After years in the IB Business Management classroom, I've found that teaching students how to tackle 10 mark questions can be one of our biggest challenges (after the 17 mark question!). Building on the excellent foundation from IB Mastery, I've developed and refined an approach that has consistently helped my students get better with this long question. In this guide, I'll share my classroom-tested method for teaching these questions.
Understanding Our Students' Challenges
Before diving into the teaching strategy, it's important to recognize why students struggle with these questions. Many find it difficult to:
- Structure their answers effectively- this blog will help!
- Apply case study information properly- this is for another blog
- Manage their time during exams- students need to work on this on their own in most cases
- Make and justify clear decisions- this blog will help!
Teaching the Structure: A Step-by-Step Approach
Before I get into the structure of the question, I think it’s important to see a model answer of each section. Therefore, I will use this question to write example paragraphs.
Discuss whether QS should remove their e-scooter model in order for the company to remain profitable.
1. Teaching the Introduction
Start by showing students that a strong introduction needs three simple components. I find it helpful to write these on the board:
1. Business Context- one sentence about the business, the products, or the owner
2. Key Term Definition- generally comes from the question itself
3. Thesis Statement- what will be discussed in the essay
Introduction: QS is an e-scooter rental company operating in major European cities. Divesting means removing a product that is underperforming to utilize resources better and maximize profitability in the business. This essay will examine whether QS should remove their current e-scooter model from their product portfolio.
Teaching Tip: Have students practice writing introductions for different case studies in 2-3 minutes. This helps them realize introductions don't need to be lengthy. Also, it is important to note that technically the introduction isn’t necessary, so if students are running short on time, they can skip it.
2. Explaining Question Types
It is important for students to understand there are only two types of 10 mark questions. They need to recognize this to write the correct body paragraphs. I use these examples in class to help them understand the differences.
Type 1: Single Decision Questions
Example: "Discuss whether QS should remove their e-scooter model in order for the company to remain profitable."
Teach students they need:
- Two advantages
- Two disadvantages
All about ONE decision
Type 2: Two Option Questions
Example: "Discuss two possible approaches to conflict resolution that Brian could use at AS."
Teach students they need:
- One advantage and one disadvantage for Option 1
- One advantage and one disadvantage for Option 2
3. Teaching Body Paragraph Structure
Here's a successful way to teach the three-part paragraph structure. Again, it has three elements just like the introduction.
1. Theory Statement- One advantage/reason is...
2. Case Study Application- (Using specific details)
3. Impact Analysis- Explaining the effect on the business. This also needs to be applied to the case study. It could include an impact on the financial position, a stakeholder, market share, reputation, customer satisfaction, etc.
Body paragraph: One advantage of removing the current e-scooter model is the declining market trend in e-scooter usage. According to the data provided in Figure 1, e-scooter rentals have decreased by 15% in the past year, while alternative transport options have grown. This decline in popularity would negatively impact QS's revenue stream, potentially leading to unsustainable operations if they maintain their current model
Classroom Activity: Use a color-coding system where students highlight each component in different colors in sample answers. This visual approach helps them understand the distinct elements. I always do this for the first couple of times they write the question and when they peer review work from their classmates.
4. Teaching Conclusion Writing
This is often the weakest part of students' answers. Teach them to include the following three things. Do you see a pattern? I like to teach this whole question in groups of threes so students always
1. A clear decision- The student needs to take a side. Should the decision be completed or which option should be chosen?
2. Justification using one or two of- This is where students struggle. They need to justify the decision above using information they have already provided. They can look at the impact in the following ways.
- Financial vs non-financial considerations
- Short vs long-term implications
- The objectives of the business
- Impact on stakeholders
- The market/competition
3. Missing information and its importance- This should be two sentences long. The first one should state what information is missing while the second one explains the importance of the information in making the final decision.
Conclusion: Based on the analysis, QS should remove their current e-scooter model from their portfolio. While this creates short-term challenges like the $50,000 removal cost, the long-term benefits are compelling as QS can invest their annual maintenance savings into the growing electric bike market. From a non-financial perspective, switching to bikes better aligns with QS's environmental mission due to their lower carbon footprint. However, information about customer loyalty and usage patterns is missing, which would help determine how many users would switch to bikes rather than competitors.
Teaching Tip: Create a conclusion template that students can use until they're confident enough to write independently. I always ask students to remind me of the five elements they can use in their conclusion. After two years of this, I think they could say the five in their sleep!
Teaching 10 mark questions effectively requires patience, consistent practice, and clear structure. By breaking down the process and providing regular opportunities for practice, we can help our students develop the skills they need for success.
Is this similar to how you teach student to write 10 mark questions? What do you do differently? Let me know in the comments below.
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