Year 10 Rights & Freedoms Research Essay – Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering assignment requirements, key historical topics, and assessment criteria for the Year 10 Rights & Freedoms research essay.

Hypothesis

A proposed statement or argument that the essay will test and support with historical evidence.

Historical Essay

A structured piece of writing that presents a thesis about past events and supports it with referenced evidence.

Thesis

The central argument or main point of an essay, stated clearly in the introduction.

Focus Questions

3–4 guiding questions that shape and narrow a historical inquiry.

Research Booklet

School-provided document where students record notes, sources and planning for the assessment.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)

A 1948 United Nations document outlining fundamental human rights to be universally protected.

US Civil Rights Movement

Mid-20th-century struggle in the United States aiming to end racial segregation and secure equal rights for African Americans.

Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Rights Movement

Campaigns and milestones seeking legal and social equality for Indigenous peoples of Australia.

Rights and Freedoms

Basic entitlements and liberties that individuals are inherently owed in a just society.

In-text Referencing

Citations placed within the body of an essay to credit sources of information or quotations.

Bibliography

Alphabetical list of all sources consulted and cited, formatted according to a chosen style.

Annotated Reference List

Bibliography in which each citation is followed by a brief evaluation of the source’s relevance and reliability.

Historical Source

Any document, object or testimony that provides information about the past.

Origin, Purpose, Context

Three factors used to evaluate a historical source’s reliability and usefulness.

Cause and Effect

Analytical framework identifying why events happened and what consequences followed.

Change and Continuity

Patterns showing how aspects of society transform or remain stable over time.

Interpretations of the Past

Different views or explanations historians develop from available evidence.

Summative Assessment

Evaluation conducted at the end of a learning period to measure achievement of objectives.

Word Limit (700–800 words)

Required essay length; extensions negotiated during drafting if needed.

Criteria Sheet

Rubric outlining performance standards for understanding, skills and language use.

Drafting Phase

Stage where the writer produces and revises a preliminary version of the essay.

Independent Research

Student-led investigation carried out both in class and at home without collaboration with peers.