essay layout (1 Viewer)

[denskiies]

what is the best layout for an economics essay?
(detailed explanation please)

 

[Bored_of_HSC]

Lol just like most other essay layouts (e.g intro, body, conclusion). Not necessarily layout but, remember to include heaps of stats, policies and references to current economic conditions. Also include graphs to help articulate your points. These will be essential to receiving a band 6.

 

[denskiies]

would prefer advice from an ex-HSC student....no offence

 

[Bored_of_HSC]

Haha mate, right now i'm the only one who's replied, i wouldn't be so picky. Anyways, tell me if they say something very different.

 

[determine]

Lol just like most other essay layouts (e.g intro, body, conclusion). Not necessarily layout but, remember to include heaps of stats, policies and references to current economic conditions. Also include graphs to help articulate your points. These will be essential to receiving a band 6.

I agree with the gist of what has been said by Bored_of_HSC. However, I would just like to add a few additional points. Basically, in terms of the introduction, you need to make sure that you address the question and try to start off your essay with a nice sentence that ties everything together or defines the keywords of the question. For example, if it is an essay on globalisation, I would recommend that you start off by defining globalisation, fleshing out briefly that it has impacts on trade flows, financial flows and labour markets, and then having an additional sentence to tie the essay together.

Then, I'd launch into my body paragraphs where I go into all the relevant details and, as Bored_of_HSC has said, use statistics to support your arguments, while always trying to link it back to the current economic conditions. I can't stress this enough - markers do NOT want to see what is already in the textbook, because if you just give them that, the most you can get is a Band 5. What really distinguishes a good response from an excellent response and allows you to push into those higher mark ranges is the ability to highlight the significance of the theory within a practical setting. Also, while statistics are important, don't let them dominate your body paragraphs, because they should be there as SUPPORT, not as the main content of your body paragraphs. Include graphs where relevant, but don't stress if you can't include a graph in an essay, because someone essays might not lend themselves directly to the use of a graph or diagram, e.g. an essay on labour markets, you wouldn't typically have a graph in that sort of essay. However, if the essay was on unemployment and inflation, then I would recommend that you draw a Phillip's curve to show the relationship and I would be quite confident in saying that if you don't show a Phillip's curve, you most likely wouldn't get a 20/20 because that sort of graph is pretty much a given for that sort of question.

In your conclusion, I would NOT just reiterate what you have already said in the body of your essay, despite what many people might say about an economics essay being structured the same as an english essay. While in english you might get away with just restating what you argued in the body paragraphs, an economics essay cannot end with such a thing. To really get into the top essay bands, your conclusions need to be insightful. They need to say something about what may be happening in the future based on current trends, or they might make a comment about government policy and the direction that is taking (with direct reference to the issues at hand in the essay question). For example, an essay on macroeconomic policies could have a concluding sentence that says something about the fact that macro policies are useful to manage short-term fluctuations in economic activity, but to achieve lasting improvements in growth, micro-economic reform is necessary. That sort of thing will make your essay stand out above the rest and show that you really do understand the key concepts and relationships of the course.

Yes, this was a long post and might be hard to take in, but I can't stress enough how important PRACTICE is! Write, write, write! I wrote over 20 essays for economics and I definitely believe that this was a major contributing factor to my success in the subject, given that I managed to pull 20/20 for both essays in the economics HSC exam last year! Happy economics essay writing!

 

[Bored_of_HSC]

I agree with the gist of what has been said by Bored_of_HSC. However, I would just like to add a few additional points. Basically, in terms of the introduction, you need to make sure that you address the question and try to start off your essay with a nice sentence that ties everything together or defines the keywords of the question. For example, if it is an essay on globalisation, I would recommend that you start off by defining globalisation, fleshing out briefly that it has impacts on trade flows, financial flows and labour markets, and then having an additional sentence to tie the essay together.

Then, I'd launch into my body paragraphs where I go into all the relevant details and, as Bored_of_HSC has said, use statistics to support your arguments, while always trying to link it back to the current economic conditions. I can't stress this enough - markers do NOT want to see what is already in the textbook, because if you just give them that, the most you can get is a Band 5. What really distinguishes a good response from an excellent response and allows you to push into those higher mark ranges is the ability to highlight the significance of the theory within a practical setting. Also, while statistics are important, don't let them dominate your body paragraphs, because they should be there as SUPPORT, not as the main content of your body paragraphs. Include graphs where relevant, but don't stress if you can't include a graph in an essay, because someone essays might not lend themselves directly to the use of a graph or diagram, e.g. an essay on labour markets, you wouldn't typically have a graph in that sort of essay. However, if the essay was on unemployment and inflation, then I would recommend that you draw a Phillip's curve to show the relationship and I would be quite confident in saying that if you don't show a Phillip's curve, you most likely wouldn't get a 20/20 because that sort of graph is pretty much a given for that sort of question.

