Most of the studies you will want to read can be found online, but some will be behind what is called a ‘pay wall’. This means that your school librarian should be able to help you with access, in that most school libraries will subscribe to at least one online data repository of resources. However, that is no guarantee of … Read More
What is a ‘key study’?
Key studies are studies that are the most useful for any Psychology course, because they provide the ‘key’ to understanding a concept or theory. For example, Maguire’s famous ‘taxi driver’ study, Loftus and Palmer’s ‘car crash’ study or Rosenhan’s research into the validity of diagnosis on admission to mental hospitals. Teachers and students can benefit by summarising these studies according … Read More
Exam tips – for the days themselves.
First tip is – don’t panic. Once the exams are upon you, then make sure you know the dates and times (timetable on fridge, on bedroom wall, in school bag, on phone, etc.) Once you have sat an exam, no matter how badly – or how well – you feel it’s gone, it is gone. Forget it and move on mentally, … Read More
How to structure a short-answer question response on models of memory
How to structure a 9-mark SAQ on models of memory (for the new curriculum, exams May and Nov 2019): Describe one model of one cognitive process, using suitable research to support your answer. [9] 1 Introduce your model of memory – draw and label it. Say how it conceptualises memory e.g. as separate storage components; as a version of the … Read More
Describe or Discuss? Applied to a biological approach question.
Every question on your IB Diploma exam paper, indeed every question you answer in class, begins with a command term. A command term is a word (or a few words) that tells you the focus to take in your answer. If it is a response to a short-answer question, then one of the most common command terms is ‘describe’: Describe … Read More