Question 1
What is meant by state sovereignty?
HSC Legal Studies Section II Part A: Human rights short answers
Fifteen marks of short answers on Human rights, about four items, which may be in parts. The marks follow the key word: identify names a point, outline sketches it, explain adds the how and the why.
| Marks | 15, about four items |
|---|---|
| Topic | Human rights, the core |
| Often on | A short scenario or stimulus |
| Key words | Identify, outline, explain, assess |
Answer to the key word
- Identify or outline: name the right or the response, then one sentence on what it means here.
- Explain: the point, how it works in practice, and why it matters for the person or group in the question.
- Assess or evaluate: weigh how well a response protects the right, with a reason, and end on a judgement.
Use the scenario and name the law
Many items give you a short scenario. Use its names and details, and support each point with a legal response you have studied in class: a treaty, a statute, a court or tribunal, or a body that monitors rights.
Try 2 questions
Question 2
In a hypothetical case, a farmer leaves her country after years of drought destroy her crops, and she asks another state for protection. Is she a refugee under the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees?
Next step
Questions people ask
How long should a 4-mark answer be?
Long enough to make two developed points, usually four to six sentences.
Do I need legal examples in a short answer?
Where the item asks you to explain or assess, yes: a real response you have studied, used as evidence for the point you are making.