Assessment Type 2: Inquiry (30%)

Students complete one inquiry task.

In this assessment type, students develop a range of capabilities by posing a big question that encourages consideration of a range of competing perspectives or arguments. The inquiry is a critical response to the question.

Through self-directed inquiry, students develop deep learning that allows them to transfer skills, extend civic literacy skills, and gain an understanding of the Australian legal system and its complexities. Students respond to a legal issue by researching it in depth and providing relevant and appropriate acknowledgment of sources. They also synthesise and analyse information and opinions and, where appropriate, offer actions for change and/or recommendations.

The focus of the inquiry must be a contemporary legal issue of public interest in the 12 months before the assessment began and related to one of the competing tensions and focus areas of this subject.

Students present a report on their inquiry. The report could take the form of, for example:

• a multimodal presentation
• an oral presentation
• a written report
• any combination of the above.

The report should be a maximum of 2000 words if written, and a maximum of 12 minutes for an oral or multimodal presentation.

For this assessment type, students provide evidence of their learning primarily in relation to the following assessment design criteria:

• understanding and application
• analysis and evaluation
• communication.