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Showing posts with label economics essay tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label economics essay tips. Show all posts

Notice: After More Than a Decade, JC Economics Essays Shifts Direction


Today, I am going to briefly talk about Marvel Studios in JC Economics Essays.

(I was recently reading about it from Ryan Lamble’s 2015 article, “How Marvel went from bankruptcy to billions”, and so this came to my mind.)

Basically, all comic books have a point in the plot where all seems lost. 

The good guys are down on their knees, the aliens have almost completed their invasion of earth, and the bad guys have prevailed. 

For Marvel Entertainment, this hour where all seemed lost arrived in 1996.

It had grown throughout the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s thanks to the art and storytelling in comics like the Fantastic Four and The Amazing Spider-Man. I read these comics growing up in the 1990s. 

Its financial success reached a peak by the early 1990s, but, by 1995, Marvel Entertainment was heavily in debt. 

A series of financial bubbles and business deals saw its stock value collapse, and, for a long while, the company faced a bleak future.

Yet, just like the heroes in the comics, to cut a long story short, Marvel emerged from the rubble a decade later as a successful film industry giant – much like the proverbial Phoenix from the ashes came Marvel Studios, a venture which finally brought the company's most famous characters onto the big screen. 

Ironman was the first, followed swiftly by many, many more successful movies. I am a fan myself!

Today, the rest is history.

For me, this article reminded me that change is the only constant, and Marvel successfully switched industries and changed with the times. 

What does this have to do with JC Economics Essays

After more than a decade of blogging - yes it has been more than ten years since I started this economics blog - I am changing direction, and trying to adjust to readers' changing demands. Hopefully I can be as successful as Marvel (one can dream). 

In recent years, there have been many economics websites and blogs coming around the corner, and many have even used similar names to mine (even though mine started earlier). Some economics blogs and websites even temporarily displaced me from my number one pole position on Google. 

Looking back, I sometimes recall some moments when former econs students of mine did their economics homework by referring to my blog, and when other students said that they knew of people who read my economic blog as revision, and so on. These are and will remain fond memories. 

But after many years of lecturing and teaching economics, I am going to change the focus of JC Economics Essays to focus on higher education, scholarships, and economics degrees. 

With my wealth of experience (not the wealth of nations), I aim to cover the entire range of topics such as applications to the UK and US, and even Singapore, universities, scholarship preparations and interview preparations, including dealing with personal statements - and I have read and edited many students' personal statements - and general advice on economics, degrees, and undergraduate and even postgraduate life in general. My topics will also deal with loans for academic study, econometrics, software and applications that economics undergraduates need, and how to score in university. 

Some of the advice on my (non-economics) personal blog will be adjusted and adapted for JC Economics Essays' use, since I'm the copyright owner. (Please read, share, and enjoy but do not plagiarise or copy. Thank you!)

Following my Masters from the LSE and a few years serving as a teacher in the education service, teaching H2 and H3 economics, I have decided to expand my blog's reach and go up the value chain, so to speak. 

The guidance, direction, and advice that I provide on applying for economics degrees, scholarships, and courses will not be perfect and may have to be adapted to your own personal circumstances, but I hope that they will be useful. Do, however, read with an open but critical mind. 

Also, I will write in the first person as I am no longer editing or writing economics essays, but giving personal guidance and advice. 

In fact, over the years, to attempt to keep relevant, I have already tried many different economics topics and approaches - do feel free to surf this economics essays blog and see the wide range of materials and essays that I have. These will remain. But since change is eternal, I shall keep up with the times and move up the value chain. 

Thank you for reading and stay tuned for the change in direction! 

JC Economics Essays

Free Talk on How To Perform Well in Economics at the A Level Examinations - 22 June 2017, at Trent Global College, 1 Lower Kent Ridge Rd, #02-02


This is a Public Service Announcement (PSA) notice - and a plug for a free talk!

I will be giving a free talk on How To Perform Well in Economics at the A Level Examinations, on 22 June 2017, at Trent Global College, 1 Lower Kent Ridge Rd, #02-02, Singapore. Yes, this event is just round the corner and happening in Singapore.

And what else is round the corner, in the later part of the year? 

Most of us know that the "A" Level examinations are just round the corner and one of the most difficult subjects at the JC and pre-University level is Economics. Parents and economics students may want to catch up on skills, for essay writing and economics case studies alike, and also some key facts, arguments, and points for evaluation required to excel in the examinations.

I will be talking about what are the key areas of economics (especially with the new 2017 MOE syllabus) to watch out for, and important skills for economics essay writing - my area of interest and expertise, as you may be able to tell from my economics essays blog right here - and tips and techniques for scoring well in case studies. And I will also be covering many other techniques and tips that I have mastered over the years - and am honoured and glad to share this knowledge with you. I could also answer some Q&A on economics issues if there is interest. 

Please take note of the details and do come and attend this useful and relevant talk - parents can take notes for students if they are unable to attend: 

Date: 22 June 2017

Time: 10am to 12pm (noon)

Venue: Trent Global College, 
1 Lower Kent Ridge Rd, #02-02, 
1@kentridge (NUH Medical Centre), 119082
(just above Kent Ridge MRT station, Singapore)

We look forward to your participation at the economics seminar on 22 June 2017.

Thank you very much for reading and cheers!

Cheers,
The Editor of JC Economics Essays


JC Economics Essays - This popular website has useful and relevant model economics essays, important tips and techniques for success in economics, and other related supporting materials for economics students. This site also has contemporary and current economic issues with our own perspectives and views on them. 

Special thanks are due - With the kind support of Trent Global College (for supporting my very first external and voluntary seminar by providing the venue for free) and Sallyforth Enterprise (for coordinating and helping to sell economics course packs and for allowing me to volunteer to share my knowledge), I will be giving a free talk and seminar on how to perform well in Economics at the A level examinations - sharing my knowledge and experience for free. Do help support and promote my associates and supporters, please. Thank you very much for reading, and cheers! 

Thank you note to supporters of JC Economics Essays


From time to time, and for totally random reasons, I do write a thank you note to my readers, fans, and visitors. This is one of them - and if you are looking for economics essays as promised, do use the relevant links and search boxes on this site to get to the economics resources that you need. Thank you very much!

Back to the note, I think it is only right to write (pun intended) a personal note to those who have read the edited essays on this site, and laboured through some of my own writing, and for those who have given me ideas for improvement. 

And in this particular case - I am writing a thank you note to those who have supported JC Economics Essays' e-books. 

As you may be acutely aware, JC Economics Essays has a few e-books which we have shared with Sallyforth Enterprise, to raise funds for social missions. After all, for example, raising standards of living are as much a social as an economic issue; providing public goods can be done through private institutions and governments alike, and so on. 

This year has seen some sales of the e-books, from a relatively slow start during the last two years. 

And this is as it should, as we build up some reputation and brand equity - which I have been doing for this economics blog for the last 10 years (without really knowing how in the beginning during those early days, and only deliberately marketing and strategising our communications in the past few years). 

On this note, Sallyforth Enterprise and JC Economics Essays would like to thank all our readers, fans, and customers for supporting our economics products. (This portion of the note has already appeared on Facebook.)

Our customers have spoken: 

The top two most popular economics e-books are "How to Study Economics" and "Success in Macroeconomics" - probably because these two popular books directly and relevantly address most students' needs. 

In fact, the most viewed economics product is "How to Study Economics", and with my relevant expertise (other than the fact that I had taught economics for many years and I established, and still run, an economics essays site), students are in good company! Economics students will benefit greatly from reading about the strategies I recommend (and this is also for a good cause). 

And "Success in Microeconomics", "Success in University Scholarship Interviews", and "Perspectives from Prey Veng Cambodia" are the next most popular e-books. Although I am not too sure why Microeconomics is behind Macroeconomics... this deserves detailed study. 

But unfortunately, the rest of the e-books - and quite honestly purely Sallyforth Enterprise content in particular - could be a lot more popular - and we will work on producing quality content that readers will support and learn from. We will get better!

Thank you for your kind support and contributions - cheers!

And thank you for reading - I always say that, and I mean it. I wouldn't be here without your support.

Thank you!

Update: An exciting development is in the works! Sallyforth Enterprise will be organising a pilot seminar in June 2017 - hopefully it can be a staple event where I can share my knowledge, tips, and techniques - and will be inviting me to give a talk on economics. More details and information will follow soon! Do stay tuned for more this exciting upcoming development. Thank you! :)


JC Economics Essays - For "A" level H1, H2, or H3 Economics resources, model economics essays, and now even extended essays for IB economics. For a range of economics resources and model answers at a range of levels. Thank you for supporting us, and cheers. 

Seven Tips and Techniques to Ace the International Baccalaureate (IB) Extended Essay


Contributed by three economics teachers, specially for JC Economics Essays

If you are an International Baccalaureate (IB) student preparing to craft your Extended Essay (EE), this post is just for you. 

In this JC Economics Essays article, this essay will share the tips, techniques, and tricks to get you get an A grade.  

Just to recap, the IB Extended Essay (often referred to as the EE) is a 4,000 word structured mini-thesis you write under the supervision of an advisor, an IB teacher at your school, which counts towards your IB Diploma.

For the Extended Essay, you choose a research question and this topic needs to be approved. You can do a standard economics research paper, conduct an economic experiment, or solve a economic problem. Usually, the IB Extended Essay includes a cover page, a one-page synopsis of your Extended Essay, a contents page, the 4,000-word essay itself, and a bibliography.

Here are seven effective tips and techniques that you will need to write a Grade A Extended Essay!

First, Write About Something You Find Interesting

The Extended Essay requirement of the Diploma Programme is actually one of the enjoyable and challenging parts of the course. Students write a mini-thesis on an original topic, based on a subject of their choice. 

