Economics-- What's it like? (2 Viewers)

[Failure_123]

Talent? define talent... it comes down to whether your interested in it or how much effort you put into it.

 

[johony]

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plenty of it, everything in eco is pretty straightforward in my opinion, it's whether you have the ability to remember it all.

 

[ShadowStep]

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plenty of it, everything in eco is pretty straightforward in my opinion, it's whether you have the ability to remember it all.

It's a matter of understanding. Content, content, content is all well and good but if you don't understand it then what point is there in remembering it all.

You will know if it is for you within the first few lessons depending on the quality of teaching you are receiving. I honestly can't find a more interesting subject. The complexities f the subject are intriguing and the way everything effects everything else in some way or another is fascinating. If you want to know how you're money works in any situation then this is a great subject. If you want to know why Governments do what they do then this is a great subject. If you want to know what happens to all the money in your country and even in the world then this is a great subject. If you want a bludge then do General Maths or Biology.

 

[ninetypercent]

It's interesting to know how the economy operates. I learn so much in Economics, and the relevance it has with everyday life, makes me LOVE this subject

 

[jchoi]

It's alright;;; It requires no mathematical skills at all, except basic ones which you'd have learnt in year 8 or 9 (like %);

besides that it's extremely fun in yr 11 but freakin boring in year 12 as the course turns into more reading and reghurgitating than learning and applying.

 

[ninetypercent]

I borrowed a year 12 Economics textbook from the library and realised that most of the stuff from Year 12 has been learnt from Year 11. Does that mean that Year 11 stuff will be assessed in the HSC?

 

[gnrlies]

Hey everyone,
I'm new to this forum, but it seems like a great place-- especially before my HSC subject selection (I am currently in year 10)

Next year, I am considering taking Stage 6 economics. Unfortunately, I'm not sure if I am right for it.

Primarily, my mind seems to be suited for Humanity subjects. I place towards the top of my year level in subjects like English, History, Geography, Commerce and PDHPE but whilst I do OK at the maths, I'm probably ranking close to 25th/90 students. In Science... Let's just say I'll be glad for it to be gone next year.

I have a genuine interest in the subject, I am able to interpret data quite well and i'm doing well in terms of my essays... But I'm not sure if I'll have the ability to succeed.

I suppose what I am asking is:
i) Are the strengths/skills i've listed adequete for Stage 6 Economics?
ii) Will I have the ability to succeed?
iii) How much maths is needed in economics? (Is it mathematically/scientifically based, or humanity based?)
iv) Do you enjoy the subject?

Thanks,
Sorry if I've posted this in the wrong section... Trust me to do something like that on my first post .

I will acknowledge first up that I am writing to encourage you to do economics. So I will not make any attempt to claim to be unbiased etc etc, but I will give you the facts as they are.

Economics is many things to many people. A brief encounter with the literature (or even your textbook) will give you that impression. But the thing that ties all fields and people together is a desire to understand how people make decisions and how that impacts upon us in our daily lives. A nice way to think of an economist is as a medical doctor for the economy. Economics is a wonderful science that encourages your analytical skills, and will put you ahead of your peers in that it is a form of training in thinking that superseeds that which is offered by competing fields. Now I would love yo go on and on telling you about economics so that you will love it so much that you will sign up to study it at university, but I appreciate that your decision is a little more immediate than that.

Economics is a science. It is not like the other humanities that you will have studied in that economics involes the application of the scientific method. Now in high school you will not be involved with this directly, but indirectly you will be dealing with theories that have been empirically tested, and form part of an evolving literature which is highly contested. This provides you with a subject that is multidimensional and is closer to physics than it is commerce, legal studies, or georgaphy. There is very basic mathematics in economics, but nothing more than simple algebra. This should not be a deterrent from doing it if you are not confident with maths, but I would encourage you not to think that the use of maths is a bad thing.

Economics speaks in three languages. The verbal, the mathematical, and the diagramatical are all used in economics and each allow you to do unique things that support each of the others. I know from my own experience, the culture of 'I hate maths' is incredibly inhibiting as you get older, and the best way to overcome it is to face it head on. See it as a challenge rather than a punishing experience. But once again, mathematics is not used in HSC economics which in my opinion is a great shame.

If you have a brain, and can think logically, you will do well in economics and probably fall in love with it.

So the answer to your question is to do economics

 

[ninetypercent]

Economics speaks in three languages. The verbal, the mathematical, and the diagramatical are all used in economics and each allow you to do unique things that support each of the others. I know from my own experience, the culture of 'I hate maths' is incredibly inhibiting as you get older, and the best way to overcome it is to face it head on. See it as a challenge rather than a punishing experience. But once again, mathematics is not used in HSC economics which in my opinion is a great shame.

If you have a brain, and can think logically, you will do well in economics and probably fall in love with it.

So the answer to your question is to do economics

Agreed.

Verbal: you need to write essays and stuff
mathematical: there is a lot of logic and reasoning involved in Economics, and also the formulas
diagrammatic: just interpreting a diagram.

Yes, it is a shame that Mathematics is not used in HSC Economics, but I must say that the skills needed for Maths are utilised in Economics. (that is, logic and reasoning. Questions that require you to think rather than regurgitate!)

 

[macw]

I borrowed a year 12 Economics textbook from the library and realised that most of the stuff from Year 12 has been learnt from Year 11. Does that mean that Year 11 stuff will be assessed in the HSC?

Everything in year 11 will be assessed in the HSC to some extent. I'm doing Prelim economics now, and am about to start the HSC work. My teacher said it basically introduces the main terms and concepts associated with economics. It provides the basis for what you will do in year 12 so, in order to understand the year 12 work, you need to understand everything learnt in year 11 - even if it you are not being assessed upon it directly in the HSC.

 

[Schoey93]

It's a matter of understanding. Content, content, content is all well and good but if you don't understand it then what point is there in remembering it all.

You will know if it is for you within the first few lessons depending on the quality of teaching you are receiving. I honestly can't find a more interesting subject. The complexities f the subject are intriguing and the way everything effects everything else in some way or another is fascinating. If you want to know how you're money works in any situation then this is a great subject. If you want to know why Governments do what they do then this is a great subject. If you want to know what happens to all the money in your country and even in the world then this is a great subject. If you want a bludge then do General Maths or Biology.

Biology is not a bludge. The people I know who have done it have found it quite difficult. There is A LOT of content. It's also quite an interesting subject, in my opinion - what could be more interesting than the world around us?