HSC Community and Family Studies · Year 12

HSC Community and Family Studies: what actually gets examined

Every question from 3 official NESA papers, coded by module, topic and marks — so you can decide what to revise from evidence rather than a feeling.

3 NESA papers, 2022–2024 · 116 questions · 300 marks

11 of the 59 topics in HSC Community and Family Studies were examined in every paper on file, and the 6 modules carry uneven weight. There is nothing here you can safely skip — the question is what order you revise in.

Counted from 3 official NESA Community and Family Studies papers (2022–2024). 116 questions, 300 marks. Nothing estimated.

11 of 59topics in every paper on file

24marks in the single biggest topic

20multiple choice marks, every paper

25%indicative weighting per module, quoted

The key words that carry the paper

Share of written-response questions by NESA key word. Revising the content without revising the directive is how marks get lost. The lower / middle / higher grouping is ours — NESA publishes the glossary but does not band it. Based on the 66% of written responses that open with a glossary key word; the rest open with wording outside it, such as “State” or a direct question.

Explain38% · 14qmiddle order

Describe19% · 7qlower order

Assess16% · 6qhigher order

Analyse11% · 4qmiddle order

Discuss8% · 3qhigher order

Define

Evaluate

Justify

Lower orderMiddle orderHigher order

Each tile is one key word; its size is that key word's share of written-response questions that open with one.

Where the marks sit

Each module with its topics underneath. The bar is that topic's share of its own module, and the chip says how many of the papers on file examined it.

