CBA 2

CBA 2 Overview and Topic Choice

CBA 2 takes place over a maximum of three weeks in third year. While you may collaborate with classmates when gathering research, CBA 2 is an individual project where you produce your own findings and present on your own.

You can investigate any topic linked to personal finance, enterprise, or our economy. Common areas include:

• A field visit to a local enterprise or an interview with an entrepreneur
• A business story in the media or a current economic issue like inflation
• Consumer trends, digital technologies in business, or career pathways

You are precluded from presenting on your Business in Action (CBA 1) project. Choose a fresh business topic and narrow it down so you can cover it comfortably within the time limit.

The Three Core Activities

Over the three weeks, your work centres on three main areas:

• Investigating: Undertake original investigative work using primary sources (such as interviewing a local shopkeeper) and/or secondary sources (such as online reports or Central Statistics Office data). You must record the exact source of all information to ensure it is reliable, e.g. 'Interview with M. Byrne, owner, Byrne's Cafe, 14 October 2026' or 'CSO inflation release, September 2026'.
• Reflecting on learning: Evaluate your findings and consider how your understanding grew. Contrast what you thought before researching with what you think now. You do not need to invent a change of mind; explain how the evidence qualified or strengthened your view.
• Communicating: Rehearse and deliver your presentation in your own words, presenting a justified personal opinion.

Remember the three parts as Investigate, Reflect, Communicate.

Delivering Your Presentation

As a guideline, your presentation lasts up to three minutes, including time set aside for engagement with the audience or teacher questions. You are allowed to read from a prepared script, though speaking from prompt cards helps you engage the room.

Structure your talk clearly:

• Identify your topic and outline why it interests you.
• Explain what you learned about the business environment.
• Say how your views, attitudes or habits as a consumer changed.
• Present an informed opinion supported by your research.

You are encouraged to use support materials to scaffold your talk. These can include digital slides, posters, infographics, charts, or product samples. Keep visuals clear so they support your message rather than distract from it.

Features of Quality

Your teacher uses national Features of Quality to decide which achievement descriptor best fits your presentation:

• Exceptional: Eloquent, very confident delivery displaying comprehensive topic knowledge, creative support material that captivates the audience, and excellent reflection showing clearly how your viewpoint developed over time.
• Above expectations: Clear, competent, confident communication showing very good knowledge, well-chosen support material that interests the audience, and very good reflection.
• In line with expectations: Good topic knowledge, but delivery lacks confidence in places, support material is not used to its full potential, and you show an ability to reflect on your own perspective of the topic.
• Yet to meet expectations: Unclear or unconfident communication, weak presentation structure, basic support materials, and narrow reflection of poor quality.

The Written Assessment Task

Shortly after finishing CBA 2, you complete the Assessment Task in class over at least 80 minutes (a double period or two single periods). In stage one, you review and evaluate your presentation. In stage two, you write your reflection into the booklet provided, which your school sends to the State Examinations Commission.

The task is worth 10% of your state-certified examination grade. It assesses three specific areas:

• The new knowledge or understanding you gained about the business environment.
• The communication or research skills you developed during the project.
• How your value system has been influenced by engaging with the topic.

Key terms

Classroom-Based Assessment (CBA)

An in-class assessment assessed by your subject teacher using nationally set Features of Quality.

Assessment Task (AT)

A written reflection on CBA 2 completed in class over at least 80 minutes, marked by the SEC for 10% of your overall grade.

Primary Sources

First-hand information gathered directly by you, such as a face-to-face interview, a site visit, or a questionnaire.

Secondary Sources

Second-hand data published by others, including newspaper reports, business websites, and official statistics.

Features of Quality

The official national criteria used by teachers to decide which descriptor best fits your CBA work.

Descriptor

One of four achievement levels awarded for a CBA: Exceptional, Above expectations, In line with expectations, or Yet to meet expectations.