Singapore’s education system has received widespread attention and praise for being among the best in the world. However, it frequently causes children to fall behind their peers.

Private tuition in Singapore is an excellent way to supplement a child’s education while also providing more individualized support than would be provided in school. Private tuition can help a child thrive academically and socially, but finding the best home tuition agency in Singapore for your family is essential. Many parents have discovered that investing in private tuition is beneficial because it has enabled their children to excel academically and in other areas.

Singapore’s high-pressure education system frequently causes children to fall behind.

Singapore’s educational system is highly competitive and can be extremely stressful, particularly for young children. With so much pressure to succeed academically, it’s no surprise that many young students believe they must go above and beyond their peers in order to succeed.

Students in Singapore are taught from an early age that competition is healthy and should never be avoided. This means that even at a young age, children are constantly comparing their academic performance to that of their peers. By the time they reach secondary school, most students realize that if they want to advance in life, they must outperform everyone else. Not only does this cause high levels of stress in children who feel pressured by society as well as family members who may place unreasonable expectations on them, but it also causes many children’s grades to suffer, if not drop completely, because they become overwhelmed by all the pressure on them.

A private tuition teacher can help a child fill knowledge gaps and provide more personalized support.

A private tuition teacher can help children with their weaker subjects, as well as understands how to teach your child in a way that will help them understand and remember the subject better.

Private tuition teachers can provide one-on-one attention that school teachers typically do not have time for, as well as more individualized support tailored to each student’s specific needs.

It is critical to select a private tuition teacher with care. When looking for a private tuition teacher, it is critical to select one from a reputable home tuition agency in Singapore. The private tuition teacher recommended by the tuition agency should have prior teaching and tutoring experience.

You should also think about whether the private tuition teacher matches your child’s personality and learning style. Furthermore, you should ensure that your chosen private tuition teacher is both affordable and dependable.

Private tuition teachers can help a child succeed in school.

Private tuition teachers can help children with their homework, exam preparation, and revision. They can help a child improve their essay writing skills by teaching them how to format, structure, and style an essay. They can also provide extra practice in various scientific fields such as biology, chemistry, and physics.

The benefits of private tuition go beyond the classroom.

Parents frequently wonder what the benefits of private tuition are and whether the cost is justified. Private tuition teachers can help children with their homework, exam preparation, and social and emotional skills. These results can be seen in their academic performance as well as their personal development.

In addition to classroom work, they can provide one-on-one instruction on a child’s specific areas of weakness, so that they are better prepared for tests and quizzes when they return to school. This is especially useful for students who have difficulty with reading comprehension or language arts classes such as English composition or literary analysis. They also teach study techniques so that students understand how to approach different types of exams, such as multiple-choice questions versus essays and other types of assessments used in schools today.

Private tuition in Singapore can be affordable for many families

Private tuition in Singapore can be reasonably priced. In general, the tutoring rates in Singapore are $20 to $70 per hour for the primary level, $25 to $90 per hour for the secondary level, and $40 to $130 per hour for JC or IB levels.

Tuition fees can be paid in instalments. This means that rather than being paid all at once, your child’s tuition will be spread out over several months (which would mean more upfront costs).

Payment for private tuition can be made in cash or in kind. If you don’t have enough money to pay for private tuition, consider trading services with another parent whose child attends the same school as yours or simply offer some baked goods in exchange.

Choosing the right private tuition teacher in Singapore will benefit your child academically, socially, and emotionally

Choosing the best private tuition teacher for your child will benefit them academically, socially, and emotionally. A good match between a student and a private tuition teacher is critical because it can contribute to the development of a positive relationship that can help motivate the student. Furthermore, private tuition teachers who set high expectations and specific goals for their students will be able to meet them. This could lead to improved academic performance as well as overall confidence. Setting high standards for your child can help them feel more confident in themselves.

Private tuition can be a great way to help your child get ahead in school while also being a good investment for your family. You can reduce stress for both you and your child by choosing the right tuition agency in Singapore, assisting them in reaching their full potential and reaping numerous social benefits.

