Describe trends in the proportion of fuel directly imported into Australia between 2000 and 2013.

Suggest one graphical method that could depict the information in box A, giving a reason for your choice.

To what extent might this infographic make Australian citizens more concerned about their energy security than they need to be?

Award [1] for each trend. Two trends required for [2]. Quantification needed for [2].

• Increasing overall.
• Slow increase between 2000 and 2004.
• More rapid increase between 2007 and 2013.
• Fluctuating.

Award [1] for a valid suggestion and [1] for reason for choice.

Possibilities include:

• Bar graph – easily constructed/analysed, contains categorized data.
• Proportional shapes – easy visual analysis.
• Pie charts – easy to identify relative proportions.

Award [1] mark for each relevant point and [1] for each supported development/explanation, up to a maximum of [5]. Award the final [1] for an overall appraisal that weighs up the infographic as a whole.
Award a maximum of [4] if only one perspective is given.

Relevant points include:

More concerned:

• Fuel supply could run out in weeks
• Conflict in the Middle East and impacts on financial stability – costs of fuel increase.
• Piracy and impacts on shipping lanes.
• Reliance on Singapore.
• Increasing reliance on imports of fuel.
• Closure of refineries decreases ability to process raw fuels.
• Infographic does not emphasize renewable energy possibilities.
• Negative language – dramatic nature of the title, boxes introduced as risks
• Infographic supplied by a reliable source

Not concerned:

• Australia has abundant renewable and non-renewable energy resources
• Australia is the world’s 9th largest energy producer
• Many of the risks are predictions rather than actual issues
• Introduction of non-oil based alternative fuels, electric cars

Appraisal – accept any valid appraisal linked to supporting materials from the infographic

• Overall tone is pessimistic rather than optimistic.
• Infographic gives feeling of vulnerability
• Infographic provides a series of possible solutions.

The majority of answers scored one mark on this question. Although most candidates attempted to give some quantification, answers were simplistic and did not respond to the plurality of the demand (trends) in the question. Credit is readily lost if there is not thorough question analysis.

Candidates coped well with this question and the majority identified valid methods that could depict the information. Most justified their choice with reference to ease of analysis of information, but some did pick out the suitability of categorized data for representation in bar charts.

It was pleasing to see the way in which candidates addressed this question. A significant number analysed the infographic with reference to its geographical content which was based upon energy security. The better answers looked at the issues associated with the supply of energy and the closure of refineries, picking out the concerns alluded to in the question. These answers gained credit for identifying valid problems and developing their point using evidence from the infographic. Using this method of analysis many answers gained the maximum mark for an answer that addresses only one perspective. Fewer answers however, paid attention to the 'to what extent' element of the question and used the resource to identify reasons for hope such as references to the abundance of renewable and non-renewable energy within Australia, the switch to alternative fuels and the predictive nature of the risks. To gain full credit there needed to be some balance within the answer to this question and an overall appraisal was required.