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Art of Smart Education: HSC Tutoring for English, Maths & Science

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Perhaps the most prominent tragedy of modern day is that although the diverse focus of HSC Business Studies provides students with a fantastic introduction into the world of business, its overly ambitious scope of content leaves many students wondering how on earth they will memorise it all.

In fact, the biggest issue I have heard from students with regards to HSC Business Studies is that there is:
Just. So. Much. Content.
Which is a fair point.

As a teacher and coach of both HSC Business and HSC Economics, I can objectively say that Business has a significantly larger number of concepts and to exacerbate this, there are times that connections within topics seem tenuous at best, making it harder to learn and remember.

But don't stress. This article is here to help you memorise Business Studies content with some very useful memory hacks!
This article will cover how to:

Step 1: Create effective study notes

Step 2: Chunk your knowledge

Step 3: Create mind maps

Step 4: Commit to regular practice

Are you ready to learn how to memorise all the Business Studies Content you need? Let's jump in!

Step 0: Learn to Love Your Business Studies Syllabus!

IMPORTANT: if you haven't downloaded the Business Studies syllabus yet - do it right now!

The Business Studies syllabus is the MOST important document you will be referencing throughout the course, so download it, print it out, read it and learn to love it!

One more time - download your Business Studies syllabus right here.

Step 1: How to Create Effective Study Notes

We have written an amazing article on writing kickass study notes that you can check out here! But to make it easier for you, here are the main steps:

Step 1: Plan ahead and decide on what type of notes you'll be using. Typed? Hand-written? Using full sentences or dot point or mind maps?

Step 2: Work out a system and a schedule for completing your notes in the amount of time you've got available.

Step 3: Write those notes, baby! (Sticking to the syllabus like glue, of course)

Step 4: Summarise those kickass notes before you move on to new topics or have an exam!

I would recommend a minimalist style to your notes. Keep them concise, don't waffle, and use colour. Business exams and assessments also tend to stick to the syllabus quite closely, so it is logical for you to keep your notes tight and dot point driven.

I also suggest using mnemonics, which are memory devices like small acronyms or jingles which aid in memory retention.

Some of my favourite Business mnemonics are PLEGS from finance (Profitability, Liquidity, Efficiency, Growth, Solvency) and RIPS (role, influences, processes, strategies). But definitely feel free to get creative and make your own!

Step 2: Chunking

What is chunking?

Chunking is one of the first concepts that teachers learn in their training. It refers to the cognitive (brain) processes that take place when we learn or revise content or knowledge.

More specifically, chunking involves taking individual pieces of information (chunks) and grouping them into larger, related units.

We need to do this because human memory is surprisingly limited, but by chunking we are able to more effectively use our working memory and engage with our content more deeply so that we not only remember it, but we know how to apply it.

How to chunk?

Look for Connections:

The biggest advantage of chunking is that by doing so, you will seek out relationships and connections between different concepts you perhaps would have missed. There are many different ways you can do this.

The most common and applicable way with Business Studies is to clump based on the syllabus sections: role, influences, processes, and strategies (RIPS). However even these can become too cluttered and as an example I have 'chunked' the Topic One Operations Strategies into related concepts.

The coloured dots symbolise how I group the syllabus dot points together based on conceptual connection.

In yellow are 'performance objectives' and 'quality management,' and these are related because they are concerned with meeting certain targets during the operations process.

In orange are 'new product design', 'outsourcing' and 'technology', which describe the work involved with developing new products or services.

Further, in red are 'supply chain management' and 'inventory management', which are both concerned with physical distribution and stock management.

Finally in green are what I consider 'macro' factors that pertain to the entire organisation rather than a smaller element within its operations.

It is scientifically proven that if you were to recall just a part of the chunk, you are much more likely to remember the other pieces of information in the chunk.

It also allows you to think more deeply about what you have learned and how they relate and inter-depend.

Associate

Think of your memory like a cluster. If you want to remember things easier, associate your new knowledge with what is already inside your cluster i.e. what you already know.

For example, in Topic 2 Marketing, if you study HSC Economics, you can relate the Economic factors and Government factors in influencing consumer choice to what you have learned in Economics of the business cycle and fiscal/monetary policy.

By blending your subject areas together rather than separating them into their own 'blocks' you will not only increase your recall ability, but you will also come to think more deeply, allowing you to appreciate and understand your subjects more.

And to prove it to you, think about why you are asked to use related texts in English. Your teachers want you to identify common themes and merit in the topics and areas you study to further enhance your understanding and appreciation for them.

I now ask you to take that same thinking and apply it to all your subjects. Think about how they all relate to one another and by doing so, you will start to become more of a ' chunk' learner and not an ' isolation' one.

(If you are also coincidentally struggling to find related texts for English, head over to this amazing guide on finding related texts in THREE easy steps)

Linking to an English article in a Business Studies one? Talk about chunking and associating!

Step 3: Mind Maps

Mind maps are also an excellent tool that incorporate a bunch of learning styles into one. They are first of all visual and physical as they are a user-created visual representation of information.

However, they are also verbal and logical as they integrate words and notes into a logical structure and system. For this reason, mind maps are often a very effective tool that summarise a large amount of information in a neat easily accessible manner.

If you type your notes, I would recommend using SmartArts in Microsoft Word, as these are very clean and simple graphic organisers which can help you structure your notes, thus keeping them concise.

However, nothing in my opinion compares to mind maps by hand. On a blank piece of paper I start with the topic, i.e. Finance. From there I create sub topics: role, influences, processes, strategies (RIPS). Then I list out the key ideas from each section and the fun begins.

When mind mapping, the most valuable thing you can do is to draw lots and lots of arrows. Connect different concepts from different sub topics. Tell a story with your mind maps. A messy mind map is a good mind map.

Mind maps are ideal for planning out essays and business reports, as it provides a visual guide on how your ideas and concepts relate and flow on from each other.

Step 4: Regular Practice

Memory is not simply about placing information within our brain, it's also about being able to retrieve it and apply it. The best way to do this is to do regular practice.

Completing a variety of different tasks including short answer questions, essay questions, multiple choice questions and mock business reports will help you achieve this.

As a goal, I would recommend short answer questions to be completed along with notes as you write them, as this will provide you with immediate feedback and allow you to see what is more commonly tested and prioritised as a learning outcome in the syllabus.

As teachers, we are much more interested in your ability to understand larger overarching concepts rather than a scattered stockpile of smaller details. Use this to your advantage and keep it in mind while you write/study your notes!

For more long term memory recollection, writing an essay every two weeks will ensure you do not forget what you have learned and are well prepared for exams as you have already chunked, related and mind mapped all possible questions and angles which examiners may possibly take.

So how do you memorise HSC Business Studies Content?

Create (or refine) your system for making notes.

Understand the significance of chunking and begin applying it to the content you are learning.

Make mind maps for each topic.

Practice, practice, practice!

Are you looking for some extra help with HSC Business Studies in 2018?

We pride ourselves on our inspirational HSC Business Studies coaches and mentors!

We offer tutoring and mentoring for Years K-12 in a large variety of subjects, with personalised lessons conducted one-on-one in your home or at our state of the art campus in Hornsby!

To find out more and get started with an inspirational tutor and mentor get in touch today!

Give us a ring on 1300 267 888, email us at or check us out on !

Terry Huang completed his Bachelor of Secondary Education with a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of New South Wales. A strong believer that lessons should be engaging, relevant, and effective, his hustle and teaching approach have led to his recognition on the UNSW Faculty of Social Sciences Dean's List for Academic Excellence, the NSW Teachers Federation Future Teacher scholarship, and the New Colombo Plan program. Terry enjoys listening to Kanye West, learning about cryptocurrency and memorising scenes from The Office.

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How to Memorise HSC Business Studies Content Fast

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Perhaps the most prominent tragedy of modern day is that although the diverse focus of HSC Business Studies provides students with a fantastic introduction into the world of business, its overly ambitious scope of content leaves many students wondering how on earth they will memorise it all.

