8.

5 Content: Society and Culture HSC course

HSC core: Personal Interest Project
(30% of course time)
The Personal Interest Project is integrated across the whole HSC course and draws together
the interests, research skills and personal experiences of the student.

Outcomes
A student:
H1 evaluates and effectively applies social and cultural concepts
H4 assesses the interaction of personal experience and public knowledge in the
development of social and cultural literacy
H5 analyses continuity and change and their influence on personal and social futures
H6 evaluates social and cultural research methods for appropriateness to specific
research tasks
H7 selects, organises, synthesises and analyses information from a variety of sources for
usefulness, validity and bias
H8 uses planning and review strategies to conduct ethical social and cultural research that
is appropriate for tasks ranging from the simple to the complex
H9 applies complex course language and concepts appropriate for a range of audiences
and contexts
H10 communicates complex information, ideas and issues using appropriate written, oral
and graphic forms

Content
Social and cultural research methods are to be applied through the process of completing
the Personal Interest Project.
Students are to:
 develop a research proposal clearly outlining the topic, question or problem
 select appropriate concepts to ensure that the topic and the subsequent research
relate to the Society and Culture course
 select methods appropriate to the research proposal and apply these to the topic
 gather and evaluate information and sources related to the topic
 draft and edit text that analyses and synthesises the findings of the research
 complete all formal requirements of the Personal Interest Project:
- introduction
- log
- central material
- conclusion
- resource list
 achieve an appreciation of the ethical implications of social research and apply these
to the Personal Interest Project (see page 21)
 communicate the findings of their research.
Note: See Assessment and Reporting in Society and Culture Stage 6 for the
requirements of the Personal Interest Project. This document and other resources
and advice related to the Personal Interest Project are available on the Board’s website
(www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc).