Psychology Revision
Examiner’s Report
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Most students pass the exam – very
few fail!
Many students could easily get higher
grades than they do.
Students get lower grades because they
do not answer the question directly.
You need to write in a precise and
analytical way to get the top grades.
The Exam Structure
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Unit 4 – Child
Development &
Options
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3 questions
1hour 30 mins.
30 mins. Per ques.
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Piaget (Q.2)
Anxiety & Eating
disorders (Q.6)
Human
Relationships (Q.13)
Substance Abuse (Q.
15) both in
Contemporary topics
Synoptic assessment
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Unit 5
Answer 3 Questions
2 hours
40 mins per
question
A plan is essential
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Section A
Perspectives – 1
ques. Out of 2
Section B Debates –
1 ques out of 2
Methods – 1 ques.
You must answer,
(bring calculator)
Four steps to Success
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Define the terms used
in the question in your
opening paragraph.
This helps you to
answer the question
Produce a decoding
statement which shows
you understand the
question.
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Produce evidence to
support your
arguments. Refer to
theory and research.
Plan your answer and
stick to your plan.
Define the Terms
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Students tend to pick up on one word
and run with it.
If you define all the key terms in the
question you won’t do this.
Use these definitions in an opening
paragraph which decodes the question.
Decoding the Question
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Decoding the question involves you
demonstrating to the exam marker at the
beginning of your answer that you
understand
It focuses on what you need to do to produce
a successful answer.
Provides a check that you are answering the
question asked. Return frequently to the
question during longer answers.
What evidence is needed?
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You are not expected to reproduce all
the textbook evidence in your answer.
You only need to select sufficient
evidence to support your argument,
make sure theory and research are
described accurately.
The relevance of evidence is more
important than quantity.
The best answers have plans
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Planning lets you organize your
argument and evidence.
Time spent planning reduces your
thinking time during writing.
Plans can be marked if you run out of
time.
Let’s try it !
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Here’s a perspectives question from
Jan. 2003
“Describe and discuss contributions of
the psychoanalytic perspective to
understanding human behaviour. In
your answer, refer to at least two topics
in psychology that you have studied.”
(12 marks)
The terms to define
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Describe – give a detailed account of..
Discuss - Explain, then give two sides of the
issue and any implications.
Contributions – Theory or research given or
put forward
Psychoanalytic perspective – Freud’s theories
and research evidence
Understanding human behaviour – how has
psychoanalytic research helped?
Decoding the question
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Use the definitions you have arrived at
in a decoding statement.
Do not make this a single sentence
rewording the question.
Produce an introductory paragraph.
You can use this to state or add an
opening position.
The opening paragraph
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The founder of the psychodynamic approach within
psychology was Freud (1896-1939). He is famous for
introducing new and controversial theories for human
behaviour into psychology. Much of the terminology
he developed is in common usage today eg. Denial,
repression. In this answer I will attempt to give a
detailed outline of what I think his main contributions
to psychology are and also to discuss some of the
criticisms that are still applied to psychoanalytic
theory today. In doing this I will refer to other topics
I have studied within my psychology course.
Positive Contributions of
Psychodynamic approach.
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Positive
contributions –
Importance of
childhood eg. Eating
disorders can begin
in childhood.
Unconscious
motivations effect
behaviour eg anxiety
disorders.
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Complete theory of
personality, id, ego
etc.
Explanation
provided for
neurotic behaviour.
Comprehensive
therapy which is still
used today eg.
Trauma.
Negative contributions of
psychodynamic approach
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The Oedipus and
electra complexes have
very little support in
research.
Theory of child
development is based
only a few children. Eg.
Little Hans
Overemphasis on sexual
motivations are a
reaction to sexual
repression of the time.
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Oedipal theory may
cause child sexual
abuse and rape to be
treated as less serious.
Psychoanalytic therapy
may take years to
complete and may
cause more problems
than it solves. Refer to
false memory
syndrome.
Research evidence is
very weak overall.
Concluding paragraph
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Refer back to the original question.
Try and tie all the threads of the
question together – state your opinion.
Eg. I believe that the positive
contributions of this approach outweigh
the negative aspects of the approach.
Make sure to justify your position, so
that your thinking is clear and logical.
Summary
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Students do not often fail the exam
You will achieve top grades by
answering the question set and not
pouring out all your knowledge based
on one or two words.
Follow the pattern, define, decode,
evidence and plan.
Plan your exam time well.
Do it!
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Go on you can do it!
Prepare by doing as many practice and timed
questions as you can before the exam.
Don’t forget to revise and prepare revision
notes on methods.
Relax and enjoy yourself. View the exam as
an opportunity to show how good you are.
Be confident and believe - you can do it!