Economics tuition is in high demand these days. With an increasing number of JC students taking the subject and an overall increase in the number of students seeking economics tuition, tutoring economics in Singapore can be a very stable and rewarding job. You may be wondering how you can become an economics tutor in Singapore. Well, look no further because this article answers it all.

Am I qualified to become an economics tutor in Singapore?

While the bar is reasonable, not everyone can become an economics tutor. To tutor any subject in Singapore, you will have to have graduated from JC or polytechnic. However, since most of your economics students will likely be from JC, it is naturally a huge advantage if you graduated from JC with a high score in economics. Some tuition agencies in Singapore may also have their own requirements for tutors, so be sure to find out. Of course, an even bigger plus point is if you hold a bachelor’s degree in economics, or even a master’s or PhD.

Aside from formal qualifications, you also have to decide if becoming an economics tutor in Singapore is the right job for you. For one, you will most likely be tutoring JC students, who are in their upper teens. There are clear differences between tutoring students of different age groups, from the kindergarten ages to older teens, and some tutors may find that they prefer teaching children of certain age groups. Some tutors find it easier to work with very young children, while others prefer teaching more mature, older students. It is perfectly fine if you do not know your preference yet – you may be surprised that tutoring can be a vastly different experience from what you expected.

Additionally, you will probably come across students of different calibre in your course of tutoring economics, from the extremely motivated and disciplined model student to the weaker student with little confidence in their economics skills, or even the delinquent who did not ask for tuition. You may find that you have to continually challenge a top student, or be encouraging and nurturing to cultivate a student’s love for economics.

There are plenty of soft skills involved in being a good tutor. A tutor should be able to connect with the student, having the patience to explain concepts step-by-step and guiding the student along the right path. Tutoring is definitely not a bed of roses and it may not be for everyone. The best way to find out whether tutoring is a fit for you is to give it a try and see if tutoring JC students is your cup of tea.

What is the process of becoming an economics tutor in Singapore?

As long as you have the necessary formal qualifications and the desire to become an economics tutor, there is nothing else standing in the way between you and that tutoring job. The next step would be to secure your first client. There are many ways you can get started.

Many tutors get their opportunities through word-of-mouth. Connections are very useful to have in the tutoring world, where a single satisfied client could help you spread the world to the rest of their friends. Sometimes, letting your friends know that you are available as an economics tutor can be the key to getting you prospective clients. You never know when the topic might come up in conversation and your friend will say, “I heard so-and-so is giving economics tuition.”

If you have nowhere to start with, you could approach a tuition agency in Singapore. Some tuition agencies in Singapore simply point interested clients in your direction and let you take it from there. Other tuition agencies may run the sessions themselves and assign you to be the tutor for certain slots. However, be prepared to provide formal proof of your qualifications. You will usually also be required to undergo a job interview to be accepted as a tutor.

Another way to increase your visibility is to promote your services through advertising or social media. You have probably seen numerous tuition advertisements pasted on hawker centre tables, billboards, or given out as flyers. However, advertising can be expensive, and it is often a hit-or-miss situation – people are often looking out for good track records first and foremost, and they may be more likely to trust a friend’s word of mouth than a brand new advertisement for a tutor they have not heard of. Advertisements can be best used when you have already built up a small following with some success stories.

Realise Your Dream of Tutoring Economics

Do you have what it takes to become an economics tutor in Singapore? If you enjoy mentoring students and nurturing them to become the best versions of themselves, the growing tuition industry can be a fulfilling experience. There is no better time than the present to embark on your tutoring career!

Love it or hate it, but physics tuition is one of the most popular types of tuition in Singapore. While physics as a subject is introduced early on during the secondary school years, it gets more complicated the further you advance. Whether your child is in secondary school, an IB programme, Junior College, or even polytechnic, you may want to consider physics tuition in Singapore for the sake of boosting your child’s performance to ensure that they grasp the concepts and are able to apply it.

This is especially relevant for those students demonstrating a desire to study disciplines that rely heavily on physics in university, such as theoretical or applied physics and engineering majors. A good grasp of physics and how they play out in real life will give students a solid foundation if they choose to pursue these fields.

