Examiners’ Report
Principal Examiner Feedback
October 2020
Pearson Edexcel GCE
In Economics A (9EC0)
Paper 1: Markets and Business Behaviour
,Edexcel and BTEC Qualifications
Edexcel and BTEC qualifications are awarded by Pearson, the UK’s largest awarding
body. We provide a wide range of qualifications including academic, vocational,
occupational and specific programmes for employers. For further information visit our
qualifications websites at www.edexcel.com or www.btec.co.uk. Alternatively, you can
get in touch with us using the details on our contact us page at
www.edexcel.com/contactus.
Pearson: helping people progress, everywhere
Pearson aspires to be the world’s leading learning company. Our aim is to help everyone
progress in their lives through education. We believe in every kind of learning, for all
kinds of people, wherever they are in the world. We’ve been involved in education for
over 150 years, and by working across 70 countries, in 100 languages, we have built
an international reputation for our commitment to high standards and raising
achievement through innovation in education. Find out more about how we can help
you and your students at: www.pearson.com/uk
October 2020
Publications Code xxxxxxxx*
All the material in this publication is copyright
© Pearson Education Ltd 2020
,Introduction:
This is the delayed fourth exam in the 2015 Specification series undertaken by a smaller
cohort of students than usual. The focus of this exam is on microeconomics, themes 1 and 3
of the specification. Despite the smaller cohort student answers to the questions on this
paper have generally been of an expected standard. All questions were accessible, although
inevitably students were scoring more highly on some than on others. A recurring theme in
paper which was noticeable was that where students provided diagram, either requested or
not in the question, there was a difference between those that can provide the basic
foundations of the diagram and those that can provide more sophisticated responses. For
example, in questions 1(a) incidence inaccurately labelled, 2(a) welfare gain misplaced and
when it came to 6(e) price discrimination diagram knowledge weak or missing.
In Section A most students answered the multiple-choice questions correctly. There was a
consistency in students' understanding of quantitative skills. In general there were a lot of
good and accurate answers to the 2-mark questions in this section. Most students seem to be
managing their time efficiently in this section and not spending time writing things that aren't
going to get any marks, for example rewriting the question or including application when it
hasn't been asked for
In Section B it is important that candidates read the question carefully and ensure they are
answering the precise question set. For example, question 6(d) asks for a response
concerning ‘natural monopoly’ and not just ‘monopoly’. Overall, there was good use of the
case study and clear practice of writing chain of reasoning in context. There was an evident
lack of evaluation for a significant number of students in questions 6(b) to 6(e). It was also
clear that some students spent more time on some questions for example 6(c) rather than
6(e). Although the responses to 6(e) also illustrated a substantial number of students with a
solid grasp of alternative complex price discrimination diagrams.
For Section C where the candidates have a choice of which question to answer, it was
question 7 was significantly more popular. In both questions’ success could be found by
demonstrating clearly the skills of analysis, evaluation, and application. Students need to
ensure they go beyond a simplistic understanding of the concepts concerned and when they
can use diagrams to stretch themselves more with more advanced illustrations, for example
with regards to externalities and theory of the firm diagrams. Overall, the evaluation provided
by the students in the essay responses within this paper demonstrated that they were better
prepared to evaluate in Section rather than Section B. Finally, it is clear in the essay responses
, that many students are spending time studying recent developments in economics that are
relevant to their specification.
Question 1 (a):
This question was generally answered well, with many candidates able to accurately draw a
diagram showing for a specific tax a parallel shift left in supply to secure the two knowledge
marks. A minority illustrated the shift as it was an ad-valorem tax and thus only secured one
knowledge mark. The majority were also able to accurately apply the consumer and producer
tax incidence.
This answer scores the full 4 marks - it clearly shows a parallel shift to the left in supply and
the resultant tax incidence carefully annotated to the right of the diagram as best practice,
given the writing inside the boxes is not clear. Everything is also correctly labelled - all axes
and lines. In addition, they have also applied accurately the tax per litre.
