pest resistance, superweeds, consumer resistance (b).

Question 29

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly state the aim for any research paper relevant to climate variability or the management strategies for climate variability (ai)
• provide a justification for the use of TWO methodologies in the research paper such as use of randomisation for reduced bias and repetition for greater accuracy with both contributing to improved results for climate variability (aii)
• provide a comprehensive and clear discussion on multiple management strategies that can be used to deal with climate variability by describing issues in example situations (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing a clear aim for a relevant research paper for climate variability (ai)
• developing a better understanding of the meaning of the word methodologies and supporting the reason for their inclusion in the experimental design for climate variability (aii)
• being aware of using management strategies to cope with climate variability and not the global climate change (b)
• providing a more comprehensive and cohesive explanatory link between strategies and potential variable situations in terms of climate (b).

Question 30

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly outline the aim for a research study (ai)
• describe two aspects of the methodology of a research study, for example, randomisation, replication, control or standardisation of conditions and then justify their use in the research study (aii)
• structure their responses in a logical and cohesive manner (b)
• provide clear and comprehensive points for and/or against the impact of a recent technological development in terms of managerial AND economic factors (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing a research study aim (ai)
• demonstrating a greater understanding of the term methodology and being able to explain and justify the use of randomisation, replication, control or standardisation in the research study (aii)
• structure responses with paragraphs and sub-headings to meet the clear and cohesive component/requirement (b)
• demonstrating a greater depth of knowledge of a recent technology and providing multiple points for and against for BOTH managerial and economic factors (b).