External Assessment General Information
Two different methods are used to assess students.
For paper 1, there are markschemes and assessment criteria.
For paper 2, there are markschemes and assessment criteria.
For paper 3, there are markschemes.
The assessment criteria are related to the assessment objectives established for the psychology course and the group 3 grade descriptors. The markschemes are specific to each examination.
Details of the Exam Papers
PAPER 1
Duration: 2 hours
Weighting: 50%
Paper 1 assesses the core of the syllabus: the biological, cognitive and sociocultural levels of analysis. The paper is divided into two sections (section A and section B). Students have two hours to answer paper 1. It is recommended that students spend approximately one hour on section A and one hour on section B.The maximum mark for the paper is 46. The assessment weighting of paper 1 at SL is 50%.
Section A: The purpose of this section is to assess students’ knowledge and understanding of all three levels of analysis. Students are required to answer three short-answer questions, one on the syllabus content of each level of analysis. Assessment objective 1 (knowledge and comprehension) and 2 (application and analysis) command terms will be used in section A questions, students could be required to: analyse, apply, define, describe, distinguish, explain, outline and state (see command terms section) The maximum mark for section A is 24.
Section B: The purpose of this section is to assess students’ knowledge and understanding of the levels of analysis. Theoretical and/or empirical support is required in all answers. Students are required to answer one out of a choice of three essay questions drawn from the learning outcomes of the levels of analysis. In order to access the full range of marks available in the assessment criteria, all questions in section B of paper 1 will include an assessment objective 3 command term (synthesis and evaluation). Within a question, assessment objective 1 and 2 command terms may also be used. Each question is worth 22 marks. The maximum mark for section B is 22.
PAPER 2
Duration: 1 hour
Weighting: 25%
The purpose of this paper is to assess students’ knowledge and understanding of the option studied and to give students the opportunity to demonstrate application of psychological research, analysis, synthesis and evaluation in relation to the option. Theoretical and/or empirical support is required in all answers. Paper 2 consists of fifteen questions on the five options, three on each of the following options (Abnormal psychology, Developmental psychology, Health psychology, Psychology of human relationships, Sport psychology)
Evidence of critical thinking is expected to be an important element of student responses (see “Critical thinking in psychology: A framework for evaluation” in section “Approaches to the teaching of psychology”). Standard level students spend one hour on paper 2 and are required to answer one question. Each question is worth 22 marks. The maximum mark for the paper is 22. The assessment weighting of paper 2 at SL is 25%.
- Detailed markschemes specific to each examination paper
- Assessment criteria The assessment criteria are published in this guide.
For paper 1, there are markschemes and assessment criteria.
For paper 2, there are markschemes and assessment criteria.
For paper 3, there are markschemes.
The assessment criteria are related to the assessment objectives established for the psychology course and the group 3 grade descriptors. The markschemes are specific to each examination.
Details of the Exam Papers
PAPER 1
Duration: 2 hours
Weighting: 50%
Paper 1 assesses the core of the syllabus: the biological, cognitive and sociocultural levels of analysis. The paper is divided into two sections (section A and section B). Students have two hours to answer paper 1. It is recommended that students spend approximately one hour on section A and one hour on section B.The maximum mark for the paper is 46. The assessment weighting of paper 1 at SL is 50%.
Section A: The purpose of this section is to assess students’ knowledge and understanding of all three levels of analysis. Students are required to answer three short-answer questions, one on the syllabus content of each level of analysis. Assessment objective 1 (knowledge and comprehension) and 2 (application and analysis) command terms will be used in section A questions, students could be required to: analyse, apply, define, describe, distinguish, explain, outline and state (see command terms section) The maximum mark for section A is 24.
Section B: The purpose of this section is to assess students’ knowledge and understanding of the levels of analysis. Theoretical and/or empirical support is required in all answers. Students are required to answer one out of a choice of three essay questions drawn from the learning outcomes of the levels of analysis. In order to access the full range of marks available in the assessment criteria, all questions in section B of paper 1 will include an assessment objective 3 command term (synthesis and evaluation). Within a question, assessment objective 1 and 2 command terms may also be used. Each question is worth 22 marks. The maximum mark for section B is 22.
PAPER 2
Duration: 1 hour
Weighting: 25%
The purpose of this paper is to assess students’ knowledge and understanding of the option studied and to give students the opportunity to demonstrate application of psychological research, analysis, synthesis and evaluation in relation to the option. Theoretical and/or empirical support is required in all answers. Paper 2 consists of fifteen questions on the five options, three on each of the following options (Abnormal psychology, Developmental psychology, Health psychology, Psychology of human relationships, Sport psychology)
Evidence of critical thinking is expected to be an important element of student responses (see “Critical thinking in psychology: A framework for evaluation” in section “Approaches to the teaching of psychology”). Standard level students spend one hour on paper 2 and are required to answer one question. Each question is worth 22 marks. The maximum mark for the paper is 22. The assessment weighting of paper 2 at SL is 25%.