What have you found interesting in your economics studies, and what makes you curious to find out more? 

What makes you think, and what makes you puzzled and intellectually curious? 

Ask yourself these questions.

Second, Choose a Specific Topic Involving Your Home Country

Singapore economics students often successfully pick Extended Essay topics related to Singapore, or a country they call home. 

Taking Singapore for example, Singapore has plenty of original topics relating to government intervention in the free market and the larger macroeconomy.

Some of the possible research questions from economics students include:

To what extent has the recent economic recession affected demerit good consumption in Singapore?

Is the cinema industry in Singapore recession-proof?

To what extent has price changes in COE affected the demand for private transport in Singapore?

How affordable are the Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats compared to private condominiums in Singapore?

How effective are Singapore’s road congestion policies such as the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) policies in reducing traffic congestion?

Some of these economics research questions for the Extended Essay are good – focused on Singapore, specific and narrow; but some of the other research questions are too broad. 

A good research question is essential to a good Extended Essay. You need to write something specific. Because any economics research question must be answered within the 4,000 word limit, the research question needs to be limited in scope and reach.

The economics content has to be manageable, too. Limiting the number of economic concepts covered is important. A good economics essay will explain one concept in sufficient depth and link to other related economic concepts. For example, an explanation of market failure could link to elasticity concepts but should not examine effects on economic growth.

Third, Choose an Advisor Familiar With Your Extended Essay Topic

Choose an economics teacher as an advisor, or one who is familiar with the topic – enough said. Fundamentally, this is common sense. 

And do note that some IB schools require your IB Extended Essay advisor to sign an Agreement Form, so do ask your IB coordinator for any required paperwork. Handle all the paperwork competently. 

Fourth, Be Like a Pokemon Trainer - Choose an Advisor Who Will Challenge You to be the Very Best, Like No One Ever Was

This is related to the earlier tip.

Some economics teachers take on students because they have to as part of their job and duties, and may not be passionate about reading drafts and giving feedback.

Choose an economics teacher who will take the time to read several Extended Essay drafts and give you extensive critique and feedback. Ask an economics teacher you have experience with, either through class or through CCA. 

Do not ask an economics teacher that you are not connected to, or a teacher from another academic field, because the teacher who does not know you or is unfamiliar with economics is unlikely to push you for your Extended Essay, or even unable to do.

Fifth, Have a Clear Essay Structure

All teachers love structure, economics teachers particularly so. Economics is dependent on structure, diagrams, order, and clear, crisp arguments. 

Your Extended Essay needs a clear introduction, economics research question with a strong focus on what you will be investigating, a body of economics research, and a clear conclusion. An Extended Essay with poor structure will be graded poorly.

Also, the abstract for your Extended Essay must be clear and summarise the whole economic argument. An ambiguous abstract will make it challenging for the economics teacher to follow your economics essay’s argument and will impact your Extended Essay grade.

The body of your Extended Essay should include relevant economic diagrams properly labelled and explained, along with real world and relevant examples and economic analyses to support your case.

Sixth, Be Proactive

You should read many economics articles and books, journal articles, and watching economics documentaries. Start the research process as soon as possible so that you can start writing your Extended Essay as early as possible.

Each school has a slightly different deadline for the Extended Essay so do take timelines and deadlines into consideration. Do not be late. Some schools will give you a timeline of when you need to come up with a topic, when you need to meet your advisor, and when drafts are due. Not all schools do so do ask your advisor and economics teachers to ensure that you are on time and on track.

Because a good Extended Essay includes a range of economic data and evidence, from secondary or primary sources, research and preparation time is needed. Too often economics students rely on surfing the web for their secondary research. Do not do that. Collecting economic data or examining a wide range of economic sources will be important in getting a good grade. Economics students can sometimes compensate in an economics essay with lots of secondary data by showing examples of in-depth economic analysis linking with separate pieces of secondary data to tell an narrative. A survey of cinema attendance during an economic recession, checked against secondary economic or financial data on cinema revenues and consumer incomes will provide appropriate economic analysis.

Seventh, Remember to Ps - Pace Properly, Prepare Properly, and Stay Positive

You have done your best for your Extended Essay and that is all that really matters.

If you pace your preparation and research work properly, prepare and draft solid and rigorous economic analysis, diagrams and economic analysis well, and stay positive and motivated throughout the entire process, you have done well. 

And you will do well for your Extended Essay... ceteris paribus.  

All the best, and thank you for reading! Cheers.


JC Economics Essays. This article was kindly contributed by a team of economics teachers. As IB tutors, D and A have guided many economics students to success. SS, a former economics teacher, compiled and consolidated the research and writing. Recently, SS' mother started teaching IB economics in an international school, sparking off research on this article. In addition to helping IB students, the information here will also be useful for JC economics students attempting economics research too. 

Thank you for reading and cheers. 

