A-Level psychology revision help

Original post by lil_student_xoxo

I am taking the 3 AQA Psychology a level papers this summer any revision help or advice?

Do as many practice papers and questions as you can

Reply 2

Original post by DrawTheLine

Do as many practice papers and questions as you can

i tried this as my method of revision but i feel like its mainly memorising content tbh.

Reply 3

Original post by seconda1

i tried this as my method of revision but i feel like its mainly memorising content tbh.

That's exactly what A-Levels are. However in psychology, there's also a focus on application of your knowledge to the question, and on essay technique. You can regurgitate all the information you can but if it doesn't specifically answer the question you won't get good marks, even if you've given amazing facts.

Reply 4

Original post by DrawTheLine

i don't think psychology is application loool thats more like biology!! i think the application is kind of common sense. you have to memorise all of the ao1 and all of the ao3 perfectly

Reply 5

nintysixthousand

know exactly what the marks are for eg description, evaluation, especially for essays. I went through and planned every essay question with 3 description points and 4 evaluation points. I would recommend this revision guide! https://www.amazon.co.uk/Psychology-Level-Year-Revision-Guide/dp/1908682450/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=psychology+a+level&qid=1555442064&s=gateway&sr=8-5

Reply 6

Original post by seconda1

i don't think psychology is application loool thats more like biology!! i think the application is kind of common sense. you have to memorise all of the ao1 and all of the ao3 perfectly

Application is more biology, yes, but it's still important in psychology. I didn't get an A* just by repeating textbook facts!

Reply 7

Original post by DrawTheLine

Application is more biology, yes, but it's still important in psychology. I didn't get an A* just by repeating textbook facts!

predicted an A* so i'm good :smile:

Reply 8

Original post by seconda1

predicted an A* so i'm good :smile:

Good luck with your exams!

Reply 9

Original post by DrawTheLine

But say theres a question on Working memory model 16 marker, if you don’t have content about WMM you have no chance at all

Reply 10

Original post by Serbian_2000

But say theres a question on Working memory model 16 marker, if you don’t have content about WMM you have no chance at all

she probably didn't do AQA and did old spec so don't worry. go through each topic and memorise it and do a few essay plans but focus mainly on content (you can't make up ao1 or ao3-eval in the exam) x

Reply 11

How do you memorise I’m finding it sooooo difficult, paper 1 especially. I hate memory and attchment

Original post by seconda1

Reply 12

Original post by Serbian_2000

How do you memories? I’m finding it sooooo difficult, paper 1 especially. I hate memory and attchment

i've made flashcards for each topic so i do a topic a day (for e.g social influence) and i read out loud (repeat) as if im teaching someone - i then write everything i know on like 1 card and thats it

repetition is key! dont just read notes cos its not effective you have to repeat x

Reply 13

Original post by Serbian_2000

But say theres a question on Working memory model 16 marker, if you don’t have content about WMM you have no chance at all

I didn't say don't have content. If you don't have content you will fail, of course.

Original post by seconda1

Correct, I didn't do AQA but I did the new spec OCR so I am familiar with the exam technique. Of course AQA could be different, but essays tend to be fairly general no matter what subject or level. I use the same technique now at uni as I did at GCSE and A-Level!

Just to be clear, I'm not forcing anyone to take my advice. Take it or leave it, it really doesn't matter to me. But I saw a thread about psychology help, and offered some. Your choice what you do with it beyond the screen. I'm not going to be offended if you choose to ignore it.

Reply 14

Practice applying other topics to each other for links in evaluation, especially for approaches and issues and debates. For example, a weakness of the biological approach to treating OCD is that is it biologically reductionist, it has led to people wanting to treat the disorder rather than the underlying cause. However, this approach is useful when used in conjunction with CBT as shown in other studies involved in helping alleviate symptoms of schizophrenia.

