Notesale: Turn your study into money

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Exam Technique Guidance (for AQA Economics)
Document Purpose
The purpose of this document is to provide you with a clear understanding of what the
examiners will be looking for in your response
...
Understand this document and you will put
yourself firmly on the path towards exam success…

Page 1

Exam Technique Guidance (for AQA Economics)
‘Define’ Questions (worth 3 marks)
Typical Mark Scheme:

Example Question:
Advice
 Be as precise and accurate as possible
...
g
...

 If appropriate, support your definition with an example
...


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Exam Technique Guidance (for AQA Economics)
‘Calculate’ Questions (worth 4 marks)
Typical Mark Scheme:

Advice:
 Write out the formula
 Clearly show all workings
 Provide the measure of units e
...
£, %
 Check your use of ‘+’ and ‘-‘ signs
 Double check your answer addresses the question asked

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Exam Technique Guidance (for AQA Economics)
‘Draw’ Questions (worth 4 marks)
Typical Mark Scheme:

Advice:
 Use a ruler
 Draw a big diagram – giving yourself plenty of space
 Take care labelling your axis (don’t mix up your micro and macro diagrams e
...
price vs
...
real GDP)
 Clearly label all curves
 When shifting curves use both numbers (e
...
S1 and S2) and arrows to denote direction of
travel
 Draw equilibrium lines (e
...
price and quantity) using dotted lines
 Double-check your diagram – is everything perfect?
Example:

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Exam Technique Guidance (for AQA Economics)
‘Identify two significant points of comparison’ Questions (worth 4 marks)
Typical Mark Scheme:

Advice:
 Use ‘SPUD’ to help you achieve full marks:
S

Significant

Make sure that you take a point that is SIGNIFICANT, not just a random point plucked
out
...
Possible options:


Data series is at its HIGHEST, or LOWEST,
o

“ % change in investment was at its lowest in 1992 at -11% and highest at
1998 at 22%”


P

Gap between two series is LARGEST or SMALLEST



The data series was HIGHER/LOWER at the beginning of the period than it was

Point

at the end
o

“Between 1995 and 2001 investment as a percentage of GDP was
increasing from around 10% in 1995 to 15
...
e
...
Terms
such as directly or inversely related can be helpful
...
g
...
8%”

D

Date

Make sure you state the DATE that matches your point
...


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Exam Technique Guidance (for AQA Economics)

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Exam Technique Guidance (for AQA Economics)
‘Explain’ Questions (worth 10 marks)
Typical Mark Scheme:

Advice:
 Write a definition
...
(Many
marks available – assume marks are given per link in your chain of reasoning) make a point
and make a consequential argument “so what ”

Page 7

Exam Technique Guidance (for AQA Economics)
Example: Explain why weaker demand conditions in the UK economy are likely to lead to rising unemployment
(10 marks)

Definition - Unemployment is defined as a situation where people are out of work but are willing and able
to work and actively seeking employment
Weaker demand conditions mean that there is a fall in aggregate demand in the economy
...
AD is made up of C+I+G+X-M with C making up the biggest share of AD with
65% of AD
...

If there are weaker demand conditions, for example there is a fall in consumer confidence or business
investment falls, shops and businesses will find that stock levels start to build up and they will order
less from suppliers (so what x1)
...
As output starts to fall, unemployment starts to rise and employment
levels start to fall (so what x3)
...
(So what x4)

LRAS

PL

SRAS

Pfe
P2

AD1

AD2
Y2

Yfe

real GDP

Recessionary Gap
As unemployment rises, there is a further weakening of demand conditions as job security weakens and
consumer confidence falls (so what x5)
...

May include some very limited
analysis but the analysis lacks focus
and/or becomes confused
May include a diagram but the
diagram is likely to be inaccurate in
some respects or is inappropriate

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