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Writing about theories

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  • Writing about theories

The following page outlines how to respond to essays asking you to discuss or evaluate a theory.  This prompt is quite common and may appear on both papers 1 or 2.  It is important to have a strategy for approaching the question that is in line with the IB's assessment criteria.

Theory questions may either ask you a specific theory - e.g. Evaluate schema theory, or asking you to choose a theory - e.g. Evaluate one theory on the formation of relationships.

What is the question asking?

A typical question about a theory looks something like this: Evaluate social identity theory.

You are assessed on the following aspects of the question:

  • Have you identified and explained the theory?
  • Have you described two studies and how they are linked to the theory?
  • Have you evaluated the theory - that is, explained strengths and limitations of the theory?

Below is an explanation of how the essay should be structured.  Although this is not the only possible way to structure the essay, this approach is a successful approach.

Structuring the essay

Introduction: Be sure to identify the theory and outline the argument that you will make in your essay.

Paragraph 2: Explain the theory.  This should be an in-depth explanation and not a simple definition.

Paragraph 3: Describe one study that supports the theory and explicitly state how it supports the theory.

Paragraph 4: Describe a second study that supports the theory and explicitly state how it supports the theory.

Paragraph 5: Evaluate the theory and draw conclusions.

Exam tips

  • When describing the theory, it is a good idea to explain any assumptions made by the theory.  Natural selection, for example, assumes that behaviour is inherited; social identity theory assumes that we have an innate need to belong.
  • The studies are used to support the theory.  Such studies are a strength of the theory - that there is evidence to support the theory.  You may want to discuss the type of evidence that is used.  Remember, experimental research allows us to determine cause and effect relationships.  Some theories, however, are often based on questionnaires or case studies.  It is important to remember that this does not mean that the theory is weak, but that the evidence has some limitations.
  • Be careful not to spend too much time evaluating the studies.  The question is asking you to evaluate or discuss the theory.  That should be the focus of your critical thinking.
  • Remember TEACUP.  T: Is the theory testable?  In other words, can it be falsified? E is a discussion of the type of evidence (see the second bullet point above); A: how has the theory been applied?  C: which constructs may be difficult to measure?  U:  Is there a cultural or gender bias to the theory?  P:  Is the theory more predictive or more explanatory? You do not need to cover all aspects of TEACUP, but you should not only focus on "E".

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