A Level H2 Economics Syllabus - Syllabuses 9732 and 9757


At JC Economics Essays, we focus on strong writing skills, clear and direct explanations of core economic concepts, the use of relevant, real-world examples to strengthen arguments, and a generally good understanding of economics for students. That is what JC Economics Essays as an economics blog stands for. 

And the use of good reference examples of varied essay responses and sample economics essays and answers will help economics students level up, improve, and write better economics essays. Tips and techniques will also improve economics students’ approaches and skills in case studies and essay questions too. Students must know what they are doing.

Nonetheless, it is also useful and important to keep updated on the latest A level Economics syllabus. And parents and economics students alike often want to know what is in the syllabus, and what is out – and what they should be focusing on. 

This post will make a quick comparison between the 2015/2016 H2 economics syllabus, and the 2017 (onwards) H2 economics syllabus. The research for this piece come from the Singapore SEAB website as well as references to current economics teachers and tutors in Singapore.  

The H2 Economics (2016) Syllabus 9732 shared that its aims were to develop in examination candidates an understanding of fundamental economic principles, theories, and concepts, and various methods of analysis used by economists; the ability to use economic reasoning to explain, analyse, and resolve economic issues, and evaluate economic policies; read critically, from a wide variety of sources, to gain information about changing economic activities and economic policies; and the ability to use evidence in making rational arguments, in context. 

Examination candidates were expected to demonstrate understanding of the main concepts, principles, and economic theories; methods of economic analysis; and understand and interpret economic information presented in textual, numerical, or graphical forms; apply relevant economic concepts and principles to explain and analyse contemporary events at the micro-economic and macro-economic levels; recognise unstated economic assumptions and make interpretations and valid inferences, and evaluate the reliability of information; evaluate alternative theoretical explanations and perspectives of economic problems, issues, and policy decisions; and organise and communicate economic ideas and arguments in a clear, logical, and appropriate form.  

The first theme of the 9732 H2 Economics syllabus was on the Market System. This theme provided an introduction to economics and examined the operation of markets for goods and services. It also focused on how consumers and producers make decisions in a market economy. Candidates were expected to understand the price mechanism as a means of allocating resources and apply theoretical demand and supply analysis to real world economic situations. 

The second theme of the 9732 syllabus was on Market Failure and Government Intervention. This theme examined market failure, its causes, and possible microeconomic policy remedies. Candidates were expected to understand why free markets may not allocate resources efficiently, and apply economic analysis towards dealing with market failure, and an evaluation of how effective policies, used by the government to deal with market failures, are. 

The third theme of the 9732 syllabus was on the National and International Economy. This theme provided an introduction to the key economic indicators of macroeconomic performance, AD/AS and AE-Y (Keynesian cross) economic analysis, and the main objectives and instruments of government policy. Candidates were expected to have a good knowledge of recent economic trends and developments in Singapore and the international economy, and to appreciate the possible underlying causes of these economic trends and developments, and evaluate the effectiveness of government policies.  

And now the latest economics syllabus is Economics Higher 2 (2017) (H2 Economics, Syllabus 9757). 

The learning of Economics is aligned with the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) Desired Outcomes of Education. 

Through the application of economic concepts, theories, and principles, examination candidates should assess the role of economic agents in the allocation of scarce resources, and adopt multiple perspectives in understanding real-world economic issues. Examination candidates recognise trade-offs and consequences from decision-making, and arrive at well-reasoned economic decisions. Candidates should develop knowledge, skills, and values, and take an active interest in Singapore's economy and the global economy as contributing and concerned citizens.

There is a greater focus on Disciplinary Thinking in A Level 9757 H2 Economics

Globalisation, changing population and demographics, and technological advancements are some of the key driving economic forces of the future, in Singapore, and also in the world. 

To help economics students thrive in a fast-changing VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous) world, one of the key 21st Century Competencies emphasised in the Economics Curriculum is Sound Reasoning and Decision Making. These are under the domain of Critical and Inventive Thinking. Given the importance of decision-making skills, the decision-making approach through an economic lens will be used to front disciplinary thinking in A Level Economics. 

Under this new economics syllabus, in the light of the central economic problem of scarcity of unlimited wants with limited resources necessitating choice, decision-making is fundamental to a deep understanding of economics as a discipline. Scarcity leads to the inevitability of choices, opportunity cost, and trade-offs. 

In this economics syllabus, decision-making is now framed as a process where economics students analyse how decisions are made from the perspectives of different economic agents (e.g., consumers, producers, and governments), adjusting for changes where appropriate.

Examination candidates will take account of the benefits, constraints, costs, perspectives, and necessary information, while recognising the impact of intended and unintended consequences arising from the decisions made, and corresponding trade-offs. Examination candidates will also recognise that decision-making by economic agents can have multi-faceted, short and long term implications that impact other economic agents. 