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When studying for Business Studies, its essential to have a set of detailed and well thought out summary notes for each core topic (Operations, Marketing, Finance and Human Resources) however this alone is not always enough to achieve the highest marks in exams. Listed below are 6 of the most effective strategies for success in HSC Business Studies.

1. Syllabus Flashcards - remembering (and understanding) the entirety of the Business Studies syllabus is of vital importance to each student's success in this subject. For example, if a question asks a student to "Evaluate the responses to operations management to external influences," the student will be unable to answer the question unless they know both the strategies and influences section of the Operations syllabus by heart.

Flashcards are a good way of memorising these syllabuses because they are easy to make and use. A student may quickly go over their finance syllabus on the bus ride home or in the morning before an assessment.

Other great ways of memorising the Business Studies syllabus is through syllabus mind maps as well as mnemonics e.g. Marketing Processes -> SMEIDI
Situational analysis
Market Research
Establish marketing objectives
Identifying target market(s)
Developing marketing strategies
I mplement, monitor and control

2. Exemplar Section 4 Essays for each core section of the syllabus i.e. Processes, Strategies and Influences for all four topics - Section 4 of the business studies exam requires students to write a business report on a case study business. Since there is quite a lot of content to learn for this section but quite a limited scope of questions, I would recommend the student to work on 3 key exemplar essays for each topic (processes, strategies and influences) covering all aspects of the syllabus. The questions in this section tend to focus on just one section of the syllabus e.g. marketing processes or financial management strategies. As such, a student's exemplar reports can be adapted and moulded to fit the changing nature of some of the questions. For example, in the given example; "Evaluate the responses to operations management to external influences" (HSC 2016) , the student could combine their strategies and influences case study essays to gain maximum marks in this area.

3. Content mind maps with case study examples - In this subject, it is essential that students have case study examples for each element of the syllabus. This is useful for; questions that explicitly ask for a real life example, the section 4 business report, and improving the quality of short answer questions that do not explicitly ask for these case studies. As such, creating these mind maps will help the student to visualise these examples and as such, will be more likely to remember them during an exam or assessment! Be sure to put these up in your bedroom or somewhere you will see them daily as this will allow for maximum benefit from this task.

4. Definitions flashcards - Much of the Business Studies course is littered with key terms and definitions that a student should attempt to memorise. Having a specific, clear definition for each of the key syllabus terms will allow the student to quickly and easily demonstrate their understanding and knowledge to a marker during the SAQs and Business Report sections of the exam. This is especially important for "explain" questions such as "Explain a potential conflict between a short-term and a long-term financial" (HSC 2016) which require the student to link cause (definitions) with effect (outcomes.) Having a set of definitions flashcards may really help students to memorise these definitions to use when answering these types of questions during the exam.

5. Consistently doing practise HSC questions or past papers - The only way for a student to understand how to attack an HSC exam is to regularly do HSC style practise questions as well as exam style tasks. Doing these tasks under exam conditions i.e. closed book and timed, will allow the student to be comfortable with the style and types of questions that will be asked of them during the exam, as well as the experience of sitting a high pressure exam such as trials and the HSC. Whilst these types of tasks are important for all of the core topics, it is especially useful for the Finance topic! This is because without real life examples of types of questions, students often have difficulty putting the concepts like financial ratios and statements into practise. In general, the more practise questions you can do the better!

6. Google alert for case study business - Putting google alerts on for a student's case study business will allow them to keep up with the developments of the business as they come to light. The student can then use this information in a business report will really enhance the quality of the students business report come the final exam, and show the marker the breadth of the students knowledge.

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The Most Effective Study Strategies for Business Studies

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When studying for Business Studies, its essential to have a set of detailed and well thought out summary notes for each core topic (Operations, Marketing, Finance and Human Resources) however this alone is not always enough to achieve the highest marks in exams. Listed below are 6 of the most effective strategies for success in HSC Business Studies.

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In this article, Matrix graduate and Cumberland High Alumnus Aleksandra Najdovska shares her memory hacks to score a 98.80 ATAR and stay on top of her HSC game.

Me, myself and I

Name:
Aleksandra Najdovska

School:
Cumberland High School

University Course:
Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Advanced Studies (Dalyell Scholars) at USYD

My HSC subjects

English Advanced

English Extension 1

Mathematics

Economics

Business Studies

Modern History

History Extension

My weakest subject was Mathematics.

Receiving 64% in my Year 11 yearly exam was a big blow to my confidence. So, at the beginning of Year 12, I began taking Matrix's Term Course, alongside my school studies.

With hard work, time and practice, I ended up really enjoying it and even achieved a Band 6 in my HSC! Anything is possible.

Want to Improve Maths like Aleksandra Did?

Stay on top of your Maths Ext 1 studies like Aleksandra did. With Matrix+, we provide you with clear and structured online lesson videos, quality resources, and Q&A Boards to ask your Matrix teachers questions and for feedback.
Learn more about our Matrix+ Online Maths Ext 1 course now.

My #1 problem in Year 11 & 12
Memory!
By the end of Year 11, I did not feel prepared for Year 12 AT ALL.

I spent way too much time mulling over notes and never had any time to do past papers.

This meant that I couldn't practice applying my knowledge.

This was a big problem with my HSIE and English-heavy subject. I was drowning in stacks and stacks of notes. My marks and productivity were not increasing. I knew that needed to change this.

So, I transformed my study habits to improve my memory.

By the end of Year 12, I was able to memorise an entire 1200 word essay in 3-4 hours and revise and conceptualise the entire course content for some subjects in half a day.

( Editor's note: The revisions to the HSC English curriculum for the 2019-2023 syllabus have been specifically designed to discourage and combat essay memorisation. NESA has made the following statement on this subject:

HSC questions are not designed to support answers prepared in advance. It is important that you are prepared to answer the questions in the exam rather than anticipating a particular type of question and memorising an answer to suit. You must also understand that partially modifying an otherwise irrelevant memorised response will not lead to high marks. Markers are looking to reward answers that are relevant and answer the specific question.

TL;DR, memorise essay for English now at your peril.)

By prioritising the subjects that I enjoyed and excelled at, I was able to maximise my marks for the HSC.

Study strategies and tips

I wanted to maximise the efficiency of my study time so I didn't feel bogged down and unmotivated. However, achieving this required a lot of 'trial and error' over the period of two years.

These are some of the strategies that worked for me:

Step 1: Write it down

It's fine to write notes if it is an effective study method for you.

For me, writing notes was a great starting point. But I know it is easy to waste time if you have poor time management skills.

So, an alternative is to...

Find a good set of notes and annotate them with your own additional information.

I found this really helpful.

For my Business Studies HSC Exam, I annotated all my notes with extra case study details the night before. This meant that I was able to use them effectively in my essay.

Also, when revising, I visualised it as my own writing, instead of a random paragraph of typed text.

Physically writing out information is a really effective way to remember content.

This means that you can spend more time actively applying your knowledge and skills in past papers as opposed to revising notes.

Essay plans are also a great way to use your notes in an effective and efficient manner. I wrote essay outlines for all my English essays as a way to sequence my ideas and commit them to memory.

Step 2: Listen

Auditory learning is also great for memorisation.

You can record your voice on your phone as an alternative for flashcards.

Reading out loud repetitively is great to memorise essays. You are able to get a feel of the cohesion of sentences.

Also, being able to teach someone is one of the best forms of study.

You can cement your own knowledge in a clear and concise manner, which helps sort it into long-term memory.

Memory devices are also really helpful.

There are some great resources online for acronyms and mnemonics at Virtual Library. I created some of my own to memorise the Business Studies Syllabus. This way, I was much more confident with my content when answering any question.

Step 3: Do you own research

Doing my own research and writing notes in my own words really helped me retain information.

