Enclosures
• Candidate identification form
• Subject notices for each subject you are registered for
• Notice to candidates (language subjects only)
Updating your personal details
If your personal details change (e.g. you change your address), email QCAA at
[email protected] by 30 November 2015. If you are a Year 12 student, you must also notify your school.
Withdrawing from an examination
You can withdraw from an examination at any time. If you decide to withdraw, email QCAA at [email protected] as soon as possible. Applications for refunds have closed.
If you are unable to sit an examination for medical reasons, you can apply for a refund of your registration fee (less an administration fee of $15.55). You must apply no later than one month after the examination and include a medical certificate with your application.
Sitting your examinations
Examination centre
You must sit at the examination centre shown on your Candidate identification form.
Examination timetable
The examination timetable (available from www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/6961.html) was published in February 2015.
Each subject examination is held only once each year. If you miss an examination for any reason, you will not receive a level of achievement for the subject and you will be unable to sit the
examination again until October/November next year.
If you are sitting a language examination, you must sit all four sections of the examination (Reading, Writing, Listening and Oral/Speaking) to be awarded a level of achievement.
Examination information
2015 Senior External Examination
Identification requirements
You must take your Candidate identification form and photographic identification (e.g. driver licence or student card) to every examination session. If you are sitting a language examination, you must also take the enclosed yellow Notice to candidates.
If you cannot prove your identity, you may not be allowed into the examination room.
Examination rules
You must comply with the examination rules (see Appendix A).
QCAA-approved equipment
You may take only the equipment listed in Appendix B into the examination room.
Disability, injury or medical condition
If you have a disability, injury or medical condition, you can apply for special provision (see Appendix C).
Examination papers for Accounting, English, Modern History and Visual Art will include material printed in colour. Apply for special provision if you require a black-and-white version.
If, after sitting an examination, you believe your performance was affected by illness, injury or another reason, you can apply for special consideration of your examination scripts
(see Appendix D).
Preparing for your examinations
See Appendix E for information about resource materials and examination hints.
Arriving at the examination centre
You should arrive early for each examination session.
If you arrive after the examination has started
• Within the first 60 minutes — you will be admitted only with the approval of the supervisor.
• After the first 60 minutes — you will be admitted only in exceptional circumstances.
Leaving the examination room
After the examinations
Marking
Your level of achievement in each subject is determined by matching your examination responses to the assessment standards in the syllabus. All examination scripts are marked by trained and qualified markers. Most scripts are marked a second time by a different marker to ensure that marking is of the highest quality.
Results
If you are an adult student, a Statement of Results will be posted to you on Tuesday 8 December 2015. If you are a Year 12 student, your results will be included on the Senior Statement posted to you on Friday 18 December 2015.
You can view your results in your learning account at https://studentconnect.qcaa.qld.edu.au from Saturday 19 December 2015 using your Learner Unique Identifier (LUI) and password. If you don’t know your LUI, contact your school or teaching centre.
If your certificate is lost or damaged in the mail, advise QCAA in writing by 11 January 2016 so a new certificate can be sent to you.
Reassessment and/or script inspection
You can apply to have your scripts marked again if you believe an error in marking has occurred or to inspect your scripts (they cannot be returned to you).
The application form will be available from www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/2426.html in late December.
More information
If you would like more information, visit www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/588.html. You can contact QCAA by email at [email protected] or by telephone on (07) 3864 0211.
Appendix A — Examination rules
You must:
• comply with supervisors’ directions
• enter the examination room only when told to do so
• turn off mobile phones before entering the examination room
• take only QCAA-approved equipment into the examination room
• sit at the desk provided for you
• put your personal belongings (bags, mobile phones, unauthorised books, etc.) where directed by the supervisor
• follow the directions given on examination books/sheets
• raise your hand if you need to speak to a supervisor
• ensure that your conduct is appropriate. Examples of misconduct include:
− deliberately creating a disturbance that disrupts other candidates
− unauthorised writing during perusal time or after the examination has finished.
You must not:
• talk to or communicate in any way with other candidates after you have entered the examination room
• ask a supervisor to explain or interpret a question
• give material or equipment to other candidates
• remove any response books/sheets from an examination room
• cheat, which includes:
− gaining prior access to examination content
− bringing unauthorised material and/or equipment into the examination room
− copying from another candidate
− impersonation.
If you break any of the examination rules, QCAA may not award a level of achievement.
Appendix B — QCAA-approved equipment
You may take only the following equipment into the examination room:
• materials/equipment listed in subject notices
• blue or black pens, 2B pencils, highlighters
• ruler, slide rule
• eraser, correction fluid
• calculator (see below)
• magnifying glasses, earplugs
• bottled water
• equipment allowed as a QCAA-approved special provision.
Calculators
Calculators must not be mains powered, attached to a printer or have spellcheck, dictionary or translation functions.
