2012 Essay Writing Skills

Victoria Junior College

Prepared by:
Lim Peng Yeow

What is an Essay?
Type of communication - a sender,
a medium and a receiver
You are now the sender communicate with the examiner
through your answers, express
medium of English in writing
Keep in mind the process of
communication=> better chances
of success

Types of essays
1. Part (a) and (b) essays (for both H1 & H2)

Consists of 2 parts
Eg.
a) Explain how, according to economists, the pursuit
of self-interest can help to address the problem of
limited resources and unlimited wants. [10]
b) Assess whether the piece mechanism will always
allocate resources in the most efficient manner for
all goods and services in a market economy. [15]

Types of essays
2. Full 25mark questions (for H2 only)
consist of one question, sometimes two,
with one leading to the other
Eg. How far may the law of comparative cost
advantage adequately explain the existence
of trade? (25 marks)
BUT these question may be broken down
into smaller questions

How to write a good Essay?

Good presentation skills

Writing must be relevant to the question
Handwriting must be legible
Good presentation also involves the layout of
your paper
Split it up into appropriate paragraphs
Proper material (content) and in the required
manner (relevance)

Essay Skills

Source: www.learningandteaching.info/learning

Essay Skills
Application select and apply known laws and
principles to unrehearsed problems
Analysis
- examine implications of hypothesis;
- organise ideas in appropriate manner
Synthesis
- recognise unstated assumptions;
- distinguishes facts, value and hypothesis;
- make valid inferences;

Essay Skills
Some command words:
Explain - makes something comprehensible by
describing the relevant structure or operation or
circumstances etc [why price of roses rise during certain periods]
Distinguish differences & similarities
Discuss / Analyse consider thoroughly from
different viewpoints [whether fares should rise]
Comment gives your opinion with justifications
Evaluate decide on significance, value or quality
after careful study of features

Sample 1 GCE Nov 2009

There have been large changes in the price of crude
oil over the past few years.
Discuss what determines whether consumers or
producers are more likely to bear the cost of these
oil changes. [25]
One possible approach:
Dissect the main question to tease out the sub-questions &
required concepts
Design how you want to present the concepts to argue your
case
Develop your answers using the design

Sample 1 GCE Nov 2009

There have been large changes in the price of crude
oil over the past few years.
Discuss what determines whether consumers or
producers are more likely to bear the cost of these
oil changes. [25]

Dissect the
question
requirements

What
economic
concepts /
principles can
I use?

Sample 1 GCE Nov 2009

There have been large changes in the price of crude
oil over the past few years.
Discuss what determines whether consumers or
producers are more likely to bear the cost of these
oil changes. [25]
Large changes
due to Demand
/ Supply
fluctuations

What can I
remember
about these
concepts?

Sample 1 GCE Nov 2009

There have been large changes in the price of crude
oil over the past few years.
Discuss what determines whether consumers or
producers are more likely to bear the cost of these
oil changes. [25]
Discussion on
who bear more
of the effect

What
concepts can I
use? What
affects them?

Sample 1 GCE Nov 2009

There have been large changes in the price of crude
oil over the past few years.
Discuss what determines whether consumers or
producers are more likely to bear the cost of these
oil changes. [25]
Design an approach (ie. outline):
Introduction
Body: Main arguments
Conclusion

Introduction
Key concepts / principles
Eg. Demand and Supply framework determines
price of oil in a market
Eg. What assumptions do we make in a market?
Eg. Definitions of economic terminology such as
demand / supply
Eg. Link demand to consumers; supply to
producers
Eg. Introduce elasticity concepts

Main arguments
Key arguments (separate paragraphs)
Shifts in Demand affects price of crude oil (link to
factors that affect demand)
Shifts in Supply affects price of crude oil (link to
factors that affect How
supply)
many paragraphs
should burden
I have? on consumers
Elasticity of demand affects
Enough to cover all
(link to factors that affect
elasticity)
your key arguments.
Elasticity of supply affects burden on producers
(link to factors that affect elasticity)
Relative elasticity determines burden

ACE: Assertion-Concept/ContentExample/Explain/Elaborate
Assertion what is your point, aim [topic
sentence]
Concept/Content what, how and why is
your assertion valid
Example/Explain/Elaborate use scenarios,
examples to explain clearly your point and
elaborate if necessary (diagrams)
Demonstrate ACE in each paragraph

Lets try one paragraph

Assertion: Shifts in DD affects price of crude oil
Content/Concept: Shift in DD is caused by nonprice factors such as income levels, expectations
of future price
Example/Explain/Elaborate: For instance, a rise
in income levels holding all else constant, will
increase the amount of crude oil demanded
across all price levels. This means that buyers are
now able to afford to buy more at the same price
levels. This can be illustrated by the diagram
below. (further elaboration with diagram)

You try one yourself [if time permits]

Do you have ACE in your paragraph?
What is missing?
Why is it missing? Reflect on your dissection
process.
Practice makes Perfect?

Conclusion
Triple S framework
1. Summary
2. Stand (where applicable)
3. Something special

Conclusion
Triple S framework
Example
Summary: The impact on consumers and
producers depends on the relative elasticity of
demand and supply.
Stand: Demand for crude oil tend to be more
inelastic because there are few/no substitutes
for such a source of energy.

Conclusion
Triple S framework
Example
Something special:
In particular, in the long run, the impact on
consumers and producers may be different as
supply of crude oil may be more elastic and may
even increase due to increase investments in
extraction technology.

Sample 2 GCE Nov 2002

(a) Explain how scarcity, choice and cost are related
to the problems of consumers and producers.
[12]

Now you try it

(b) Assess whether these concepts are of relevance

for governments when making macroeconomic
policy. [13]

Sample 2 GCE Nov 2002

(a) Explain how scarcity, choice and cost are related
to the problems of consumers and producers.
[12]
Dissect
question for
requirements
key concepts /
principles;
apply to
context

Recall
definitions then
apply them to
consumers and
producers

Sample 2 GCE Nov 2002

(a) Explain how scarcity, choice and cost are related
to the problems of consumers and producers.
[12]
Design approach:
Introduction define scarcity, choice and opportunity
cost; consumers and producers
Main arguments link these concepts to consumers;
producers with clear explanation
Remember: Clarity and Fluency when you write (you
are now the sender!)

How do we assess your work?

Level

Descriptors / Qualities Exhibited

Level 1

Able to explain basic concepts / principles required

in the question

Level 2

Able to apply concepts / principles to question with

some misconceptions

Level 3

Able to explain concepts / principles well and

thorough in application

Evaluation

Able to demonstrate significance, value or quality

after careful study of features in question

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