I remembered more texts, case studies and theorems when I researched and wrote my own notes compared to rote-learning

The power of reading is greatly underestimated by students. But for me it was one of the most important study habits I had for remembering content.

I didn't rote learn in my HSC, because I knew that it was not very useful if I came across a difficult question.

Memorise smarter, not harder, to maximise your marks.

Instead, i wrote notes in my own words,and formed my own opinions. I only memorised key themes and ideas. This meant that I developed a holistic understanding of the course content and was able to answer a broader range of questions.

Step 4: Give yourself time

There is no point in trying to plan, write and memorise an essay in one day.

Leaving plenty of time to fully commit yourself to any task, is the key to memorisation.

This way, you can take your time to fully understand and learn concepts as opposed to blindly memorising content and stressing out. The longer you work on the content, the more you will remember the ideas organically. This way, by the time it comes to "memorising" something, you'll have most of it committed to memory already. It also means that you can focus on any problem areas in your studies.

Use the extra time to utilise feedback from your teachers.

The more you go over your content, the more you will remember the ideas. This way, by the time it comes to "memorise information", you'll be able to do it much more efficiently.

Another way I kept on top of my tasks was using a calendar.

This provided a visual reminder of the time. I was able to plan ahead and give myself enough time to not only memorise, but also gain a conceptual understanding of course content.

Step 5: Be Consistent

It is so easy to fall off the bandwagon if you are not consistent in your study and organisation habits.

If you stay on top of your workload, it ultimately makes the whole memorisation process easier.

A lot of information will already be stored in your memory and this will give you time to work on difficult areas.

Maintaining regular study patterns with to-do lists and completing set tasks on time definitely helps.

I personally found it hard to sit still for long periods of time, especially when I was writing. So, I studied for 45 minutes and took regular 15-minute breaks. This allowed me to stay super focused when it was necessary, without stressing myself out and procrastinating for hours.

My regrets

Something I regretted doing in Year 11 was cramming ALL of my study into the week before exams.

You might be able to get away with it for one exam.

But ultimately, you'll end up finding yourself stressed out a week before trials with minimal recollection of any information.

I would have been a lot better off, if I had implemented these strategies for memorisation earlier.

Also, I wish that I hadn't dwelled so much on my poor performances: Everything passes eventually and poor results actually are great learning experiences.

My Advice to Future Year 12 Students

You need to do these things:

Maintain support systems - Keeping positive relationships with family, friends and teachers is a great way to make sure you stay healthy mentally, and stay motivated for the duration of the HSC.

Ask questions - Never be afraid to ask questions if you are struggling. All your teachers and tutors are there to help you.

Set goals - Being held accountable is another great motivator and provides reason for sticking to rigorous study schedules at any point in time.

You should not do these things:

Cut back on sleep - From personal experience, I know that a 3-5 hour sleeping schedule is NOT sustainable for the entire year, especially around exam periods. It can burn you out really quickly and take you out of a stable routine.

Cut extracurricular activities - I know that balancing extra-curricular activities, leadership roles and community commitments can be very difficult.
However, it ultimately offers a more holistic Year 12 experience and provides perspective for your HSC Year. By doing this, I was able to pick up a casual job as soon as the HSC finished.

Ultimately, you have to find what works for you in order to do your personal best. You should be proud of your efforts and everything that you have achieved because it'll be over before you know it.

Good luck with year 12!

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Aleksandra's Memory Hacks to Score a 98.80 ATAR | Must Know HSC Tips

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Struggling to memorise your content before your exams? Matrix Graduate and Cumberland High School Alumnus shares her best tips and tricks for memorisation and succeeding in her HSC. She discusses her experiences and memory hacks to score a 98.80 ATAR.

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Art of Smart Education: HSC Tutoring for English, Maths & Science

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Sometimes it's hard to understand what a subject is trying to teach you and what you actually need to learn in the subject.

Here I'll show you what HSC Business Studies is about, what the four HSC topics cover as well as some useful tips for the final exam.

If you haven't already, make sure you save a soft and hard-copy of the syllabus which you can find here!

What is HSC Business Studies about?

I think HSC Business Studies is actually a pretty fun course.

I think if you were asked to name 50 businesses or 50 animals you'd actually have an easier time thinking of 50 businesses.

This course helps us to realise that business activity (designing, producing, marketing, delivering, supporting) affects all of us.

During our lives we are all consumers, investors and employers/employees and we rely on the business sector for much of our quality of life in terms of goods and services.

What makes business studies unique is that you explore entrepreneurship and running a small business in Year 11. Then, in Year 12, you look specifically at the management of operations, marketing, finance and human resources in large businesses.

I've had many friends (myself included) decide to do marketing (Bachelor of Media), finance (Bachelor of Commerce), human resources (Bachelor of Laws) because of what they've liked and enjoyed in business studies.

In addition to the material that you learn, HSC Business Studies also helps you to develop your intellectual and writing skills.

It also gives you a chance to participate in social and moral debates such as pollution, minimum wages, exploitation, and other ethical issues concerning business.

Course Topics for HSC Business Studies

It's important to understand what's covered in the HSC Business Studies course.

Topic 1: Operations

Fundamentally, operations is about the working or the running of a business. It's about understanding how a business starts with raw materials and ends up with finished goods or services. The key points you need to know about for operations include:

Operations management (turning inputs into outputs).

How businesses compete in markets.

Differentiation of products and services.

Ethics in worldwide/global supply chains.

Transforming inputs (these do the transformation of inputs into outputs and include facilities/factories and human resources).

Transformed inputs (materials, information, customers).

Influences on operations.

Balancing cost with quality.

Inventory management (LIFO, FIFO, JIT).

How operations management varies between business in the goods or in the services sector.

Topic 2: Marketing

Marketing is perhaps the easiest and most familiar topic. The aim of this topic is to learn how businesses use marketing to try to convince customers to choose their brand over a competitors. The key points you need to know about include:

Marketing successfully to ensure the business continues to generate sales revenues.

Understand the factors of consumer choices (psychological, social-cultural, economic, government).

Ethical marketing.

Analysing a business' market position, setting objectives and evaluating results.

Market segmenting.

The '7Ps': Product, Price, Promotion, Place, People, Processes, Physical Evidence.

Global marketing and global branding.

Topic 3: Finance

Finance and financial management is super important in business. This topic uses some maths (don't worry it's just addition and a few ratios i.e. division!) however it freaks some students out. This topic often requires the most practice but it's also extremely useful later in life. The main points you need to know include:

Finance helps to keep a business running.

Internal finance comes from retained profits and external sources of finance include debt (borrowing money) and equity (shares).

Profitability, growth, efficiency, liquidity (short-term cash flows) and solvency (long-term ability to pay for stuff).

Short-term V Long-term borrowing.

Budgeting (check out a personal budgeting guide here!)

Topic 4: Human Resources

Human Resource Management (HRM) is pretty straight forward and looks at how a business can organise it's people to effectively complete tasks and objectives. The key points include:

Stakeholders (employers, employer associations, employees, unions, government organisations, society).

Regulation and Legislation.

Occupation health and safety.

Workers compensation.

Anti-discrimination.

Training and development, maintaining good employees (through wages or other), separation (firing, retirement).

Resolving conflict and fights in the workplace.

Dealing with absenteeism, staff turnover and improving worker satisfaction.

The Exam Structure

The exam for HSC Business Studies is divided up into 4 sections. There are a total of 100 marks.

You have 3 hours to complete the exam and you are also giving an extra sneaky 5 minutes of reading time at the start.

Section I - Multiple Choice (20 Marks)

The recommended time is 35 minutes however you should be spending less than this!

There will be one answer that is slightly better than all of the others.

Section II - Short Answer Section (40 Marks)

Generally, 4, 5, or 6 short-answer questions will be asked. These are then subdivided into more parts.

Take your time and make sure you directly answer the question. This is often the section where students lose the most easy marks!

