Six- to eight-mark questions are where VCE Business Management begins to separate students who understand the course from students who understand how the course is assessed. These questions appear manageable, often sit on familiar content, and rarely look intimidating. Yet examiner reports show that they are one of the most common places where students plateau.
What makes these questions challenging is not the content. It is the combination of command terms, application, and sustained reasoning required to earn full marks.
These questions are not just “long short answers”
A common misconception is that a six-mark question is simply a longer version of a two- or three-mark question. Many students respond accordingly: they write more, but they do not change how they think.
Examiner commentary consistently shows that students often:
- explain one idea in detail instead of addressing multiple required components
- repeat similar points in different wording
- write descriptively without evaluating or analysing
Six- to eight-mark questions are designed to assess depth and structure, not volume.
Misunderstanding how many ideas are required
One of the most consistent issues in these questions is poor mark-to-idea alignment.
In a six- or eight-mark question, the marking scheme almost always expects:
- multiple distinct points
- each supported with explanation or application
Students often lose marks by:
- making only one or two strong points
- spending too long on the first idea and rushing the rest
- addressing only part of the question
High-scoring students read the question, note how many components are implied, and mentally plan how many paragraphs or sections are needed before writing a word.
Failing to sustain application to the case study
At this mark range, application is no longer optional or minimal. It must be sustained.
Examiner reports repeatedly note that many responses:
- mention the business once, then revert to generic discussion
- describe strategies without linking them back to the specific business
- apply some points but leave others abstract
In six- to eight-mark questions, examiners expect the business context to be woven throughout the response. Strong answers consistently anchor each major point to:
- the business’s objectives
- its size, industry or constraints
- stakeholder interests
Application should not appear as an afterthought.
Stopping at explanation when analysis or evaluation is required
Another recurring problem is students writing solid explanations but ignoring the higher-order thinking signalled by the command term.
For example:
- analyse questions answered with explanation only
- evaluate questions answered without judgement
- justify questions answered without a clear decision
At this level, explanation alone rarely earns full marks.
Examiner reports repeatedly state that responses were capped because students did not:
- analyse cause-and-effect relationships
- evaluate effectiveness
- acknowledge trade-offs or limitations
Students who do not explicitly engage with the command term almost always fall into the mid-range.
Treating theories as content rather than tools
Six- to eight-mark questions often involve human resource management, motivation, operations, or change management. Students frequently respond by explaining theories in isolation.
This is where many marks are lost.
Examiners consistently reward responses that:
- use theory to support a decision
- apply theory selectively rather than exhaustively
- integrate theory into explanation
Students who explain Maslow, Locke and the Four Drive Theory in sequence without applying them to the business context often demonstrate knowledge but limited relevance.
Theories are meant to sharpen analysis, not replace it.
Weak paragraphing and unclear structure
Structural issues become much more costly at this mark range.
Common problems include:
- long blocks of text with multiple ideas
- unclear separation between points
- repeated ideas framed differently
Examiner reports note that higher-scoring responses were easier to follow because they:
- had a clear structure
- developed one idea per paragraph
- addressed all parts of the question
Structure is not a stylistic issue here. It directly affects marks.
Avoiding judgement to “stay safe”
Many capable students hesitate to make a judgement in six- to eight-mark questions, particularly when the word evaluateor to what extent appears.
This caution is understandable, but it is costly.
Evaluation requires:
- a clear position
- justification
- acknowledgement of limitations
Students who hedge or remain neutral often demonstrate good understanding but do not meet the full requirements of the task. Examiner reports consistently show that judgement is a differentiator at this level.
Why these questions matter so much
Six- to eight-mark questions typically make up a large proportion of the exam’s available marks. Losing one or two marks on each of these questions quickly compounds.
More importantly, these questions reveal whether a student has transitioned from content recall to decision-making, which is the core skill Business Management is designed to assess.
What high-scoring students do differently
Students who perform strongly in this mark range tend to:
- plan briefly before writing
- structure responses around distinct points
- apply theory directly to the case study
- make and justify decisions
- manage time so all components are addressed
These are learned habits, not innate abilities.
How ATAR STAR targets this mark range
At ATAR STAR, six- to eight-mark questions are a major focus because they offer the greatest opportunity for score improvement.
We work with students to:
- decode complex questions
- plan responses efficiently
- integrate theory and application
- practise evaluation under exam conditions
This support is particularly valuable for students who consistently sit just below the top bands, as well as students whose SAC performance does not translate into exam marks.
If you want Business Management preparation that focuses on the questions where marks are most often lost — and most easily regained — targeted work at this level makes a measurable difference.