European Baccalaureate Economics cheat sheet

The written Baccalaureate comprises five written examinations: Language 1, Language 2, Mathematics, and two further written subjects chosen by the student from the options available in the school's subject offer.

Language 1 and Language 2 written papers are assessed on a common scale of 0-100 marks per paper; Mathematics is likewise marked out of 100, and the two further written subjects are marked out of 100 each.

Mathematics written paper duration is 4 hours for the 5-period option and 3 hours for the 3-period option; the paper contains both a compulsory section and a choice among problems.

A calculator is permitted in the Mathematics written examination under the conditions set by the examination board; graphical calculators must be cleared of stored text before the paper begins.

Language 1 and Language 2 written papers test comprehension, production and, where applicable, literary or cultural analysis; dictionaries are not permitted except where the subject guide explicitly allows a monolingual dictionary.

Each written paper is marked by external examiners against a subject-specific marking scheme; the total written component contributes 50% of the final overall Baccalaureate percentage.

For the two further written subjects, the candidate must sit subjects taught in the s7 timetable; a subject taken orally cannot also be counted among the two further written subjects.

Written marks are converted to the 0-100 final scale using the weighting of the subject's period allocation (e.g. 4-period subjects carry more weight than 2-period subjects) as set out in the Baccalaureate regulations.

The oral component comprises three examinations: one compulsory oral in a language (L1 or L2) or in History/Geography taught through L2, plus two further oral subjects chosen by the candidate.

Oral examinations are conducted by a panel of at least two examiners; the candidate receives a preparation period of typically 20 minutes before the examination itself.

The oral examination itself normally lasts 20 minutes: a candidate presentation of about 10 minutes followed by examiner questioning of about 10 minutes.

Oral marks are awarded out of 100 and weighted according to the period allocation of the subject; the oral component contributes 25% of the final overall Baccalaureate percentage.

For language orals, the candidate is assessed on fluency, accuracy, range of vocabulary, and ability to sustain and defend an argument in the target language.

For History and Geography orals taught through L2, the candidate must present and defend a topic in the target language; content knowledge and language competence are both assessed.

A candidate may not present the same subject in both the written and oral components when the regulations prohibit duplication; the two further oral subjects must be distinct from the two further written subjects.

Oral examination materials and topic lists are published in advance by the subject teacher; the candidate's preparation is assessed on the ability to structure a response under time pressure.

The preliminary mark (note préliminaire) is derived from A marks (continuous assessment during s7) and the Pre-Baccalaureate examinations taken in s7, and contributes 25% of the final overall Baccalaureate percentage.

A marks are awarded by subject teachers throughout s7 on the basis of classwork, homework, tests and participation; they are recorded on a common scale and moderated within the school.

The Pre-Baccalaureate examinations are sat in s7 and mirror the format of the final written papers; their marks are combined with A marks to produce the preliminary mark for each subject.

The relative weighting of A marks and Pre-Baccalaureate examination marks within the preliminary mark is set by the school's internal regulations within the framework established by the Baccalaureate regulations.

Preliminary marks are awarded for every subject taken, including those assessed only orally; the mark is expressed out of 100 before weighting.

The preliminary mark is moderated by an external examiner or moderation panel to ensure comparability across schools and sections.

A candidate's final overall percentage is the weighted sum of the written component (50%), the oral component (25%) and the preliminary mark component (25%).

If a candidate is absent from a Pre-Baccalaureate examination for a justified reason, the school applies the procedure set out in its internal regulations, typically substituting an equivalent assessment.