Making sense of counterintuitive concepts

There are a surprising number of physics concepts that are not common sense, and can in fact be counterintuitive – for instance, if a larger object rams into a smaller object, which object experiences the greater force?

You would think it would be the smaller object facing the greater force from the bigger item, but no – Newton’s Third Law states that both forces are equal in size! This is one of the earliest examples of physics whiplash that don’t seem to make any sense, and oftentimes schoolteachers do not necessarily cover the reasons why. Often, students are simply expected to memorise formulas and concepts and then apply them to the questions they are supposed to answer. Questions that tackle multiple concepts in one go in relation to each other are infrequent and can often throw students for a loop, and this is when a tuition agency in Singapore could help your child. By patiently sitting with them and explaining the underlying reasons as to why many of these work the way they do, counterintuitive concepts can be strengthened through physics tuition in Singapore.

Reaffirming concepts and different perspectives

Physics is a common subject across schools, but oftentimes there are schools with larger student-to-teacher ratios as well as rigid methods of teaching that may not work with individuals due to varying learning strategies. Additionally, teachers need to move on frequently to ensure that all the syllabus is being covered on time, and thus may not spend enough time on concepts that certain students struggle with. To counter this lack of individualised attention, which may often result in poor grades or performance in practical, it may become relevant to either send your child to a tuition agency in Singapore or engage a home tuition teacher.

Small group tuitions with different approaches to learning, or even individualised tuition lessons, may help your child address these areas that they may be struggling with. Tuition teachers can spend as long as they need and adopt as many different approaches and strategies as they need as well, in order to tackle the tasks for your child to ensure that they understand the concepts well. They can also relate the principles to real-life problems and demonstrate either in person or through things like YouTube videos to ensure that they get the idea properly. Individualised attention is invaluable for students to do well if they are not already doing great in class.

Physics exam strategies

As we’ve noted in other articles, the strategies required for learning and absorbing content is vastly different from the strategies needed to take exams. As your kids move to more complicated concepts, questions that tackle multiple principles in one go may become more common and throw students for a loop as they are often more used to isolated settings in their questions.

Being able to read through questions, understand what they are asking about, think and solve problems on the spot without hesitation is a very important skill for those who are concerned about their grades. Tuition teachers often have access to additional resources and problem sets – either from other schools or their own drafted versions – that are able to tackle these strategies in depth and ensure that the students cover all sorts of questions

In summary

Physics tuition may help those who require additional or individualised attention. While regular tuition is best for the tutors and students to get to know each other better, there are often instances in which short-term tutors are engaged just to go over certain concepts either before exams or to beef up situations in which students are not grasping them when they are being covered in class.

Either way, tuition can help students make sense of counterintuitive concepts and principles, look at physics concepts and principles from different perspectives so that they have different ways of making sense of things, and provide additional resources to help with exam strategies. For those who choose to work with tuition agencies in Singapore, the benefits are often plentiful and worth it!

Economics is a combination subject that is added to the curriculum generally at the Junior College level. While Secondary School has covered the basics leading up to it in terms of mathematics and general socials studies, many students find economics to be an unfamiliar subject that often leaves them floundering. On the other hand, others perform excellently in economics, taking to it like a duck to water.

The answer to the question of whether tuition is necessary is dependent, frankly, on the students themselves. If they are naturally able to grasp the concepts covered in economics and apply them to the essay-writing portions, then they may not need of tuition for economics after all. On the other hand, if they are clearly struggling with either the content or the exam strategy, it is generally understood that they may need additional guidance.

With that said, how can students best benefit from economics tuition in Singapore then?

Tuition should not be the same as schoolwork

The first thing that should be clear is that tuition is a supplement to schoolwork. Neither is a substitute for the other. Some consider tuition as a ‘follow-up’ to school content and work, but there are many students who take the opposite approach instead – their tuition teachers, whether at tuition centres or home tuition in Singapore, cover content earlier than what is covered in schools. This strategy generally allows a more customised method of introducing confusing content and allows students to perform well in school by default.

