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Evaluate - not just limitations

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  • Evaluate - not just limitations

After "discuss", the most common IB essay question asks you to "evaluate." According to the IB curriculum guides, evaluate means to “make an appraisal by weighing up the strengths and limitations of something.” There are two aspects of this command term that are essential for writing a good essay. First, you need to know what you are being asked to evaluate.  Secondly, you should have a balanced approach to discussing the strengths and limitations.  Simply writing about limitations will result in a mid-range essay at best.

Decoding the question

First, it is important to learn how to decode questions. Here are a some of the questions that you could be asked:

  • Evaluate one or more techniques used to study the brain in relation to behaviour.
  • Evaluate schema theory.
  • Evaluate one research method used to study the influence of globalization on behaviour.
  • Evaluate a sociocultural approach to explaining the etiology of one disorder.
  • Evaluate one strategy of conflict resolution. 

As always, understanding the questions requires a bit of English grammar. It is important to understand that the question is asking you to evaluate the “object of the verb.” So, evaluate “techniques” or evaluate “a theory”, or evaluate “research methods.”

In order to get top marks for an evaluation question, you should

  • Provide empirical evidence to support your argument.
  • Explain both strengths and limitations relevant to the question.
  • Although you may evaluate individual research, remember to evaluate what you have been asked to focus on (e.g. the theory, the strategy, the technique)

Evaluating

Let’s start with the first question above: Evaluate one or more techniques used to study the brain in relation to behaviour.

What do we need to do before we begin?

  • Decide on the technique or techniques that you are going to evaluate - for example, MRI and fMRI scanning.
  • Choose research that you will use to support your argument - e.g. HM and Harris and Fiske.
  • Think about the strengths and limitations of the techniques - not of the studies.

When evaluating the techniques, you may want to consider:

  • The accuracy of the techniques
  • What they allow us to do - and what we cannot do
  • How the use of these techniques has improved our understanding of the brain and behaviour.
  • Limitations on the use of the techniques

Task 1

Now it’s your turn. Below are the other five questions listed above. For each question, think about what information is necessary to write your “discussion.” After you have done that, it is time to practice writing your ERQs!

1. Evaluate schema theory.

What are we going to evaluate?

The theory.  So, although there will have to be some research to show empirical support for the theory, you should be thinking TEACUP.

What would be your key evaluation points?

Applications of the theory - for example, CBT; issues of measurement - for example, "schemas." Predictive (memory distortion, stereotyping) vs. explanatory power (gender role development); support for the theory from other approaches - e.g. the biological approach. How schema help us to better understand memory distortion than other theories of memory.

Task 2

2. Evaluate one research method used to study the influence of globalization on behaviour. 

What are we going to evaluate?

A research method - for example, questionnaires.

What would be your key evaluation points?

Remember, the evaluation has to be linked to globalization.  Evaluative points mights include the ability to obtain large amounts of data; the ability to standardize the process; the ability to set up reliable questionnaires; the problem of operationalizing "globalization", the limitations of self-reported data; issues of sampling; the problem of demand characteristics.

Task 3

3. Evaluate a sociocultural approach to explaining the etiology of one disorder.

What are we going to evaluate?

A theory from the sociocultural approach or the approach as a whole in explaining the etiology of a disorder.

What would be your key evaluation points?

If you are going to look at depression, some of the strengths might be: a more holistic approach; the ability to explain cultural and gender differences; the ability to explain changes in prevalence rates.  Limitations may be the difficulty in isolating variables; the lack of clear explanation of how sociocultural factors lead to depression.  You could also talk about the interaction of sociocultural factors and biology. Modern theories of gene-environment interaction seem to support early sociocultural research such as Brown and Harris.

Task 4

4. Evaluate one strategy of conflict resolution.

What are we going to evaluate?

One strategy for conflict resolution - eg. the Intergroup contact theory.

What would be your key evaluation points?

Strengths would include that there is research to support the theory; the research, however, is often artificial in nature.  The findings of research are inconsistent. There is an inability to control for extraneous variables.