When you are preparing for papers, we advise you to access the web sites of your exam board and download / read through past papers, mark schemes and examiner reports published several months after the exam has been taken. Close scrutiny of these will give you some important pointers to what the examiners are looking for, and many exam boards provide sample answers of students who have addressed a question to a high standard. The Tutor2u website www.tutor2u.net is always packed full of revision advice as exams loom onto the horizon. You can also follow our experienced teachers on twitter for enrichment and extension links to help your understanding. Good luck!

1. Exam Advice to Boost Your Marks

2. AS Micro Exam
Technique
Exam Advice to
Boost Your Marks

3. One Main Point
per Paragraph
Analyse / use
Connectives
Support with
Examples /
Evidence
Evaluate the
actual point you
have made
Building a Strong Exam Written Paragraph
It is important to focus on one key argument
in each of your paragraphs – please avoid a
scatter-gun approach! Build “chunky”
paragraphs!
Many students miss out important parts of the
explanation! Provided that you explain the
relevant micro economics with accuracy, you
will do well!
Use the data provided in the exam extracts
and introduce into your answer relevant
examples and evidence based on your wider
economics reading!
This is really important! Focus on the
argument in your paragraph and challenge /
question this point rather than offer a general
evaluation point!

4. Demonstrating Knowledge in your AS Micro exam
• Demonstrating knowledge
is a fundamental starting
block for achievement of
high marks in your AS
examination.
• It is important that you
show to the examiner that
you are a candidate who
has been studying the
subject for a number of
months and can define
and explain the key
concepts covered in your
own specification
Adverse
selection
Where the expected value of a
transaction is known more
accurately by the buyer or the
seller due to an asymmetry of
information
Composite
demand
Where goods or services have
more than one use so that an
increase in the demand for
one product leads to a fall in
supply of the other
Marginal
benefit
Additional benefits received
by those consuming or
producing one extra product
Opportunity
cost
The cost of any choice in terms
of the next best alternative
foregone

5. Advice on Drawing Theory Diagrams
• Ensure they are fully labelled
• Demand and supply must be
shown the correct way round
• Always explain the diagram in the
text of your answer
• Think about the price elasticity (of
demand/supply) and why it
matters to your analysis
• Draw each diagram to cover
between 1/3rd to 1/2th of a page
• Even though a question might not
specifically ask for a diagram,
marks are awarded for a relevant
diagram, if it is referred to in the
accompanying explanation
• Marks not awarded for just
describing what a diagram shows
Price
Quantity
P2
P1
Q1
S1
Q2
D1
D2
Key: It is good practice to provide a title for
diagrams, particularly when more than one
market is referred to in the question
S3
P3
Q3

6. Hints on Data Description Techniques
• E.g. “Identify 2 points of comparison”, “Identify 2 significant changes”,
“Compare 2 significant changes” or “Identify 2 significant features”.
• Two features should be clearly stated, ideally each in a separate paragraph
• If the question uses the word “significant” you must explain what is
significant about the data you have chosen to include in the answer!
• Each feature identified must be supported by the use of relevant statistics
• Use of data must be accurate, e.g. the units must be correctly stated (e.g.
$s per capita, unit cost, or accurate description of index numbers)
• No marks are awarded for candidates who just ‘trawl’ through the data –
the instructions are to identify two main/significant features of the data
• For time series data, give an overview, i.e. “over the whole period the
price of coffee rose by X%” – use the evidence from the data
• Remember always to give the units of measurement in answers when
quoting statistics in order to gain maximum marks
• Do not try to explain the data! This is not what the question is asking –
you will be wasting valuable time in the exam.

