Pick your article
The most important decision you will make. Get this right and the rest flows.
A good article makes the commentary almost write itself. A bad one makes every sentence a struggle. Spend real time here. It is worth it.
What you are looking for
The must-haves
- Recent: published within 12 months of when you write the commentary. Six months is even better.
- Unique source: different news outlet for each of your three commentaries.
- Real news media: newspapers, journals, reputable news sites. Not blogs, opinion pieces, social media, or government reports.
- Right unit: clearly micro, macro, or global economy.
Strategically smart
- Neutral reportage (BBC, CNN, Al Jazeera, The Guardian) is generally better than expert analysis. The Economist and the FT are fine as sources as long as they have not done the economic analysis for you. If they have, there is nothing left to show the examiner.
What the article needs to contain
- A specific economic problem, policy change, or market failure.
- Real numbers: prices, percentages, quantities. These end up on your diagram axes.
Three things to check before you commit
You can only analyse what the article actually says. This matters more than it sounds. If the article does not explain why something is happening, you cannot invent a cause. If it does not mention a consequence or a trade-off, you cannot add one. So choose an article that contains enough: specific figures, causes, policy context, stakeholder reactions. A thin article will leave you with nothing to work with.
Check there is enough in it for two diagrams. Your commentary requires two diagrams, which means two distinct economic moments in the article. The clearest structure is an initial event and a response: a shock and a policy reaction, a market failure and an intervention. If the article only describes one thing with no follow-through, there is not enough there.
A simple issue is better. Complex or novel issues can throw a spanner in the works. If you find that you are having to be imaginative about how to apply the models you have learned to the issue in the article, it is best to avoid it. If it takes more than a few seconds to work out what exactly the market is that you are analysing, ditch it.
Go to your unit
For specific guidance on what to look for in your unit, go to the relevant page.
Markets, externalities, price controls, indirect taxes and subsidies
Inflation, unemployment, monetary policy, fiscal policy, AD/AS
Trade, tariffs, exchange rates, development
The checklist
Run every article you are seriously considering through this list. The unit-specific content checks are on each unit page above.