This can be done time and time again
A weakness of Milgram's study is that he gave his participants a role to play (the teacher) which meant they conformed to social roles (Zimbardo's work)
A strength of Ainsworth's work is that it has been replicated, shown in the Izendoorn and Kroonenberg study
A weakness of learning theory is that Bowlby's theology of monotropic attachment and Izendoorn and Kroonenberg's study show that attachment is biological, not learnt

Use your issues and debates as well as the approaches - they apply to EVERYTHING

Another thing to bear in mind is that AQA is adding more application questions, specifically to the economy so look at some of these questions too. It is better to lose a few marks on a 16 marker than drop one mark of every question - focus on the smaller markers because these marks will add up quickly.

The only psychologists you need to name are those on the spec and there are only about 18 for paper 1 and 2. Everything else you can just say a study found this, a psychologist researched this etc.

If you are using approaches/ issues and debates for evaluation be SPECIFIC: what type of reductionism (experimental, environmental, biological) what type of bias (gender, culture, beta bias, alpha bias, social desirability bias, demand characteristics). You can also use research methods to evaluate too - sample: what's wrong with it, how can it be improved, why is it a good sample; type of study: lab study, quasi study, why is this good or bad?; ethics - have these been included?; validity, face, internal, external, historical, population; mundane realism; reliability etc.

You can have general evaluation points but when writing them down make them SPECIFIC. Do not write 'A weakness of this theory is that it has no ethics'. Instead, write 'A weakness of Zimbardo's research is that he does not comply with current ethical guidelines...' Then say which specific guidelines - protection from harm, deception, informed consent - how does he ignore these? then always finish a PEEL with a 'this matters because' to assure the examiner you understood the point you are making e.g. 'This matters because a lack of ethics means that the study cannot be replicated as a study that was as unethical as Zimbardo's would not be allowed today'

Use the tutor2u videos which break down exam questions - I used one of their social ones and I got full marks on a 6 mark question while the rest of my class barely got above 4

Ask your teacher for past papers or ask your teacher to print these off https://astudenthelps.wordpress.com/2017/07/08/practice-question-packs-psychology-a-level/ It is a website I found that has all of paper 1 and 2 questions from before 2017 divided by topic so you can answer the questions you need to the most.

Finally, ANSWER THE QUESTION
a) check the marks, do not write 2 marks worth of content for a 4 marker
b) check what the question is asking you - if a question is asking you HOW something was conducted do not answer the question by putting the findings of a study

Reply 15

Original post by Serbian_2000

How do you memorise I’m finding it sooooo difficult, paper 1 especially. I hate memory and attchment

Use quizlet to remember certain small bits of information (definitions and statistics as well as psychologists for certain studies). Memory your main evaluation point is the use of lab studies, attachment is that there is research support (Bowlby, Izendoorn and Kroonenberg, Ainsworth, Melzoff and Moore as well as many many others) suggest that attachments are innate

Reply 16

Are you a student or former student? You got any essay examples? I’m finding it especially hard also to apply research methods. Research methods are impossible for me.

Original post by Jazzy4949

Reply 17

I am a current student, I will be taking my exams this year. I can send you some essay examples if you want if I have them on the topic you want; at the moment I am getting around 12-13 in my essays so not full marks but in the top band mainly. Research methods accounts for a lot so I would say begin to focus your revision on that - last year students were able to get an E grade (considered a pass) on research methods alone. For applying it I would say remember these main things:
Design
Type of study (observation, self-report, lab study, quasi study)
Ethics
Reliability
Validity
Sample
I don't think anything else needs to be applied. Make sure you know your strengths and weaknesses for the things I have listed above (only one or two each). I would suggest writing this up in a table of some sorts to help you and colour code it.

Original post by Serbian_2000

Are you a student or former student? You got any essay examples? I’m finding it especially hard also to apply research methods. Research methods are impossible for me.

Reply 18

But like in research methods, it says “IN THIS STUDY” my teacher told me to always look out for that... it’s specific to the study. So, Like you have to have a specific answer which I find hard, even if I have revised the content. If you can send me one of your essays on attachment or memory, just wanna see how others are doing compared to me, sometimes I feel like i’m writing nonesense.

Original post by Jazzy4949

Reply 19