For more direction on how to nail the short answer section, check out this article!

Section III - Business Report (20 Marks)

Here, a large stimulus is provided. Read the question first, then the stimulus, then the question again.

You must remember and make sure you include the following:

Headings.

Bullet Points.

Diagrams (Graphs and Tables / Photographs or Graphics).

Technical Language.

Highlighted Key Terms.

A Clear Opening Statement.

Financial Data (I.e numbers and percentages) within the text.

If you want some more in-depth info on how to write a Band 6 business report, here's a great guide!

Section IV - Extended Response (20 Marks)

Woo! You get a choice here. You should choose which of the two questions you're going to do in your reading time.

Students often write an essay, however if you decide to write a business report for this part you cannot and will not be marked down.

If you do choose to write an essay, here's a great guide to how to write a Band 6 essay for Business Studies!

You need to use case studies to support your answer in the section. They show that you know how the information in the business studies course can be applied to a business in real life.

Again make sure that you keep reading the question.

Final Thoughts

You can complete the paper in any order. I would always work through it in order.

However some students preferred to start with the business report, then give their hand time to rest while they did the multiple choice, before they finished with the short answer and the other extended response.

Most of all, remember that you can do this. HSC Business Studies is a great subject and there is no reason why you can't get a band 6!

Looking for some extra help with your HSC Business Studies?

We pride ourselves on our inspirational HSC Business Studies coaches and mentors!

We offer tutoring and mentoring for Years K-12 in a variety of subjects, with personalised lessons conducted one-on-one in your home or at our state of the art campus in Hornsby!

To find out more and get started with an inspirational tutor and mentor get in touch today!
Give us a ring on 1300 267 888, email us at [email protected] or check us out on Facebook!
Thomas Woolley loves Economics and Business Studies. He completed his HSC in 2013 and has been working at Art of Smart since 2014. He enjoys helping out his students whilst studying B Commerce / B Education at UNSW to become an actual economics/business studies teacher in 2018. Since high school Thomas has also learned to scuba dive, salsa dance, and he can fly a quadcopter like a pro. However, he still cannot skateboard.

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Everything You Need To Know About HSC Business Studies

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Sometimes it's hard to understand what a subject is trying to teach you and what you actually need to learn in the subject. Here I'll show you what HSC Business Studies is about, what the four HSC topics cover as well as some useful tips for the final exam.

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As each topic or option is completed file these notes in a subject folder. Regularly, and before the trial HSC and HSC exams, refer to these notes and highlight key points.

Head for a local cafe or library when the walls of your room are looking 'same same' and boring.

Construct mind or concept maps so you have a visual view of a topic. Each time you review these notes use a different highlight colour. This will plot your growing understanding and give you a sense of achievement.
Have a study buddy
Plan study sessions of about one hour either in school study times or after school. Ask one another difficult questions and review multiple choice questions.
At home

As each topic or option is studied file notes in a folder. Regularly, and before the trial HSC and HSC exams, refer to the notes and highlight key points. Credit:Dragan Nikolic

Studying late into the night may suit some students but most do best when there is good natural light and you're alert. Make yourself a hard copy study timetable and include your commitments to sport, fitness, friends and part-time work. Displayed the timetable prominently in your study space for family to see. That way they know when they are expected to be quiet and when you need their support.
Practice exam techniques
Doing past papers in set time limits is an ideal way to prepare for exams. Do them regularly and then reward yourself with a healthy treat. Check answers and sample answers at the Board of Studies' site.

Some exams are three hours' long so you need stamina.
It's tough
Allow yourself to say study is tough, sometimes tedious and repetitive. Give yourself a day off every so often so you are revitalised.
Your health
Keep up your sports, go for walks with earphones on, listen to study notes you may have recorded or music you enjoy, make sure your adults keep you well supplied with healthy food. Drink lots of water.
Ask for help
Parents, teachers and friends want you to do your best, and want you to be happy and healthy while you are doing the HSC. Exams are challenging and while a little stress can be a good thing, if you are feeling overwhelmed, talk to someone. Good luck.
Jan Cuke, Deputy Principal , Blackwattle Bay Campus, Sydney Secondary College.
Top 10 student tips to see you through

Jasmine Jaffar received a Premier's Award as an All Rounder in the 2014 HSC. Here's her top 10 tips for 2015 students.

1. Don't be afraid to ask questions in class. Chances are someone else also wants to know the same thing. If you are unsure about a concept, what is required for an assessment or an ideabeing discussed, don't go home confused.

2. Change your study zone - "same, same" is boring and you may lose concentration. Study at a cafe, local library, in the park.

3. Do things that aren't just study or stressing about study. Hang out with friends at least once a week. You might think you don't have time for it, but it relaxes your mind and gives you a break.

4. Use study periods to compile notes, show teachers your work and ask for feedback. Be lenient with late starts and early finishes - they are really good, but if you go to school early or stay for an extra period to study you will get a lot more done.

5. There is no point to knowing everything on the syllabus if you don't know how to adapt it to exam-style questions under time limits. Test yourself with practice papers.

6. Make acronyms with quotes or key concepts as they're easier to remember, watch videos, use flashcards and write a term or idea on one side, a definition on the other side, and read the cards before you go to bed. Use your fridge or bathroom mirror as a note board and post key formulas, concepts or mind maps.

7. Practise writing with a pen, often.Choose pens with a good grip. Warm up your hands before exams and shake them around to loosen up your wrists. It can make quick writing easier.

8. Sleep, especially on the night before an exam. Then have a solid breakfast, get to school early, listen to music that relaxes you and have a quick revision, but stop 15 minutes before the exam. Surround yourself with positivity - you don't want to be around someone who is freaking out beforehand as it will make you more nervous and lose focus.

9. It's not about memorising. It's about understanding the concepts and thinking outside the box. You need to know your work inside out in order to write about it effectively in an exam.

10. No matter how academic you are, the HSC is all about persistence and discipline. Getting a 'bad' mark on an assessment will not be detrimental to your final mark. What's important is that you learn where you went wrong, target those areas, keep practising, improving and strengthening your work.

Helpful advice for parents

Did you know what you wanted to do before you finished high school? It's probably the question today's HSC students are asked most often and dislike the most. Everyone from relatives to strangers wants to know.

There are many paths to a rewarding future career, be itwork, an apprenticeship, travel, TAFE, university or voluntary work. There is also myriad opportunities for mature-aged students once they've gained 'real-life' experience.

Some students need a long-term goal, others are happy to do their best anyway. You know your children - use this knowledge to find the right motivation during the HSC as it can be a stressful for a family, too.

Try to give support to your child without adding extra pressure. Encourage them to 'do their best'. School, relatives, friends, media all tell students about the 'importance' of the HSC ... so they get the message. At home they need support, not added stress.

Remember that it's their HSC, not yours. Offer them healthy meals and snacks, a quiet place to study, financial support if possible so that part-time work doesn't interfere, encourage them to keep up their sport, exercise, socialising and be part of family activities when they can.

In our rapidly changing society, we need more than just technical skills and knowledge. Valued 'soft-skills' include flexibility, adaptability, creativity, teamwork, leadership, problem solving, negotiation and conflict resolution, communication and a positive attitude. As the parent, lead by example and reassure your young person that an exam mark does not define them.

The pressure of one year should never hurt their self-esteem or your family relationships. Check in with them regularly and ask them how they are doing. Reassure them that you love and support them long after the exams are over and that even if things do not go as planned, life is full of second chances.
- The Council of Catholic School Parents, NSW Parents Council and Federation of P and C Associations of NSW.

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HSC: ​Smart study advice and Top 10 student tips

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As each topic or option is completed file these notes in a subject folder. Regularly, and before the trial HSC and HSC exams, refer to these notes and highlight key points. Construct mind or concept maps so you have a visual view of a topic.

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Art of Smart Education: HSC Tutoring for English, Maths & Science

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The HSC Business Studies Essay makes up 20 marks of Section IV in the HSC exam.

