Stage 2 Agricultural and Horticultural Management
Assessment Type 3: External Investigation
Purpose
This task allows you to:
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of agricultural and horticultural concepts,
practices, and principles, including ecological sustainability.
Design and undertake investigations in agriculture and horticulture, analyse results, form
conclusions, and make recommendations.
Obtain and evaluate environmental and economic information and data about issues
facing agricultural and horticultural enterprises and their impacts on local, national, and
global markets and communities.
Communicate information and reasoning using appropriate agricultural and horticultural
terminology and conventions
The Task:
Students undertake one investigation which is developed in negotiation with the teacher and
conduct it based on questions related to agriculture and horticulture. Students analyse their
findings and critically evaluate the data they collect. The investigation should involve the
collection of primary data where possible. Where appropriate for the chosen topic, secondary
or a combination of primary and secondary data may be used. Examples of investigation
approaches include laboratory experiments, a field trial, a case study, and issues
investigation, or a combination of these.
A completed investigation should include:
• an introduction that identifies the topic, question, or issue investigated
• relevant agricultural and horticultural background
• an analysis and evaluation of the information gathered
• a summary of the results or findings and conclusions drawn
• citations and a reference list.
Assessment conditions
Students work collaboratively to gather data and some lesson time will be available for this.
Each student must produce an individual investigation report. Some lesson time will be
available for this and they will be completed in the student’s own time.
A draft is due on ________________________
The report is due on _____________________
The investigation report should be a maximum of 2000 words.
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Stage 2 Agriculture and Horticulture Task
Ref: A370118 (June 2014)
© SACE Board of South Australia 2014
STAGE 2 Agriculture and Horticulture
EXTERNAL ASSESSMENT
Student Outcomes
Design Skills
Selection and
Acknowledge
ment of
Information
Results
Terminology
Specific
Feature
 Provide an outline of the proposed research approach
 State the topic, an investigable question, hypothesis or
issue.
 Provide details of the variables, constant factors,
equipment, and method
I1
 Select appropriate information
 Correctly acknowledge sources
 Provide a correctly formatted reference list
I2
Investigation
A
B
Knowledge and
Understanding
Format
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Critically and logically selects and
consistently and appropriately
acknowledges information about ag and
issues in ag from a range of sources.
Critically and systematically
analyses data and their
connections with concepts to
formulate logical and
perceptive conclusions and
make relevant predictions.
Obtains, records, and displays findings of
investigations using appropriate
conventions and formats accurately and
highly effectively.
Critically and logically
evaluates procedures and
suggests a range of
appropriate improvements.
Designs well-considered and clear ag
investigations.
Clearly and logically
analyses data and their
connections with concepts to
formulate consistent
conclusions and make mostly
relevant predictions.
Logically selects and appropriately
acknowledges information about ag and
issues in ag from different sources.
 Obtain, record and display findings using tables or
graphs with appropriate headings, symbols and units
I4
 Use correct scientific terms
A2
Obtains, records, and displays findings of
investigations using appropriate
conventions and formats mostly
accurately and effectively.
C
Discussion,
Evaluation
and
Conclusion
Designs logical, coherent, and detailed
ag investigations.
 Analyse and evaluate data and their connections with
concepts
 Describe a pattern of observations in the investigation
 Formulate conclusions
 Make predictions
AE1
 Evaluates procedures
 Identify strengths and weaknesses of the investigation
 Identify the sources of random and systematic error in
the investigation
 Discuss effects of errors on the results
 Identify and justify possible improvements to the
investigation
AE2
 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of relevant
concepts and practices
KU1
 Explain social, economic or environmental issues
using knowledge of agriculture and horticulture
KU2
 Information is presented in a logical, coherent and
effective manner
KU3
Designs considered and generally
clear ag investigations.
Selects with some focus, and mostly
appropriately acknowledges,
information about ag and issues in ag
from different sources.
D
Analyses data and their
connections with concepts to
formulate generally
appropriate conclusions and
make simple predictions with
some relevance.
Evaluates some procedures
in ag and suggests some
improvements that are
generally appropriate.
Prepares the outline of one or more ag
investigations.
Describes basic connections
between some data and
concepts and attempts to
formulate a conclusion and
make a simple prediction that
may be relevant.
Obtains, records, and displays findings of
investigations using conventions and
formats inconsistently, with occasional
accuracy and effectiveness.
Identifies a simple procedure for an ag
investigation.
Identifies a source of information about
ag or an issue in ag.
Attempts to record and display some
descriptive information about an
investigation, with limited accuracy or
effectiveness.
Application
Uses appropriate ag
terms, conventions,
formulae, and
equations highly
effectively.
Uses appropriate ag
terms, conventions,
formulae, and
equations effectively.
Acknowledges the need for
improvements in one or more
procedures.
Consistently demonstrates a deep and
broad knowledge and understanding of
a range of ag concepts and practices.
Uses knowledge of ag perceptively and
logically to understand and explain
social, economic, or environmental
issues.
Demonstrates some depth and
breadth of knowledge and
understanding of a range of ag
concepts and practices.
Uses knowledge of ag logically to
understand and explain social,
economic, or environmental issues.
Uses a variety of formats to
communicate knowledge and
understanding of ag coherently and
effectively.
Uses generally
appropriate ag terms,
conventions, formulae,
and equations with
some general
effectiveness.
Demonstrates knowledge and
understanding of a general range of ag
concepts and practices.
Uses knowledge of ag with some logic
to understand and explain one or more
social, economic, or environmental
issues.
Uses different formats to communicate
knowledge and understanding of ag with
some general effectiveness.
Attempts to use some
ag terms, conventions,
formulae, and
equations that may be
appropriate. .
For some procedures,
identifies improvements that
may be made.
Attempts to connect data with
concepts, formulate a
conclusion and make a
prediction.
Knowledge and
Understanding
Uses a variety of formats to
communicate knowledge and
understanding of ag coherently and
highly effectively.
Logically evaluates
procedures and suggests
some appropriate
improvements.
Obtains, records, and displays findings of
investigations using generally
appropriate conventions and formats
with some errors but generally
accurately and effectively.
Selects and may partly acknowledge
one or more sources of information
about ag or an issue in ag.
E
Analysis and
Evaluation
Demonstrates some basic knowledge
and partial understanding of ag
concepts and/or practices.
Identifies and explains some ag
information that is relevant to one or
more social, economic, or
environmental issues.
Communicates basic information to
others using one or more formats.
Uses some ag terms
or formulae.
.
Demonstrates some limited recognition
and awareness of ag concepts or
practices.
Shows an emerging understanding that
some ag information is relevant to
social, economic, or environmental
issues.
Attempts to communicate information
about ag.
Ref: A370118 (June 2014)
© SACE Board of South Australia 2014