I still can’t figure it out. After teaching IB Psych for over a decade, marking thousands of essays and short answers, writing hundreds of blogs and recording heaps of video tutorials about this topic, there’s still one mistake that students continue to make in their IB Psych exams. Read on to find out what it is and how you can avoid …
The Command Term Conundrum
Allow me to explain the IB Psychology command terms: Explain means explain if it’s in Paper 1, but not if it’s in Paper 2, unless of course it’s coupled with another level three command term (e.g. discuss), then it does mean explain. And outline doesn’t really mean outline, it means describe, unless the question (or mark scheme) is actually asking …
Example essay: Contrast two models of memory
Of the command terms for IB Psychology essays, “contrast” is the hardest to write. Here is an example essay that contrasts two models of memory. Please note – this essay is not written with the intention that you will memorize it. That is a highly inefficient way to study. It’s written so you can get ideas on how to structure a contrast …
How to “explain additional ethical considerations that could be taken into account when applying the findings.”
The following has been adapted from our IB revision textbook, now available as an online textbook. IB Psychology’s Paper 3 will have a question on ethical considerations. One of these questions asks you to “describe the ethical considerations in reporting the results…” This is comparatively easy to the second part of this question, “…and explain additional ethical considerations that could …
How to “describe the ethical considerations in reporting the results” in Paper 3
The following has been adapted from our IB revision textbook, now available as an online textbook. IB Psychology’s Paper 3 will have a question on ethical considerations. One of these questions asks you to “describe the ethical considerations in reporting the results” of the study summarized in the stimulus material. Let’s look at how you can score full marks (3/3) …
How to “explain if further considerations could be applied” in Paper 3.
The following has been adapted from our IB revision textbook, now available as an online textbook. In the new IB Psychology Paper 3, you may be asked to describe the ethical considerations that were applied in the study and “explain if further considerations could be applied.” This question is a little misleading, so let’s look at how you can score …
How to “describe the ethical considerations that were applied in the study.”
The following has been adapted from our IB revision textbook, now available as an online textbook. In the new IB Psychology Paper 3, you may be asked to “describe the ethical considerations that were applied in the study.” This post explains how. The most important thing to know about Question 2 in Paper 3 is that it’s worth 6 marks …
How to answer Paper 3, Question 1 (a, b & c)
The following has been adapted from our textbook “IB Psychology: A Revision Guide.” (Now available as an online textbook). All HL students should score 100% (9/9) for the first questions in Paper 3 because it’s so easy. But most don’t because they make basic mistakes. Let’s look at the best and simplest way to answer these three questions. We know …
The answer to every question in psychology
I’m about to tell you the answer to every essay question in IB Psychology. It’s a simple two word answer. WARNING: you’re probably not going to like the answer. It may frustrate or disappoint you. You might think this is useless and no help whatsoever. If that’s your reaction, then you’re not ready for the IB Psychology exams. Or at …
Wheel of Fortune: Biological Approach Exam Questions
Click the “Wheel of IB Psych Exam Fortune” below to generate a random SAQ for the Biological approach. Scroll down to see some possible uses for this wheel. Ways to use this wheel: Find an SAQ to practice writing exam answers. Click the wheel and say the study you would use for the question. Check your notes to make sure …
Exam Question Bank: Paper 2: Health Psychology
The following are a list of practice exam questions for IB Psychology’s Health Option in Paper Two. This list contains past exam questions and some written with our best guess as to what the probable exam questions may look like. You could watch this as a video here. READ MORE IB Psychology Exam Question Banks Paper 1: Biological approach (Link) …
Example Essay: Research methods (case studies) in the biological approach
Essays on research methods and ethical considerations are the hardest to write in IB Psychology exams. Here is an example essay on the use of case studies in the biological approach. Notice how the essay has a good balance between explaining the method (central argument), using studies (supporting evidence) and explaining limitations (counter-arguments). Read More: Example Essay: Technological Techniques 10 …
Quizlet – The SAQ Additional Terms
There are 17 possible “SAQ only” terms. At first these might seem daunting, but nearly all of these can be easily combined to the existing topics. One of the best ways to show knowledge of these topics (and earn marks in exams) is to offer precise and concise definitions of these terms. More Resources: Example SAQs and studies or all …
How to evaluate correlational studies….PROPERLY!
