In the midst of all the bombarding assessments, this post will share some ideas that must be properly checked and understood for IB Econ pupils.
Considering the nature of comprehensiveness that IB Economics has, which has essay questions of 10-15 marks in all paper types: papers 1, 2 and 3, writing cohesive analysis as a proper essay is not an easy task.
Let’s have a look at the most common mistakes that are spotted not only during the revision process but also in actual exams and check the tips for reducing and eventually eliminating them.
1. Ignoring the “DEED” Method in IB Economics Essay exams.
What Econ essay requires is to write your essay the way the examiner wants!
One of the common mistakes students make in all types of essay exams at IB Econ is not following the “DEED” method. “DEED” stands for Definition, Explanation, Example and Diagram. Econ essays have the exact content they want, but sometimes or often students don't follow these rules.
If you always remember the "DEED" method, prepare an essay outline, and write an essay like this, students will be able to write a proper essay without getting lost or distracted during the test, saving a lot of time. What an Econ essay is looking for is not creativity or uniqueness. Don't forget that the goal is to write accurate content that is easy to understand and ultimately easy to grade!
2, Having unsatisfactory Illustrations
Is your diagram drawing, explaining and analysing it sloppy or careless?
Drawing and analysing diagrams in your Econ essay are essential to get a high score on the exam. However, surprisingly many students make mistakes due to lack of revision and carelessness. The most common mistake is drawing the graph roughly, drawing the wrong graph, or not analysing and explaining the graph accurately.
Don't forget that the examiner is evaluating whether you can draw accurate labels and explain them accurately and thoroughly!
3. Having too much drag on Data Response Questions
Are you spending too much time burdened with data response questions?
Data response questions are a test type that appears in both papers 2 and 3 of IB Econ, and the questions take up 10-15 marks of the total marks, making them quite burdensome.
Reading multiple texts, analysing data, and organising all this information as an essay is not a task that can be mastered with a few simple revisions. Which means, students sometimes spend too much time on this question type, ending up losing marks from lower marks questions or making unnecessary mistakes.
The answer is to become familiar with the question type with consistent revisions before the assessment and the exam!
4. Failing to understand the Importance of precise interpretation and understanding in Exam questions.
Not understanding test questions properly and answering them accurately?
It's such an obvious problem, but ironically, this mistake is quite common. To put it simply, you don't read the test questions properly, so you write deviated content or sometimes you write content that's completely off-track, so you don't get a proper mark.
You must pay proper attention to the words used in the test questions and write your answers after careful thought. If you just skim the exam questions and write an answer right away without outlining it, there are many cases where you end up going off-track.
In particular, Econ has a lot of essay questions and questions that need to be thoroughly explained, so it is really important to understand exactly what the question asks for, think about the right answer, and write it in an organised manner.
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