Tuition should not be parroting schoolwork and strategies. For most students, the end goal they are working towards would be their performance in the ‘A’-Level exams or IB exams; to do this, it is imperative that your child (and students in general) explore multiple ways of solving problems, creating analogies, and addressing concepts. While schools cover economics principles in specific ways, tuition can serve as a different avenue to introduce different ways of thinking about the same principles from different perspectives or concepts in the same way that there is often more than one way to solve an equation.

Real-life applications are important

Unlike subjects like mathematics, which students will often complain about ‘not having real-life relevance’, economics has very real applications in the modern world. A firm grasp of economics can aid the student not just in their exams but also in their understanding of global geopolitics and world economics in the future.

To that end, the addition of relevant case studies becomes important. These case studies are important in demonstrating how the theories that they are studying are being used in real life, and how career economists often use the same concepts to study and address genuine problems in the global economic infrastructure. While schools and teachers will often include certain case studies, they rarely make the effort to update their case studies to reflect modern and relevant economic changes. The inclusion and tracking over time of economic movements from the start of the student’s time with their economics tuition teacher can allow students to slowly learn and understand how what they are studying can be seen in the world. By the end of two years of using this strategy, many students become relatively comfortable with current events and economics – a valuable skill that will continue to be in use even after their exams.

Content strategy versus exam strategy

Learning how to grasp and understand the content and learning how to take an exam is a different set of skills entirely. Answering ‘data response’ questions and essay questions can take similar strategies but are ultimately different.

Content strategy requires students to fully grasp concepts, as described above. It focuses on ensuring that pupils understand aspects of macroeconomics or microeconomics, or how certain factors influence others. Exam strategy, however, focuses on ensuring that students understand questions and question types, catch keywords, and know how to answer the questions and essays properly.

Exam strategies should be covered once most of the content has been completed, whether at home tuition in Singapore or in school. Once the content is completed, the focus will shift towards applying that content in practice papers, and lessons at home or school will then also focus on the questions, paragraphs, and essays. More time is spent analysing questions and probably answers, and as the time ticks ever-closer to the looming ‘A’-Levels or IB exams, even more proportion of time is focused on gauging the strategies of those who are marking the eventual papers.

A strong grasp of concept application in exams is important; unfortunately, just understanding concepts will not be enough for these almost life-changing exams.

In summary

Tuition for Economics isn’t mandatory, and whether it is a necessity depends on the performance of your student or child. However, with a good tuition teacher or a tuition centre, a student’s previously poor performance could very well be on track to improvement as tutors make efforts to supplement schoolwork, cover current case studies and scenarios, and develop exam strategies best suited to your child. As such, economics tuition can be incredibly helpful to the student that is struggling with economics but wants to do well.

Economics, to a lot of students in JC, is a new subject. Unlike the traditional and isolated subjects previously learned in secondary school, Economics requires not only a firm grasp of mathematics principles but also current events, human psychology and behavior, and local and global policymaking. This combination is new, and students find themselves having to make predictions and calculations that are different from the detached math or physics questions they have previously done.

New students become overwhelmed, and a single misstep could lead to them falling behind in JC. What then?

Well, let’s discuss several strategies that we employ during our economics tuition sessions outside of rote memorisation.

Understanding and application through case studies

While the memorisation of general trends is important, comprehension of those trends can help significantly during essay-based questions, which may present unexpected situations. For economics, three general principles guide understanding:

• How to convert from one form to another (e.g., phrases to relationships)
• How to interpret and explain the given material
• How to understand and estimate trends based on the given material

For instance, the following question is presented:

A shoe store is selling a specific brand of Noke shoe, which have sold very well over the last year and are likely to continue doing well this year. This year, Noke is releasing a new brand of shoes, which critics are saying will likely do equally well. How do you predict the demand curve will shift for the older brand of Noke shoe?

1. The curve shifts left.
2. The curve shifts right.
3. The curve does not shift.

The above question asks students to understand and interpret the question: there is an item. A competitor is coming out. They are likely to do equally well. How does the student predict the demand will be for the older brand?

About 40% of questions on JC Economics exams will be questions in a similar vein, that require students to understand taught concepts beyond memorisation, and subsequently, apply them.