The 9757 syllabus is intended to provide the basis for a broad understanding of economics. Specifically, the 9757 H2 Economics syllabus aims to develop in candidates an understanding of fundamental economic concepts, theories, and principles, and the tools and methods of analysis used by economists; the ability to use the tools and methods of economic reasoning to explain and analyse economic issues, and evaluate perspectives and decisions of economic agents; the habit of reading critically, from a variety of sources, to gain information about changing economic activities and policies at the national and international levels; and the ability to use evidence in making well-reasoned economic arguments, arriving at rational and considered decisions. 

Economics Assessment

The updated 9757 economics assessment comprises two compulsory written examination papers: Paper 1 (on Case Studies) and Paper 2 (on Essays), similar to the previous syllabus and not fundamentally different. Taken as a whole, both Paper 1 and 2 will incorporate a balance of microeconomics and macroeconomics questions. 

Examination candidates are required to answer all questions for each case study, which carries 30 marks and constitutes 20% of the total marks. About 12 marks of each set of case study questions will be for data response questions, and about 18 marks will be for higher-order thinking questions. 

Examination candidates are required to answer a total of three economics essay questions; one must be from Section A, one from Section B, and the final question from either Section A or B. 

Economic Themes

Theme 1 introduces candidates to the central economic problem of unlimited wants and limited resources. 

Scarcity of the factors of production of land, labour, capital, and entrepreneurship necessitates choice, and leads to economic decision-making. Through examining how the concepts of scarcity, rational choice, and opportunity cost are faced by economic agents (such as consumers, producers, and governments), examination candidates will be able to understand the central problem of economics facing all societies, and how economic agents use available information, consider perspectives, constraints, costs, and benefits in their rational decision-making processes. Examination candidates will also understand that decisions made by economic agents often have both intended and, more importantly, unintended consequences. 

In Theme 2, candidates examine how markets deal with the central problem of economics, and how decisions are made by economic agents in free markets. 

Theme 2 aims to provide candidates with a microeconomic analysis of how free markets function and how these markets may fail to achieve efficient and equitable outcomes, because of market failure and its various sources. 

Examination candidates will understand how the market forces of demand and supply interact to bring about market equilibrium (i.e., the economic concepts of the price mechanism, invisible hand, and coordination of the allocation of resources). Examination candidates will also examine the strategies of firms to achieve their varied objectives – and profit maximisation is not the only goal or aim of firms. 

In addition, candidates understand that while rational decisions made by consumers and producers are necessary for the functioning of markets, these individual decisions may lead to inefficient and inequitable outcomes. And in response, governments may intervene through public policy measures to improve efficiency and equity, while recognising limitations, unintended consequences, and possible trade-offs of government intervention. This theme provides insights into real-world microeconomic issues and opportunities to deepen economic reasoning, analysis and application of microeconomic concepts to both Singapore, and the global economy.

Theme 3 provides examination candidates with an overview of the workings and linkages of the national and international economy. 

The key focus for this theme is on governments as economic agents, while recognising that the extent of government intervention differs among economies. Examination candidates will examine macroeconomic aims, issues, and policies relating to economic growth, inflation, unemployment, exchange rate determination, balance of payments, and income distribution. There will be a strong emphasis and reference to the Singapore context and current examples worldwide. Examination candidates will be able to examine Singapore’s position in the global economy, and the impact of globalisation on the Singapore economy. In this theme, examination candidates will use economic concepts, theories, and principles from Themes 1 and 2 to examine the problem of scarcity of resources and the concept of trade-offs at the broader level of the national and international economy. 

Conclusions

In conclusion, it is quite evident that there are many similarities between the economics syllabi (i.e., focus on Singapore and on markets and market failure, for example) and there are a few differences (i.e., no AE-Y or Keynesian cross diagram is mentioned in the 9757 syllabus, for example). 

However, as long as economics students focus on learning and developing their economics writing skills, practising writing solid explanations of core economic concepts, using real world and relevant examples to strengthen arguments, and developing a generally a good understanding of economics, they will do well in any syllabus. Focus on making real improvements in writing strong economics essays. 

As I said before, that is what JC Economics Essays contributors and I as the editor of this economics blog believe in. 

And the use of good examples of economics essay and sample answers will help economics students learn, grow, and eventually write better economics essays. 

Thank you for reading and cheers. 


JC Economics Essays – This post is a simple reference and summary of the A Level Economics Syllabi/Syllabuses for H2 Economics. Special thanks to WWT for her kind request to write this post, and hopefully it is useful for providing a quick understanding of the new MOE A level economics syllabus. 

Writing economics essays became much simpler and effective when I discovered ...


This post shares effective economics writing tips for A level economics students and is based off an earlier article on economics essays. For more useful resources on how to write economics essays, do use the links and labels on JC Economics Essays.  

