Examine in IB Economics

What your response needs

Develop the proposition → inspect assumptions → test against alternatives/evidence → finding.

• A developed central argument
• Its assumptions or conditions
• Relevant complications or alternative explanations
• A reasoned finding

A worked economics example

Question: Examine the view that economic growth always improves living standards.

An incomplete response: Growth is good, but it can also be bad.

A more complete response:

Higher real GDP can raise employment, income and tax revenue.

However, outcomes depend on population growth, distribution, environmental costs and what is produced.

Growth improves living standards most convincingly when real GDP per capita and broad well-being rise sustainably.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Treating “examine” as description
• Presenting issues without drawing them together

Try it yourself

Read the question and its mark allocation before deciding how much detail to include. A response structure helps you organise your answer; it is not a script to memorise.

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About this guidance

These explanations and examples are original Econograms study guidance. They are not official IB questions or markschemes, and Econograms is not endorsed by the International Baccalaureate. Follow the wording and requirements of the question set by your teacher or examination.