Ancient History 2016 HSC exam pack (archive)

Question 6

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• referring to the source in the response
• naming at least one purpose of a public building
• providing sufficient detail in the response.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• providing the name of specific public buildings
• linking specific public buildings to their purpose.

Question 7

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• accurately interpreting Source B to conclude that women could own property
• referring to their own knowledge to support the explanation of the role of women in politics and the economy
• integrating other sources and evidence to support their explanation.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• being familiar with a wider range of sources and evidence in order to support a response
• using the mark value as a guide to the requirements of the question.

Question 8

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• providing relevant information about new research and technologies
• providing a structured response which included a wide range of examples
• writing succinctly
• engaging with the sources.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• drawing evidence from the sources more accurately
• understanding all the elements of the question, for example: the contribution of new research and new technologies, reconstructing the past, and using examples to support each
• reading the question carefully to ensure the requirements are clearly understood
• planning the response
• aware of the different work of Sara Bisel and Estelle Lazer.

Questions 9–18

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• providing the information required in the question (part a)
• providing relevant and detailed information (parts b-d)
• providing relevant examples to support the response (parts b-d)
• providing accurate descriptions of the features of an aspect of society (part c)
• using the source provided and other relevant sources to support the response (part d).

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• addressing the key terms of the question, for example: the importance of, role of, rather than providing a description (part b)
• using a range of sources, as well as the one provided, to show what evidence reveals about the society (part d).

Questions 19–30

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• supporting the response with accurate and relevant descriptions without including extra irrelevant material (part a)
• using a range of terms, concepts and specific events and issues to support the argument
• composing a structured response that developed a logical argument.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• supporting both responses explicitly, with historical sources, as instructed in the rubric at the start of the Personalities section ( parts a and b)
• composing responses that address the question directly
• integrating the quotation in the response
• ensuring that while the quotation is referred to in the response, candidates are not distracted from answering the question itself (part b).

Questions 31–47

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

• answering the question with a logical and succinct judgment, and ,where appropriate, addressing relevant issues from across the entire historical period
• providing a cohesive and sustained response, using appropriate terms and concepts
• supporting the response with accurate and detailed reference to a range of relevant archaeological and written evidence
• demonstrating a comprehensive and holistic knowledge of the historical period.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

• providing a response that is not narrative and descriptive in structure when not the task focus
• providing a response that avoids the inclusion of substantial amounts of information irrelevant to the parameters of the question
• including relevant and accurate historical information, with a range of historical terms and concepts
• focusing on all aspects of the question. If there are two areas indicated for discussion in a question, then both must be assessed
• providing a response that is structured to adequately address the judgments and historical detail required by the question
• integrating sources appropriately as evidence to support the discussion, rather than naming a source
• attributing sources correctly.