Writing is an important life-skill for students and workers, in addition to understanding mathematics and being able to read and interpret data. There are many strong reasons why effective essay writing is a critical life skill. Nowadays, jobs often require strong writing skills and critical thinking for career success; writing is an important aspect of communication; and excellent writing skills are needed for attaining excellent results in essay examinations, particularly for economics, especially since essays are one common assessment method for economics examinations before university (which is more quantitative in nature). 

My post focuses on economics essays, and it shares a simple mnemonic device to remembering simple yet effective tips on how to write effectively in economics essays:

The AIMS model for writing economics essays

What does "AIMS" stand for?


'A' stands for - Accuracy

'I' stands for- Impact, Importance, and Implication

'M' stands for- the "Mother Test"

'S' stands for- Substance

A

First and foremost, accuracy is important in all forms of writing, not just economics essays

Vague arguments, unspecified terms, and generic arguments make it difficult for readers to understand the writer's intentions and logical flow. Inaccurate writing also certainly makes it difficult for the examiner to give a good grade. 


For instance, when an economics student writes about "economic policy" or "macroeconomic policy" in his economics essay, does this refer to fiscal policy, or monetary policy? 


Does this term refer to expansionary or contractionary policies? 


Does this term refer to Keynesian or monetarist or Neoclassical economic policies? 


At once, it becomes clear that accuracy is important.

Accuracy makes economics writing stronger and better, and much more simple yet effective. 

I

The letter I can stand for impact, or importance, or implication. All three aspects are important when writing economics essays.  

Impact or importance in terms of significance is important in writing. Why is a sentence or an argument useful or relevant to the reader? Why should the examiner reward you for writing this particular sentence? 

An example for demand and supply is always instructive. Some economics students write that demand rises, and stop there. Well, it might be a stronger economics essay if one wrote about the impact and significance - what happens to the price? What happens to the quantity? What is the likely outcome? These are the important implications that need to be drawn out, rather than a simple mention of rising demand or increasing demand. Remember, use the letter "I" to guide you to write much better, and more effectively. 


Once again, for example, when an economics student writes about expansionary fiscal policy and explains the details of how it works, that is great - but go beyond that: what is the impact or implication of the 
economic policy? What is the importance or significance of this particular policy? If the economic argument goes on to demonstrate that expansionary fiscal policy can ameliorate demand-deficient unemployment in theory or practice, with perhaps real life examples to show that this is indeed the case, then this particular argument has real impact and importance, and really shows the examiner the full implication of the theory. 

To take another example, or rather a simple question: What is the impact of contractionary monetary policy in China? Does this particular policy lower AD and thus reduce demand-pull inflation in China? What is the significance on real Chinese examples? To what extent does this policy successfully achieve the aims, or what are the limitations? 

In other words, a good economics writer has to focus on the economic impact, importance, implication. 

Make your economics writing impactful by drawing out the impacts, importance, and implications.

M

This is an interesting one. 

M stands for the "Mother Test". 


First, what on earth is the Mother Test? What does your mother have to do with economics writing? 

Basically, the idea is this:

Can your mother understand what you are writing in your paper? 

Some writers call this the "grandmother test", but in this case M is for mothers and that carries the same idea here too - because mothers are memorable, and this fits the mnemonic. 

Quite naturally, the hidden assumption here is that your mother is not actually an economics teacher or professor. 


Write simply, clearly, and directly enough so that your mother can understand your writing, especially if she is not an economics teacher or professor. 

If your economics writing is easily comprehensible to your mother, then that is good. 

If your economics essay cannot be easily understood, because of bad spelling, punctuation issues, faulty grammar, long arguments that somehow do not hit the point, and unclear sentences, then you should practise harder. 


Write simply and to the point. That is the whole idea here. 


Write simply, and write to the point - that is all. 


In other words, help make your mother understand. 

S

S stands for substance. 

Basically, the idea here is that you need to have strong knowledge of what you are talking about. 


In economics, you need to have a strong knowledge of your theory and real world economic examples, which means that you need to have studied the subject properly and put some real heart into it. 


Do you really know what you are writing about? 


Are you answering the question, and all its various component parts? 


Do you have detailed knowledge of the economics topic, and is what you know relevant to this particular economics question? 


Do you know and fully comprehend, for instance, the  economic policies that you are claiming to analyse?  

For economics students, the relevant questions are: have you really mastered your economics material?

Studying hard for economics will provide you with a strong theoretical background to answer economics essay questions accurately, in simple language, and demonstrating the significance and importance and implications of your economic arguments. 

In other words, the title of this post really should have read: 

Writing economics essays became much simpler and more effective when I discovered the AIMS of writing. 



In conclusion, for effective writing, always remember the AIMS of good writing. Writing economics essays became much simpler and more effective when you discovered the AIMS of good economics writing. 

Good luck! 


JC Economics Essays - Special thanks to M S for building on an earlier contribution on this economics site. This post featured simple and effective advice on how to write and craft a strong and effective economics essay. The advice given by the economics tutor is based off a simple and effective framework for writing essays. Do visit the links all over this economics blog for model A level economics essays and other economics resources for your learning (for H1, H2, H3, A, AS, and GCE A level economics and undergraduate and postgraduate economics essays). Thank you for reading, and cheers. 

