Cambridge International as and a level Economics Ebook

How to avoid common pitfalls
Let us start with a few typical comments on examination 
answers:
■ 
Does not answer the question.
■ 
Too vague.
■ 
Misses point of question.
■ 
No application.
■ 
Descriptive. No analysis of issues.
■ 
No discussion.
■ 
Ignores second aspect of question.
Th
ese comments clearly indicate that the students have not 
done what was expected from them. So, the fi rst way to 
produce successful answers is:
■ 
Answer the question:
 
In other words, produce an answer 
as directed by the question. The information above, in 
particular the simple method for interpreting examination 
questions, should help you to write your answer in a clear, 
well-structured manner as directed by the question. This 
point cannot be emphasised too much!
Th
ere are various other ways in which you might write a 
successful answer. For example:
■ 
Diagrams:
 
These are very important and a relevant means 
of economic explanation. Many of the topics you come 
across in Economics can be represented by a diagram or 
by means of an explanation supported by a diagram. You 
have only to glance at the topics in the book to see this. So, 
a relevant, correctly drawn diagram, used eff ectively 
and 
referred to in your
answer
, will strengthen your answer. An 
example of good technique is shown in 
Figure 11.2.
Figure 11.2 
shows how the price of tickets to watch 
cricket will be aff ected by the introduction of a subsidy. As 
this diagram indicates, the subsidy will lead to an increase 
in supply, shift ing the supply curve downwards and to the 
right. The price which spectators will have to pay falls from 
P
1
to 
P
2
– it does not fall to 
P
3
, as part of the subsidy (that 
shown between 
P
3
and 
P
2
) will be retained by the ground 
owners to off set the higher costs incurred as a result of the 
increase in the number of spectators.
■