11–12History Extension 11–12 Syllabus
The new History Extension 11–12 Syllabus (2024) is to be implemented from 2026.
2025
- Plan and prepare to teach the new syllabus
2026, Term 4
- Start teaching new syllabus
- Start implementing new Year 12 school-based assessment requirements
2027
- First HSC examination for new syllabus
Content
Year 12
- HX-12-02
constructs a position about an area of historiographical interpretation, and discusses and challenges other positions
- HX-12-03
plans, conducts and presents a substantial investigation involving analysis, synthesis and evaluation of information from historical sources of differing perspectives and historiographical approaches
- HX-12-04
communicates through detailed, well-structured texts to explain, argue, discuss, analyse or evaluate historiographical issues
Historiographical skills
Students use a variety of sources to:
- identify and analyse differing historical and historiographical interpretations or issues
- explain why different producers of history have differing perspectives and approaches
- develop and challenge a view(s) about historical or historiographical issues.
The historiographical skills are to be integrated with the History project.
The History project provides the opportunity for students to design and conduct an investigation into an area of historical and/or historiographical interpretation. Students work independently to plan and conduct their investigation. The investigation provides opportunities to apply the historiographical understanding developed through course work on the issues raised in the key questions and to produce an argument in response to a precise question.
Identify a topic for a historiographical investigation
Locate, select, analyse, synthesise and evaluate historical information from a range of sources with differing perspectives and interpretations
Develop an understanding of historiographical issues relating to the topic and construct a precise question
Communicate through an essay of no more than 2500 words, to:
- analyse historical and historiographical perspectives or issues
- explain and argue for a historiographical position
- discuss and challenge other historiographical positions
Use consistently formatted footnotes or endnotes to acknowledge the source of statements in the text or make minor clarifications to the text
Create a consistently formatted bibliography of all sources used in the project
Maintain a process log and documentation of historiographical investigation
The following guidelines for the History project focus area outline the process in planning and conducting the project.
The topic should reflect an area of student interest. The project:
must focus on the fundamental historiographical concepts and issues in History Extension
may be developed from a case study but must cover substantially different ground
must not overlap significantly with the examinable content of any Stage 6 course undertaken by the student
The topic should be developed from one or more of the following areas:
differing interpretations of a historical debate or controversy
differing interpretations of an archaeological site over time
a particular historiographical issue, concept or controversy
a critical analysis of the work of a producer of history or an archaeologist
contrasting approaches to a historical personality, issue or event
the role of museums and memorials in representing history
differing forms of historical communication, for example film, documentary, fiction, docudrama.
Students:
identify their topic area, inquiry questions, the precise question, and research intentions
choose research approaches to history that are best suited to their particular topic
consult a wide range of sources during their research
consult with appropriate experts where relevant during the development of their project
maintain a record of their development of the project in a process log
consider, where relevant, the ethical implications of the topics that are selected
Teachers should provide assistance to students on issues such as:
topic selection, planning and the development of a precise question
inquiry and research approaches appropriate to the topics selected by students
understanding and interpreting the findings of the research
developing a critical and coherent argument
preparation of the essay and bibliography
the evaluation of student progress through reviewing drafts of the project and monitoring the process log.
The History Project should be a product of the student’s own work and be free of plagiarism. Plagiarism may be broadly defined as presenting as one’s own, the thoughts, writings or inventions of another. While students may draw on the assistance of other people in developing the project, care must be taken to avoid practices that may be the subject of claims of academic misconduct, including plagiarism.
Certification is required to ensure that each project is wholly the work of the student entered for the HSC and has been completed under the supervision of the teacher.
It is essential that aspects of the process of development of the project take place in school time. Work completed away from school must be regularly monitored by the supervising teacher.
Each student must sign a statement, witnessed by the supervising teacher, that the submitted project is their own work. This signed History Project Declaration and Certification Form must be submitted with each essay and retained by the school in accordance with the school’s assessment policy.
Students maintain a record of their development of the project in a process log. Teachers are required to monitor the process log at regular intervals and sign/initial and date any comments. The process log must be retained for verification of authenticity and may be referenced by the school in the case of school-based assessment appeals. However, it need not be formally assessed as part of the school assessment program.
The process log should contain:
- the topic choice, specific question and research intentions
- sequentially dated records or digital recordings of the inquiry process, such as research plans, resourcing or correspondence
- evidence of academic research such as sources, summaries and notes
- progressive dated drafts of work
- ethical considerations where relevant.
Criteria for assessing the History project essay and bibliography are based on:
knowledge and understanding of historiographical approaches, concepts and issues
skills in historiographical inquiry
skills in the communication of historiographical issues.