Exam technique · sample guide
How to answer a 25-mark economics essay
The structure below is the standard, widely taught shape of a top-band essay. It is the skeleton — in lessons it gets tailored to your board's command words and mark scheme, and practised until it is automatic.
Define and set the frame
Open by defining the key terms in the question precisely, and state how you will interpret the command word. One or two sentences — definitions are quick marks, and they anchor everything that follows.
“X is defined as… This essay examines whether…”
Draw the relevant diagram
Choose the one diagram that best fits the question, draw it accurately — labelled axes, curves, equilibria — and explain it in words. A diagram only earns marks when the text uses it.
“As the diagram shows, the tax shifts S to S+tax, raising price from P1 to P2…”
Apply to the context
Tie every piece of theory to the real-world example or the case in the question. Name the country, the market, the policy — generic answers cap the marks available.
“In the case of [country / market], this effect appeared when…”
Evaluate both sides
Weigh the argument rather than listing points: short run against long run, the stakeholders who win and lose, the assumptions the theory rests on, and what your conclusion depends on.
“However, this depends on… In the short run…, whereas in the long run…”
Conclude with a reasoned judgment
Answer the question directly. A judgment with a clear criterion beats a summary of both sides — say when the policy or argument holds, and why.
“On balance, X is most effective when…, because…”
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