Subject Calculator
Accounting Non-programmable only
Biology Non-programmable only
Chemistry Non-programmable only
Geography Non-programmable only
Mathematics A Calculator required (graphing calculator allowed)
Not allowed: calculators with computer algebra system (CAS) functionality Mathematics B Graphing calculator required (additional calculator allowed)
Not allowed: calculators with computer algebra system (CAS) functionality Philosophy & Reason Non-programmable only
Physics Graphing calculator required (additional calculator allowed)
Dictionaries
Dictionaries are allowed in all language subjects except Chinese:
• Arabic
• Korean
• Modern Greek
• Polish
• Punjabi
• Russian
• Spanish
• Vietnamese.
Dictionaries used in these subjects must be printed and can be monolingual and/or bilingual.
Electronic dictionaries are not allowed.
Dictionaries are allowed in other subjects only as a QCAA-approved special arrangement (see Appendix C).
Appendix C — Special provision
QCAA may approve special provision if you have a disability, injury or medical condition that would affect your examination performance if you were to sit under standard conditions. For example, extra time may be approved if you have a broken wrist, or enlarged examination materials may be provided if you have a vision impairment.
If you are unable to sit an examination, you will not receive a result.
Special provision is not recorded on a Senior Statement or a Statement of Results.
How to apply
Complete a Special provision application available from www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/2426.html.
Before applying, read Appendix A of the 2015 Senior External Examination Handbook.
Your application must include documentation from a healthcare professional that describes your disability, injury or medical condition and explains how it will affect your examination performance.
QCAA staff may need to telephone you or your teaching centre, school or examination centre to discuss your application.
Closing dates
Long-term disabilities, injuries or medical conditions
The closing date for applications was 31 August 2015. Late applications may be accepted.
You should apply as soon as possible if you have not already done so.
Short-term disabilities, injuries or medical conditions
Apply as soon as possible.
Illness or injury before an examination
If you are ill or injured on the day of an examination (or in the days immediately before), QCAA may be able to approve special provision. Contact QCAA on (07) 3864 0211 as soon as possible.
If you cannot contact QCAA, tell the supervisor about your injury/illness so that it can be recorded. Supervisors cannot approve special provision, but their report may support an application from you for special consideration of your examination scripts (see Appendix D).
Appendix D — Special consideration of examination scripts
Examination results are based solely on examination performance. If, after sitting an examination, you believe your performance was affected by illness, injury or other reason, you can apply for special consideration of your examination scripts.
Where possible, markers will consider your circumstances when marking your scripts.
The following will not be taken into consideration:
• class tests or assignments completed during the year
• inability to attend classes
• absence from an examination.
Special consideration is not recorded on a Statement of Results or a Senior Statement.
How to apply
Complete an Application for special consideration of examination scripts, available from late October at www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/2426.html.
You must provide evidence (e.g. a medical certificate or funeral notice) to support your application.
QCAA will acknowledge receipt of your application by email.
Closing date
The closing date is seven days after your last examination. QCAA cannot accept applications before the examination.
Appendix E — Preparing for your examinations
Resource materials
You can download the following resources for free from www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/2427.html.
Syllabuses
An external syllabus is available for each subject. Each syllabus sets out the aims, objectives, learning experiences and assessment requirements for the subject.
Past papers
Past papers are actual examination papers from previous years.
Examination papers are generally similar in structure from year to year, although they may vary within the requirements of the syllabus.
When a syllabus is revised, QCAA develops a sample examination paper to show the proposed format and structure of future examination papers.
Assessment reports
By the end of February each year, QCAA publishes a report for most subjects about the previous year’s examination. The report may contain comments on overall candidate performance and sample responses to questions.
Subject notices
Subject notices published this year for subjects you are registered for are included in this pack.
Printed resources
Printed resources can be purchased by calling (07) 3864 0330.
Resource Cost
Syllabuses (all subjects) $6.70 per subject
Past papers and assessment reports
(except Arabic, Modern Greek, Polish, Punjabi, Russian and Spanish)
$3.65 per subject per year
Listening section CD (Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese) Included with past papers and assessment reports
Examination hints
Before the examination
Ensure you are familiar with:
• the dates and times of your examinations
• the knowledge and skills described in each syllabus that you must be able to demonstrate
• subject-specific words and phrases
• the format of examination papers (read past examination papers, assessment reports and subject notices).
Have a trial run with past examination papers to practise your skills in:
• responding to different types of questions (multiple choice, short or extended response, etc.)
• planning and writing responses that meet word-length requirements
• understanding the requirements of each question (e.g. when to justify a response, explain a situation, show working, argue a case).
Prepare your examination strategies:
• Plan of attack — in what order are you going to attempt the questions?
• Time management — pace yourself and set deadlines. Allow time to review your responses.
• Highlight important words and phrases — so you stay on track when responding.
Speaking/Oral assessment (language examinations)
• Practise speaking for the required amount of time.
• Do not anglicise your speech.
• Use a variety of language structures (which might contain errors) rather than a series of simple repeated structures that are thoroughly accurate.
On the day of the examination
• Allow plenty of time to travel to your examination centre.
• Check you have the required equipment, your Candidate identification form and photographic identification.
