Ace IB Psychology Paper one with the expert guidance of our IB Psychology Tutor at IB Elite Tutor. Here are some important tips by our experts so that you can excel in your IB Psychology examinations.
Ace the IB Psychology Paper 1?
Dealing with the SAQs & Essays of IB Psychology Paper 1 is challenging. But eventually, when you have a perfect study plan. You can become a pro learner and acquire outstanding results in the IB Psychology examination. Now, are you thinking about how to make a perfect study plan? Don’t get stressed; we will provide effective study tips for the IB Psychology Paper 1 examination. So, you can attain a perfect 7 score in it without any hurdle! Let’s Commence!
How to Prepare for Short Answer Questions to ace the IB Psychology Paper 1?
As you all know, IB Psychology paper 1 consists of 2 sections, A & B. In section A; you have to answer all 3 compulsory SAQs that came from the topics: cognitive, biological and sociocultural. Remember that each SAQ contains 9 marks, i.e., 27 marks overall. And you have only 1 hour to answer all three SAQs. You could take 20 minutes to answer each question. And write 300 words to acquire full marks. So, according to the above information, write a detailed description of the topic. And follow these study tips to help you attain full marks in SAQs. First and foremost, read all the guidelines that IB gave. It will give you an idea about how to write perfect SAQs. And ensure that you meet all the assessment criteria. For instance,
- The response should contain relevancy.
- The response should be in-depth and accurate.
- The response should address all the problems or topics and provide effective solutions.
- The response should meet the command terms requirements and be supported by appropriate research.
Make a list of all the topics & Comprehend every command terms
In the next step, you should list all the topics in SAQs. And distribute your time accordingly to each biological, sociocultural, and cognitive topic. When you know all the topics you must study, start making notes for each. You have to heed all the command terms and learn their meanings. As a reason for that, in the question, first, you have to identify the command term and then you can answer it effectively. Also, a good understanding of command terms helps you to attain full marks in SAQs. So, get knowledge of the following command terms: Describe, identify, outline, comment, explain, suggest, etc.
Use flashcards to ace the IB Psychology Exam
Our IB Psychology Tutors suggest to memorize key terms and definitions with the help of different learning techniques like flashcards. In Psychology, you must show clear and coherent knowledge of the concept you studied. So, demonstrate your psychological understanding through relevant key terms and precise definitions. On the other hand, while writing answers, keep figuring out the important key terms described in the question. And keep practising defining key terms appropriately according to the questions. Notes are essential. So, make notes for each topic and highlight the information that helps answer the SAQs. For instance,
- Start with writing your topic.
- Break down your topic into smaller chunks.
- Give a brief account of the topic, including key terms and definitions.
- Explain the aim, procedure, findings, and conclusions of the topic.
- Give relevant results of your study.
And repeat all the above points for each IB Psychology topic. This will help you demonstrate the information in the SAQs perfectly.
How to Prepare for Essays or Section B for Paper 1?
Now, in section B, you must write an essay from one of the 3 given questions. Apart from this, each question comes from 3 different approaches, i.e., cognitive, sociocultural, and biological. And consists of 22 marks each. So, you must practice in-depth to write around 800-1000 essays in an hour. And these study tips help you write essays effectively. Prepare two studies for every topic. Use your knowledge of research to support your arguments. So, learn and prepare at least two studies that help you write effective essays. Develop research that properly includes the aim, procedures, findings, and conclusions. Practice how to link each study with the question. And choose those studies that you can easily explain their relationship. Also, make sure your studies support every claim you have chosen.
Focus on knowledge and understanding & adopt a critical thinking approach
You have to acquire proper knowledge of your study. So, for this, make sure that you:
- Comprehend all the requirements of the question.
- Must identify or address the problem that is given in the question.
- Properly explain the problem and provide an effective solution.
- Shows a deeper understanding of your study.
- Understand research methodologies, psychological theories, ethical concerns/issues, psychological key concepts, etc.
You have to be a critical thinker. So, aim for the following:
- GRAVE: generalizability, reliability, alternative explanations, validity, and ethics. It helps identify and explain relevant strengths and limitations of the research design and methodologies.
- A revision guide consists of psychological theories, assumptions, biases, etc. So you can easily revise all the essential details of the study at the last moment.
- Alternative explanations and contradictory evidence. It will help you in writing a specific conclusion.
- A focused study that you know what you don’t yet know. In other words, understand and acquire knowledge of areas of uncertainty.
Be clear and concise in your essay writing.
Develop clear and coherent writing skills to ace the IB Psychology paper 1. Keep practising and prepare yourself for the essays by structuring them perfectly.
You should:
- Develop 6 paragraphs, including the conclusion.
- Write a thought-provoking question in the beginning.
- Identify keywords and explain them properly.
- Give the significance of the topic and include a real-life example as well.
- Make connectivity of your question with your studies.
- Give supporting arguments and evidence.
- Explain your result and findings accurately.
- At last, summarize everything and effectively answer your question with proper theory and research.
Don’t worry about anything; we discuss everything essential for IB Psychology paper 1. Follow these tips, bang on the IB Psychology examination, and acquire a perfect 7 score.
