IB Economics SL Extended Essay Example

The question is understandable, but it is still too broad because it combines several policies with the very wide outcome of “economic stability.” The student should narrow the causal focus and define how stability will be measured, so the investigation can sustain a more precise line of argument.

The title communicates a clear economic focus, a country, and a time frame. This is a strong basis for a focused investigation because it immediately signals the intended scope and allows the reader to see the policy problem being studied.

Consider rewriting the research question so the key variables are more manageable. For example, the student could limit it to two or three policies and specify a clearer indicator of stability, such as real wages, investment, or consumer confidence.

The concern about bias is appropriate, but it is not followed by a systematic source-evaluation process. The student should explain how reliability was checked in practice, such as by triangulating claims across official statistics, policy documents, and academic sources.

The student shows awareness that different source types are needed for an economics investigation. Using official data alongside reporting can be effective because it combines quantitative evidence with policy context.

The methodology signals context-building, but it does not yet explain how the student will use the evidence to test the research question. The student should state a clearer method for comparing policies, selecting evidence, and judging causation rather than only describing the intended sections.

The introduction gives relevant economic context and correctly frames inflation as a sustained macroeconomic problem rather than a short-term fluctuation. This helps ground the investigation in topic knowledge and makes the later policy discussion more meaningful.

The use of “hyperinflation” is inaccurate here because the essay is discussing annual inflation rates, not monthly rates. The student should reserve that term for the correct context or define it much more carefully to avoid undermining credibility.

The student applies supply-and-demand analysis correctly to a policy intervention, linking the ceiling to shortages, reduced producer surplus, and deadweight loss. This is a strong example of using economic theory to explain a real policy outcome.

The explanation becomes less precise when it claims the cuts “helped to stabilize and reduce food's high inflation rate” without clearly separating short-run contraction from longer-run disinflation. The student should distinguish between price-level effects, output effects, and sector-specific inflation more carefully.

Consider linking this claim to a more specific chain of causation, such as pass-through from depreciation to imported-input costs and then to consumer prices. A tighter explanation would make the economics more coherent and easier to verify.

This section overstates the relationship between inflation and borrowing. The student should avoid suggesting that falling inflation automatically makes borrowers incapable of repaying debt; instead, they should explain how inflation, interest rates, expectations, and maturity structure interact.

The student uses policy evidence to build a plausible economic narrative about the Fernández period. This is good research practice because it connects named policy choices to observed fiscal and debt pressures.

This claim needs clearer support and explanation. The student should show the causal link more explicitly: shortages can encourage informal markets, but the extent of that effect depends on enforcement, relative prices, and access to substitutes.

The causal claim here is too confident. The 2023 debt-to-GDP peak is attributed to Milei’s policies, but the evidence shown does not isolate whether the increase came from policy effects, exchange-rate changes, or inherited debt dynamics. The student should be more cautious and test alternative explanations.

The student attempts to connect theory to the Argentine case rather than simply naming a model. That is valuable because it shows awareness that economic concepts should explain the evidence, not just decorate the essay.

This is an interesting idea, but it remains too general to function as analysis. The student should identify which variable changes matter most, and why the “threshold effect” from the IMF source is relevant to the specific Argentine period being studied.

If chronic inflation is the main background driver, how much of the 2020–2024 inflation can really be attributed to the policies of the governments studied? A more precise weighting of inherited conditions versus new policy choices would strengthen the argument substantially.

This conclusion is too absolute. The student should qualify the long-run prediction and explain the assumptions needed for AD-AS adjustment to hold, especially given Argentina’s unstable expectations, external constraints, and policy uncertainty.

The appendix is listed in the contents, but the main body still needs to remain clearly separated from supplementary material. The student should ensure that appendix content is not relied on for essential analysis, so the report structure remains academically clean.

The contents label is understandable, but it should be standardised as “Table of Contents” to match formal academic convention. Small presentation refinements like this improve polish and make the report look more deliberate.

The essay follows a recognisable extended-essay structure with clear sectioning, which helps the reader navigate the investigation. This is effective presentation because the argument is broken into manageable stages rather than presented as one long block of text.

The main analytical section is labelled clearly, which makes the essay’s organization easy to follow. This supports readability and helps the reader identify where the student shifts from context into analysis.

Consider revising the conclusion so it synthesises rather than repeats the main sections. A stronger final paragraph would weigh the relative importance of the different policies and state a more qualified overall judgement.

The bibliography is present, but the entries are not consistently formatted. The student should standardise punctuation, author order, and citation style so the reference list appears coherent and professionally finished.