I Didn't Score Well on Economics Case Studies till I Learnt These Secrets!


This post shares the secrets on how to score well on Economics Case Studies at A levels

Do you want to do well in Case Studies? These effective tips and techniques, if followed, will help you level up your game quickly so that you can score highly.

1. The first secret is pure common sense– really, really, really know your economics. 

Have you learnt and mastered your economics? The reality is that case studies are not English comprehension passages for you to find and paraphrase information, but require a grounding in economic theory. Studying hard for economics will provide you with strong theoretical economics to answer case studies properly.  

2. The second secret is to answer the actual question posed, and not what you imagine the question to be. 

If the examination question asks for real world examples, it is not the same as explaining economics using pure theory. Use real world examples, and link them to the relevant theory.

If the question asks for an answer from a particular source, use that source in your response or answer. Literally state: "In Source A" or "In Extract 1". It really is that simple to score in case studies!

If the question asks for a "comparison", it is different from an "evaluation". Literally state: "On the one hand, ... but on the other hand, ..." Alternatively, say that "One major similarity is", and "One major difference is". It really is that simple.

Always remember that if you do what the economics examiners want, they will reward you with an excellent economics grade. If you annoy them, then needless to say, they will not reward you but punish you instead. 

3. The third secret or pro tip is to get really comfortable with data-handling skills (in terms of charts, figures, statistical and textual knowledge). 

Can you read economic charts and diagrams, examine figures and tables critically, and understand facts from what you read?

Anyone can get better and better each and every day at understanding charts, diagrams, tables, and figures. While I know at first this might appear to be a challenging task, but with constant practice you will eventually reach a level of competence. It is like riding a bike - at first you are not so strong and in fact quite a bit wobbly. Eventually, you will be riding properly and wondering why people are having problems even balancing.

Read newspapers each and every day and visit online websites with facts and figures often, to get comfortable with data and figures. Newspapers (especially the business, finance, and money sections) and online sources are great places to look for economic data.

Ask yourself questions about the figures and data that you read. Put some hard work into understanding the newspapers' economic data, like GDP figures, unemployment figures, economic growth numbers, inflation statistics, and balance of payments figures. 

Try to take active steps each and every day to understand what you are looking at. Ask yourself some simple questions to learn more:

What is the context?

What is the economic story?

What is the underlying economic theory?

What economic theory can I use to understand this real world phenomenon?

What additional economic knowledge can bring to bear to understand the data? 

4. The fourth secret is to always use relevant diagrams to augment your economic analysis.

One of the biggest secrets is that, actually, A level Economics Case Studies are not really that fundamentally different from economics essay questions. Responses to the case study questions should be rightfully thought of as shorter and less detailed economics essays, but economics essays nonetheless. 

In an economics essay, you should use economics diagrams to demonstrate your point or argument. Therefore, similarly it stands to reason that in a Case Study context you should also use appropriate and relevant economics diagrams to buttress your case. This simple step would give you an edge over other economics students and help you score much better than they do. Just remember that A levels Economics Case Studies are really all about mini economics essays. 

5. The fifth secret is to always watch the mark allocation. 

A few jobs ago, I worked as an economics teacher at a leading junior college.

It used to amaze me all the time that economics students would write a whole page for a 2 or 4 mark question, yet they would only write half a page or one whole page for a 8 or 10 mark question. Does this strategy make sense? 

Surely, the fewer the marks, the more to the point the answer should be. The fewer the marks, the more direct the response required. In other words, do not write the same level of detail for all your responses. In fact, often times, economics tutors like myself were looking out for two arguments for two marks; three arguments made for three marks. We were not thinking in terms of an essay. For questions that were 5 or 10 marks, we were looking for essays - but we got economics points instead! Incredible.

Do remember to balance your time, effort, energy, and brainpower by the marks allocated. Economics tutors and teachers often focus students' attention on time management - I say that mark management is also important, if not even more important.

(Remember the economics concept of "opportunity cost" - and if you have to ask what that is, do re-read the secret tip Number 1.) 

Write more, explain more, elaborate more, use powerful and relevant diagrams, and evaluate more for higher mark questions - as I have said already, it really is the same strategy as an economics essay. 

Just remember the five important Secrets to Case Studies that I am sharing with you, and do them in your examinations - 

Really, really, really know your economics. Study hard!

Answer the question posed, not the one your imagination is telling you to answer. 

Get comfortable with data handling, whether charts, diagrams, statistics, or facts. 

Use relevant and useful economic diagrams in your mini-essays.

Watch the mark allocation; more marks, write more.

Good luck!


