Economics Revision Books/School Books

Silver_Tiger

Could anyone tell me what're the best books for economics? I have "Modern Economics" by Mentor but I was just wondering did other people find another one better?

Millem

Silver_Tiger wrote: »

Could anyone tell me what're the best books for economics? I have "Modern Economics" by Mentor but I was just wondering did other people find another one better?

I find that book over complicated! Rapid revision by folens is a must. Edco brought
out a recent enough one called "understanding economics" which is ok but I find the folens textbook "economics"
the best overall but it is out of date. My advice is keep practicing exam papers, print off all the marking schemes and put them into a ring binder with dividers!

Sunny!!

Millem wrote: »

I find that book over complicated! Rapid revision by folens is a must. Edco brought
out a recent enough one called "understanding economics" which is ok but I find the folens textbook "economics"
the best overall but it is out of date. My advice is keep practicing exam papers, print off all the marking schemes and put them into a ring binder with dividers!

I'm taking up economics. Is the paper predicatable? is it best to just learn marking schemes?

Millem

Sunny!! wrote: »

Millem wrote: »

I find that book over complicated! Rapid revision by folens is a must. Edco brought
out a recent enough one called "understanding economics" which is ok but I find the folens textbook "economics"
the best overall but it is out of date. My advice is keep practicing exam papers, print off all the marking schemes and put them into a ring binder with dividers!

I'm taking up economics. Is the paper predicatable? is it best to just learn marking schemes?

You can't "learn" marking scheme as the questions will be worded differently! Yes paper Is predictable and most students will have an idea on the topics they will answer! E.g question 1 will be demand and supply, there will be a question on a market, usually a factor of production will be asked, tax, trade etc. I always get students to look at marking schemes do they know what is expected. How to lay out diagrams etc. Not every answer is in the book! It is one of those subjects where you either get it or you don't, you will either do very well or get a D/E.

Sunny!!

Millem wrote: »

You can't "learn" marking scheme as the questions will be worded differently! Yes paper Is predictable and most students will have an idea on the topics they will answer! E.g question 1 will be demand and supply, there will be a question on a market, usually a factor of production will be asked, tax, trade etc. I always get students to look at marking schemes do they know what is expected. How to lay out diagrams etc. Not every answer is in the book! It is one of those subjects where you either get it or you don't, you will either do very well or get a D/E.

oh ok and i suppose during the year students have to record current stats etc?

Millem

Sunny!! wrote: »

Millem wrote: »

You can't "learn" marking scheme as the questions will be worded differently! Yes paper Is predictable and most students will have an idea on the topics they will answer! E.g question 1 will be demand and supply, there will be a question on a market, usually a factor of production will be asked, tax, trade etc. I always get students to look at marking schemes do they know what is expected. How to lay out diagrams etc. Not every answer is in the book! It is one of those subjects where you either get it or you don't, you will either do very well or get a D/E.

oh ok and i suppose during the year students have to record current stats etc?

Yes, some schools will have a newspaper class once a week where each student gets the Irish times and we discuss the relevant articles! As it is a short course it gives you the flexibility to have newspaper classes or documentary classes. I remember one we watched souch of the frontline that the class actually wanted to go to the live show! Are you doing it in school or by yourself?

Sunny!!

Millem wrote: »

Yes, some schools will have a newspaper class once a week where each student gets the Irish times and we discuss the relevant articles! As it is a short course it gives you the flexibility to have newspaper classes or documentary classes. I remember one we watched souch of the frontline that the class actually wanted to go to the live show! Are you doing it in school or by yourself?

I'll be getting a grind in it once a week. Is it like business where you write in bullet points.

I know its divided into micro and macro. For the long questions is it better to do more micro?

Millem

Sunny!! wrote: »

Millem wrote: »

Yes, some schools will have a newspaper class once a week where each student gets the Irish times and we discuss the relevant articles! As it is a short course it gives you the flexibility to have newspaper classes or documentary classes. I remember one we watched souch of the frontline that the class actually wanted to go to the live show! Are you doing it in school or by yourself?

I'll be getting a grind in it once a week. Is it like business where you write in bullet points.

I know its divided into micro and macro. For the long questions is it better to do more micro?