In your conclusion, I would NOT just reiterate what you have already said in the body of your essay, despite what many people might say about an economics essay being structured the same as an english essay. While in english you might get away with just restating what you argued in the body paragraphs, an economics essay cannot end with such a thing. To really get into the top essay bands, your conclusions need to be insightful. They need to say something about what may be happening in the future based on current trends, or they might make a comment about government policy and the direction that is taking (with direct reference to the issues at hand in the essay question). For example, an essay on macroeconomic policies could have a concluding sentence that says something about the fact that macro policies are useful to manage short-term fluctuations in economic activity, but to achieve lasting improvements in growth, micro-economic reform is necessary. That sort of thing will make your essay stand out above the rest and show that you really do understand the key concepts and relationships of the course.

Yes, this was a long post and might be hard to take in, but I can't stress enough how important PRACTICE is! Write, write, write! I wrote over 20 essays for economics and I definitely believe that this was a major contributing factor to my success in the subject, given that I managed to pull 20/20 for both essays in the economics HSC exam last year! Happy economics essay writing!

Definitely this. From 3rd in the state himself.

And haha <3 the general business cycle (with booms and troughs) graph. It's so general so you can use it basically in any essay. If i ever get stuck, i just draw it. I've also been complimented on colouring in my graphs.

 

[determine]

Definitely this. From 3rd in the state himself.

And haha <3 the general business cycle (with booms and troughs) graph. It's so general so you can use it basically in any essay. If i ever get stuck, i just draw it. I've also been complimented on colouring in my graphs.

hahahah yes that's true! but don't get TOO carried away on colouring, because sadly, you don't get marks for that!!

 

[slyhunter]

I agree with the gist of what has been said by Bored_of_HSC. However, I would just like to add a few additional points. Basically, in terms of the introduction, you need to make sure that you address the question and try to start off your essay with a nice sentence that ties everything together or defines the keywords of the question. For example, if it is an essay on globalisation, I would recommend that you start off by defining globalisation, fleshing out briefly that it has impacts on trade flows, financial flows and labour markets, and then having an additional sentence to tie the essay together.

Then, I'd launch into my body paragraphs where I go into all the relevant details and, as Bored_of_HSC has said, use statistics to support your arguments, while always trying to link it back to the current economic conditions. I can't stress this enough - markers do NOT want to see what is already in the textbook, because if you just give them that, the most you can get is a Band 5. What really distinguishes a good response from an excellent response and allows you to push into those higher mark ranges is the ability to highlight the significance of the theory within a practical setting. Also, while statistics are important, don't let them dominate your body paragraphs, because they should be there as SUPPORT, not as the main content of your body paragraphs. Include graphs where relevant, but don't stress if you can't include a graph in an essay, because someone essays might not lend themselves directly to the use of a graph or diagram, e.g. an essay on labour markets, you wouldn't typically have a graph in that sort of essay. However, if the essay was on unemployment and inflation, then I would recommend that you draw a Phillip's curve to show the relationship and I would be quite confident in saying that if you don't show a Phillip's curve, you most likely wouldn't get a 20/20 because that sort of graph is pretty much a given for that sort of question.

In your conclusion, I would NOT just reiterate what you have already said in the body of your essay, despite what many people might say about an economics essay being structured the same as an english essay. While in english you might get away with just restating what you argued in the body paragraphs, an economics essay cannot end with such a thing. To really get into the top essay bands, your conclusions need to be insightful. They need to say something about what may be happening in the future based on current trends, or they might make a comment about government policy and the direction that is taking (with direct reference to the issues at hand in the essay question). For example, an essay on macroeconomic policies could have a concluding sentence that says something about the fact that macro policies are useful to manage short-term fluctuations in economic activity, but to achieve lasting improvements in growth, micro-economic reform is necessary. That sort of thing will make your essay stand out above the rest and show that you really do understand the key concepts and relationships of the course.

Yes, this was a long post and might be hard to take in, but I can't stress enough how important PRACTICE is! Write, write, write! I wrote over 20 essays for economics and I definitely believe that this was a major contributing factor to my success in the subject, given that I managed to pull 20/20 for both essays in the economics HSC exam last year! Happy economics essay writing!

This is all you need.

Repped for excellent post.

 

[Bobbo1]

Determine, could I ask for a quick rundown of what statistics and figures you had to memorise before the exam??