It is also often known as the ' Case Study' essay, because students are expected to integrate case studies or real life business examples into their response.

The general marking criteria for a Band 6 in the HSC Business Studies Essay is that a student:

Applies relevant case study/studies and contemporary business issues

Presents a sustained, logical and cohesive response and communicates clearly using relevant business terminology and concepts

There are essentially two schools of thought when it comes to writing a Band 6 HSC Business Studies essay.
Some teachers and markers believe that the case study should be the driving factor in your essay, adding theory to explain the case where needed.

On the other hand, some believe that the case study should only be used as evidence to highlight or accentuate your theory and explanation.

This is a similar approach to using statistics in an Economics essay, which if you also study, you can check out a similar guide to writing a Band 6 Economics essay HERE)

This article aims to therefore help you find your style that you can then develop into a consistent and methodical approach.

As usual they are based on the guidelines and comments from HSC markers: the ones who mark hundreds of essays year in year out.

Here is the example question we're going to use throughout this article to demonstrate what to do to get that Band 6 in your HSC Business Studies Essay:

Step 1: Decide on Your Approach

The 30-70 Rule

As mentioned above, there are two ways to approach a HSC Business Studies essay - primarily use case studies and explain it through theory or primarily respond to the thesis using course theory and then apply it to real life using case studies.

Either approach, if executed well, is FINE.

This is also just an opportunity to remind you students that often you stress too much about the structure or approach of your essays. They are not nearly as important as having well explained and supported arguments that answer the question.

In spite of this, through reading many top scoring HSC Business Studies essay responses over multiple years, it became clear that all of them, irrespective of their approach, followed the 30-70 Rule.

The 30/70 Rule: all essays had either 30% theory and 70% case study or vice versa.

This meant that no matter what, there was always a minimum of 30% of BOTH case study AND theory in each paragraph of a Band 6 HSC Business Studies essay.

Provided you follow the 30-70 Rule, pick the approach you find most logical and you are most comfortable writing with and you are well on your way to crafting that Band 6 HSC Business Studies essay!

Step 2: Plan Your Essay

Use the first page of your writing booklet to sketch a plan of your response including the syllabus dot points you will be referring to

Due to the nature of HSC Business Studies Essays and the course itself, there is often a large variety of syllabus dot points you will be expected to recall.

By jotting these down on the page you ensure you first of all do not forget any, but secondly also give yourself an opportunity to draw connections between different syllabus dot points to better answer the question.

If you are finding it hard to memorise the syllabus content, you can check out an article on How to Memorise Business Studies Content - Fast!

With a plan, it makes your essay structure clearer and allows you to organise your ideas in a way which keeps your response sustained, which is a key component of the A range marking criteria.

Your essay must continually drive towards developing your thesis - the actual answer to the essay question itself.

In saying so, before we plan, we must understand the NESA directive verbs. This will determine the level of depth and how the markers want you to answer the question.

If you're unsure about your directive verbs, check out NESA's glossary of key directive verbs here!

How to Write a Good Thesis for your HSC Business Studies Essay:

The most important thing about any essay is the answer to the question itself with your thesis. All paragraphs, business theory and case studies are simply used to support the thesis.

As a result, begin the plan by writing a direct answer to the question. In your thesis you want to:

Provide context for the question - include definitions of key terms such as external influences and operations management

Then use qualifiers or intensifiers (to some extent, significantly, is ineffective) to answer the essay question.

For our example, the thesis for our example questions would look like this:

Operations management involves the set of processes used by businesses to transform inputs into outputs. These processes are continually influenced by external influences which can significantly hinder or promote a business' competitive advantage. Operations management therefore must respond to these external influences using its operations strategies to capitalise on new developments and adapt, hence highlighting the importance of responding to external influences.

How to Write Kickass Body Paragraphs for your HSC Business Studies Essay:
Now you should organise your ideas into dot points which you will write your paragraphs about.
Also note down any sub points or arguments you think of underneath. This can include theory or case study events.

As this is the planning stage, it isn't essential to get it all down perfectly, even just a word or key term to retain your train of thought is fine.

Below is an IDEAL plan using our example question. I have used more words than I normally would to help you read along (in reality, a few word dot points are fine, as long as you can understand what you've written).

If there are natural links and connections between paragraphs this can also be useful in transitioning in between different paragraphs to maintain the cohesiveness of the essay, i.e. making it flow better.

Step 2: Finish Your Introduction Strong
Now you have already written a strong thesis and have provided context for the essay.
All that is left is to connect your paragraph points to answering the thesis and introduce your case studies. This is better than simply stating which external influences you will be looking at, which is not as effective and thesis-driven.
For example, rather than saying:

Globalisation, quality expectations and corporate social responsibility are the external influences which operations management must respond to. These influences are best represented by leading pizza franchise Domino's Pizza, local school textbook manufacturer Secondary Textbooks, and leading sportswear and footwear manufacturer Nike.

Try this:

These influences are exemplified by globalisation, which has opened businesses to the influence of global factors and increasingly demanding supply chain management needs, increased quality expectations that have created more stringent quality processes and management strategies, and an emerging emphasis on corporate social responsible behaviours to ensure legal compliance and ethical responsibility. Leading pizza franchise Domino's Pizza, local school textbook manufacturer Secondary Textbooks, and leading sportswear and footwear manufacturer Nike are businesses that respectively demonstrate the crucial response of operations management.

It is much more impressive to the marker if you are able to show a direct link between your points and the thesis you are addressing, as it shows a more logical and well-planned response.

Together the intro would look like:

Operations management involves the set of processes used by businesses to transform inputs into outputs. These processes are continually influenced by external influences which can significantly hinder or promote a business' competitive advantage. Operations management therefore must respond to these external influences using its operations strategies to capitalise on new developments and adapt, hence highlighting the importance of responding to external influences.

These influences are exemplified by globalisation, which has opened businesses to the influence of global factors and increasingly demanding supply chain management needs, increased quality expectations that have created more stringent quality processes and management strategies, and an emerging emphasis on corporate social responsible behaviours to ensure legal compliance and ethical responsibility. Leading pizza franchise Domino's Pizza, local school textbook manufacturer Secondary Textbooks, and leading sportswear and footwear manufacturer Nike are businesses that respectively demonstrate the crucial response of operations management.

Step 3: Choosing Case Studies

In addition to choosing how much of the essay to focus on case studies, you will also need to decide which case studies (and how many) to use in your HSC Business Studies essay. Again, it varies and depends on what you are comfortable with.

Top responses have however followed these trends:

Use more than one case study (usually three in total, or one per body paragraph)

Typically been large real life businesses where there is a wide range of information available.

Use the most recent events and issues

Have not used hypothetical

This isn't saying to stay away from hypothetical case studies (i.e. a made up business). You CAN get 20/20 with hypothetical case studies. However, markers have found that hypothetical businesses are often a 'super business' that is perfect in every single way and therefore have no issues.

This ultimately does not give you much to write about and hence, you fail to show adequate knowledge of contemporary business issues. Which is obviously a problem for your HSC Business Studies Essay.

If you do choose to use a hypothetical (which I did in my plan), remember to make it realistic and that the whole point of the hypothetical is to show understanding, not to be a perfect business.

I recommend that you come up with the entire business as part of your exam preparation and also write out how it connects to each syllabus dot point. You can be creative, but don't take too many liberties, it still needs to be realistic.

Step 4: The Writing Process

The other general criteria in an HSC Business Studies essay is the related to the way you write and use language, including business terminology and concepts.

This of course means you must know your content well and be able to connect different parts of the syllabus together and understand their relationships.

Once you have mastered your content, the criteria then asks for a ' sustained, logical and cohesive' response. In order to achieve this, it is best to use a clear structure (which we have planned for in Step 1) as it forces you to retain a logical and cohesive structure.
Here's how to do it:
Use DPEEL (writing structure)

To provide a basic structure, follow DPEEL which will ensure you are using business terminology and concepts consistently in your essay.

