Scholarship History

On this page:

• History assessment specification
• History resources

History assessment specification

Format of the assessment

A variety of primary and secondary sources will be provided that deal with a particular part of each history context. Candidates will be required to respond to a statement in the instructions. The key ideas of the statement will be explained in a paragraph that follows the instructions. Using most of the sources as well as their own knowledge, candidates will be required to evaluate evidence and produce a single piece of writing that has demonstrated the ability to:

Skill 1: Demonstrate an understanding of the critical underpinnings and scope of an historical question/context through the effective communication of a sophisticated, substantiated argument.

Skill 2: Develop informed and perceptive judgements about the nature of historical evidence and/or historical research.

Skill 3: Critically evaluate historical narratives in a sustained manner.

Skill 4: Demonstrate a thorough and perceptive understanding of historical relationships in selected contexts and settings.

Skill 5: Synthesise, with perception and insight, ideas relevant to the historical context(s) and setting(s).

All skills are equally weighted.

Candidates will receive a question booklet containing sources and a separate answer booklet that contains two planning pages and lined pages for the response.

Sources or information supplied

Two sets of approximately twelve sources that relate to the two Level 3 historical contexts.

Content/Context details

Candidates will choose to answer either England 1558–1667 or New Zealand in the Nineteenth Century. Candidates must demonstrate their understanding of the historical relationships, particularly past and present to evaluate the significance of their topic of study. Candidates should be prepared to respond to a statement that encompasses the broad survey course.

History resources

The links listed below are for resources to help teachers and students understand what is required for success in Scholarship.

• Performance standards
• Exemplars of students work (PDF, 154KB)
• Top Scholar 2011 (PDF, 9MB)
• Exam materials (question books, resource books, reports, schedules, etc)
  • 2011 exam materials (ZIP, 1.2MB)
  • 2010 exam materials (ZIP, 812KB)
  • 2009 exam materials (ZIP, 3.5MB)
  • 2008 exam materials (ZIP, 1.3MB)
  • 2007 exam materials (ZIP, 1.1MB)
  • 2006 exam materials (ZIP, 1.2MB)
  • 2005 exam materials (ZIP, 635KB)
  • 2004 exam materials (ZIP, 933KB)
  • All years (ZIP, 9.9MB)