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Making Sense of Paper 1 in IB Economics
February 6, 2026
First off, I just want to thank you for all of your kind words and many, many emails in response to last Friday's newsletter. I really appreciate it.
This week, I thought it would be cool to take a closer look at Paper 1 of IB Economics.
Paper 1 is often described simply as “the essay paper,” but that label does not really do it justice. Writing a strong Paper 1 response is far more technical than writing a traditional essay in History or English. It requires precision, clarity, and a very specific way of thinking.
As with all three external assessments in IB Economics, the goal here is to break Paper 1 down into manageable pieces. When students understand what the IB is asking them to do, confidence follows. And when confidence follows, performance improves.
The IB means what it says, and it says what it means. Always.
So let’s take them at their word.
The Context
It is essential to understand the context in which the IB places students for Paper 1.
In Paper 1, students are economists.
What do economists do? They analyze and evaluate economic policy.
And for whom do they usually do this? For decision makers. Politicians. Governments. Heads of state.
Every Paper 1 response is written from the perspective of an economist, someone with mastery of economic theory, offering analysis and judgment about economic policy to a specific audience.
That audience might be a president.A prime minister.A government ministry.
So here is the key idea to remember.
IB Economics students are economists being asked for their professional opinion on economic policy for a particular government.
That is their role.That is their perspective.In every answer. On every assessment.
As teachers, we are assessing how well students can adopt and maintain that perspective.
What Is Paper 1?
The IB refers to Paper 1 as the essay paper. While that is technically correct, it can be misleading.
Paper 1 consists of three questions drawn from across the syllabus. Students choose one question and have 75 minutes to complete their response.
For Higher Level students, Paper 1 is worth 20 percent of the final grade.For Standard Level students, it is worth 30 percent.
Each question has two parts.
Part (a) focuses on analysis and is worth 10 marks.Part (b) focuses on evaluation and judgment of economic policy and is worth 15 marks.
Like all IB exams, Paper 1 begins with a five minute reading period. This time is invaluable. Students should use it to choose their question carefully and mentally plan their response.
The Five Essential Skills and Paper 1
The Five Essential Skills sit at the heart of success in IB Economics, and Paper 1 is no exception.
They are:
- The Language
- The Calculations
- The Diagrams
- The Analysis
- The Evaluation
Paper 1 is deliberately designed to reward students who are strong in these skills, particularly language, diagrams, analysis, and evaluation. The use of the calculations rarely necessary.
This is why I repeat the same message in every IB Economics workshop.
If you are working on one of these skills in your classroom on any given day, you are doing the right thing.
You are directly preparing students for Paper 1.
Clarity brings calm and purpose to your lessons.
The Mark Scheme is the Audience
The mark scheme is the audience for every Paper 1 response.
That may sound strange at first, but it matters a great deal.
If you perform for the wrong audience, even a strong performance can miss the mark. The same is true for IB assessments.
The mark scheme is what examiners use to assess student work. It defines what counts, how marks are awarded, and what examiners are trained to look for.
I have told students for years: Make the mark scheme happy, and the mark scheme will make you happy.
It works.
Students who understand the mark scheme write more focused, strategic, and effective answers.
Writing Structure
Paper 1 lives and dies on structure.
The best structures are built backwards, starting with what the examiner wants to see and working back toward how students should write.
This mirrors good teaching practice. Backward planning has long been a hallmark of effective instruction. The same logic applies to writing.
When students understand what earns marks, they can organize their thinking in a way that makes life easier for the examiner.
The goal is simple.
Hand the examiner a Paper 1 response that clearly and efficiently meets the demands of the mark scheme for both analysis in Part (a) and evaluation in Part (b).
It sounds simple.It takes practice.But it works.
Here is the structure I use for Paper 1, part a and Paper 1, part b.
The Real Life Example
Paper 1 is unique because students must bring a real life example with them into the exam, particularly for Part (b).
That can feel intimidating.
The key is to simplify the process.
Most Part (b) questions require a diagram. That is the cue.
Students should know at least one real life example for each major diagram in the course. Diagrams become the organizing tool not only for analysis, but also for real life application.
A strong starting point is the real life examples students already used in their Internal Assessments. From there, they can expand their toolkit gradually.
Final Thoughts...
Paper 1 is a powerful assessment.
It is often where students begin to bring everything together, theory, diagrams, analysis, evaluation, and real world thinking.
When students understand the context, the structure, and the expectations, Paper 1 becomes far less intimidating and far more manageable.
I hope this breakdown helps bring clarity and confidence to your work with students.
Be good out there.
See you next week.
Opportunities to Empower IB Teachers and Students...
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