Research Project | Stage 2 | Planning to Teach | Subject Operational Information | 2020
Subject operational information
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Stage 2 Research Project
These web pages connect schools and teachers to information on procedures relating to final moderation and external assessment requirements. Key dates, including dates for the submission of results, are also provided.
Stage 2 Research Project is a 10-credit subject. Students enrol in either Research Project A or Research Project B:
- Research Project A — RPA10
- Research Project B — RPB10.
The learning and assessment requirements for these subjects are set out in the Research Project A subject outline [PDF 1.2MB] and in the Research Project B subject outline [PDF 1.2MB].
Results in Research Project A and Research Project B may contribute to the calculation of the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR).
Only 10 credits of the Stage 2 Research Project may count towards completion of the SACE.
To be awarded the SACE, students must achieve a grade of C– or better for Research Project.
Assessment groups
Research Project A and Research Project B have two distinct codes. Schools must ensure that students enrolled in Research Project A are not included in the same assessment group as students enrolled in Research Project B.
See Assessment groups — Stage 2 (Information sheet 1).
Online moderation and marking
School assessment materials for Stage 2 Research Project A and Stage 2 Research Project B will be submitted for online moderation using school assessment results sheets in Schools Online.
External assessment materials for Stage 2 Research A and Stage 2 Research Project B will be submitted for online marking using investigation results sheets in Schools Online.
Key dates
For a simplified list of key operational dates, see the Research Project calendar.
School planners
A Stage 2 school planner is available for Research Project A and B [DOC 161KB] to support school planning processes. The planner is to be used instead of the learning and assessment plan required in most other subjects. The planner is designed for schools to use internally and is not submitted to the SACE Board for approval.
Arrangements for students re-enrolling in the Research Project
The following arrangements apply to students who re-enrol in (resubmit or repeat) the Research Project.
These arrangements are consistent with the SACE Board's Redrafting of Assessed Work Policy [DOC 86KB] and Reuse of Assessed Work Policy [DOC 85KB]. The arrangements enable students to:
- resubmit one or more assessment types to become eligible for the SACE
- repeat Research Project A or B to improve their subject grade.
See Research Project — student re-enrolment (Information sheet 26).
Resubmitting to become eligible for the SACE
For students who resubmit one or more assessment types for Research Project A or B to become eligible for the SACE, that is, those who have not yet achieved a minimum grade of C–, the following arrangements apply:
- students have the option of making content changes to one or more of the assessment types, and resubmitting the amended type(s) for assessment at one of the available assessment periods in June or December
- when at least a C– grade is achieved through resubmitting one or more assessment types, the result is reported on the student's Record of Achievement as 'granted'.
For students who wish to resubmit one or more assessment types, schools must submit a Research Project resubmission form [DOC 94KB] to the SACE Board by:
-
late March for results due June
-
late August for results due December.
Repeating to improve the subject grade
Students who repeat Research Project A or B to improve their subject grade (i.e. to obtain a grade better than a C–) must:
- research a substantially different topic and different content to that researched originally
- undertake Research Project A or B based on the requirements of the current year's subject outline
- provide evidence of their learning in all three assessment types.
Re-enrolling students who resubmit or repeat the Research Project
Schools are required to re-enrol students who resubmit one or more assessment types for, or repeat, Research Project A or B. Using Schools Online, schools should re-enrol students by:
-
mid-May for results due June
-
early September for results due December.
Information
School assessment component
Teachers assess the evidence of student learning for:
- Assessment Type 1: Folio
- Assessment Type 2: Research Outcome.
The SACE Board quality assures the school assessment results through final moderation.
Refer to SACE Assessment and Reporting Guidelines [PDF 290KB] and SACE Stage 2 Moderation Overview [DOC 33KB] for information about the policy context and procedures.
Moderation sample selection
Teachers select the moderation sample of school-assessed materials to submit to the SACE Board.
Refer to Moderation sample selection, which includes FAQs and an instructional video.
Submitting school assessment materials for final moderation
For more information see Online submission of materials.
In Semester 1, school assessment materials for Research Project A and B (results due June) are submitted online by early July.
