NCEA Level 2 History study guide
NCEA Level 2 History · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
NCEA Level 2 History is the second-year History offering within New Zealand's National Certificate of Educational Achievement, a qualification administered by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA). It sits under the Social Sciences learning area and, as NZQA describes it, is about "engaging with the historical narratives of people, places and events from the past." It is designed for secondary students who have completed Level 1 History and want to build the research, source-analysis and argumentation skills that lead into Level 3 and NZ Scholarship History. The NCEA Level 2 History study guide has 6 sections and about 1,731 words.
01Carry out an inquiry of an historical event or place that is of significance to New Zealanders
Domain 1 (AS 91229) assesses a social inquiry: you plan and carry out an investigation into an event or place significant to New Zealanders, gather and evaluate evidence, and present a conclusion that answers your focusing questions. Start with a narrow, answerable question, not a broad topic.
290 words, about 1 min02Examine an historical event or place that is of significance to New Zealanders
Domain 2 (AS 91230) asks you to examine an event or place of significance to New Zealanders: describe it accurately, explain its context and causes, and make a reasoned judgement about why it matters. Use criteria: importance to people at the time; depth and duration of consequences; symbolic meaning; how widely it is remembered; and whether interpretations are contested.
279 words, about 1 min03Examine sources of an historical event that is of significance to New Zealanders
Domain 3 (AS 91231) is the external source-examination standard. You are given sources and asked to examine their origin, purpose, context, content, reliability and usefulness, and to use them as evidence for an historical event significant to New Zealanders.
295 words, about 1 min04Interpret different perspectives of people in an historical event that is of significance to New Zealanders
Domain 4 (AS 91232) requires you to interpret different perspectives of people in an historical event significant to New Zealanders. A perspective is more than an opinion: it is a viewpoint shaped by values, beliefs, experiences, interests and social position.
293 words, about 1 min05Examine causes and consequences of a significant historical event
Domain 5 (AS 91233) is an external standard on causes and consequences. You need to explain multiple causes, distinguish long-term and short-term factors, and assess consequences for different groups, including intended and unintended ones.
274 words, about 1 min06Examine how a significant historical event affected New Zealand society
Domain 6 (AS 91234) is an external standard on how a significant historical event affected New Zealand society. You must explain social, economic, political and cultural effects, show how those effects varied between groups, and assess short- and long-term change.
300 words, about 2 min