Section 1
Q11
Candidates showed strength in these areas:
- identifying the effects of dispossession on Aboriginal spiritualities
- supporting the response with reference to specific aspects of Aboriginal spiritualities
- integrating relevant and accurate terminology throughout response.
Candidates need to improve in the following areas:
- addressing the specific requirements of the question by focusing on the continuing effects of dispossession on Aboriginal spiritualities rather than the past effects
- referring to the effects on Aboriginal spirituality rather than the effects on culture
- using correct terminology when referring to aspects of Aboriginal spiritualities and dispossession
- making specific reference to aspects of Aboriginal spiritualities rather than generalisations about land and Dreaming.
Q22 – Religion and Non-Religion
Candidates showed strength in these areas:
- using scriptural references to support reasons for social responsibility
- incorporating appropriate terminology, particularly in regard to Christianity and Islam
- including relevant examples of organisations associated with religious belief systems.
Candidates need to improve in the following areas:
- understanding the requirements for the command word ‘compare’
- naming a religious and a non-religious belief system
- writing a response that fits into the lines provided.
Section II
Question 1 – Buddhism
Candidates showed strength in these areas:
- identifying one ethical teaching of Buddhism and its origin
- understanding how the selected ethical teaching guides adherents in their daily living
- providing accurate information addressing how the ‘moral precepts’ to do good are portrayed by ONE significant person or school of thought other than the Buddha
- using clear and relevant evidence to support the response.
Candidates need to improve in these areas:
- distinguishing between Buddhist ethical issues and teachings
- avoiding biographical responses that do not address the question
- using the quote in context rather than merely restating it
- structuring a response to address the command word.
Question 2 – Christianity
Candidates showed strength in these areas:
- demonstrating sound knowledge of environmental ethics
- displaying sound knowledge of a significant person and their contribution to the religious tradition
- writing concise responses with appropriate use of terminology and knowledge of the course content.
Candidates need to improve in these areas:
- applying course content to the question
- making a clear reference to Christian ethical teachings in relation to the area of study
- linking the response to the stimulus material
- distinguishing between ethical teachings and issues
- supporting an argument/judgment with relevant examples
- developing a clear understanding of the origin of the ethical teaching.
Question 3 – Hinduism
Candidates showed strength in these areas:
- demonstrating a knowledge of ONE ethical teaching of Hinduism and its origin
- clearly articulating an understanding of the how the selected ethical teaching guides adherents in their daily living
- providing accurate information addressing how the ‘good path’ to liberation is portrayed by ONE significant person or school of thought other than the Vedas
- using relevant evidence to support the response
- responding succinctly and coherently.
Candidates need to improve in these areas:
- avoiding overly descriptive and biographical responses
- using the stimulus in context throughout the response.
Question 4 – Islam
Candidates showed strength in these areas:
- recognising and naming TWO contributions of a significant person or school of thought in Islam
- expressing concisely the impact of a significant person or a school of thought
- making excellent reference to the teaching and providing clear and accurate information to support the response
- displaying sound use of terminology and good knowledge of course content.
Candidates need to improve in these areas:
- making a clear reference to the impact of significant person or school of thought rather than describing the contributions
- distinguishing between ethical teachings and issues
- incorporating relevant examples in the response
- writing concise responses.
Question 5 – Judaism
Candidates showed strength in these areas:
- recognising and naming TWO contributions of a significant person or school of thought in Judaism
- providing clear and accurate information to support the response
- giving a description of a significant person or school of thought
- displaying sound use of terminology and good knowledge of course content
- responding logically and coherently.
Candidates need to improve in these areas:
- making a clear reference to the impact of a significant person or a school of thought
- engaging with the teaching provided and linking it to the life of the adherent
- distinguishing between ethical teachings and issues
- including relevant examples in the response
- writing a concise response.
Section III
Question 1 – Buddhism
Candidates showed strength in these areas:
- identifying and describing aspects of ONE selected practice in Buddhism
- demonstrating an understanding of why the selected practice is significant to adherents
- making reference to the stimulus quote or quotes.
Candidates need to improve in these areas:
- linking aspects of the practice to the question, that is, how it assists adherents to become better people
- integrating the stimulus throughout
- addressing the verb ‘explain’ rather than providing a description
- using terminology correctly throughout the response.
Question 2 – Christianity
Candidates showed strength in these areas:
- demonstrating knowledge of the significance of a practice for the individual and/or community of believers
- providing detailed coverage of the practice with specific links to the beliefs of Christianity
- making reference to the stimulus to support the response
- using variants to demonstrate the diversity of expression of practices within Christianity
- using accurate terminology in a well-structured response.
Candidates need to improve in these areas:
- explaining how the practice assists adherents to live a Christian life
- providing meaningful and appropriate use of the stimulus material
- providing an explanation rather than a descriptive statement about the nature and order of the practice.
Question 3 – Hinduism
Candidates showed strength in these areas:
- providing knowledge of ONE selected practice in Hinduism
- demonstrating an understanding of why the selected practice is significant to adherents
- making reference to the stimulus in the response
- developing a cohesive response that met the requirements of the question.
Candidates need to improve in these areas:
- providing an explanation rather than a generalised description of the practice which does not address the question
- using the stimulus in context throughout the response
- using related terminology correctly throughout the response.
Question 4 – Islam
Candidates showed strength in these areas:
- presenting a clear understanding of the meaning of submission explaining the relationship between the chosen practice and its efficacy in assisting the ongoing process of submission in the lives of adherents
- integrating the stimulus in the response to support an explanation of how specific aspects of the practice assists adherents in attaining submission
- using concepts and terminology within the framework of a cohesive explanation.
Candidates need to improve in these areas:
- ensuring that the response meets the specific requirements of the question/stimulus and does not simply describe a practice
- using the stimulus and/or question in context
- using terminology correctly.
Question 5 – Judaism
Candidates showed strength in these areas:
- using examples to support how believers keep the covenant
- providing scriptural references to support their answer
- showing clear understanding of how marriage and synagogue services assist believers to keep the covenant
- using appropriate terminology to support their response.
Candidates need to improve in these areas:
- understanding of how death and mourning practice assists believers to keep the covenant
- incorporating the quote throughout the response
- providing an explanation rather than a purely descriptive response.
Section IV
Question 1 – Religion and Peace
Candidates showed strength in these areas:
- understanding that the question required a judgement supported with examples and scripture
- balancing the judgement with examples from both traditions
- including a range of contemporary examples
- applying terminology specifically related to the syllabus topic ‘Religion and Peace’.
Candidates need to improve in these areas:
- providing a sustained response with reference to the question throughout
- recognising the difference between the principal beliefs, ethics and principal peace teachings
- making an explicit and supported judgement
- incorporating accurate and relevant terminology
- engaging with the stimulus.