7. 10 Hints on Structured MC Questions (EdExcel)
1. Define the main concept(s) in the question (this is awarded 1 or 2 marks)
2. Consider the key concept or model that lies behind the question
3. Apply the information provided e.g. the effects of a tax or subsidy
4. Annotate of diagrams provided in the question is nearly always a good idea
5. Annotate tables of data, make some simple calculations
6. Calculate percentages and always show your workings, including a relevant
formula e.g. price elasticity of supply
7. A suitable diagram can score two marks out of three – be prepared to offer
simple diagrammatic analysis - this unit credits especially the application of
demand and supply diagrams and market failure concepts to each issue
8. Offer economic analysis, for example, explaining how the free rider
problem occurs with public goods. This will always be credited with marks.
9. Offer real world examples as a way of applying theory – for example causes
of geographical immobility or causes of imperfect information in markets
10. Reject one or more of the options and remember to briefly explain why
you have rejected them

8. Analysis Techniques: Build Chains of Reasoning
• Command words ANALYSE or EXPLAIN require a student to
produce some explanation of the theory in their answer.
• Develop CHAINS OF ANALYSIS, making 3 or 4 links using
connectives to develop your point.
• Some good connective phrases include:
• This means that…
• This leads to...
• This has an impact on...
• Therefore…
• This can cause…
• This is because…
• On the other hand…
• Which in turn...
• Focus on developing analysis in the high mark base questions

9. Evaluation Techniques
• Command words such as EVALUATE,
JUSTIFY, EXAMINE or ASSESS require a
student to demonstrate a critical judgement
in their answer.
• You will need to weigh up the evidence from
your analysis and pass a judgement on the
original question.
• The impact depends on…
• In the short run…
• In the long run…
• The most important point is…
• The effect on equity/equality is
• The most cost effective policy is …
• The best solution in the circumstances is
• It is vital that students make evaluative
comments when required by the question
EVALUATION REMINDER
• T Timescale
• W Wider Context
• E Efficiency
• E Equality/Equity
• P Priority
PEEEL EVALUATION
PARAGRAPHS
• P Point
• E Explanation
• E Evidence/Example
• E Evaluation
• L Link to question

10. The Best Answers …… Praise from the Examiners!
“Some excellent
responses arose which
remained focused on the
question and offered
both economic analysis in
the form of good
diagrams and balanced
evaluation.”
“Explicit use of the
price data from the
graph provided was
characteristic of the
best responses.”
“Only a minority of
responses challenged
the question and
suggested that without
intervention to curb
tobacco smoking there
would be greater failure
in the market.”

11. General Exam Hints
1. Ensure your answers have a clear, logical structure
2. For longer style questions - it is good practice to evaluate each
argument as it is introduced into the answer, as well as
providing an overall conclusion
3. Define all of the relevant terms / concepts – this is an easy way
to pick up knowledge marks in each question you attempt
4. Use analysis diagrams to explain markets and market failure
5. Where possible, use evidence from the data provided or
drawing on your own economics knowledge to provide support
for arguments or refute a point of view
6. Maintain a high quality of presentation, especially in high mark
questions and with your diagrams
7. Quality of writing (EdExcel): This will be taken into
consideration for questions marked with an asterisk (*)

12. 10 Top Tips from the Economics Examiners
1. Use diagrams and ensure they are clear, annotated and correct!
2. Use plenty of real world examples - often exam questions will say “using the
data and your own knowledge”
3. Use precise terminology – learn your definitions well, often start an answer
with a good definition!
4. Pick up on key ‘trigger words’ that appear I a question - e.g. solely, inevitably,
always, mainly, minimum intervention
5. Breadth & Depth – avoid a list, but don’t simply make one point!
6. Answer the question but back up any assertion you make with evidence
drawn from the data provided or your own relevant real-world example
7. Beware twists in questions e.g. evaluate reasons for / effects of a policy
8. Don’t feel evaluation must always be a criticism. You will also gain credit for
explaining why a strategy is actually very effective
9. Avoid repeating yourself in a conclusion – try to say something fresh
10. Manage your time well e.g. by looking at the mark allocation for each
question/part and sticking to your time plan – practice makes permanent

13. Get help from fellow
students, teachers and
tutor2u on Twitter:
@tutor2u_econ

14. Tutor2u
Keep up-to-date with economics,
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worksheets for your economics
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