<p> How to answer exam questions (WJEC PY1)</p><p>Each question has one assessment objectives (AO)</p><p>AO1: Testing your knowledge and understanding AO2: Testing your skill at analysis and evaluation AO3: Testing your knowledge of research methodology</p><p>All answers should have accurate spelling, punctuation and grammar. If you wish to use abbreviations in your answer, you can, providing that you have written the term in full when you first use it and put the abbreviation in brackets e.g. systematic desensitisation (SD). Try where appropriate to use proper psychological terms.</p><p>The exam is roughly a mark a minute. Spend no more than 15 minutes on each 12 mark section of the exam. For the longer questions it is a good idea to write a rough plan of what you intend to say.</p><p>Your answers should be written for the audience of an intelligent layperson. Imagine that you are writing for someone who had never studied psychology before. This means expanding upon the points you make. If you use a psychological term, briefly describe what it means. If you make a statement, you have to give detail about precisely what you mean. </p><p>1. (a) Outline two assumptions of the ______approach. [4]</p><p>This question is testing your AO1 skills. Your answer should be about 125-150 words. You should make it clear which two assumptions you are going to write about and explicitly state each one before giving a moderate amount of description.</p><p> Identify one assumption o Explain/detail this assumption  Identify a second assumption o Explain/detail this assumption</p><p>Behaviourism Psychodynamic Cognitive Biological s n o i t p m u s s a</p><p>2 e n o D</p><p>Mark scheme: 3-4 Two, relevant, detailed assumptions 1-2 One detailed relevant assumption or two assumptions identified briefly 0 No relevant knowledge or understanding 1. (b) Describe the ______theory. [8] This question is testing your AO1 skills. It will always be about the same approach as 1 (a). Your answer should be about 250-300 words and needs to be accurate and well detailed. </p><p>There is no set way to answer this question, as it will depend upon the theory being asked about. However, below are some tips </p><p> Before you go into the exam, be clear about what the main points of the theory are.  Start your essay with giving an overview of what the theory is before going into detail about the different parts of the theory.  In your answer, you should display a depth and breadth of knowledge about the theory, although not necessarily in equal measure. E.g. o You can cover a few points in considerable detail (depth) or o You can cover a number of points in less detail (breadth)  Your answer should be well structured and coherent. Each point should be expanded so that your intended meaning is clear. Try to make it flow, so that one point leads into the next. </p><p>Behaviourism Psychodynamic Cognitive Biological y r o e h t</p><p> f o</p><p> s t n i o p</p><p> n i a M e n o D</p><p>Mark scheme: Content Material is used in... Elaboration Depth and range Use of language 7-8 Accurate and well ...a highly effective Coherent elaboration Both depth and range Relevant, well detailed manner structured, coherent and accurate 5-6 Reasonably accurate ... an effective manner Evidence of Depth or range Accurate, structured but less detailed elaboration and clear 3-4 Basic detail ... a relevant manner Some elaboration Some inaccuracies but limited 1-2 Superficial ... muddled and/or Little or none Errors incoherent at times 0 No relevant knowledge or understanding 2. Describe how the ______approach has been applied in either ______therapy or ______therapy. [12]</p><p>This question is testing your AO1 skills. It can be about any of the four approaches. Your answer should be about 400-450 words. The question will ask about two therapies associated with an approach, but you only need to answer about one. Again, the actual structure will vary upon the theory being asked about, but below are some pointers. </p><p> Start by giving a brief outline about what the aim of the therapy is (i.e. what is the desired outcome?). How does this aim relate to the assumptions of the approach?  Give a brief outline of how the approach explains the cause of the problem that the therapy aims to solve. When relevant, state any historical issues.  Outline the actual process of the therapy, and state how these processes relate to the assumptions of the approach. If appropriate, give an example of the therapy being used to elaborate your description.  What research has been carried out into this therapy? What does the research suggest about the effectiveness of the therapy?  If appropriate, you can briefly mention an alternative therapy as long as it is related back to the therapy you are being asked about.</p><p>Behaviourism Psychodynamic Cognitive Biological y p a r e h t</p><p> f o</p><p> s t n i o p</p><p> n i a M e n o D</p><p>Mark Scheme Content Material is used Elaboration Depth and Use of language Link between in... range assumptions and therapy 10-12 Accurate and well ...a highly effective Coherent Both depth Relevant, well Clearly demonstrated detailed manner elaboration and range structured, coherent and accurate 7-9 Reasonably ... an effective Evidence of Depth or Accurate, structured and Evident accurate but less manner elaboration range clear detailed 4-6 Basic detail ... a relevant Some Some inaccuracies Limited or none manner but limited elaboration 1-3 Superficial ... muddled and/or Little or none Errors Limited or none incoherent at times 0 No relevant knowledge or understanding</p><p>3. (a) Evaluate two strengths of the ______approach. [6] (b) Evaluate two weaknesses of the ______approach. [6]</p><p>This question is testing your AO2 skills. It can be about any of the four approaches, but both the strengths and weaknesses will be about the same approach. Your answer should be about 400-450 words. Think of each strength or weakness being worth 3 marks, and write about 50-60 words on each one.