In Semester 2, school assessment materials for Research Project A and B are submitted online by mid-November (Round A).
Note
- The materials for each assessment type should be clearly identified for individual students.
Student materials for the sample for Assessment Type 1: Folio and Assessment Type 2: Research Outcome that is to be submitted for final moderation should consist of the following.
Assessment Type 1: Folio
Evidence selected for moderation may include materials from the proposal, and/or the research development, and/or the discussion. The student and teacher select evidence of the planning and development of the research for the Folio.
Evidence selected for moderation must clearly reflect the grade (A+ to E–) for the complete Folio assessed by the teacher.
| Assessment type | Specific features | Materials submitted |
|
Folio (30%) |
All of the following specific features must be covered in the Folio: Planning
Development
|
Ten single-sided A4 pages (written) or a maximum of 20 minutes (oral), or the equivalent in multimodal form. One A4 page is equivalent to 2 minutes of oral evidence. Students can submit a combination of written and oral evidence. |
Written evidence reduced in size (e.g. A3 pages or two A4 pages reduced in size to A4) is not acceptable.
Assessment Type 2: Research Outcome
Students negotiate suitable forms for producing their Research Outcome with their teacher. The form is likely to vary from student to student, depending on the research question and focus of the research processes.
The Research Outcome must provide evidence of the specific features of the assessment design criterion 'synthesis' (synthesis of knowledge, skills, and ideas to produce a resolution to the research question; substantiation of key findings relevant to the Research Outcome; and expression of ideas).
The Research Outcome may be presented in written, oral, or multimodal form.
Supervision and verification
Refer to the information in Supervision and Verification of Students' Work: Policy and Procedures [DOC 90KB] on the use of the record sheet [DOC 164KB] to record and authenticate each student's work. If used, these sheets are to be kept in the school until the end of the clerical check period in February 2020.
A teacher who is unable to verify that the work is the student's own must initiate a breach of rules action through the school's SACE/NTCET coordinator.
Information
- Results sheets and online submission — Stage 2 final moderation (Information sheet 50)
- Moderation sample selection
- Online submission of materials
External assessment component
Students undertake one external assessment, consisting of a Review (for Research Project A) or an Evaluation (for Research Project B).
Students prepare and submit:
- (for Research Project A) a Review to a maximum of 1500 words if written or a maximum of 10 minutes for an oral presentation, or the equivalent in multimodal form
or
- (for Research Project B) an Evaluation, in written form, to a maximum of 1500 words.
In addition to this students submit:
- (for Research Project A) a summary of the research to a maximum of 150 words if written or a maximum of one minute for an oral presentation, or the equivalent in multimodal form
or
- (for Research Project B) a written summary of the research to a maximum of 150 words.
Refer to the subject outlines for details of the external assessment requirements.
Submitting materials for external assessment
For more information see Online submission of materials.
Assessment Type 3: Review (Research Project A)
Assessment Type 3: Evaluation (Research Project B)
These assessment types are categorised as investigations for operational purposes.
In Semester 1, external assessment materials for Research Project A and Research Project B (results due June) are submitted online by late June.
In Semester 2, investigation materials for Research Project A and Research Project B (results due December) are submitted online by early November (Round 3).
The teacher assesses each student's external assessment and then submits all external assessments to the SACE Board for external assessment.
Supervision and verification
Refer to Supervision and Verification of Students' Work: Policy and Procedures [DOC 90KB]. Teachers must use the record sheet [DOC 164KB] to record and authenticate each student's work. These sheets are to be kept in the school until the end of the clerical check period in February 2020.
A teacher who is unable to verify that a review/evaluation, or part of a review/evaluation, is the student's own work must submit a completed report of potential breach of rules [DOC 108KB] to the SACE Board, through the school's SACE/NTCET coordinator.
Information
- Online submission of materials
- Results sheets, materials collection and online submission — Stage 2 investigations (Information sheet 51)
- external assessment cover sheet (Research Project A) — optional use [DOC 34KB]
- external assessment cover sheet (Research Project B) — optional use [DOC 34KB]