Principal Examiner Feedback
October 2020
Pearson Edexcel GCE
In Economics A (9EC0)
Paper 1: Markets and Business Behaviour
,Edexcel and BTEC Qualifications
Edexcel and BTEC qualifications are awarded by Pearson, the UK’s largest awarding
body. We provide a wide range of qualifications including academic, vocational,
occupational and specific programmes for employers. For further information visit our
qualifications websites at www.edexcel.com or www.btec.co.uk. Alternatively, you can
get in touch with us using the details on our contact us page at
www.edexcel.com/contactus.
Pearson: helping people progress, everywhere
Pearson aspires to be the world’s leading learning company. Our aim is to help everyone
progress in their lives through education. We believe in every kind of learning, for all
kinds of people, wherever they are in the world. We’ve been involved in education for
over 150 years, and by working across 70 countries, in 100 languages, we have built
an international reputation for our commitment to high standards and raising
achievement through innovation in education. Find out more about how we can help
you and your students at: www.pearson.com/uk
October 2020
Publications Code xxxxxxxx*
All the material in this publication is copyright
© Pearson Education Ltd 2020
,Introduction:
This is the delayed fourth exam in the 2015 Specification series undertaken by a smaller
cohort of students than usual. The focus of this exam is on microeconomics, themes 1 and 3
of the specification. Despite the smaller cohort student answers to the questions on this
paper have generally been of an expected standard. All questions were accessible, although
inevitably students were scoring more highly on some than on others. A recurring theme in
paper which was noticeable was that where students provided diagram, either requested or
not in the question, there was a difference between those that can provide the basic
foundations of the diagram and those that can provide more sophisticated responses. For
example, in questions 1(a) incidence inaccurately labelled, 2(a) welfare gain misplaced and
when it came to 6(e) price discrimination diagram knowledge weak or missing.
In Section A most students answered the multiple-choice questions correctly. There was a
consistency in students' understanding of quantitative skills. In general there were a lot of
good and accurate answers to the 2-mark questions in this section. Most students seem to be
managing their time efficiently in this section and not spending time writing things that aren't
going to get any marks, for example rewriting the question or including application when it
hasn't been asked for
In Section B it is important that candidates read the question carefully and ensure they are
answering the precise question set. For example, question 6(d) asks for a response
concerning ‘natural monopoly’ and not just ‘monopoly’. Overall, there was good use of the
case study and clear practice of writing chain of reasoning in context. There was an evident
lack of evaluation for a significant number of students in questions 6(b) to 6(e). It was also
clear that some students spent more time on some questions for example 6(c) rather than
6(e). Although the responses to 6(e) also illustrated a substantial number of students with a
solid grasp of alternative complex price discrimination diagrams.
For Section C where the candidates have a choice of which question to answer, it was
question 7 was significantly more popular. In both questions’ success could be found by
demonstrating clearly the skills of analysis, evaluation, and application. Students need to
ensure they go beyond a simplistic understanding of the concepts concerned and when they
can use diagrams to stretch themselves more with more advanced illustrations, for example
with regards to externalities and theory of the firm diagrams. Overall, the evaluation provided
by the students in the essay responses within this paper demonstrated that they were better
prepared to evaluate in Section rather than Section B. Finally, it is clear in the essay responses
, that many students are spending time studying recent developments in economics that are
relevant to their specification.
Question 1 (a):
This question was generally answered well, with many candidates able to accurately draw a
diagram showing for a specific tax a parallel shift left in supply to secure the two knowledge
marks. A minority illustrated the shift as it was an ad-valorem tax and thus only secured one
knowledge mark. The majority were also able to accurately apply the consumer and producer
tax incidence.
This answer scores the full 4 marks - it clearly shows a parallel shift to the left in supply and
the resultant tax incidence carefully annotated to the right of the diagram as best practice,
given the writing inside the boxes is not clear. Everything is also correctly labelled - all axes
and lines. In addition, they have also applied accurately the tax per litre.
