InThinking Revision Sites

INTHINKING REVISION SITES

Own your learning

Why not also try our independent learning self-study & revision websites for students?

We currenly offer the following DP Sites: Biology, Chemistry, English A Lang & Lit, Maths A&A, Maths A&I, Physics, Spanish B

"The site is great for revising the basic understandings of each topic quickly. Especially since you are able to test yourself at the end of each page and easily see where yo need to improve."

"It is life saving... I am passing IB because of this site!"

Basic (limited access) subscriptions are FREE. Check them out at:

www.StudyIB.net

Assessment: Paper 1

  • /
  • Exam prep/
  • Assessment: Paper 1

In order to prepare for the IB exams, it is important that we understand how questions are determined from the curriculum guide.  Below is a short explanation of how this is done and examples are given.

For illustration, I have chosen the biological approach.

SAQ rubric

ERQ rubric

Paper 1: Format

The focus of Paper 1 is "the core" - that is, the three approaches that are the foundation of the IB Psychology curriculum.

Paper 1 consists of three short answer questions [SAQs].  There is one question from each approach.  Students must answer all three of these questions.  The assessment focus is on knowledge and understanding.  The SAQs use the command terms outline, describe and explain. Each SAQ is worth 9 marks.

SAQs are not set from HL extensions.  The questions will be the same for HL and SL.

Part B of Paper 1 is an essay or extended response question [ERQ}.  Students are given three ERQs to choose from - one from each of the approaches.  For HL students, at least one of the ERQs will be from an HL extension of the core.  The assessment criteria are knowledge and understanding, critical thinking, and organization. The ERQ is worth 22 marks.

Students have two hours to write the full exam. There is a total of 49 marks for Paper 1.

SAQs

In the SAQs, you must use one piece of research to answer the question. The questions come from the "content" column of the guide - with one exception.  If it is one of the general questions, then it comes from the topic column.

Valid SAQs

  1. Explain one technique used to study the brain in relation to behaviour making use of one study.
  2. Describe one study of the effect of one hormone on behaviour.
  3. Explain one evolutionary explanation of one behaviour.
  4. Explain the contribution of one research method used in the biological approach to understanding genetics and behaviour.
  5. Explain one ethical consideration in the study of the brain and behaviour.

The following types of questions may not be asked.

  1. Explain one ethical consideration in the study of neuroplasticity.
  2. Describe the contribution of one research method used in the biological approach to understand pheromones and behaviour.

ERQs

ERQs use the command terms contrast, discuss, evaluate, and to what extent.

The questions will be asked in the same manner as the SAQs.

Valid ERQs

  1. Evaluate techniques used to study the brain in relationship to behaviour.
  2. Discuss research on the effect of one hormone on behaviour.
  3. To what extent do genes affect behaviour? 
  4. Discuss the contribution of one research method used in the biological approach to understanding genes and behaviour.
  5. Discuss ethical considerations in the study of the brain and behaviour.

The following types of questions may not be asked.

  1. Discuss ethical considerations in the study of neuroplasticity.
  2. Evaluate the contribution of one research method used in the biological approach to understand pheromones and behaviour.

The HL Extension

One, two, or all three of the questions on Paper 1b will be an extension question.

The questions that appear in the second column are linked to the topic in the first.  Therefore, the following types of questions may be asked:

  • Discuss the value of animal models in the study of the brain and behaviour.
  • Discuss ethical considerations in animal research into genetics and behaviour.

Samples for the approaches

To see sample questions for each of the approaches, click on the following links:

Writing samples: Biological

Writing samples: Cognitive

Writing samples: Sociocultural