Research Methodology

75 marks

25% indicative weighting, quoted from the syllabus

Sampling, reliability and validity Every paper 17 marks

5 questions · 23% of this module

Research methods Most papers 13 marks

3 questions · 17% of this module

Ethical behaviour Most papers 9 marks

2 questions · 12% of this module

Sources of data Every paper 9 marks

6 questions · 12% of this module

The research process Every paper 7 marks

4 questions · 9% of this module

Case studies Most papers 6 marks

2 questions · 8% of this module

Planning for research Most papers 4 marks

2 questions · 5% of this module

Sensitive research topics Comes and goes 4 marks

1 question · 5% of this module

Interpreting research Most papers 2 marks

2 questions · 3% of this module

Types of data Most papers 2 marks

2 questions · 3% of this module

Creating a timeline Comes and goes 1 mark

1 question · 1% of this module

Observations Comes and goes 1 mark

1 question · 1% of this module

Groups in Context

74 marks

25% indicative weighting, quoted from the syllabus

Access to services Every paper 24 marks

7 questions · 32% of this module

Satisfaction of needs Every paper 15 marks

8 questions · 20% of this module

Advocacy Most papers 9 marks

2 questions · 12% of this module

Positive influences the group makes within the community Comes and goes 8 marks

1 question · 11% of this module

Equity issues Comes and goes 7 marks

1 question · 9% of this module

Positive influences on community attitudes Most papers 5 marks

2 questions · 7% of this module

Individual diversity Most papers 2 marks

2 questions · 3% of this module

Conducting research Comes and goes 1 mark

1 question · 1% of this module

Creating positive social environments Comes and goes 1 mark

1 question · 1% of this module

Negative terminology Comes and goes 1 mark

1 question · 1% of this module

Prevalence Comes and goes 1 mark

1 question · 1% of this module

Parenting and Caring

76 marks

25% indicative weighting, quoted from the syllabus

Preparations for becoming a parent or carer Every paper 11 marks

4 questions · 14% of this module

Rights and responsibilities in parenting and caring Every paper 10 marks

3 questions · 13% of this module

Types of parents and carers Every paper 10 marks

4 questions · 13% of this module

Styles of parenting or caring Every paper 8 marks

4 questions · 11% of this module

Roles of parents and carers Most papers 7 marks

2 questions · 9% of this module

Social influences on parents and carers Every paper 7 marks

3 questions · 9% of this module

Personal influences on parents and carers Most papers 6 marks

2 questions · 8% of this module

Types of services provided through formal support Most papers 6 marks

2 questions · 8% of this module

Characteristics of the dependent Comes and goes 5 marks

1 question · 7% of this module

Formal and informal support Every paper 5 marks

5 questions · 7% of this module

Financial support and aged carers Comes and goes 1 mark

1 question · 1% of this module

Family and Societal Interactions

25 marks

25% indicative weighting, quoted from the syllabus

Community organisations and government legislation Comes and goes 5 marks

1 question · 20% of this module

Government's role in regulating rights of young people Comes and goes 5 marks

1 question · 20% of this module

Young people becoming adults Comes and goes 5 marks

1 question · 20% of this module

Community support for the aged Comes and goes 2 marks

1 question · 8% of this module

Community's role in supporting young people Comes and goes 2 marks

1 question · 8% of this module

Protecting children Comes and goes 2 marks

1 question · 8% of this module

Adolescent rites of passage Comes and goes 1 mark

1 question · 4% of this module

Community's role in providing for welfare of children Comes and goes 1 mark

1 question · 4% of this module

Role of legislation Comes and goes 1 mark

1 question · 4% of this module

Social Impact of Technology

25 marks

25% indicative weighting, quoted from the syllabus

Issues related to ICT Comes and goes 5 marks

1 question · 20% of this module

Issues related to technological development Comes and goes 5 marks

1 question · 20% of this module

Technologies and the community Comes and goes 5 marks

1 question · 20% of this module

Communication technologies for social betterment Comes and goes 2 marks

1 question · 8% of this module

Factors affecting access to technology Comes and goes 2 marks

1 question · 8% of this module

Reasons for development Comes and goes 2 marks

1 question · 8% of this module

Organisation of knowledge Comes and goes 1 mark

1 question · 4% of this module

Technologies and the family Comes and goes 1 mark

1 question · 4% of this module

Use of technology Comes and goes 1 mark

1 question · 4% of this module

Individuals and Work

25 marks

25% indicative weighting, quoted from the syllabus

Patterns of work Most papers 7 marks

2 questions · 28% of this module

Workplace structures Most papers 7 marks

2 questions · 28% of this module

Youth employment issues and opportunities Comes and goes 5 marks

1 question · 20% of this module

Rights and responsibilities of employees Comes and goes 2 marks

1 question · 8% of this module

Managing multiple roles Comes and goes 1 mark

1 question · 4% of this module

Reasons people work Comes and goes 1 mark

1 question · 4% of this module

Workplace culture Comes and goes 1 mark

1 question · 4% of this module

Across 3 papers the modules carried 75, 74, 76, 25, 25, 25 marks — against a 25% indicative weighting each, quoted from the NESA Community and Family Studies Stage 6 Syllabus (2013). The counted share and the published weighting are two different measures. Family and Societal Interactions, Social Impact of Technology and Individuals and Work are alternatives: a student answers one of them, so the marks on offer are divided between the 3 of them rather than counted in full against each. Each carried 75 marks for the students who chose it.

How each topic gets asked

The 6 biggest topics, by the shape of the questions actually set on them. Revising the content without revising the directive is how marks get lost — the key words below are NESA's own, counted from the papers.

Access to services

Groups in Context · 24 marks across 7 questions

Asked as Multiple choice ×3 · Short answer ×1 · Extended response ×3

NESA key words Explain ×1 · Describe ×1

Sampling, reliability and validity

Research Methodology · 17 marks across 5 questions

Asked as Multiple choice ×3 · Extended response ×2

NESA key words Explain ×2

Satisfaction of needs

Groups in Context · 15 marks across 8 questions

Asked as Multiple choice ×7 · Extended response ×1

NESA key words Explain ×1

Research methods

Research Methodology · 13 marks across 3 questions

Asked as Multiple choice ×1 · Extended response ×2

Preparations for becoming a parent or carer

Parenting and Caring · 11 marks across 4 questions

Asked as Multiple choice ×3 · Extended response ×1

Rights and responsibilities in parenting and caring

Parenting and Caring · 10 marks across 3 questions

Asked as Multiple choice ×2 · Extended response ×1

How the paper is built

Marks by question format across the same 3 papers.

Multiple choice 6020 / 20 / 20 per paper

Short answer 257 / 10 / 8 per paper

Extended response 21573 / 70 / 72 per paper

Multiple choice is exactly 20 marks in every paper. The rest moves around: short answer ran 7, 10, 8 marks and extended response ran 73, 70, 72 marks. 3 papers is not enough to call that a trend.

The papers this is counted from

NSW Education Standards Authority publishes every paper and its marking guidelines. These links go to NESA's own copies — read the questions there.

2022 NESA paper · 100 marks →2023 NESA paper · 100 marks →2024 NESA paper · 100 marks →

These are the external examination papers. They are not the whole subject: Community and Family Studies is also assessed by school-based assessment set and marked by your school, which NESA does not publish — so nothing on this page covers that part of your result.

Study Community and Family Studies on Revizi

HSC Community and Family Studies Topics HSC Past Exam Practice HSC Trial Exam Practice HSC Short Answer Practice HSC Flashcards Hub All HSC Questions by Topic Questions by Topic — all curricula

Frequently Asked Questions

Which HSC Community and Family Studies topics come up every year?

11 of the 59. Every topic marked "Every paper" above was examined in all 3 papers on file. That describes the papers analysed, not a prediction — examiners set each paper fresh.

Which HSC Community and Family Studies module is worth the most marks?

Parenting and Caring 76, Research Methodology 75, Groups in Context 74, Family and Societal Interactions 25, Social Impact of Technology 25, Individuals and Work 25 marks across the 3 papers analysed. The syllabus publishes an indicative weighting for each; the counted share and the published weighting are two different measures.

What is the biggest single topic in HSC Community and Family Studies?

Access to services, with 24 of the 300 marks counted across 3 papers.

How was this analysed?

Every question in 3 official NESA HSC Community and Family Studies papers (2022–2024) was counted against the NESA Community and Family Studies Stage 6 Syllabus (2013): its mark value, its format and its key word, and the module and topic it assesses. Marks are reconciled against each paper's own stated total, and where a section offers a choice the alternatives share that section's marks rather than each claiming them.

Are the exam questions reproduced here?

No. NSW Education Standards Authority owns the papers. This page publishes counts and links to NESA's own copy of each paper so you can read the questions at the source. The analysis is ours; the papers stay with NESA.

Does this predict what will be in my exam?

No, and it is not meant to. It describes what has been set. Examiners write each paper fresh and can weight a neglected topic heavily, which is why every topic is listed here, including the ones examined least.

Coded against the NESA Community and Family Studies Stage 6 Syllabus (2013). Where a question is coded to more than one topic its marks are split evenly, so topic totals within a module can round a mark or two above the module total. A topic is marked "Every paper" when it appears in all 3, "Most papers" when it is missing from one, and "Comes and goes" when it is missing from more — the one-paper tolerance absorbs a single coding miss rather than publishing it. Last updated 2026-08-30 · Exam papers © NSW Education Standards Authority, linked at source.