Definition - assume the marker is a layperson (has limited knowledge of the course) and ensure you are defining the business term or concept to reflect your understanding. Can be integrated into the response and does not need its own sentence.

Point - Attack the question and pinpoint what your overall answer will be, akin to a mini thesis.

Explain - Provide further details that elaborate on your point. Depending on which directive verb you are asked, this is also where you can start to show relationships (analyse), provide additional economic theories that demonstrate a cause and effect (explain) or make a judgement (assess/evaluate).

Evidence - Use your case study to illustrate how real life businesses apply the business studies content to achieve their goals rather than simply telling the reader that the business uses a specific strategy and not elaborating on how. Also be careful of simply 'retelling the story' of what the business does but not connecting it to your thesis!

Link - Conclude your paragraph by linking your points back to your original thesis.

Use transition signals

The 'sustained' element of the marking criteria means the markers want the essay to flow uninterrupted. No additional details or sidetracks.
The best way to achieve this is through the use of transition signals.

Transition signals include words such as furthermore, hence, as a result, this leads to, but, however.

These are 'linking' words which along with the DPEEL structure FORCE you to stay on track and sustain your attack on the thesis, as each sentence must relate to the previous. This makes it more difficult for you to stray off topic, allowing you to create a sustained response!

Prepare a case study table

Just like with English, Business Studies is also a subject with high demands on memory.

Not only must you remember course content, you must also remember relevant case studies. An efficient way to facilitate this process is a simple table that allows you to organise your information.
Here's an example of a good HSC Business Studies Case Study Table:
This will increase your mind's ability to chunk the information without feeling overwhelmed, and it will be easier to remember!

Write a Strong Conclusion

Good news - HSC Business Studies essay conclusions are quite straightforward!

They need to:

Reaffirm your position and perspectives by restating your thesis - your answer to the question.

Tie up your points and case studies and summarise how they have supported your thesis.

Make sure you don't overdo the conclusion. Three to four sentences is more than enough and the last thing a marker wants to see is a conclusion that has overstayed its welcome!

Step 5: Practice HSC Business Studies Essay Plans

The final and most important tip is to practise this approach using different styles and topics of essay questions. It is also important that you plan the essays as you would in an exam to give you practice for planning for unseen questions.

Apply these steps to build your consistency in writing logically and systematically.

That is the only way you will improve and when you do improve, you will notice that you have become a better overall writer and this should reflect in your other subjects too. If you need more essay questions you can use past HSC exams, your textbook, or ask your teacher.

Are you looking for some extra help with your HSC Business Studies Essay writing?

We pride ourselves on our inspirational HSC Business Studies coaches and mentors!

We offer tutoring and mentoring for Years K-12 in a large variety of subjects, with personalised lessons conducted one-on-one in your home or at our state of the art campus in Hornsby!

To find out more and get started with an inspirational tutor and mentor get in touch today!

Give us a ring on 1300 267 888, email us at or check us out on !

Terry Huang completed his Bachelor of Secondary Education with a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of New South Wales. A strong believer that lessons should be engaging, relevant, and effective, his hustle and teaching approach have led to his recognition on the UNSW Faculty of Social Sciences Dean's List for Academic Excellence, the NSW Teachers Federation Future Teacher scholarship, and the New Colombo Plan program. Terry enjoys listening to Kanye West, learning about cryptocurrency and memorising scenes from The Office.

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How to Write a Band 6 HSC Business Studies Essay - Art of Smart

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The HSC Business Studies Essay makes up 20 marks of Section IV in the HSC exam. It is also often known as the ' Case Study' essay, because students are expected to integrate case studies or real life business examples into their response.

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Art of Smart Education: HSC Tutoring for English, Maths & Science

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While most of the attention (and subsequent stress) goes towards the Business Report and Extended Response in the HSC Business Studies paper, it is the Short Answers that actually constitute the majority of the marks.

A whopping 40/100 marks of the exam.

Just like the Business Report and the Extended Response have their own conventions and styles, the Business Studies Short Answer section is marked in a very unique manner and hence must also be answered with a very specific approach.

This emphasises the succinct precision needed in ensuring your answer leaves the marker with no doubt but to award you all available marks.

Without further ado, let's jump into the 6 steps to master a killer short answer response in Business Studies!

Step 1: Study the marking guidelines

Every year, NESA will release the HSC paper shortly after the conclusion of its examination period. Alongside, it will also release the marking guideline used by the markers at the Marking Centre, hence allowing you to get into the minds of the markers and see EXACTLY how marks are allocated. It is ESSENTIAL you access it.

Here is the 2017 Marking Guidelines along with the 2017 exam paper.

Let's take a look at an example from Question 22(b) in the 2017 Business Studies Exam.

Explain the influence of consumer laws on this company's promotion strategies. (5 marks)

In order to score a 5, the marker will need to identify: a 'clear' explanation of why/how consumer law influences the company's promotion strategies. While what constitutes 'clear' is subjective, many five or six mark questions will also ask for 'detailed' responses, which therefore suggest that in order to maximise your mark, you must include as many RELEVANT details as possible. Looking at the sample answer, we can see that rather than stating:

'The company may use advertising to promote its products but must follow consumer laws.'

The sample answer has made the same argument but demonstrated additional knowledge and made clear the relationship between advertising and consumer law:

These laws prohibit deceptive and misleading advertising such as fine print that is difficult to read and unsubstantiated data of the educational benefits of their products.

Step 2: Learn directive verbs

When answering short answers, it is crucial that you differentiate between your directive verbs and ACTUALLY do what is asked of you.

Simply writing everything you know about the concept is insufficient, and often takes up precious space in your answer booklet which could be better used ANSWERING THE QUESTION.

The directive verbs can be found HERE.

Some common verbs used in Business Studies include:

Analyse: Identify components and the relationship between them; draw out and relate implications

Assess: Make a judgement of value, quality, outcomes, results or size

Describe: provide characteristics and features

Discuss: Identify issues and provide points for and/or against

Explain: Relate cause and effect; make the relationships between things evident; provide why and/or how

Evaluate: Make a judgement based on criteria; determine the value of

Outline: Sketch in general terms; indicate the main features of

Recommend: Provide reasons in favour

Again, if you study the marking criteria you will see explicit differences in how a Short Answer is marked depending on the directive verb used.

Step 3: Follow DPEEL

To provide a basic structure, follow DPEEL which will ensure you address all Business Studies elements in your response.

Definition: ensure you are defining the concept in the question to reflect your understanding. Can be integrated into the response and does not need its own sentence.

Point : attack the question and pinpoint what your overall answer will be, akin to a mini thesis.

Explain: provide further details that elaborate on your point. Depending on which directive verb you are asked, this is also where you can start to show a cause and effect (explain) or make a judgement (assess).

Evidence: usually questions will involve a statement at the beginning that provides some context for the question. Integrate this into your response to illustrate your explanation further.

Link: conclude your response by using a link to tie up all your points.

In the example above:

Step 4: Don't repeat the question more than you need to.

A very common mistake I see students make is they take what teachers correctly advise them to by 'answering the question' with the words in the question - but they do too much.

In Short Answer you only have a limited space literally and figuratively to make an impression AND above all, provide enough depth to answer the question fully.

Just answer enough to establish a clear attack (mini thesis) and then LAUNCH into your point.

For example:

Question 23 b) Outline an issue that could arise during the acquisition process

An issue during acquisition is.....

There is no need to rewrite the entire statement - this is a waste of time!

Step 5: Edit - Consider how much value each word adds

Finally, it is essential that you reread your answers and edit them accordingly.
Below are THREE easy steps to help you refine and reinforce those responses.
Step 1: Check if you have answered the question fully.

