@article {Ashworth:2000:0305-5698:475,
title = "Economists are Grading Students Away from the Subject",
journal = "Educational Studies",
parent_itemid = "infobike://routledg/ceds",
publishercode ="routledg",
year = "2000",
volume = "26",
number = "4",
publication date ="2000-12-01T00:00:00",
pages = "475-487",
itemtype = "ARTICLE",
issn = "0305-5698",
eissn = "1465-3400",
url = "https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/routledg/ceds/2000/00000026/00000004/art00006",
doi = "doi:10.1080/03055690020003656",
author = "Ashworth, John and Evans, Lynne",
abstract = "Using a unique data set, collected from over 1000 A-level students, we obtain evidence of student interest and achievement in their chosen A-level subjects. Ten major A-level subjects are considered with particular attention focused on economics, a subject that has experienced a marked decline in popularity (by over 50%) in the 1990s. A key finding is that students of economics under-perform in economics relative to both their other chosen A-levels and their GCSE performance. This finding is outstanding amongst the major A-levels. We conclude that students may be discouraged from the study of A-level economics by relatively severe grading at the mid-point of A-level study. Some positive action by the profession may be needed to stem fears of further decline in student take-up in the new AS-level environment where students may choose to discontinue some of their subjects at the end of one year of study.",
}