“This study was correlational but correlation doesn’t mean causation.” If you think this is critical thinking, think again! Let’s look at three ways to PROPERLY evaluate correlational studies. A correlational study is when researchers measure the strength of a relationship between co-variables by calculating a correlation coefficient. In order to show critical thinking you must give specific reasons why we can’t deduce …
Abnormal Psychology in 7 Studies
A challenging aspect of the IB Psychology course is remembering all the studies. It can be made easier. With some careful course planning (by teachers) and wise studying (by students), the Abnormal Psychology option could be covered in 7 studies. The IB Guide states that “Each option is divided into three topics. For each option, there will be three essay …
All SAQs in just 22 Studies
While creating the flashcard set for IB Psychology students I had to make sure that there would be enough studies for each topic in the course. This took some meticulous planning. Here’s what I found out… There are a total of 41 topics for the Paper 1 SAQs (see them all here). If we include the 6 possible combinations of research …
Over 100 Flashcards for IB Psychology NOW AVAILABLE!
Flashcards you can hold in your hand are infinitely better than digital ones. Now you can have over 100 flashcards specifically designed for IB Psychology students. BUY YOURS HERE! The flashcard pack contains: 72 studies 34 key terms 9 theories and models Now you don’t need to spend hours and hours making your own flashcards. Download full list of flashcards …
How to study for Paper 1 in IB Psychology7 Simple Steps to Prepare for Section A: SAQs
One of the most common questions I get asked is, “How should I study for the IB Psychology exams?” Unfortunately, it’s also one of the hardest questions to answer. In this post, I’ll do my best to plan out some really simple steps that might help for Paper 1. We’ll start easy and get harder so no matter what your …
Spot the mistake before it’s too late! 2.0
Here are the answers for an activity in our “10 Example Answers” (2nd Edition) resource (coming soon). On the reverse side of all 5 short answer responses in this pack is an activity designed to help students prepare for their exams. In this activity students were given some questions and proposed answers. This post can be used to check their …
Paper 3 Practice: Sleep and Happiness
The best way to prepare for Paper 3 is to do lots of practice. The study below is designed to replicate what you will see on Paper 3. Read more: Paper 3 Practice: Smartphones and Sleep Quality Paper 3 Practice: Individualism and Happiness in a Japanese Workplace Paper 3 Practice: Trauma and the September 11 Attacks Paper 3 Practice: Observation …
Paper 3 Practice: Smartphones and Sleep Quality
The best way to prepare for Paper 3 is to do lots of practice. The study below is designed to replicate what you will see on Paper 3. Read more: Paper 3 Practice: Individualism and Happiness in a Japanese Workplace Paper 3 Practice: Trauma and the September 11 Attacks Paper 3 Practice: Observation of Hospitals IB Psychology HL Paper 3 …
Paper 3 Practice: Individualism and Happiness in a Japanese Workplace
The best way to prepare for Paper 3 is to do lots of practice. The study below is designed to replicate what you will see on Paper 3. Read more: Paper 3 Practice: Trauma and the September 11 Attacks Practice Paper 3: Observation of Hospitals Paper 3: Guided Answer Paper Three Questions 1a,b,c: Details IB Psychology HL Paper 3 Practice …
Paper 3 Practice: Trauma and the September 11 Attacks
The best way to prepare for Paper 3 is to do lots of practice. The study below is designed to replicate what you will see on Paper 3. Read more: Practice Paper 3: Observation of Hospitals Paper 3: Guided Answer Paper Three Questions 1a,b,c: Details IB Psychology HL Paper 3 Practice The stimulus material below is based on a qualitative …
IB Psych Key Terms Quiz – THE BIOLOGICAL APPROACH
You can prepare for IB Psychology by asking three simple questions: What is…? How does…? …but…? The first question tests your knowledge, the second tests your deeper understanding of the topic and the third tests your critical thinking. The following quiz is designed to test your ability to answer the first question. (Scroll down for the answers) Read More Understanding IB …
YouTube Live Q&A
YouTube LIVE Exam Q&A TOMORROW I thought I’d do this especially for the Auzzies (since many of you use ThemEd materials). But anyone is welcome to join, teachers or students, or click the link now and add a question any time. That’s 6:30pm Australian time (Wednesday). Share with your students if you think they might be interested. …