PHS HSIE FACULTY ASSESSMENT TASK NOTIFICATION
Subject: Historical Investigation Teacher: Walsh / Lawrence
Course: Modern History Task Type: Research
Task Number: 3 Task Weight: 40% Notification Date: 31/05/17 Due Date: See Below
OUTCOMES ASSESSED P1.1, P2.1, P3.1, P3.2, P3.3, P3.6
TASK Task Description:
You are to undertake a historical investigation on any Modern History topic of your
choosing (must be approved by class teacher). Groups must consist of 2-3 students.
You are to complete the following tasks:
1. Question Proposal – due Wednesday 14th June (Week 8, Term 2)
2. Essay, Process Log, Presentation – due Tuesday 18th July (Week 1, Term 3)
The details for each task and instructions on how to conduct the investigation are
attached.
Task Instructions/Submissions Requirements:
Question Proposal – to be submitted in hard copy to your class teacher, on the due
date, using the template provided.
Essay - to be submitted in hard copy to your class teacher, on the due date.
Process Log – to be submitted in hard copy to your teacher, on the due date, using the
template provided.
Presentation – groups must be ready to present in the first lesson. USBs with presentation
must be submitted, as well as accompanying notes (palm cards, speech, etc.)
Head Teacher Signature:_______________________________
In accordance with PHS Assessment Policy, if you are absent on the day of an assessment task you
MUST present a Doctor’s Certificate to your teacher immediately on your return to school and arrange
a time to complete the task. If you do not have a Doctor’s Certificate you will be awarded ZERO marks
for the task, which will lead to an ‘N’ Award Warning Letter. If you are on Work Placement or
representing the school at a debate or sporting event etc, it is your responsibility to inform your teacher
beforehand and arrange an alternate time to complete the assessment task.
PRELIMINARY MODERN HISTORY – HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION The historical investigation is designed to provide opportunities for all students to further develop relevant investigative, research and presentation skills that are the core of the historical inquiry process. The outcomes addressed in the investigation build on those in the Years 7–10 History syllabus.
The historical investigation should extend a particular area of individual student or group interest. The investigation can be integrated into any aspect of the Preliminary course and need not be completed as one project.
Possible historical investigations could include:
a case study – from the syllabus
aspects of a case study
aspects of the Preliminary core study
significant individuals or groups
significant events
aspects of society
a thematic study
historical debates
historical concepts
historical sites
Constructions of the modern world by the media. The investigation should not overlap or duplicate significantly any topic attempted for the HSC Modern History or History Extension courses. The process of investigation involves:
planning and conducting historical investigations
comprehending written sources
locating, selecting and organising relevant information from a variety of sources
using a variety of sources to develop a view about historical issues
analysing sources for their usefulness and reliability
identifying different historical perspectives and interpretations evident in sources
formulating historical questions and hypotheses relevant to the investigation using historical terms and concepts appropriately
synthesising information from a range of sources to develop and support a historical argument
presenting and communicating the findings of the historical investigation using
appropriate and well-structured oral and/or written and/or multimedia forms including ICT. History Extension will further develop investigative, research and presentation skills for those students who choose to take the course.
Historical Investigation – Components
1. Question proposal 5 marks
Choose a topic and a question to be investigated. Present a formal proposal for your
teacher’s approval.
2. Process Log 5 marks
A dated summary of all work carried out by the group.
3. Written report 15 marks
Written report of research findings, incorporating sources and own argument.
(Min. 2000 words)
4. Presentation 15 marks
A presentation in which you outline your question choice, research process and findings.
(10-12 minutes)
5. Bibliography N/A
A list of all sources used in the investigation.
Possible topics for investigation:
A biography of any historical figure
The League of Nations
Nuclear testing in the Pacific
The Chinese Government and Tiananmen Square
Post-Communist Russia
Emmeline Pankhurst and the Suffragette Movement
The Civil Rights Movement in the USA in the 1950s and 1960s
The Indian Mutiny 1857
The Cuban Revolution and its impact in Latin America
The Boxer Rebellion in China
The origins of the Arab-Israeli Conflict 1880s-1947
YOU MUST CLEAR YOUR CHOSEN TOPIC WITH YOUR TEACHER BEFORE YOU
BEGIN YOUR RESEARCH!
