Assessment Type 3: Investigation (30%)

Students undertake one investigation focusing on any theme from the option themes section or a theme of personal interest. In consultation with the teacher, the student selects a recent political issue that involves a range of views and some level of unresolved disputation. Before proceeding, consideration should be given to the availability of a range of primary and secondary sources.

The investigation should include:

• a hypothesis or focusing question(s) to guide the investigation
• identification of the origin of the issue and who is affected by it
• discussion of the various perspectives involved
• analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of the different political views and complex arguments on the issue
• analysis of the feasibility of the proposed solutions
• reflection on the relationship between politics, power, people, and decision-making
• information drawn from a range of primary and secondary sources
• the use of appropriate political terms
• accurate acknowledgement of sources.

The written report of the investigation should be a maximum of 2000 words.

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

• critical and creative thinking (CCT1, CCT2)
• communication and collaboration (CC1)
• understanding and ethical reasoning (UER2)
• research and analysis (RA1, RA2).