A Level Economics - the 25 mark question

[blippineck]

DC is in yr 13. He's aiming for an A in Economics to meet the grade boundary of the most aspirational of his 5 uni choices, but he got a high B in his Year 12 mock. He was let down by his answers to the longer questions, including the 25 mark question. Homework feedback from his teacher is vague - along the lines of "it's fine, but it doesn't feel like level 3". The past paper marking schemes are more subjective than his other subjects (maths, further maths and physics). I've offered to get him an Uplearn subscription, but he thinks it won't be helpful for the longer questions, and he is already confident for the shorter questions. Are there any suggestions of resources that might help?

I suspect the answer may just be "read around the subject" to develop his level of insight and use of economic language. But I live in hope of finding something that might appeal to his more lean and strategic approach to learning. (He's a future engineer at heart, and economics hasn't really inspired him).

Try reposting in further education, that forum covers years 12 and 13:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/further_education

If you afford Uplearn, I'd discuss that with him again. Either that or he could ask his teacher whether they would be happy to mark and advise him on 25 mark questions, then he could just practice over and over.

I don't know about economics.

But I do know there will be a formula / structure to any essay question which is very learnable with the right support.

So, I think, yes... look for his Board resources on line. Literally google Economics AQA 25 mark question (or whatever) and see what is already our there. Lots of you tube videos etc.

I suspect he will gain most marks by being strategic and following the plan (e.g. signposting very strongly in his essay the structures they are looking for) and fewer marks from having more technical facts and opinions / reading from reading round the subject.

Get a tutor?

"But I do know there will be a formula / structure to any essay question which is very learnable with the right support."

He has the structure ok, and we have the marking scheme, and there are a small number of model answers online. For the longer evaluation questions there's an element of subjectivity in assessing the strength of argument and rationale, so that is where he is falling down - I think it shows that reading around the subject and developing opinions is important.

I've got two degrees in economics.

It's a very subjective issue. Some teachers will be all about the maths, some will be all about the essay writing.

I would use chat GPT extensively to produce model answers, and compare them with what he would have come up with. Then try to come up with a template that seems to hit the checkboxes that he can use in the actual exams.

Game the system a little. It's about learning to do the exam, not about the economics in this instance.

Thanks @CatherinedeBourgh , that's helpful.

I teach the AQA syllabus so understand the issue your son faces regarding the 25 marker. Level 5 essays 21-25 marks require detailed analysis/ explanation of your point which will include reference to your diagram. Clear chains of reasoning are key. In addition each point that is made needs supported evaluation which should if a data response question draw upon the extract given. These are the key to opening up level 5. My school used Uplearn extensively and we have found this useful mostly for year 12 when learning concepts and theories but is less useful for essays so I think your son is correct regarding this as a tool. I find a good way of practicing 25 markers is starting with 9 and 15 markers to ensure the level of analysis is strong and then lots of essay plans.

What OP is asking for is really a bit specialist for this forum.

It's a long time since I've had to think about such things and I might well be out of date but the marks schemes usually have a clear allocation of marks for knowledge and evaluation.

The 'knowledge' is usually just standard drawing curves, maybe pushing them around a bit - e.g. (if asked to describe the impact of say a subsidy) 'there'll be a rightward shift of the supply curve, meaning in terms of changes the equilibrium price will go down and equilibrium quantity sold will go up', or whatever.

Evaluation is trickier. A good way to do it is by learning a kind of checklist of things to consider, possibly using a mnemonic of some kind. What the examiner is testing is something like whether the changes you've described under knowledge will be big or small changes; slow or fast; transient or lasting; and how sure you are about them or whether there are arguments in the other direction.

Candidates for such a checklist might include [there are a couple more - and this list is probably a little better for micro than macro questions]:

Magnitude - i.e. are we talking about a big or small shift of the supply curve... if it's maybe a comprehension type question there'll maybe be a clue about whether it's say a big subsidy or not... e.g. if it's in the billions or whatever you might infer that it is, if it's say a £60m subsidy and it's for the whole country then you might reason that it's less than £1 per person, so not so much...

Elasticity - we said that the equilibrium price will go up down, but will it go up a little or a lot... depends on the slope of the demand curve... need to go back to the early year 12 determinants of elasticity [e.g. availability of substitutes etc]

Timing - will the subsidy and changes happen right away or slowly, will it last for a long time... maybe there'll be clues in the text or something, e.g. maybe there's a huge construction project that needs to happen before there's an impact or...

Conflict - are there any counter arguments to the above or e.g. external forces pushing things the other way... e.g. is the backdrop one in which is supply naturally contracting for other reasons or...?

Thanks @Econtutor . Really helpful. Does your school's UpLearn package include the unlimited one-to-one 24-7 tutor package? I'm wondering how good that is. In principle my son should be able to go to his teacher for more help, but her time is limited and in any case he could probably benefit from a second opinion.

Sorry I can’t comment as we didn’t have access to the tutor package. I wonder what unlimited looks like comparing the different pricing packages.

Thanks @puffyisgood . I got him to read through your post and he said he has been taught along those lines, so that's reassuring. I guess he just needs to get better at putting the principles into practice.

When I looked last year it seemed very expensive, but it seems to be based on how much time is left to the exams, so is obviously cheaper now.

... That said, from the blurb it sounds like their 'tutors' are Economics students from 'top universities' rather than experienced teachers.

He might just as well ask his brother (who got an A and is doing economics at a 'top' uni), but he doesn't seem to think he will be much help. 😁

I teach AQA Economics. The advice given above is good.

What your son needs is a lot more practice. You get good at writing 25 markers...surprise...by writing 25 markers! In timed conditions, having learnt the material thoroughly.

The very fact he's got his mum on here posting suggests he's not taking this task seriously enough yet.

To improve conclusions this is a good method (credit: Tutor2u).
ASIF. Answer the question; Summarise your arguments; It depends on; Future possibilities include.

"The very fact he's got his mum on here posting suggests he's not taking this task seriously enough yet."

Thanks for the advice, but it's a shame you had to spoil it with this undermining and inaccurate comment. He hasn't "got his mum" to do anything. I'm here on my own initiative.

I'm glad that he talks to me about his school work, but if I spoke to him like that, then he would soon stop. And if his teachers spoke to him like that then he would find them completely unapproachable, rather than approachable but too busy

I've got a physics degree, and often help other parents on these threads with A-level related questions.

@blippineck I hope this will help, here is a video by Sam Hillman, he got into Cambridge to study Economics and scored 98% on his A level Econ papers. The best bit, he has his papers so it will show you what a 24 out of 25 mark looks like and all the others too. It served Ds as a good guide to it but then he also had a good teacher who after any 25 marker would tell him where he fell short, he would rewrite and add in the suggestions to learn from it.

Also Sam's A level revision guidance is good too. Ds is now at Warwick studying Economics.

I think parental involvement and helping a child reach their full potential is to be applauded. I pointed Ds toward Sam's videos because I care about him and he had 4 A level workload and I had free time. No one would bat an eyelid about someone having a tutor to help them achieve their potential. This is just a way in which parents support other parents.

Lovely, thanks @sewingitalltogether 💐