VCE Extended Investigation study guide
VCE Extended Investigation · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
VCE Extended Investigation is a Victorian Certificate of Education study for Units 3 and 4, published by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA). The VCAA page for the study lists an accreditation period from 2025, meaning the study design applies to Units 3 and 4 from that year. The study is built around students designing and carrying out their own extended investigation, then reporting on it, with the VCAA page pointing to areas of study, outcomes and assessment in the study design document, plus separate pages for planning a program, teaching and learning, and assessment. The VCAA page also lists general assessment advice, an externally-assessed task declaration form, and examination specifications, past examinations and reports as assessment resources, and notes a link to the VCE Season of Excellence. Topics on this exam: Units 3 and 4 coursework: designing and conducting an extended investigation and Externally-assessed task: investigation report and oral presentation. The VCE Extended Investigation study guide has 2 sections and about 723 words.
01Designing and Conducting an Extended Investigation (Units 3–4 Coursework)
In Units 3 and 4 the extended investigation is assessed on how well a sustained, self-directed inquiry is designed, justified and carried out. The single most important concept is that your research question must be researchable, focused and defensible .
372 words, about 2 min02The Externally-Assessed Task: Investigation Report and Oral Presentation
The externally-assessed investigation report is a formal academic document that communicates your inquiry from question to conclusion. You must understand its expected architecture: an introduction establishing context and the research question; a literature or background review situating your inquiry; a methodology section justifying design and methods; a results or findings section presenting data clearly; a discussion interpreting findings against your question and existing knowledge; a conclusion acknowledging limitations; and a reference list in a consistent citation style.
351 words, about 2 min