This includes:

A clear point and thesis sentence that states your answer to the question

Qualified your answer throughout your response by using the correct modality (definitely, absolutely, to a limited extent, to some extent) or qualifier (somewhat, inconclusively, may)

Step 2: Included all relevant details and structured them logically.

This is supported using:

Transition signals (furthermore, hence, as a result, this leads to, but, however) These are 'linking' words which add logical sequencing to your DPEEL structure to create a sustained Short Answer response.

Step 3: Made explicit reference to the scenario (evidence in your DPEEL structure) or your own case study if asked to provide one.

Remember that the aim of these case studies, real or hypothetical, is to demonstrate YOUR UNDERSTANDING of how concepts are applied in real life.

A very general rule of thumb you can use as you write is to mentally 'assign' one mark to every idea. So long as each idea is not simply a repetition of an idea you have already written, this will help guide your response length and depth.

Well, now that you have learned how to write killer Short Answer responses for Business Studies, go on and practice! Practice, practice, practice!

Are you looking for some extra help with HSC Business Studies in 2018?

We pride ourselves on our inspirational HSC Business Studies coaches and mentors!

We offer tutoring and mentoring for Years K-12 in a large variety of subjects, with personalised lessons conducted one-on-one in your home or at our state of the art campus in Hornsby!

To find out more and get started with an inspirational tutor and mentor get in touch today!

Give us a ring on 1300 267 888, email us at or check us out on !

Terry Huang completed his Bachelor of Secondary Education with a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of New South Wales. A strong believer that lessons should be engaging, relevant, and effective, his hustle and teaching approach have led to his recognition on the UNSW Faculty of Social Sciences Dean's List for Academic Excellence, the NSW Teachers Federation Future Teacher scholarship, and the New Colombo Plan program. Terry enjoys listening to Kanye West, learning about cryptocurrency and memorising scenes from The Office.

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How to Write Killer Short Answer Responses for Business Studies

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While most of the attention (and subsequent stress) goes towards the Business Report and Extended Response in the HSC Business Studies paper, it is the Short Answers that actually constitute the majority of the marks. A whopping 40/100 marks of the exam.

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https://atarnotes.com/business-studies/

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HSC Study Guide: Advice for Business Studies

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Art of Smart Education: HSC Tutoring for English, Maths & Science

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There are many resources available online trying to help students with the HSC Business Studies report.
However, they all lack one critical feature that we've included:
This article aims to synthesise much of that advice and provide a sustained, logical and cohesive approach that is backed by findings from experienced HSC Business Studies markers: the ones who mark hundreds of reports year in year out.
Ready to learn how to ace your HSC Business Studies Report?
Let's jump in!

Here is the example question we're going to use throughout this article to demonstrate what to do to get that Band 6 in your HSC Business Studies Report (the 2016 HSC Business Report Question).

Step 1: Understand and refine your structure

Perhaps the most defining feature of the HSC Business Studies business report is its structure.
A business report must include 3 main parts - an executive summary, body paragraphs (and subheadings), and your conclusions and recommendations.
Executive Summary

In the executive summary you need to get into the mind of a business consultant and achieve three things:

Step 1: Provide an introduction into the business and with direct reference to the stimulus, highlight the issues the business is facing.

Step 2: Summarise your answers to the dot points. This needs to be in more detail than what you would normally write in an introduction. It needs to provide a quick summary of your overall arguments for the business report.

Step 3: Make sure you LINK your answers to the dot points with a solution to the business' problems.

Firstly, regarding Step 2, in an essay you might say: "examine the effect of global factors such as global sourcing and scanning and learning as drivers towards competitive advantage."

However, for a business report, you would need to actually report on those findings!

"...in examining the effect of global factors such as global sourcing and scanning and learning, its is clear that scanning and learning the globe for low cost raw materials and then sourcing from these locations will lead to cheaper production costs and hence sustain cost leadership, in line with the business' goals."

Secondly, regarding Step 3, the dot points are chosen because the markers want to see if you are able to think critically and provide solutions to the problems in the case using your understanding of the course content in those dot points.

As a result, there should be a logical flow between each dot point you are answering.
The better you achieve this, the better your executive summaries will be.

Here's a tip: the executive summary should also be around 15% of your total word count.

Body Paragraphs

Know your directive verbs. This will determine the level of depth and the approach the markers are looking for.

If you're unsure about your directive verbs, check out NESA's glossary of key directive verbs here!

The best way to organise your body paragraphs is using numbered subheadings, so for example using the 2016 HSC question as an example:
1. Executive Summary 2. Limitations of business report

2.1 Normalised earnings

2.2 Valuing assets

2.3 Debt repayments

3. Working capital management strategies

3.1 Controlling assets

3.2 Controlling liabilities

3.3 Leasing, sale and lease back

4. Pricing strategies 5. Conclusion/ Recommendations

Conclusion & Recommendations

Your conclusion should be your final recommendations tying up your points and restating how you have helped the business address its problems with solutions that are derived from your answer to the dot points.

Make sure you give a clear direction and set of actions for the business to follow.

Step 2: Analyse and Engage With The Case
For a top band business report response, the marking criteria explicitly states that students must:

Makes effective use of the information provided, demonstrating extensive knowledge and understanding relevant to the question

In simple terms, refer to the case as much as possible.
Use the stimulus. Refer to it explicitly.
Remember that your report and its contents are focused on helping solve a problem, rather than using the problem as a background to provide syllabus content.

For example, in the 2015 HSC, in my mock structure above I chose to discuss the specific pricing strategies of price skimming first because reading from the case, Lee's Catering 'has a high profile chef and the food is of excellent quality' and combined with its poor gross profit ratio means that its cost of goods sold is quite high, a testament to the high quality ingredients the business uses.

Hence in my evaluation of pricing strategy I would address this explicitly:

As Lee's Catering has a high profile chef and the food is of excellent quality and it also experiences a poor gross profit ratio of 30% compared to the industry average of 50%, this means that its cost of goods sold (COGS) is unacceptably high, a testament to the high quality ingredients the business uses but more importantly, their poor pricing strategies.

As a result, it would improve the gross profit ratio whilst decreasing the expense ratio thereby increasing the net profit ratio if the business undertook price skimming, which is when a business sets higher premium costs compared to its competitors reflecting the higher quality and costs of production.

This is supported by the fact that the business has many bookings for future events and has a high profile chef, as the higher price is justified and less likely to deter customers, hence maximising revenue.

Step 3: Develop Your Writing Style

The other general criteria in business reports is the related to the way you write and use language, including business terms.

Presents a sustained, logical and cohesive business report integrating relevant business terminology and concepts

This is firstly down to knowing your syllabus - remembering the names and definitions of key terms and applying them to the business report.

Once you have mastered your content, the criteria then asks for a 'sustained, logical and cohesive' business report. In order to achieve this, it is best to use a clear structure as it forces you to retain a logical and cohesive structure.

Here's how to do it:

Step 1: Use DPEEL (writing structure)

To provide a basic structure, follow DPEEL which will ensure you address all Business Studies elements in your business report.

D efinition - ensure you are defining the concept in the question to reflect your understanding. Can be integrated into the response and does not need its own sentence.

P oint - Attack the question and pinpoint what your overall answer will be, akin to a mini thesis.

E xplain - Provide further details that elaborate on your point. Depending on which directive verb you are asked, this is also where you can start to show a cause and effect (explain) or make a judgement (assess).

E vidence - Integrate elements from the case or further course theory into your response to illustrate your explanation further.

L ink - Conclude your response by using a link to tie up all your points.

Step 2: Use transition signals

The 'sustained' element of the marking criteria means the markers want the entire business report to flow uninterrupted. No additional details or sidetracks.
The best way to achieve this is through the use of transition signals.

Transition signals include words such as furthermore, hence, as a result, this leads to, but, however. These are 'linking' words which along with the DPEEL structure FORCE you to stay on track, as each sentence must relate to the previous. Hence this makes it extremely difficult for you to stray off topic, allowing you to create a sustained response!