That's good that you are getting guidance on it! I find the revision xmas/easter revision course in the IOE to be brilliant well worth it if you have the money. (this is the only revision course I would rate tbh). Is it a qualified teacher giving you the grind?

Sunny!!

Millem wrote: »

That's good that you are getting guidance on it! I find the revision xmas/easter revision course in the IOE to be brilliant well worth it if you have the money. (this is the only revision course I would rate tbh). Is it a qualified teacher giving you the grind?

its a grind school in cork the teacher is suppose to brilliant!

do you think its possible to get maybe an A2 in a year is there any tips?

Silver_Tiger

Millem wrote: »

I find that book over complicated! Rapid revision by folens is a must. Edco brought
out a recent enough one called "understanding economics" which is ok but I find the folens textbook "economics"
the best overall but it is out of date. My advice is keep practicing exam papers, print off all the marking schemes and put them into a ring binder with dividers!

I'll buy Rapid Revision tomorrow so! Thanks Was there a "bad" paper this year or was it "normal"? I'm taking it up this year as a repeat student and am hoping it'll benefit me Thanks for your help

Millem

Sunny!! wrote: »

Millem wrote: »

That's good that you are getting guidance on it! I find the revision xmas/easter revision course in the IOE to be brilliant well worth it if you have the money. (this is the only revision course I would rate tbh). Is it a qualified teacher giving you the grind?

its a grind school in cork the teacher is suppose to brilliant!

do you think its possible to get maybe an A2 in a year is there any tips?

Yes it is definitely possible as long as you "get it"! I am delighted to hear it is a qualified teacher as I know a lot of students pay a huge amount money for grinds from college students or people with degrees and tbh it is just not the same! Your grinds teacher will know the paper inside and our! Make sure you understand demand/supply and markets thoroughly as they are basically guaranteed and that is 2 long questions out of your 4. Trade, national income, taxation, usually make an appearance. Banking is very topical. Analyse the past papers you will get the idea. You only need to answer 4 long qs out of 8 so there is lots of choice. Draw your diagrams with a PENCIL and use a RULER!!! Draw them big as there is no shortage of paper as it will be easier to read off them! One of my students did it outside in 5th year as an extra subject. I gave her a mock in 6th year and got an a2. We viewed the script and she was very close to an a1. But sure you can't complain with an a2!

Millem

Silver_Tiger wrote: »

Millem wrote: »

I find that book over complicated! Rapid revision by folens is a must. Edco brought
out a recent enough one called "understanding economics" which is ok but I find the folens textbook "economics"
the best overall but it is out of date. My advice is keep practicing exam papers, print off all the marking schemes and put them into a ring binder with dividers!

I'll buy Rapid Revision tomorrow so! Thanks Was there a "bad" paper this year or was it "normal"? I'm taking it up this year as a repeat student and am hoping it'll benefit me Thanks for your help

Silver tiger, are you doing it by yourself?

Sunny!!

Millem wrote: »

Yes it is definitely possible as long as you "get it"! I am delighted to hear it is a qualified teacher as I know a lot of students pay a huge amount money for grinds from college students or people with degrees and tbh it is just not the same! Your grinds teacher will know the paper inside and our! Make sure you understand demand/supply and markets thoroughly as they are basically guaranteed and that is 2 long questions out of your 4. Trade, national income, taxation, usually make an appearance. Banking is very topical. Analyse the past papers you will get the idea. You only need to answer 4 long qs out of 8 so there is lots of choice. Draw your diagrams with a PENCIL and use a RULER!!! Draw them big as there is no shortage of paper as it will be easier to read off them! One of my students did it outside in 5th year as an extra subject. I gave her a mock in 6th year and got an a2. We viewed the script and she was very close to an a1. But sure you can't complain with an a2!

ok thanks i bought the exam papers awhile ago must have a look through them.

Silver_Tiger

Millem wrote: »

Silver tiger, are you doing it by yourself?

No, I'm going to a grinds school The teacher is supposed to be very good

Millem

Silver_Tiger wrote: »

Millem wrote: »

Silver tiger, are you doing it by yourself?

No, I'm going to a grinds school The teacher is supposed to be very good

Brilliant . With regards to the paper I feel it is getting trickier as the years go on! You really need to think it out and apply your knowledge of current events to the theory in the books and this is catching out a lot of people! A few years ago there was a question in the mocks on ways to cut public sector expenditure, it was very topical in the news at the time (still is). They are asking parts of questions where the answer is in no textbook but you are expected to know iftom reading newspapers and listening to the radio. Folens told me they will be updating their economics as so many teachers are complaining! Get your hands on both mocks deb and exam craft as the both of them combined may give you are fair idea of what could come up!

