Queensland Core Skills Test
Encyclopedia
The Queensland Core Skills Test is a statewide test completed by all Queensland
year twelve students who wish to be eligible for an Overall Position
(OP) and is optional (but beneficial) for tertiary rank
students. These ranks are used to gain entrance into tertiary degrees and courses. In-school subject rankings given to students are scaled and moderated using the performance of the subject cohort at individual schools on the QCS test. The QCS test is the only statewide external exam conducted in the two senior years of secondary education (years 11 and 12).
The QCS Test is claimed to be an achievement test grounded in the year 12 curriculum, rather than a measure of intelligence or aptitude. Moreover, the test is aimed to be accessible to all students regardless of subject choice, with general knowledge, vocabulary and mathematics tested only to the common year 10 level. It is held over two consecutive days late in Term 3.
In 2010, a student-organised movement, fuelled by the popular social networking site Facebook
suggested that students mention Bear Grylls
in the writing task or in the short response task, similar to Project Clooney '09 in the General Achievement Test
.
The writing task requires students to write around 600 words of continuous English
prose
based on provided stimulus material and a set theme. This could include graphics, quotations and statistics.
The short response paper tests various skills through various tasks, including calculations, drawing and reasoning. The two multiple choice papers require candidates to choose an option out of four alternate answers for a variety of questions.
Results on the QCS test are returned to students as an overall grade from A to E with exit results in December.
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
year twelve students who wish to be eligible for an Overall Position
Overall Position
The Overall Position is a tertiary entrance rank used in the Australian state of Queensland for selection into universities. Like similar systems used throughout the rest of Australia, the OP shows how well a student has performed in their senior secondary studies compared to all other OP-eligible...
(OP) and is optional (but beneficial) for tertiary rank
Tertiary Entrance Rank
The Tertiary Entrance Rank was a tertiary entrance score used in several Australian states and the Northern Territory as a tool for selection to universities in Australia...
students. These ranks are used to gain entrance into tertiary degrees and courses. In-school subject rankings given to students are scaled and moderated using the performance of the subject cohort at individual schools on the QCS test. The QCS test is the only statewide external exam conducted in the two senior years of secondary education (years 11 and 12).
The QCS Test is claimed to be an achievement test grounded in the year 12 curriculum, rather than a measure of intelligence or aptitude. Moreover, the test is aimed to be accessible to all students regardless of subject choice, with general knowledge, vocabulary and mathematics tested only to the common year 10 level. It is held over two consecutive days late in Term 3.
In 2010, a student-organised movement, fuelled by the popular social networking site Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
suggested that students mention Bear Grylls
Bear Grylls
Edward Michael "Bear" Grylls is an English adventurer, writer and television presenter. He is best known for his television series Man vs. Wild, known as Born Survivor in the United Kingdom...
in the writing task or in the short response task, similar to Project Clooney '09 in the General Achievement Test
General Achievement Test
The General Achievement Test or GAT is a test of general knowledge and skills in written communication, mathematics, science and technology, humanities, the arts and social sciences taken by all Victorian students prior to completing their VCE....
.
Format
The QCS Test comprises four papers — a two hour writing task (WT), a two hour short-response (SR), and two one-and-a-half-hour multiple-choice (MC) papers. These form the three modes of assessment — extended writing, short-response and multiple-choice.The writing task requires students to write around 600 words of continuous English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
prose
Prose
Prose is the most typical form of written language, applying ordinary grammatical structure and natural flow of speech rather than rhythmic structure...
based on provided stimulus material and a set theme. This could include graphics, quotations and statistics.
The short response paper tests various skills through various tasks, including calculations, drawing and reasoning. The two multiple choice papers require candidates to choose an option out of four alternate answers for a variety of questions.
Results on the QCS test are returned to students as an overall grade from A to E with exit results in December.
Content tested
The Test is designed by the Queensland Studies Authority to test 49 common curricular elements (CCEs), including basic skills from "Recognising letters, words and other symbols" to complex skills such as "Hypothesising" and "Expounding a viewpoint."Previous writing task topics
- 2011 - Gold
- 2010 - Flight
- 2009 - Time
- 2008 - Circle
- 2007 - Essence
- 2006 - Shape
- 2005 - Discovery
- 2004 - What Matters
- 2003 - Face
- 2002 - Space
- 2001 - Light
- 2000 - Work
See also
- Education in AustraliaEducation in AustraliaEducation in Australia is primarily the responsibility of the states and territories. Each state or territory government provides funding and regulates the public and private schools within its governing area. The federal government helps fund the public universities, but is not involved in setting...
- Overall PositionOverall PositionThe Overall Position is a tertiary entrance rank used in the Australian state of Queensland for selection into universities. Like similar systems used throughout the rest of Australia, the OP shows how well a student has performed in their senior secondary studies compared to all other OP-eligible...
- University admission