The new Paper 1 ASAQs (pronounced A-sacks, as I like to call them) are simple in nature but difficult to predict. They combine one of the approach content topics (biological, cognitive or sociocultural), with one of the context’s “areas of study.” This post provides one example answer and some tips on how to answer these ASAQs.
The rationale behind this question type, I think, is it prevents students from memorising pre-written answers. With 27 approach topics that can be asked in combination with any one of the 39 context topics, that means there are 1053 possible exam questions for Section B – impossible to prehearse exam answers. So what’s the best way to prepare for these questions? Let’s first look at an example question and example answer then we’ll get into that. (Jump to ASAQ tips).
The Question:
Context: Health and well-being
A new medication has been created as a biological treatment for one mental health disorder. Psychologists are proposing to study its effectiveness in an animal study.
Explain the value of animal models for studying treatments in the context of health and well-being.
| Example ASAQ: Animal Models and Biological Treatments | |
|---|---|
| Animal models are valuable in psychological research related to health and well-being for lots of reasons, including ethicality, practicality and validity. | Simple intro that restates the question and gives an outline of the content of the essay. |
| An animal model is when psychologists use animals in studies to understand human behaviour. In this case, in health and well-being they can use animal models to test the effectiveness of a new medication. They could run a randomised, double-blind experiment by getting one group of rats and give them the medication for a few weeks and compare the results to a control group of rats who don’t get the medication. They can then measure the safety and effectiveness of the medication. | Key term described concisely and accurately and then applied directly to the question. Knowledge shown of the topic in the explanation of how animal models could be used. |
| Experiments using animal models are valuable because they have high internal validity because the studies can be tightly controlled. In studies like this one, the researchers can first develop the disorder in rats. They can keep all their environmental and even genetic factors consistent in both groups, only changing the medication. In human trials, there is no control over the different groups in the experiment, including their genetics, homelife, diet, sleep, etc. | A three sentence paragraph that clearly addresses the question by giving one benefit (value) of animals. |
| Another reason why animal models are valuable is they allow psychologists to study things that would be unethical or impractical to study on humans. For this problem of testing a new medication, it would be unethical to first test this on human participants without first testing animals. The drug might cause severe side effects or even death. Before human studies can begin, they first need animal study evidence to show it’s safe. | The answer shows the student understands both animal models and can apply this knowledge to the topic of health and well-being. |
| There are practical benefits to using animal models, too. Not many people would sign up to be medical research participants on a drug that wasn’t tested on animals first. It’s also easier to get lab rats than to gather real world participants with a specific disorder. | A brief, final point about practical benefits. |
| Here we see the value of animal models in studies on health and well-being is based on their ethics, validity and practicality. (315 words) | A straightforward conclusion to finish the answer. |
ASAQ Tips
I love the rule of threes. If you can come up with three points then your answer will naturally feel more detailed than just one or two. If you look at the answer above, the three points are each explained in just 2-3 sentences. But combined they make for a persuasive answer. This means your first step in preparing for the ASAQs to devise three key points to write for each approach topic. This isn’t doubling your revision – these same three points should be the basis of your Section A SAQ revision, too.
However, in the ASAQs it’s not enough just to dump your knowledge of the content onto the page – you need to apply it to the context. This is the part that’s unpredictable. There’s no hack or quick fix for this part – you need to understand the content well enough to apply it to the problem or scenario in the question, which we cannot predict. 
A suggested structure for ASAQs.
We’re working hard to get the revision textbook available for the first exams. This will have all the topics summarised using the rule of threes for easy revision.
Travis Dixon has been teaching for over 20 years and is an experienced IB Psychology, History and English teacher, author, workshop leader and examiner