Sunny!!

Millem wrote: »

Brilliant . With regards to the paper I feel it is getting trickier as the years go on! You really need to think it out and apply your knowledge of current events to the theory in the books and this is catching out a lot of people! A few years ago there was a question in the mocks on ways to cut public sector expenditure, it was very topical in the news at the time (still is). They are asking parts of questions where the answer is in no textbook but you are expected to know iftom reading newspapers and listening to the radio. Folens told me they will be updating their economics as so many teachers are complaining! Get your hands on both mocks deb and exam craft as the both of them combined may give you are fair idea of what could come up!

but if youve covered everything you will be able to avoid tricky questions like this wont you?

Millem

Sunny!! wrote: »

Millem wrote: »

Brilliant . With regards to the paper I feel it is getting trickier as the years go on! You really need to think it out and apply your knowledge of current events to the theory in the books and this is catching out a lot of people! A few years ago there was a question in the mocks on ways to cut public sector expenditure, it was very topical in the news at the time (still is). They are asking parts of questions where the answer is in no textbook but you are expected to know iftom reading newspapers and listening to the radio. Folens told me they will be updating their economics as so many teachers are complaining! Get your hands on both mocks deb and exam craft as the both of them combined may give you are fair idea of what could come up!

but if youve covered everything you will be able to avoid tricky questions like this wont you?

In theory yes but say in a usually straight forward question e.g. Demand/supply sometimes they can incorporate elasticity into it which can confuse some students! The reason I think it is getting trickier is that there is an impression out there that it is an "easy" honour. When I teach economics I screen the students every year as I know a number of them will not have a clue and would fail ordinary level! I also teach home ec and I know they could get a C at higher level no problem! The biggest pain in economics is they don't tell you the breakdown of marks for each part of the questions!

Sunny!!

Millem wrote: »

In theory yes but say in a usually straight forward question e.g. Demand/supply sometimes they can incorporate elasticity into it which can confuse some students! The reason I think it is getting trickier is that there is an impression out there that it is an "easy" honour. When I teach economics I screen the students every year as I know a number of them will not have a clue and would fail ordinary level! I also teach home ec and I know they could get a C at higher level no problem! The biggest pain in economics is they don't tell you the breakdown of marks for each part of the questions!

ok thats fine i will be putting alot of work into it as its a new subject, has to be better than ag science with no project!

Millem

Sunny!! wrote: »

Millem wrote: »

In theory yes but say in a usually straight forward question e.g. Demand/supply sometimes they can incorporate elasticity into it which can confuse some students! The reason I think it is getting trickier is that there is an impression out there that it is an "easy" honour. When I teach economics I screen the students every year as I know a number of them will not have a clue and would fail ordinary level! I also teach home ec and I know they could get a C at higher level no problem! The biggest pain in economics is they don't tell you the breakdown of marks for each part of the questions!

ok thats fine i will be putting alot of work into it as its a new subject, has to be better than ag science with no project!

I have actually heard great things about ag science! We don't offer it but a repeat college beside us does! And it has a high take up. It is meant to be handy enough if you do biology? I presume project is geography/home ec 20%ish? Do you get farmers journal?

Sunny!!

Millem wrote: »

I have actually heard great things about ag science! We don't offer it but a repeat college beside us does! And it has a high take up. It is meant to be handy enough if you do biology? I presume project is geography/home ec 20%ish? Do you get farmers journal?

I just have no interest since im living right in the middle of the city. I took it up last year and it was just so boring i'd find the government alot more interesting than i dont know the different types of grass. I think its 25%. I dont get farmers journal.

Millem

Sunny!! wrote: »

Millem wrote: »

I have actually heard great things about ag science! We don't offer it but a repeat college beside us does! And it has a high take up. It is meant to be handy enough if you do biology? I presume project is geography/home ec 20%ish? Do you get farmers journal?

I just have no interest since im living right in the middle of the city. I took it up last year and it was just so boring i'd find the government alot more interesting than i dont know the different types of grass. I think its 25%. I dont get farmers journal.