The easiest way to learn this? Exposure to real-life case studies

The newspapers frequently release real-life economics problems of the world; parents, guardians, and economics tutors in Singapore can (and do) frequently leverage these to have discussions with their teenagers on how that may affect market demand and, if relevant, fiscal or monetary policies.

Get concepts explained in a different way

Singaporean students depend on several resources to get through their studying, and this commonly involves textbooks, school assignments, and practice materials from economics tuition or economics tutors in Singapore. This does mean, however, that explanations and examples tend to be along the same vein, and this can be frustrating for students who aren’t able to grasp concepts from the monotonous explanation.

Lectures and materials can easily and quickly be paired with concept explanations from additional sources. Specifically, our tutors frequently recommend and use Khan Academy and Crash Course. The use of additional materials and lecturers can help students view concepts from an entirely different perspective, and thus help them understand ideas better.

Of course, neither Crash Course nor Khan Academy offers practice problems or solutions, simply content. They are also specific to U.S. school curricula more than the MOE curriculum. As such, they cannot be used on their own to get through MOE Economics and ‘A’-Level Economics. Instead, the presence of a tutor or parent must still be present to provide guidance during the application of these concepts to practice problems and essays.

Study ahead

Many students learn content in school or class and subsequently go through the content over again during economics tuition. With a good tutor, we actually recommend the opposite, where you learn from your tutors and revise the concepts during class instead. Tutors can tailor the introduction of concepts to students and increase engagement and retainment, and they can then reinforce this at school during their teacher’s explanations, which are geared to convey information to the whole class instead of an individual.

There are several major benefits to this last one, and the biggest one as mentioned above is tailored learning, which increases absorption and retainment of information, as well as the student’s understanding of concepts. This arrangement, however, also serves to help with your performance during class as well as your assignment grades, although indirectly.

After class, students will continue to practice, but can then use points 1 and 2 to bolster their knowledge of the concept in order to better prepare for exams. Tutors can revisit difficult concepts as needed later on based on the student’s learning, as opposed to topic by topic and being guided by the school curriculum.

Economics can be a sudden and difficult subject for many students to master, given the sudden combination of both mathematics and humanities in the subject. With sufficient learning, additional external aids, and the help of a tutor to help the student through things, Edu Aid is confident that anyone can learn to do well in Economics.

It can be discouraging to get your test paper back with a poor grade on it. Unfortunately, you cannot change test results that are already over, but you can work towards improving your future grades. If you are in such a situation, you may have considered getting home tuition in Singapore to brush up on economics. Before embarking on your search, however, it is important to find out whether going for economics tuition is the right choice for you. Well, what are some signs that you should get an economics tutor in Singapore? Let us find out.

You Find Economics Concepts Difficult to Understand

Arguably one of the most important steps to doing well is understanding the lesson material. Without having a solid grasp of the syllabus, it is basically impossible to score well in the exams. As such, the first thing you should ask yourself is whether you are having difficulties understanding each economics concept that you have learned thus far. It is perfectly fine to admit that you are experiencing problems coping with the topics, as economics is not an easy subject for everyone. Some people may take a little longer to internalise some of the concepts, which can be a hindrance to their scoring well in the exams. It is good to recognise your need for help earlier, so that you can have more time in JC to work on your economics concepts. Additionally, the sooner you get help for economics, the stronger your foundation in the subject will be and the easier you will be able to pick up new economics concepts down the road.

You are Not Scoring in Exams

Scoring poorly in your economics papers is a hint that you may not be getting the help you need for this subject. Even if you understand the topics thoroughly, you may still be facing roadblocks in JC economics. This is because grasping economics is not just about understanding the concepts, but also about knowing how to apply them to answer the test questions effectively.

Before sitting for an economics paper, it is also important to clear up any doubts you have regarding the lesson content or exam tips. In school classroom settings, the teacher usually paces the lessons according to the class majority. As such, if you are falling a little behind in the subject, you may find the gap gradually getting wider as the class moves on further ahead for each subsequent lesson. This can lead to a huge knowledge deficit if you have not been following the syllabus. In such a situation, it may be time to seek help from home tuition in Singapore to bridge the gap between you and your classmates.

