CAPE Economics Unit 1 exam-day guide
CAPE Economics Unit 1 · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Photo identification
Bring the ID the exam centre requires - typically a valid passport or national ID card. Exact accepted forms vary by centre, so confirm with the provider or your school's examinations office before exam day.
Examination entry slip / candidate number
Many Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) centres issue a slip or statement of entries showing your candidate number and centre number. You will write these on your answer booklet, so have them memorised or written down. Confirm with your school which document your centre accepts.
Two or more blue or black ballpoint pens
Write in blue or black ink unless told otherwise. Bring spares; a pen that runs dry mid-essay is a needless loss of time. Pencil is normally only for diagrams or multiple-choice answer sheets where instructed.
Pencil, eraser and a small ruler
Useful for diagrams (e.g. production possibility curves, demand and supply shifts) and for underlining. Graph work should be neat and labelled; a ruler keeps axes and lines clean.
Non-programmable calculator
Unit 1 involves calculations such as opportunity cost, elasticity, and national income or multiplier-type arithmetic. Check your centre's rules on permitted calculator models - programmable or graphing calculators are commonly restricted. Confirm the permitted list with the provider.
Clear pencil case or transparent pouch
Many centres require stationery to be visible in a clear container. Avoid pencil cases with notes or formula sheets inside; anything that looks like unauthorised material can be confiscated.
Wristwatch (non-smart)
Exam halls do not always have a visible clock, and invigilators may give only periodic time reminders. A plain analogue or digital watch without communication features is safest. Smart watches are normally banned.
Know the paper structure and timing
Unit 1 (Microeconomics) is assessed by a multiple-choice paper and a written paper containing short-answer and extended-response (essay) questions. Confirm the exact number of papers, their durations, and the weighting with your teacher or the official syllabus, and rehearse timing against that structure.
Know your centre location and arrival time
Do a practice run to the centre if it is unfamiliar. Arrive well before the reporting time; late arrival rules vary and are at the centre's discretion. Confirm the reporting time with your school.
Water and a light snack for after the paper
Hydration and a snack help between papers if you have more than one session in a day. Keep them outside the exam room unless the invigilator permits otherwise.
No notes, phones or smart devices in the hall
Leave phones switched off and stored as instructed - not in your pocket. Possession of unauthorised material, even unused, can lead to a misconduct ruling. Confirm your centre's storage arrangements.
A one-page revision summary you leave at home
Do not carry loose notes into the hall. Use a single summary sheet for the final review before you enter, then put it away. The summary should list definitions, diagram labels and formula reminders only.
Plan the day
Switch from learning new content to consolidating. Re-read your own summary of core Unit 1 topics: scarcity and choice, opportunity cost, production possibility curves, demand and supply, elasticity, market equilibrium, consumer and producer surplus, market failure and government intervention. For each topic, be able to define the key terms, draw the standard diagram with correct labels, and give one real Caribbean or regional example. Do one timed past-paper or practice paper under exam conditions and mark it honestly; list the three weakest areas.
Attack the three weakest areas only. Practise the skill that carries the most marks: writing structured essay answers. For a 20-25 mark essay, plan in about two minutes, define terms, use a diagram with full labelling, explain the mechanism step by step, give an example, and evaluate (short run versus long run, assumptions, magnitude, alternatives). Rehearse elasticity calculations and opportunity-cost arithmetic by hand without a calculator first, then check.
Do a light review of definitions, diagram labels and formula reminders. Do not start a new topic. Prepare your stationery, ID and entry documents and place them by the door. Confirm the reporting time and travel plan. Eat properly, avoid late-night cramming, and set two alarms. If you feel a topic is shaky, write three sentences on it rather than rereading a whole chapter.
Eat breakfast. Glance at your one-page summary, then stop. Arrive early, find your seat, and check that your name and candidate number on the answer booklet are correct. Listen carefully to the invigilator's instructions on paper structure, timing and any corrections to the printed paper.
Read the instructions and the whole paper. Note the marks per question and the number of questions you must answer. Allocate time in proportion to marks, and reserve roughly the last ten minutes for checking. Decide your question order before you start writing.
Answer the question actually asked. For short-answer items, give a definition plus explanation plus example where marks allow. For essays, use paragraphs with clear topic sentences, integrate diagrams into the argument (draw, label, then explain), and always include an evaluative judgement. If you run out of time on a question, leave space and move on rather than losing marks elsewhere. Cross out rough work clearly.
Check that all required questions are attempted, that your candidate and centre numbers are written, that diagrams are labelled and titled, and that units are stated in calculations. Correct any obviously ambiguous wording in your answers.
Do not post detailed paper content on social media during the exam period; centres and awarding bodies treat discussion of live paper content seriously. Between papers, focus on the next paper rather than re-analysing the one you just wrote.
Rules to check
Bring the identification your centre requires and present it on request. Accepted forms differ between centres, so confirm with the provider or your school's examinations office rather than assuming a particular document is sufficient.
Arrive at the reporting time your centre sets. Late candidates may be admitted or refused at the centre's discretion; there is no universal rule you can rely on, so confirm the policy with the provider.
Do not bring phones, smart watches, or any communication or storage device into the exam room. Switch devices off and store them exactly as instructed; possession of unauthorised material can be treated as misconduct even if it is not used.
Write in the ink colour and on the paper specified by the invigilator, and write your candidate number and centre number where required. Work written on unauthorised paper or in the wrong place may not be marked.
Raise your hand and wait for an invigilator if you need to leave the room, need materials, or feel unwell. Candidates normally cannot leave during the final part of the session, and supervised absence rules vary - confirm with the provider.
Do not communicate with other candidates once the paper has been distributed until you have left the room. Any communication, however minor, may be reported as misconduct.
Marks are awarded for what is written, not for what you intended. Show working in calculations, label diagrams fully, and make evaluative points explicit; method or own-figure marks can only be credited if your reasoning is visible.
Follow the syllabus and the printed instructions on which questions are compulsory and how many you must answer. Attempting extra questions does not earn extra marks and wastes time; confirm the paper's structure against the official syllabus before exam day.