Difficulty Verdict
The May/June 2025 paper represents a highly balanced and standard assessment. It combines traditional microeconomic concepts with real-world macroeconomic case studies. Students with strong foundational knowledge of diagrams and evaluation structures will find this paper highly accessible, while those struggling with multi-step logical chains may lose marks on the 8-mark discussion questions.
Where the Marks Are Concentrated
A significant portion of the marks in Paper 22 is allocated to Microeconomic Decision Makers (specifically workers, labor markets, and firms) and Government and the Macroeconomy (inflation, deflation, and fiscal policies). Unit 3 (Workers) alone is tested heavily, making up a major block of the potential points. Competence in drawing precise demand and supply shifts and understanding production possibility curves is essential for maximizing marks.
Examiner Pitfalls & Strategy
- The PPC Trap: In Question 3(a), candidates often mislabel the axes of a Production Possibility Curve (PPC) by using 'Price' and 'Quantity' instead of representing two different types of goods (such as consumer and capital goods).
- Unbalanced Discussions: In 8-mark 'Discuss' questions, many students fail to access Level 3 marks because they write one-sided arguments. To score highly, you must explicitly present both sides (e.g., benefits and drawbacks of a monopoly or an increase in imports).
- Deflation Distinction: Examiners look for a clear distinction between malign (demand-deficient) and benign (supply-side/technological) deflation when evaluating its economic impact.
Preparation Strategy & Prediction
For future series, we predict a stronger focus on areas that were less prominent in this sitting, such as Exchange Rate Systems (fixed vs. floating) and detailed Supply-Side Policies. To secure top grades, practice translating theoretical impacts (like tax changes) into step-by-step impacts on employment and aggregate demand.