Historical Investigation – Essay Marking Criteria
Criteria Marks
• Addresses the question asked, making a clear judgement based on a sophisticated and sustained argument, which demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of the issue(s) raised in the question
• Presents a logical, cohesive and well-structured response drawing on a clear identification of relevant key features
• Supports interpretation with detailed, relevant and accurate historical information and makes use of appropriate terms and concepts
13-15
• Addresses the question asked with a sound attempt at a judgement and/or an argument, which demonstrates well-developed knowledge and understanding of the issue(s) raised in the question
• Presents a well-structured response drawing on relevant key features
• Provides detailed, relevant and accurate historical knowledge and uses appropriate historical terms and concepts
10–12
• Addresses the question asked with a relevant but largely narrative or descriptive response which may contain implied understanding of the issue(s) raised in the question
• Presents a structured response, with some identification of the key features
• Provides adequate, relevant and accurate historical knowledge incorporating some historical terms
7–9
• Presents a narrative or descriptive response, which is largely relevant but may be generalised AND/OR incomplete
• Presents a simple response, with some mention of the key features
• Provides limited, relevant and accurate historical knowledge incorporating some historical terms
4–6
• Attempts a narrative or description, which may be only generally relevant AND/OR seriously incomplete
• May be disjointed AND/OR very brief
• Provides very limited historical knowledge
1–3
Historical Investigation – Presentation Marking Sheet
Presenters: ______________________________________________________________
HIGH SOUND BASIC NOT ACHIEVED
Understanding of the chosen topic.
3 2 1 0
Relevance of the information.
3 2 1 0
Quality of presentation
3 2 1 0
Attempt to engage audience.
3 2 1 0
Time Management
3 (10-12 mins)
2 (+/-30 seconds)
1 (+/- 1 minute)
0 (over +/- 1
minute)
TOTAL MARK /15
Strengths:
Areas to Improve:
Summary of Tasks & Due Dates
TASK DESCRIPTION DUE DATE
QUESTION PROPOSAL
Choose a topic and a question to be investigated.
Wednesday 14th June (Week 7, Term 2)
PROCESS LOG
Completed summary of all work.
Tuesday 18st July (Week 1, Term 3)
PRESENTATION A 10 minute presentation
WRITTEN REPORT
Written report of research findings, incorporating sources and own argument. (Min. 2000 words)
BIBLIOGRAPHY A bibliography showing a range of sources used.
HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION – QUESTION PROPOSAL
Student Name/s
Class
Teacher
What area of history are you investigating and why?
What question will you be answering?
What do you think will be the challenges of this task? How will you overcome them?
Evaluate your progress so far.
Student/s Date
Teacher Date
HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION – QUESTION PROPOSAL (SAMPLE)
Student Name/s
Erin Walsh & David Lawrence
Class 11MH5
Teacher Mr Williams
What area of history are you investigating and why?
We have chosen to investigate Emmeline Pankhurst and the Suffragette Movement.
We chose this topic because we are interested in how the rights and freedoms of women
have changed over time. Moreover, we wish to find out the role Emmeline Pankhurst played
in influencing the changes that occurred in the early 1900s. The actions of Emmeline
Pankhurst and the Women’s Social and Political Union were quite unique for the time -
physical altercations with police resulting in imprisonment.
Through our research, we hope to learn more about this topic and these interesting women.
What question will you be answering?
How successful were Emmeline Pankhurst and the Suffragette Movement in changing the
rights of British women in the early 1900s?
What do you think will be the challenges of this task? How will you overcome them?
We have determined the following as possible challenges and solutions:
Staying on track with our investigation over several weeks – We will overcome this
by ensuring that we are making entries into our process log consistently and being
prepared for each meeting.
Working with / relying on another person – We will overcome this by communicating
regularly and ensuring that we do our fair share of the work.
Evaluate your progress so far.
We are making good progress so far. We have read the texts listed above and have
compiled information to go into my response.
In our first group meeting, during class time, we divided tasks between the two of us,
making it clear who is responsible for each part of the investigation. We also set due dates
to ensure that we are keeping up with our work.
We decided on the following:
We will each do preliminary research before our next lesson, make notes and share
them in a Google Doc.
At the next meeting, we will discuss the two sources that we are going to analyse
and begin a draft.
Erin will be responsible for writing the source analysis and David will be responsible
for planning out the essay.
The presentation will be created by both of us using PowerPoint.
Student/s Date
Teacher Date
Process Log
ACTIONS / WORK UNDERTAKEN
DATE Group Member 1:
Group Member 2:
Group Member 3:
ACTIONS / WORK UNDERTAKEN
DATE Group Member 1:
Group Member 2:
Group Member 3:
ACTIONS / WORK UNDERTAKEN
DATE Group Member 1:
Group Member 2:
Group Member 3:
ACTIONS / WORK UNDERTAKEN
DATE Group Member 1:
Group Member 2:
Group Member 3: