Welcome to Bis Ed Made Simple. In this video, I'm running through IGCSE paper one. Now, it's a funny old paper because even if you are excellent at business studies and you have parents who run businesses, they're looking for very specific things in the mark scheme. And if you don't know the structure of the paper, you don't know what they're looking for when they're marking it, then you're going to get a bad result. This video is going to take you through exactly what they're looking for, giving model answers and showing you the different styles that come with each of the different questions. I've put sections you can skip through to the relevant things. I'm also going to be linking it to the apps on ECM tutors which are absolutely free. It's everything you need to ace this exams. Any questions, put them in the comments and don't forget to like and subscribe. Hope it helps. Thanks. So, let's have a look at the structure of the paper. We can see it's an hour and a half, 90 minutes, and there are 80 marks on the paper. They're broken down into the format of four questions. And each of the questions has an A worth two marks, a B worth two marks, a C worth four marks, a D worth six marks, and an E worth six marks. They're looking for very specific things with each of those style of questions. We're going to run through each of those styles. Now, before we do that, we've got to look at the little bit of resource that comes at the top of each of these questions. Now, lots of people make the mistake of thinking, I haven't got time to read it. I don't want to look at it. That's a massive mistake. If you're not familiar with that resource, you're going to be missing so many application marks, and it's make going to make everything more difficult as you go through it. So, there are 80 marks on the paper, 90 minutes. I would say at least 10 minutes should be spent reading each of these four little resources and thinking actively reading thinking about them leaving you just about a minute a mark for the rest of the questions. There's a video where I take you through how to read these. Have a little watch before we get into this. So the two mark questions, the A and B questions on this paper currently for 2025 and 2026 come in three different styles. We're going to look at those styles here. The first one we can see here that I've got on my screen. This is one of the typical ones, the A question. Identify two reasons why a business might offer training to its employees. Now, the key here to look at is it's a business. In the two marks, they're not really looking for application. So, they're not relating it to the resource at the top. They're looking for you to show that you have learned what your teachers taught you, what is in the book or what I've tested you on in the ECM tutors knowledge tester. This is fantastic. They don't want clever people who haven't worked hard, who haven't studied to get top scores. So, this is really about proving low-level knowledge that you've revised. So, we can get through this quickly. I recommend on this paper that all the time you say let the marker know and get you thinking about what are they looking for. Well, this A is clearly looking for knowledge. There's no application. So, we want to get to the point. Show off what we've learned from your revision. So here it says identify two reasons why a business might offer training to its employees. Then either no or I don't here and we hopefully have revised it perfectly. There is a reason a reason one reduce mistakes made by employees which increases efficiency. Now in my answer here probably just reduces mistakes made by employees will get the mark. I don't really need which increases efficiency. That's kind of analysis they're not looking for. But similarly, this is the one chance after two years of studying to get your grade. And it doesn't look good if you just write four words. So, it didn't take me much longer. So, let's put it there. Although probably it's the first part that's getting the mark. I then do it again. Reason two, to follow health and safety laws and decrease the chance of accidents. Again, this comes from your revision. You either know it or you don't. Now, we come to the other style with the B question here. Now, they could be the other way round, but this other style here in this question, calculate the following values. Now, technically, this is app app they're going to call it, but we don't really need to worry about it being app. It's just a calculation. And for this question, again, you either know how to read a break even chart or you don't. Let's not waste any time on this. Let's get the answers down. If you don't know how to do it, have a guess and move on. The third style used to be a lot more common. Um, still there, but not as many of them. I've jumped to a different question here to show you the style, but the define questions. In my app, ECM tutors, I've got an app that a GPT that will test you on all the definitions. Again, they're not looking for you to be clever with understanding. They're looking for you, have you sat down and done the hard work. They don't want clever people to get the top scores who haven't worked hard. So, that is purely about remembering the definitions. Now, interesting little thing I learned on one of the Cambridge courses. If it's come from the Cambridge book, two of the official books, then even if it's wrong, they will accept it word for word. Extra little tip, some of the definitions are quite short. And although they should be accepted, again, we've got time. It's a minute a mark. We've got 2 minutes to do this. So, if it's only three words, pat output, for example, although technically you don't really need it. Now, let's get on to the C questions where things are getting a little bit trickier, but not too much. Now, they come in two different styles. The C questions. The first one we're going to have a look at is this one. Outline two possible effects of F FBW's break even chart if the prices of its products are increased. Now, this C is classically a knowledge and an application. It says FBW. that's letting you know and the fact that it's a C and there's four marks. They are looking for knowledge and application. So we can actually although mine looks very sparse on the page and in the exam again you might want to write a bit more there's no doubt that should be getting the two marks. So the first thing is knowledge again comes from our revision. So two possible effects well I know that it will reduce break even output if you increase the price. That's knowledge. Now, all I'm actually left to do, although it says outline, all I'm left to do, the thing they're looking for now is application. So, I want something that is applied to that case study that I've read up here. So, I really should have thought about that. And the little tip again, they love numbers. So, if you've got numbers that you can read off, that is guaranteed application. So, I know that that's getting the two marks. Reduce break even output, that's knowledge, below 500 watches. Well, that is specific to that case study 500 watch. That's getting my second application mark. I then repeat that and again go to the GPT. I've got one that will take you through what they're looking for with application on ECM tutors website. But lots of children put the same application twice or just use the name. Using the name of the company won't work. They don't accept that anymore. Using the same application in both points for the first effect and the second part won't count. So we want a very different one here. So we've got increase the highest potential revenue knowledge point there above $95,000. So in the first one I used the watches. In the second one I used $95,000. There's no doubt I'm using two separate pieces of information from the resource at the top. Now if we look at the second style. Now this is a bit more of a new thing. In the old if you're looking through past papers pre2020 they didn't do this as much but now they've got style two going back to knowledge again no application here when they're looking for sometimes you're going to see usually one per paper maybe two but state four stages of the business cycle well we know straight away if you got to give four knowledge points then there's nothing left for anything else they're not looking for application or anything like that so you can write in the margin knowledge knowledge and again you either know it they are testing that you've done a revision vision. So, four stages of the business cycle, minute a mark, but that's really quick, four marks because I've revised it. I've used the knowledge testers. So, recession, economic growth, boom, slump, depression, and there's no need to write anything out. That is showing, you know, you've revised those things. And that's four marks in the back. D questions then, well, currently they only really come in one style. You've only seen one style. Might change in their exam. They can do whatever they like, but at the moment it's all in one style. and they've upped the skill level here finally a little bit but not too difficult if we know what they're looking for. So D questions again I recommend writing in the margin. They're always going to be looking for knowledge, application and then analysis. And I think it's a good idea to roughly write it in that order. And then down in the second benefit always going to be arranged into two knowledge application and analysis. Write in the mark mark scheme in the mark scheme in the margin and then you know what you're aiming for. So here it says explain explain two benefits to FBW of having full-time employees. Now, the benefit again comes from your revision. If you haven't revised, if you don't know your book, you've got nothing to say. But I know I've revised. A benefit of having full-time employees is they are more likely to be committed. That is a knowledge point. They are fully committed. Revised, got from the textbook, got from revision. Put that in. But I also know they're looking for an application. And I've snuck it in up there. You can actually put it wherever you like within this bit. So, why not get it out the way already? the five employees giving me application here. The five employees are more likely to be fully committed. So I'd get my application and my knowledge from there. Now the only mark left to get there for the first part of this answer is the analysis and that's where we use this chain of analysis which you can see in other videos. Have a look at this link. But we're looking for this means important in paper two as well. this means that what's the consequence of it? So here I suggest using this magic magic phrase this means this means there will be lower labor turnover which decrease cost. Now I've kind of really got two in the chain of analysis. It means there'll be lower labor turnover would probably get me my analysis. But I can't resist because again it's not too difficult and I've got a big old space there. So so what if lower labor turnover? Well this decreases costs. So I've just covered myself. There is no doubt therefore that I've got a an application mark here. Bit of a funny order I did it in there. Application knowledge and then there's an analysis the consequence of then I come to the second one. I've just got to do the same pattern again. So another thing I've revised it's easier to communicate and organize meetings. So if they're all in the business it's easier to communicate. Knowledge point there. Haven't put any application in yet. So I need to get it in down here. This means that workers so if they can communicate better this means workers can ask each other if they have problems making watches. Now watches here is my application mark. So so watches I'd get that application because that's from the case study that we didn't see at the top. I was thinking about watches and therefore solving any problem and I can't resist it again giving a so what cuz it felt a bit unfinished increasing the quality of the watches. I've said watches twice there but there is no doubt I've got a knowledge mark I've got an application mark by saying watches and then I've said the consequence of this. So I've got three for this three for this is definitely six marks on the D questions and they all follow that format. Finally then we come to the E questions. Now there's no doubt that this is the hardest question on the paper. There are four of them. But the exam board is very keen to stress that virtually no one gets full marks on these questions. I think that's a bit bad of the paper really, but they stress no one gets full marks on it, but you don't need to get full marks because the boundaries are actually quite low on the business studies paper. If you can do the basics, if you can get your knowledge, your application, then that will get you your A stars and your nines, even without actually getting a single evaluation mark on the whole paper. But really annoying as a teacher to tell that to my children. They don't want to know that. So, I'm going to show you a method of how to get these full six marks. So, they come in three different styles. They're subtly different, not too different. So if we have a look at this one first, do you think it's better for a private limited company to use debt, eg a loan or equity issuing more shares as a source of long-term finance? Justify your answer. Now the thing to notice now in the after 2020 and in the 2025 and in the 2026 exams, they are no longer applied to the case study. You can apply it to the case study. Nothing wrong with that. And I suggest it probably helps because it gets you thinking about a real business. But if you see it says a private limited company. So they are generic. There are no unlike previously if you look at the past paper questions there are no applications. They're not expecting to relate this back to that watchmaking company that we saw before. So how do we structure it? Well again writing in the margin is a good idea. Certainly certainly you want to look for three paragraphs. All of my students are told they have to write in three paragraphs. This will help them get the six marks. Paragraph one, they're going to put in knowledge and analysis, actually using the same style as with the D question previously. Then paragraph two, knowledge and analysis, and then two marks at the end, the hard ones for evaluation. We should structure it because they've always got to ask a question that has two sides, and we need to argue both sides to have balance and then draw a conclusion. So, I get them to think about the structure. Yes, agree with a statement. No, and then cancel one of those arguments out and strengthen the other side giving a conclusion. This E question, same sort of thing explain two methods of primary market research that could be used to demand a new product or service. Which is the best? Well, the same sort of format of balance here, but it's not really yes or no. It's one side you can talk about one method of primary market research then another in this second paragraph here where I've said no I meant a second method of primary market research and then a conclusion which says why one is better than the other and that would give a um balanced conclusion but let's get down into a concrete with a third example let's demonstrate what we're looking for now even their exemplars that they give fill up the space they are expecting expecting a lot for these six marks to get the evaluation. But as I said, don't worry about if you're getting your application marks, your knowledge marks and some of your analysis marks, you're going to get still get the A stars and the nines. So, let's have a look at this one here. Third style, but not totally different. Do you think job production is the best method of production for a small business to use? Justify your answer. So, in this one, do you think so? There's two answers to that. Do you think yes? Yes, I think that or no, no, I don't think that. And then we have to conclude two sides of the argument. So, you can see I've structured mine into three paragraphs. Yes. No, on the other hand, and then overall, I'm going to cancel one of those side arguments out and strengthen the others. So, here knowledge and analysis from my first paragraph. Yes, job is best as it meets the exact customer requirements. That's knowledge. I've learned that from using the knowledge GPTs from reading the textbook and therefore I just need which leads to which means the analysis which you can get from the analysis uh GPT or the second video which leads to increased customer satisfaction. So that's the consequence. No doubt then I've got two marks. I've given some knowledge and I've said what this means. Then the second one no flow is better as is as it is faster. That is knowledge. I've learned my teachers taught me flow is faster. knowledge mark undoubtedly which leads that magic analysis word the consequence of which leads to greater efficiency greater efficiency and decreased production costs I've really put two analysis so what there but there is no doubt now I've got four marks and I haven't really done anything too complicated for that that is knowledge analysis now the only final thing is can I get these final two marks and they are tricky but four out of six you're going to be studying in this exam so finally what I want to do in this conclusion is I need to come to an answer. So I'm going to say overall job is better. So I'm going to go for this side. Job is better. Now if I'm going to convince someone cuz that's what we're doing. We're justifying. We're evaluating. Then I've just given both sides of the argument. So I need to cancel the other side. Although I said great phrase to use why I've put it in capitals. Although I said production costs are lower here. The startup cost of buying machinery is probably unaffordable for a small business. Now, here's the little hint here, the little tip. Most of the time, they've got some 99% of the time, they've got some little description. It's not from the case study, but it's not totally generic. It says the job production is the best method of production for a small business. So single out, highlight the word small because we want to come back to that to cancel these and strengthen these in the final thing. So I don't want to forget that small. They really like to see that little reference of small or it could be a computer company or it could be a restaurant rather than just a business. They want you to come back to that in the conclusion. So here I've really dealt on that. I said okay it is true although production costs are lower the startup costs are very very high and as this is a small business that's going to be a big problem for this business so I've really haven't said anything new I've just really strengthened relating to this case study here this little example why this is a big problem whereas now I need to go back to the yes and I want to strengthen it that would by the way that would have got me my first evaluation mark The maskings do it in a different way, but I'm not convinced on their method. I think this is a more foolproof way to guarantee you've got two evaluation mark two distinct points. So whereas I'm now going to strengthen this relating it back to small. Whereas customer satisfaction, we set up here C satisfaction, but really say why that's so important to a small business. Whereas customer satisfaction is vital for a small business as they often rely on word of mouth advertising. So I've dragged it back to that small business and I've really strengthened haven't added anything new. They don't want anything new. They want this built upon to say why it's so important. That should be a six mark answer. But as I said before stressing about the evaluation too much mark the exam board is very keen to say if you can get these four marks that's far more enough and they're pretty straightforward. The knowledge the analysis. There we go. That's a run through of the paper. I hope it helps. Please like and subscribe. Any questions, put them in the comment. If I've missed anything, just let me know. Hope it helps.