</p><p>Possible strengths and weaknesses:  Nature/nurture  Determinism/freewill  Reductionism/holism  Ideographic/nomothetic  The scientific nature of the approaches  The methodology used  Practical/ therapeutic applications  Benefit to psychology/society  Any other relevant points</p><p>For each strength or weakness  Clearly identify the strength or weakness  Thoroughly explain why it is a strength or weakness in relation to the approach. Expand on any points you make.  Where appropriate use examples drawn from theory or therapy to illustrate your answer  Where appropriate, use findings from research to illustrate your answer.</p><p>Behaviourism Psychodynamic Cognitive Biological s h t g n e r t s</p><p>2 s e s s e n k a e w</p><p>2 e n o D</p><p>Mark scheme: 4-6 Two strengths/weaknesses clearly and thoroughly explained 1-3 One strength/weakness (clearly and thoroughly explained) or two (lacking clarity/detail) 0 No relevant knowledge or understanding 4. Compare and contrast the ______and ______approaches in terms of similarities and differences. [12]</p><p>This question is testing your AO2 skills and is probably the most difficult question in the exam. It will be about any two of the four approaches. Your answer should be about 400-500 words. You should aim to make five distinct and well explained points when answering this question. To gain marks for this question, use the debates to compare similarities and differences. The debates are  Nature/nurture  Determinism/freewill  Reductionism/holism  Ideographic/nomothetic You can also compare the approaches on the following  The scientific nature of the approaches  The methodology used  The effectiveness of therapy  Benefit to psychology/society  Any other relevant points</p><p>You must include both similarities and differences to get top marks. If you only provide strengths or only weaknesses, you will not get into the top marking bands. </p><p>As this question is asking for a comparison, you will not get marks for simply describing the two approaches. You must draw comparisons between them, and contrast the two approaches. For example, if you decide to compare two approaches on the nature/nurture debate, you would start by stating whether it is a similarity or a difference, and then explain how the two approaches differ or agree on that issue. Don’t waste time by giving detailed descriptions of assumptions or methodology, as you will not get marks for them.</p><p>How you structure the essay will depend somewhat on the approaches being asked about. Below is a possible structure (each point is one paragraph)</p><p> One key similarity (or difference) between the ____ and ____ approaches is...  One key comparison between the _____ and ______approaches lies in the fact that...  One means of contrasting (or comparing) the approaches is to consider the ______debate...  Another similarity (or difference) between the ____ and _____ approach is...  Finally the ____ and _____ approaches are similar (or different) because...</p><p>Date done Behaviourism Psychodynamic Cognitive Psychodynamic</p><p>Cognitive</p><p>Biological</p><p>Mark Scheme Analysis and evaluation Elaboration Depth and range Similarities and differences</p><p>10-12 Clearly structured and Coherent elaboration Depth and range Similarities and differences thorough 7-9 Reasonably thorough Some coherence Depth or range Similarities and differences</p><p>4-6 Appropriate but limited Similarities or differences</p><p>1-3 Superficial and/or muddled Muddled and/or incoherent</p><p>0 No relevant evaluation or analysis 5. Explain and evaluate the methodology used by the ______approach. [12]</p><p>This question is testing your AO3 skills. It can be about any of the four approaches. Your answer should be about 400-450 words. You need to clearly explain how the methods link with the assumptions of the approach. You will get few marks by just describing the research method but not relating it to the approach being asked about. The methods you talk about must have clear relevance to the approach you are asked about. To ensure that your answer is thorough, you should use specific examples of research from the approach. You can structure your answer as follows:</p><p> State one method used by the approach.  Describe what is involved in this method. Why is this method used in the approach? Give specific examples of this method being used in the approach.  What are the strengths and weaknesses of this method?  State a second method  Describe what is involved in this method. Why is this method used in the approach? Give specific examples of this method being used in the approach.  What are the strengths and weaknesses of this method?</p><p>Behaviourism Psychodynamic Cognitive Biological d n a s h t g n e r t s e l p m a x e</p><p>, 1 d o h t e M s e s s e n k a e w d n a s h t g n e r t s e l p m a x e</p><p>, 2 d o h t e M s e s s e n k a e w e n o D</p><p>Mark Scheme Method(s) Relevance to approach Evaluation Strengths and weaknesses</p><p>10-12 Appropriate and clearly Relevant Thorough, clearly structured Clear evidence of strengths explained and weaknesses 7-9 Appropriate and reasonably Has relevance Reasonably thorough Evidence of strengths and explained weaknesses 4-6 Appropriate and explained in Limited Evidence of strengths and/or a limited manner weaknesses 1-3 May be muddled and/or May be inappropriate Superficial Superficial or absent incoherent 0 No relevant evaluation or analysis</p>