Step 4: Practise and Master Your Skills

The final and most important tip is to PRACTISE! Apply these tips and get comfortable using them in your business reports.

That is the only way you will improve and better appreciate the amazingly practical and nuanced text type that is the business report. You can use past HSC exams, your textbook, or ask your teacher for some practice business reports.
Good luck!
Are you looking for some extra help with HSC Business Studies in 2018?

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Terry Huang completed his Bachelor of Secondary Education with a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of New South Wales. A strong believer that lessons should be engaging, relevant, and effective, his hustle and teaching approach have led to his recognition on the UNSW Faculty of Social Sciences Dean's List for Academic Excellence, the NSW Teachers Federation Future Teacher scholarship, and the New Colombo Plan program. Terry enjoys listening to Kanye West, learning about cryptocurrency and memorising scenes from The Office.

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HSC Business Studies Report: How to Get a Band 6 Guide

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There are many resources available online trying to help students with the HSC Business Studies report. However, they all lack one critical feature that we've included: This article aims to synthesise much of that advice and provide a sustained, logical and cohesive approach that is backed by findings from experienced HSC Business Studies markers: the ones who mark hundreds of reports year in year out.

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A) Making the case study the driving factor of your essay and adding theory to explain the case study.

B) Making theory the driving factor of your essay and using a case study to explain the theory in detail.

It is up to you to decide which one of the two would you prefer. This is because, both the approaches are correct and either of the two can be used.

Developing a good plan for your essay needs you to do the following:

A) Take time to understand the question.

B) Recognize the subject of your essay.

C) Make a thesis statement.

D) Make a note of all the necessary points to discuss.

E) Prepare main argument and counter arguments.

F) Keep an eye on word limit.

G) List the models and theories to use.

H) Mention the cases to include.

Now everyone knows that an introduction is a very important part of an essay. And when it is about the band 6 business essay, the introduction should be strong and interesting too. So, here are a few things you should include in your introduction to make it a first rate one.

A) Introduction should be of approx 250 words.

B) It should talk about the topic.

C) It should state thesis.

D) It should give a brief on what you are exploring.

E) It should connect with the case study.

Case studies are the vital part of this essay. So, one should be very particular about them. Here are some points to keep in mind when choosing case studies.

A) Use more than one case study.

B) Use case studies of large real life businesses.

C) Use case studies which are not hypothetical.

D) Use case studies from recent issues.

E) Use case studies relevant to your topic.

Now comes the main task of writing. So, here is how to write your essay.

A) Language - Use business terminology and concepts in your essay.

C) Flow - To connect paragraphs and maintain flow of information, use transition signals like furthermore, hence, etc.

D) Elements - Use case study table to enhance your essay.

E) Conclusion - Restate your thesis and summarize your essay in the conclusion.

These 5 steps for writing band 6 HSC business essay are given by the Assignment Prime experts. We provide the best online essay help to students struggling with essay writing.

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Band 6 HSC Business Studies Essay Writing Steps

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A) Making the case study the driving factor of your essay and adding theory to explain the case study. B) Making theory the driving factor of your essay and using a case study to explain the theory in detail. It is up to you to decide which one of the two would you prefer.

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How I came 1st in NSW for HSC Business Studies (and you can too!)

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Business Studies: Tips on the exam structure, doing the exam

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Business Studies: Tips on written response skills

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Business Studies: Unpacking HSC questions, study techniques

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HSC Business Studies | Final Exam Preparation

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Business Studies | NSW Education Standards

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The syllabus, assessment and reporting information, past HSC exam papers, and other support materials for the Business Studies course.

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HSC exam papers | NSW Education Standards

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Find and download HSC past exam papers, with marking guidelines and notes from the marking centre (HSC marking feedback) , are available for each course.

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Practice Multiple Choice Questions: Cambridge

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Practice Multiple Choice Questions: Cambridge

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2020 © ATAR Notes Media Pty Ltd

"ATAR" is a registered trademark of the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre ("VTAC"); "VCE" is a registered trademark of the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority ("VCAA"). VTAC, QTAC and the VCAA have no involvement in or responsibility for any material appearing on this site. Nor does VCAA and QTAC endorse or make any warranties regarding the study resources available on this site or sold by ATAR Notes Media Pty Ltd. VCE Study Designs and related content can be accessed directly at the VCAA website.

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HSC Revision Videos: Business Studies - ATAR Notes

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2020 © ATAR Notes Media Pty Ltd "ATAR" is a registered trademark of the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre ("VTAC"); "VCE" is a registered trademark of the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority ("VCAA"). VTAC, QTAC and the VCAA have no involvement in or responsibility for any material appearing on this site.

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Band 6 Student: How to Learn & Memorise HSC Study Notes

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How many students did HSC Business Studies in 2020?

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How many students did HSC Business Studies in 2020?

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HSC enrolments by course | NSW Education Standards

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Find out more about the course enrolments for the 2020 HSC.

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HUMAN RESOURCES

Role
"OHUSI" (I'm a huge Dave Hughes fan, so in my head I say this like Oh, Hughesy!)

O - Outsourcing
H - Human resources function
U - Using contractors
S - Strategic role
I - Interdependence

S - Stakeholders
T - Technological
E - Economic
E - Ethics and CSR
L - Legal
S - Social

Processes
"ADMS" (I think of it as Adams)

A - Acquisition
D - Development
M - Maintenance
S - Separation

Strategies
"PaRTLy GRaDD" (I think of it as partly gradd, and then just lose all the vowels as well as the 'y')

P - Performance management
R - Recruitment (internal/external; general/specific skills)
T - Training and development (current/future)
L - Leadership style
G - Global (costs, skills, supply)
R - Rewards (monetary/non-monetary; individual/group; performance pay)
D - Design (ie job design; general or specific)
D - Dispute resolution

Effectiveness of Human Resource Management

Indicators
"What black" (again, it's important to remember which letters aren't part of the acronym)
W - Worker satisfaction
A - Absenteeism
T - Turnover
B - Benchmarking key varialbes
L - Levels of disputation
A - Accidents
C - Corporate culture

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HUMAN RESOURCES Role "OHUSI" (I'm a huge Dave Hughes fan, so in my head I say this like Oh, Hughesy!)

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Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

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Business Studies is one of the most popular HSC subjects available, but that also means there's a lot of competition to come up against. If you're looking for something to boost your marks in this content-heavy subject, then look no further than this series of free HSC Business Studies videos!

Our Business Studies tutor, Andrew, sat down and thought about what it takes to do well in Business Studies. Then he divided the course into ten areas in order to give you as much help as possible in a fairly short period of time.

Video 1: Where to Begin?

Video 2: Operations

Video 3: Marketing

Video 4: Finance

Video 5: Human Resources

Video 6: Interdependence of Topics

Video 7: Case Studies

Video 8: Essay Tips

Video 9: Business Report Tips

Video 10: Final Exam Preparation

The presenter

Andrew is one of our most popular lecturers of all time. Having worked in his family business and retail chains, and having started his own web development business, it's safe to say he feels the Business Studies syllabus in his soul. If you want a Band 6 in Business - just like Andrew - then this is the place to be.

These HSC Business Studies videos are a great start, but there's still a heap more free Business Studies stuff available for you to sink your teeth into!

For example, have you considered downloading some free HSC Business Studies notes? All of our Business lecture slides are also available here.

You should definitely get around this list of other Business Studies resources and Q+A. In this thread, you can also ask any Bio questions you have!

And, of course, if you're looking for more revision videos, you can find them all here.

Feedback? Requests? Please let us know at [email protected]

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HSC Business Studies Videos - ATAR Notes

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Business Studies is one of the most popular HSC subjects available, but that also means there's a lot of competition to come up against. If you're looking for something to boost your marks in this content-heavy subject, then look no further than this series of free HSC Business Studies videos!