QCAA Agricultural Science EA case studies
QCAA Agricultural Science EA · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The QCAA Agricultural Science General senior syllabus is a Queensland senior science course. The current syllabus document is the Agricultural Science General senior syllabus 2025 (v1.3), described by the QCAA as being "For implementation with students who will complete their study of the course in 2026 or beyond." External assessment for the subject is delivered across a Paper 1 and a Paper 2, each with its own question and response book, plus a separate multiple choice question book for Paper 1; the QCAA publishes a marking guide alongside each year's papers. The QCAA Agricultural Science EA case studies are 5 cases and about 3,034 words.
1Spray calibration trial with a drifting boom
A student investigating spray efficiency on a 40 ha block of cotton sets three nozzle types (A, B, C) on a boom and measures deposition on water-sensitive cards at three positions across the boom: left, centre, right. Each treatment is run once per position.
593 words, about 3 min2Fertiliser trial with a confounded paddock
A student runs a data-test-style analysis on a nitrogen trial. A paddock is split into two halves by a farm track.
585 words, about 3 min3Germination experiment with a suspicious replicate
A student investigates whether soaking seed in gibberellic acid (GA) improves germination of a slow-germinating pasture species. Four treatments: 0, 50, 100 and 200 mg/L GA.
655 words, about 3 min4Analysing a student experiment's statistical claim
A student compares two irrigation regimes on tomato yield: drip (n = 4 plots) and furrow (n = 4 plots). Drip mean = 48.2 t/ha, SD = 3.1; furrow mean = 44.0 t/ha, SD = 4.4.
593 words, about 3 min5Research investigation: interpreting a claim about cover crops
A student is writing a research investigation on whether cover crops reduce nitrogen leaching in sugarcane. They find a study reporting that a legume cover crop reduced nitrate concentration in drainage by 45% compared with bare fallow, measured over one season on a sandy soil in a high-rainfall region.
608 words, about 3 min