JC Economics Essays - In this post on my economics website, advice on how to succeed at economics case studies was given by a former economics tutor, based on a framework followed by many good economics teachers. This particular former economics tutor taught for around 3 years at one of the leading junior colleges, with many of his students doing well in the subject and going on to do economics at university. Special thanks to M S for his sharing and kind contribution. Thank you!

JC Economics Essays has a wide range of economics resources, such as economics essays at the A level standard (H1, H2, H3, and A level standards), and undergraduate and masters economics essays. In particular, JC Economics Essays has model A level economics essays and responses that students could use as a reference for learning, as well as tips and techniques for writing strong and well-argued essays. Thank you for reading.

The AIMS model for writing essays - simple but effective tips on how to write effectively


This post is about effective writing in general, and effective economics writing for A level economics students in particular. 

Writing essays effectively is an important skill for students and workers in the knowledge economy.

There are many good reasons why this is the case. Jobs often require good writing skills for career success; writing is also clearly an important part of communication in daily life; and excellent writing skills are needed for attaining excellent results in essay examinations. 

This post shares a simple mnemonic device to remembering simple yet effective tips on how to write effectively:

The AIMS model for writing essays

A - Accuracy

I - Impact, Importance, and Implication

M - the "Mother Test"

S - Substance

A

Accuracy is very important in writing. Vague allusions and unspecific arguments make it difficult for readers to really understand the author's intentions. Using economics essays as an example, when an economics student writes about "economic policy" or "macroeconomic policy" in his essay, does this term refer to fiscal policy, or monetary policy? At once, it becomes clear that accuracy is important.

Or even better still, is the student making an argument about "expansionary fiscal policy" or "contractionary monetary policy"? Accuracy makes writing stronger and better, and much more effective. 

I

I can stand for impact, or importance, or implication. 

It can stand for a lot of things - but what is the core idea here about impact, importance, or implication? 

Impact or importance is very important in writing. Why is a sentence or an argument useful or relevant to the reader?

For instance, when an economics student writes about expansionary fiscal policy and the details of how it works or functions, that is great - but what is the impact or implication of the policy? What is the importance of this particular policy? If the argument goes on to say that expansionary fiscal policy can reduce demand-deficient unemployment in theory, then the argument has a real impact and importance, and tells the reader the full implication of the theory. 

What is the impact of contractionary monetary policy? Does it lower AD and thus reduce demand-pull inflation in a particular economy? To what extent does it successfully achieve this aim? 

In other words - impact, importance, implication. 

Make your writing impactful by drawing out the importance of what you are saying, and often this is done because you have told the reader about the implications of your reasoning.

M

M stands for the Mother Test. 

Can your mother understand what you are writing? 

Some people call this the grandmother test, but I wanted to write a post that was neat and memorable, and so I chose M for mothers - because mothers are particularly memorable (mine is). 

If your writing is comprehensible to your mother, then that is a good piece of writing. If your essay cannot be easily understood, because of one reason or another (bad spelling, bad punctuation, bad grammar, meandering arguments, unclear sentences) then you should practise harder. Strive to make your writing as clear and powerful as possible.  

Make your mother understand. 

S

S stands for substance. Do you really know what you are writing about? Do you have detailed knowledge of the field, or the topic for that matter? For instance, in economics, do you really understand the  economic policies that you are analysing? Do you understand the intricacies of the arguments that you are making? 

For economics students, the relevant questions are: have you really mastered your economics material?

Studying hard for economics will provide you with a strong theoretical background to answer essay questions accurately and properly, detailing the importance and implications of your arguments. 

In conclusion, for effective writing, always remember the AIMS of good writing. 

Thank you for reading, and cheers. 

***

For more specific articles on various economics essays topics, please refer to the following useful links:






JC Economics Essays - While this is an economics essay website for A level economics (mainly H1, H2, H3, AS, AO, GCE, GCSE, A level economics), it is also important for students (beyond just economics students) to learn how to write effectively. The editor of JC Economics Essays strongly and firmly believes that writing effectively is an important skill. Writing effectively will help all students with their written examinations, not just for economics, but also for General Paper and other examination papers that require excellent essays written in English. Students can always get better and writing, and make steady improvements if they are willing to learn.

Thank you for reading this article, and cheers. 

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Please do NOT Plagiarise or Copy Economics Essays

It is one thing to learn how to write good economics essays from sample or model economics essays, but another thing if you plagiarise or copy. Do not copy economics essays.

First, if you are handing in an assignment online, there are checkers online which track sources (such as turnitin). Please craft assignments yourself. Second, if you are handing in a handwritten essay, if you copy, you will not learn and will thus not benefit, nor earn good grades when the real economics examination rolls round. Third, you can always write better essays given time and improvement. Fourth, copying is illegal under most conditions. Do not copy economics essays.

This is an economics site for you to learn how to write good economics essays by reading a range of useful articles on writing, study essay responses and contributions and sample/ model economics essays from students, teachers, and editors. We hope you can learn useful and relevant writing skills in the field of economics from our economics site. Thank you for reading and cheers!