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Sample Questions in Economics
  • Market
  • National
  • International

Test Yourself...then see how the students responded to the same questions on NAEP. The constructed-response question on this page measured analysis and interpretation skills for the content area Market Economy. Student responses were scored according to a 3-point scale as "Correct," "Partially Correct," or "Incorrect." The sample response below is an example of a "Correct" response.

Overall, 72 percent of 12th-graders were scored as having a "Correct" response on this sample question. When only the students at the Proficient level are considered, 87 percent scored "Correct."

Grade 12 short constructed-response question. National percentage "complete" in 2006. 72% of all student responses were rated "complete." By achievement level, 39% of students below Basic were scored as "complete." 73% of students at Basic were scored as "complete." 87% of students at Proficient were scored as "complete." 98% of students at Advanced were scored as "complete." The sample constructed-response question is as follows: Luisa has decided to give up her full-time job to go back to school. Identify one potential economic risk and one potential economic benefit that Luisa might have considered in making her decision. The following is an example of a "complete" response. "A risk would be that Luisa will not get her yearly income making it hard to pay bills, feed herself, or drive. An economic benefit would be that with furthering her education, she may be promoted in position with the company she goes to work for, or find a new job that allows her to increase her salary."

See more about this question in the NAEP Questions Tool.

View this question, at score 131, on a map of NAEP economics items.

Find out what the economics assessment measures.

Test Yourself...then see how students responded to the same questions on NAEP. The following multiple-choice question from the grade 12 economics assessment measured student knowledge of the content area National Economy. The percentages below indicate how students performed on the question. In addition to the overall percentage of students who answered the question correctly, the percentage of students at each achievement level who answered the question correctly is presented. 

As an example of how to interpret these percentages, 36 percent of the students overall answered this question correctly. When only the students at the Proficient level are considered, 48 percent answered correctly.

Grade 12 multiple-choice question. National percentage correct in 2006. 36% of all students answered this multiple-choice question correctly. By achievement level, 24% of students Below Basic answered this question correctly. 27% of students at Basic answered this question correctly. 48% of students at Proficient answered this question correctly. Reporting standards at Advanced were not met. Sample size was insufficient to permit a reliable estimate. The question is as follows: In the United States, which of the following forms of taxation currently represents the largest source of tax revenue for the federal government? a) Property tax, b) Sales tax, c) Corporate income tax, d) Personal income tax. The correct answer is d.

See more about this question in the NAEP Questions Tool.

View this question, at score 207, on a map of NAEP economics items.

Find out what the economics assessment measures.

Test Yourself...then see how students responded to the same questions on NAEP. The following multiple-choice question from the grade 12 economics assessment measured student knowledge of the content area International Economy. The percentages below indicate how students performed on the question. In addition to the overall percentage of students who answered the question correctly, the percentage of students at each achievement level who answered the question correctly is presented. 

As an example of how to interpret these percentages, 61 percent of the students overall answered this question correctly. When only the students at the Proficient level are considered, 76 percent answered correctly.

Grade 12 multiple-choice question. National percentage correct in 2006. 61% of all students answered this multiple-choice question correctly. By achievement level, 33% of students Below Basic answered this question correctly. 58% of students at Basic answered this question correctly. 76% of students at Proficient answered this question correctly. Reporting standards at Advanced were not met. Sample size was insufficient to permit a reliable estimate. The question is as follows: Because Country A has no domestic sources of wood, it imports all of its wood from wood-producing countries. If the price of wood in wood-producing countries rises substantially, which of the following is most likely to occur? a) Country A will import more wood to meet rising demand, b) Country A will impose a tariff on wood imports, c) Housing prices in Country A will increase as wood imports become more expensive, d) Profits in other wood-producing countries will increase because of increased exports to Country A. The correct answer is c.

See more about this question in the NAEP Questions Tool.

View this question, at score 172, on a map of NAEP economics items.

Find out what the economics assessment measures.

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National Assessment of Educational Progress, National Center for Education Statistics
National Assessment Governing Board
Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education