You Do Not Have Enough Time to Revise Economics

Another reason why you may want to get economics tuition is if you find that you have too little time to revise the subject. Economics is a content-heavy subject that requires constant practice and revision. While you may have no problems understanding your economics syllabus and scoring in tests thus far, the content quickly builds up towards the A-levels examination, making it crucial to dedicate sufficient time to economics revision if you want to stay on top of the material.

If finding the time to juggle multiple subjects is a challenge for you, looking for a good economics tutor can be a great option. In addition to encouraging yourself to set aside a few hours each week to study the subject with your tutor, you will also be able to revise more efficiently with the help of a tutor to guide and teach you.

Your School’s Teaching Style Does Not Work for You

Sometimes, you may be scoring decently in economics and understanding each lesson well, but still feel that it is taking a toll on you to sit through each lesson. One sign that your economics teacher’s style does not work for you is if you start to feel bored and uninterested in the subject. Economics does not have to be a dry class – in fact, it can be one of the most interesting and applicable subjects taught in JC! The key to enjoying economics classes is to find a tutor that suits your learning style. There is no hard and fast rule to this, as different styles fit different people. For instance, some students may find that they learn better in a one-to-one setting, but have difficulties learning in school because of the large class sizes. Other students may prefer a more hands-on learning approach but suffer with the typical lecture-style classes conducted at school.

If you are looking for a change from your school’s classes, we suggest approaching various economics tutors in Singapore and chatting with them to see if they can provide the classroom setting you are looking for. It is also a good idea to schedule an initial meet-up or phone call with your prospective tutor, to make sure that you are both able to connect with each other.

Not doing so well at Economics in school? Maybe it is time for you to consider an Economics tutor.

For those new to economics, this subject might be foreign and confusing at first. This may result in loss of interest in the subject and not fully comprehending its concepts. Some problems of students may include:

• Lengthy school notes — resulting in a loss of focus in students.
• Too many diagrams may overwhelm students.
• Fear of writing economics essays
• Lack of time management

Economics is a practical subject which can help students understand the modern world and economy. If studied well can contribute to long term benefits.

There are many benefits of having economics tuition in Singapore. Interested? Read more to find out why an economics tutor can be beneficial to you.

Helps you understand the subject better

One main benefit that you can take out of an economics tuition is that your tutor will help you understand this subject better. Tutors will help you break down this subject and go through each point and concept in-depth for you to understand better.

You will get the attention needed

A reason why students may need tuition is that they do not get enough attention when they do not understand a subject. With an economics tutor, students can get the attention they need to help them excel in the subject. Rather than rushing through the subject and individual topics, tutors can help to explain individual topics and concepts to them efficiently.

As different students have different levels of grasping concepts, tutors can help give them space to learn at their own pace, rather than failing without any assistance. Tuitions can help to give students enough time to understand the subject and have their questions answered.

In-depth study

As there is a lot of content to cover as an economics teacher, they tend to rush over some concepts to be able to complete their broad syllabus. This also means that teachers are not able to devote enough time to each student and each topic which they teach. Tutors, on the other hand, can help to curate a schedule that is designed to handle the whole economics syllabus with ample time and devotion to each student.

With economics tuition, students will get to have an in-depth study into this subject, learning concepts and tricks which may not have been taught in school.

Interactive learning

Unlike classes in school, tuition can help make subjects more interesting and exciting through interactive learning. This can be done through different concepts and examples to provide better explanations to problems. Home tutors are prepared to adapt to their student’s learning style to help them understand the subject.

Exam preparation

Ultimately, Home tutors can help prepare students for their exams. This can come in the form of understanding certain topics to having extra study materials to help students achieve better grades in their exams.

Tutors can help students prepare and be more familiar with exam questions. They can help teach students how to write proper answers during their exams that can help them attain marks.

Hiring an economics tutor

There are some things you can consider before hiring an economics tutor. One important question to raise when searching for an home tutor is the fees needed per lesson. Remember that tuition rates vary between different agencies, dependent on multiple factions such as qualifications and specialisation of the tutor. Do note that expensive rates do not mean quality results.

