How I went from C to A* in ECONOMICS A level | tips no one told me

Summary

This video provides nine essential tips for scoring an A* in A-level Economics, focusing on how to effectively prepare and write high-quality essays. Key points include defining keywords, structuring essays, and providing thorough evaluations and conclusions. The video also covers strategies for predicting potential essay topics, preparing definitions and examples, organizing work, using graphs correctly, and reviewing past examiner reports. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of effective study habits, offers a Skillshare class recommendation, and concludes with tips on preparing for both objective and essay questions.

Takeaways

• 📚 Prepare definitions for each sub-topic in your economics textbook to strengthen your essay introductions.
• 💡 Avoid common definitions from top search results—combine multiple sources for unique definitions.
• ✏️ Include examples in essays to showcase additional research, but avoid making the introduction too long.
• 🔑 Identify keywords in essay questions and ensure you define all of them to create strong introductions.
• 🔄 Use evaluation techniques such as contradiction, short run vs. long run, or magnitude to strengthen your argument.
• 📝 Organize similar essay questions together to help predict what topics may come up in future exams.
• 📊 Track your mistakes in MCQ questions by writing your wrong understanding first, then correcting it after asking for help.
• 📄 Examiner reports are crucial for improving grades—learn from past students’ mistakes and top-scoring arguments.
• 📈 Practice drawing and implementing graphs in your essays, as they carry significant marks when done correctly.
• 📝 Group essay questions by topic and identify common trends to predict what types of essays may appear on the exam.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the video?

The main purpose of the video is to provide tips and guidance on how to score an A* in A-Level Economics, sharing insights from the creator's own experience of improving from a C to an A*.

What separates a B or C student from an A or A* student in A-Level Economics essays?

The key differences are how students define the question, structure their essays, and approach evaluation and conclusion. Higher-scoring students provide clear definitions, organized essays, and well-thought-out evaluations.

How can students prepare definitions for their A-Level Economics essays?

Students should go through each sub-topic in their textbook and prepare definitions for key terms. They can find definitions online but are advised to avoid common search results and instead combine sentences from different sources or write them by hand.

Why are examples important in A-Level Economics essays?

Examples demonstrate that the student has done further reading and research, impressing the examiner. Including examples helps substantiate arguments and adds depth to the essay.

What are the three ways to write evaluations in A-Level Economics essays?

The three ways to write evaluations are: 1) Contradiction, where a policy or law might not work in certain conditions; 2) Short run vs. long run, explaining how outcomes vary over time; and 3) Magnitude, discussing the scale of an effect.

What are the three approaches to writing conclusions for A-Level Economics essays?

The three approaches to writing conclusions are: 1) Prioritization, where you rank the importance of arguments; 2) Depends, explaining what the outcome depends on; and 3) Alternative, suggesting other possible solutions.

How does the video suggest predicting what essay questions will come out in the exam?

The video suggests organizing past questions by theme and type and grouping similar essay questions together. This helps identify popular question patterns and predict which types of questions are likely to appear on the exam.

How should students approach preparing for multiple-choice (MCQ) questions in A-Level Economics?

Students should highlight or circle questions they got wrong, write down their current understanding, and ask their lecturer for clarification. It’s important not to erase the wrong understanding to avoid repeating the same mistakes.

Why is reading the examiner’s report important, and how can it help improve grades?

Examiner reports highlight common student mistakes and point out what excellent students include in their answers. Reading these reports can help students understand what examiners look for and improve their answers based on this feedback.

What tip does the video provide for incorporating graphs into A-Level Economics essays?

The video recommends practicing drawing graphs and referring to them during essay writing. Graphs should be used whenever appropriate and should be drawn correctly, as they carry significant marks if relevant to the argument.