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ScotlandEconomics

Researching an Economic Issue

2 dot points across 2 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

Once you have gathered economic evidence, how do you organise, analyse and reference it, judge its reliability, and evaluate your own research?

Analysing and evaluating research: organising and presenting data, handling economic data (percentage change and index numbers), assessing the reliability and validity of sources, referencing, drawing supported conclusions, and evaluating the research process.
An SQA Advanced Higher Economics answer on analysing research: organising and presenting economic data, handling data with percentage change and index numbers, judging the reliability and validity of sources, referencing findings, drawing supported conclusions, and critically evaluating the research process.
15 min answer →

How do you choose a researchable economic issue, set a clear aim, and plan the methods and sources to investigate it?

Choosing and planning research: selecting a current economic issue and setting a focused aim or hypothesis, distinguishing primary and secondary research and qualitative and quantitative data, sampling, and planning a programme of research with timescales.
An SQA Advanced Higher Economics answer on planning research: how to choose a current economic issue and set a focused aim or hypothesis, the difference between primary and secondary research and qualitative and quantitative data, sampling methods, and how to plan a programme of research with realistic timescales.
14 min answer →