At Advanced level examination in economics and business, highest marks are awarded for evaluation skills. The following are some of the key points to help you think about how to evaluate your essays. These are the key words that the examiners also look for when awarding marks.
- Other side of the argument…….e.g. advantages / disadvantages
- Time scale e.g. Short run and long run effects
- Recommendations of solutions to problem suggested
- ‘Other factors’ affecting the decisions e.g. competitor actions, economy
- Size of………e.g. tax, subsidy, market…
- Alternative ideas to what is suggested
- Significance of data e.g. commenting on how reliable the data is likely to be
It's always good to use the guidelines given in the mark schemes and develop them using your notes and your own thinking.
Buying a few papers and mark schemes for your relevant exam board is a worthwhile investment, so you can identify how questions are structured and what type of answers are expected by the examiners.
Good luck!