O lol I get farmers journal as there is a supplement in it for home ec and ag science. They summarise a whole chapter on one page and it is written by different teachers from around the country. My home ec students find them very handy for revision. I have never read the ag science page but I presume the same is done! You should buy it or tell your teacher and get them to photocopy it. If teacher orders a class set they usually get posters/cd plus it is 1/2 the price!
http://www.iasta.ie/Documents/agriScience2012.pdf

Sunny!!

i was doing it for about a month last year and was considering it again last week! I think the boredom of it would drive me mad!

Silver_Tiger

Millem wrote: »

Brilliant . With regards to the paper I feel it is getting trickier as the years go on! You really need to think it out and apply your knowledge of current events to the theory in the books and this is catching out a lot of people! A few years ago there was a question in the mocks on ways to cut public sector expenditure, it was very topical in the news at the time (still is). They are asking parts of questions where the answer is in no textbook but you are expected to know iftom reading newspapers and listening to the radio. Folens told me they will be updating their economics as so many teachers are complaining! Get your hands on both mocks deb and exam craft as the both of them combined may give you are fair idea of what could come up!

This is probably a stupid question but is there any particular paper/radio station that'd be the best to read/listen to? I'll try to get the mock papers if I can Thanks for all your help

Sunny!!

oh are economics answers in bullet points??

Silver_Tiger

Sunny!! wrote: »

oh are economics answers in bullet points??

I want to know that too lol Thanks Sunny!

Sunny!!

Silver_Tiger wrote: »

I want to know that too lol Thanks Sunny!

i dont know if its like business!

Millem

Silver_Tiger wrote: »

Millem wrote: »

Brilliant . With regards to the paper I feel it is getting trickier as the years go on! You really need to think it out and apply your knowledge of current events to the theory in the books and this is catching out a lot of people! A few years ago there was a question in the mocks on ways to cut public sector expenditure, it was very topical in the news at the time (still is). They are asking parts of questions where the answer is in no textbook but you are expected to know iftom reading newspapers and listening to the radio. Folens told me they will be updating their economics as so many teachers are complaining! Get your hands on both mocks deb and exam craft as the both of them combined may give you are fair idea of what could come up!

This is probably a stupid question but is there any particular paper/radio station that'd be the best to read/listen to? I'll try to get the mock papers if I can Thanks for all your help

I always get Sunday business post and Irish Times. I am sure your teacher will give you any relevent articles. With regard to the radio rte radio 1! Keep an eye on the frontline in the tv as they debate the issues which can be good for those tricky parts of questions as you hear both sides! Ask your teacher for the mocks. I always order a few from both companies so I get the marking schemes but only your teacher can do this! If not I am sure the papers be posted up on boards. There is a revision day every year in easter in dcu which is worth going to that your teacher can book you on to it is so cheap like €20 and it is done through the business teachers association (Bstai). If your teacher goes to the Bstai AGM there is a meeting for economics teachers which is very useful as they will be given a big handout of all relevant recent newspaper articles which are very handy!

Millem

Sunny!! wrote: »

oh are economics answers in bullet points??

Yes no essays! Discuss; state point and then write a few lines like a paragraph in point form. Make sure it is not too skimpy though! Give both sides.

jsmscork

Just to refer back to the original question, the best textbook by far is Positive Economics by EDCO. It's only out since April and is very exam orientated. Excellent book!

Millem

jsmscork wrote: »

Just to refer back to the original question, the best textbook by far is Positive Economics by EDCO. It's only out since April and is very exam orientated. Excellent book!

I haven't had a chance to look at that book yet. One good thing about it tho i presume its on edco digital. I am very wary of chopping and changing books as we got burned (as did a lot of schools) with last EDCO book understanding economics so we along with a lot of schools have reverted back to good folens economics by Denis o Grady!

jsmscork

Millem wrote: »

I haven't had a chance to look at that book yet. One good thing about it tho i presume its on edco digital. I am very wary of chopping and changing books as we got burned (as did a lot of schools) with last EDCO book understanding economics so we along with a lot of schools have reverted back to good folens economics by Denis o Grady!

Yes, Understanding Economics is poor. O'Grady is very solid but unless he puts a new edition out soon, he's going to be blown out of the water I think. You can't go wrong with Positive!