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How Do I Get the Best Economics a-Level Results?

Mark Wollacott
Mark Wollacott

Getting the best economics A-level result means studying hard, keeping calm and preparing yourself well. There are three elements to getting a good result and these are the classes, the coursework and the exam. The most important piece of advice is that you cannot know everything, so you need to learn to target your studies to take advantage of the questions available.

The examination element of the economics A-level depends upon which examining body is running the A-level being studied. Most A-levels of all humanities and social science subjects tend to be split into 50 percent coursework and 50 percent examination. The examinations can have one paper on economic theory and another paper where you write essays answering certain questions.

Many people will cram study just before an exam, but this will not help most people.
Many people will cram study just before an exam, but this will not help most people.

Pay attention in the economics A-level class and take notes. You also need to keep hold of handouts, old essays and course books. When you get home after a class, re-read your notes then take the notes and write them into full sentences, rewording them if you can so your brain processes the information. Do not be afraid or too cool to take part in classroom discussions and to answer questions; they will help you learn even if you get the answers wrong.

The coursework will be a long essay or dissertation on a particular subject. Your teacher will help you decide the subject matter. It is important to get on well with your teacher so she will be more willing to help you and give you advice. Do not be too shy to ask for it. Research it well, write it, rewrite it and edit it as much as you can to make it perfect.

A key part of taking economics A-level exams is revision. Many people cram study just before an exam, but this will usually not help most people. Keep calm and finish early on the night before the exam. The last thing you should do before relaxing is make a crib sheet of the most important information for the exam. This is the only thing you should read on the day of the exam and do not worry if you cannot pluck answers out of your head while waiting for the exam — when you are ready to write, the answers will come to you.

In the essay economics A-level examination paper, there will be a limited number of subject fields. You will have to choose two to four essays from all the options. If you research six to seven areas, then you have a good chance of being able to cherry pick the best questions for you.

Make notes in the answer booklet before you write an essay. Use the notes to organize the essay, write down key theories, people and works. When you have finished the essay, draw a line through all of the notes so the examiner will ignore them.

If the first time you do not succeed, it is OK to try again. You simply reject the A-level score in conjunction with your teachers and then study the A-level again for another year. Repeating the same content for a second year can be extremely beneficial for some students and will lead to them gaining a better understanding of the subject matter.

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    • Many people will cram study just before an exam, but this will not help most people.
      By: auremar
      Many people will cram study just before an exam, but this will not help most people.