It is also important to consider the tutor themselves. Speaking to the tutor prior can help provide students with a better idea on how the tutor teaches. This can help you consider whether they are a right fit for you.

As students are always busy, it is also important to consider the tuition timings and location of the lesson. Therefore, engaging a home tutor will allow you to save time on travelling as lessons will be held in the comfort of your own home.

Overall, the objective of an economics tutor is to help students understand and simplify the economics subject, thus bringing good results. Some can see economics tuition as essential to helping students thrive.

Economics tuition can help students increase their knowledge and understanding of the subject, if they are able to find a good and effective tutor. Finding a good economics tutor that suits your study needs is essential to reap its full benefits.

Economics students are no stranger to writing lengthy essays, a mandatory component of Paper 2 of H2 JC Economics. This paper is further divided into two sections, where Section A mainly focuses on microeconomics while Section B mainly focuses on macroeconomics. Students are expected to answer three questions out of the whole paper. As with other essay papers, students are required to choose one question from each section, as well as a third question from either Section A or B. Needless to say, having a wide knowledge of real-world economics will be extremely valuable when taking this paper.

What are Essay Questions Like?

Economics essay questions typically present a scenario and ask students to present a balanced view on the situation. The questions provide little data, instead of requiring students to rely on their own background knowledge and studied material to answer the question. You will notice common keywords appearing frequently in each question, helping you to identify the type of answer each question is looking for. For instance, keywords such as “discuss” and “explain” usually require the student to provide a balanced argument for the case in point. A good rule of thumb is to identify the two sides of the situation, and then develop a fair argument for each side.

It is also important for students to be able to determine what topic the question concerns. Since the economics syllabus comprises of many topics across microeconomics and macroeconomics, one must be careful of how they are approaching the question. Failure to correctly identify the relevant topics and concepts could potentially cost you a lot of marks from answering the question out of context. Students might also waste time answering a question according to the wrong concept, before realizing that they were on the wrong track and having to rewrite the entire essay. As such, the importance of thoroughly revising your economics content cannot be understated.

Getting Started on the Essays

It may be tempting to flip the paper over and begin answering the first question right away, especially if time is a constraint. However, we recommend choosing your questions carefully. Even if it takes a few minutes at the start of the paper to look through all your options, be sure to consider all the questions and choose the ones that you are most confident in answering. This could save you plenty of valuable time, compared to writing an essay halfway and finding that that topic is not your strongest after all.

Structuring a Great Economics Essay

Just like any other essay, an economics essay should start off with an introduction. The introduction summarises the situation you are discussing, as well as the points you will be including to support each side of the argument. If there are any terms or definitions that need to be clarified, add it to your introduction. At a glance, the introduction should give the examiners a clear summary of the contents of your essay. It serves to demonstrate how well you have understood the question and how you are going to approach it.

It is also good to include a thesis statement at the end of your introduction. If the question requires a balanced argument, be sure to include an anti-thesis as well. The thesis statement should be a sentence that directly answers the question and states the main idea of your essay.

However, it is worth noting that the introduction and thesis are usually written after you have planned out all your content, as it is much easier to backtrack and summarise what you have already written instead of the other way around. It is a good idea to draft out each point you will be making, as well as the relevant examples and explanation you plan to use to support it.

When writing your content, remember that cross-referencing is key. Just because the question asks about a particular scenario or event does not mean you have to stick to providing evidence solely from that topic. Sometimes, there may be other economic examples in the real world that can provide a compelling case for your argument. If you are referencing a real-world example, it is important to provide ample context and even illustrations if needed.

Lastly, always end with a conclusion to reinforce the perspective you are agreeing with. Explain why you chose this argument after looking at both sides of the coin. This tells the examiners that you have correctly understood and applied the economics concepts you have learned.

Is that ‘A’ in economics still eluding you? Sometimes, knowing how to write a great economics essay is not enough to clinch the top grade, especially in today’s competitive field. In such a case, you may be in the perfect situation to benefit from economics tuition. Select one of our experienced home tuition teachers in Singapore to get personal, one-on-one help with your economics!