How to Prepare for IB Psychology Paper 2: Key Tips and Strategies
What Is IB Psychology Paper 2?
IB psychology Paper 2 is the final IB psychology exam for students at Standard Level, and the second to last paper for Higher Level psychology students. Both SL and HL papers contain a total of 12 questions, grouped in threes under the course options of human relationships, abnormal psychology, developmental psychology, and health psychology. SL students have one hour to complete one question; HL candidates are given two hours and are tasked with responding to two questions, each from a different course option. SL and HL also differ in relation to the percentage of their final marks given over for the IB psychology Paper 2: for SL candidates, Paper 2 is weighted at 25%, while for HL learners it is 20%.
The Structure of IB Psychology Paper 2
Whether a student takes SL or HL IB psychology will determine the number of questions that are expected to be completed on the exam. As previously mentioned, SL candidates must answer one question, while HL IB psychology students complete two. The questions found on the IB psychology Paper 2, regardless of level, are drawn from the following four course options:
Human relationships
Abnormal psychology
Developmental psychology
Health psychology
The types of questions asked on the IB psychology Paper 2 are extended response questions (ERQ). This is another way of saying that candidates must write essays in response to the questions they are attempting to answer.
To succeed in the Paper 2 examination, IB psychology students, whether at SL or HL, must ensure that they have a clear understanding of the ways in which an essay is structured. A clear, coherent writing style is essential, as is the ability to incorporate psychological theories and real-life examples into a response.
Common Topics and Themes in IB Psychology Paper 2
The four options in the IB psychology Paper 2 are human relationships, abnormal psychology, developmental psychology, and health psychology. The questions asked in the exam under each options can be subdivided into three distinct types:
Content
These questions are often concerned with explaining the ways particular psychologies develop.
For example, ‘Discuss one aetiology of abnormal psychology.’
Approaches
These questions are concerned with biological, cognitive, and sociocultural approaches to human psychology.
For example, ‘Discuss the biological approach to understanding social responsibility.’
Methods
These questions are concerned with research methods and ethical considerations when studying psychology.
For example, ‘Evaluate the use of one research method used to study determinants of health.’
How to Prepare for IB Psychology Paper 2
To begin, all IB psychology students must carefully consider which options they will answer during the examination. For SL, pick one; for HL pick two.
Option: Human relationships
Topics: personal relationships; group dynamics; social responsibility
Option: Abnormal psychology
Topics: factors influencing diagnosis; aetiology of abnormal psychology; treatment of disorders
Option: Developmental psychology
Topics: influences on cognitive and social development; developing an identity; developing as a learner
Option: Health psychology
Topics: determinants of health; health problems; promoting health
From here, it is recommended to find one example or explanation for each chosen topic, as well as one or two (depending on the level) studies to match with each example.
In addition, it’s important to carefully revise any useful definitions. For example, if a candidate is aiming to discuss a particular psychological disorder, they must be able to define this disorder as succinctly as possible. All definitions must be clear and concise.
Moreover, IB psychology learners should write essays regularly as a means to practise for the Paper 2 examination. Employing the PEEL (point, evidence, explain, link) paragraph structure can be most helpful in composing responses that are both fluid and informative.
Tips for IB Psychology Paper 2
As has been already mentioned, all students should practise essay writing for the IB psychology paper 2. An additional tip is to incorporate a stopwatch and, later, a timer into these writing sessions. Initially, it is best to use a stopwatch to establish how long it takes to complete a Paper 2-style essay. From here, with the use of a countdown timer, this can be brought down to around 50 minutes (leaving 5 minutes for planning and 5 minutes for proofreading).
It is also recommended to make use of markschemes where possible. These will aid in self-evaluation and give IB psychology students an idea on what it is they are being marked on, where they can gain marks, and where they can lose marks.
Lastly, be aware of what each question is asking. The most common, and unfortunate, pitfall for those sitting the IB psychology Paper 2 examination is misreading the question. It can be beneficial to highlight or underline the key words in the relevant question, and to rewrite the question at the top of each answer sheet as a means to quickly refer back to what is being asked.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Paper 2 is concerned with four options. These are, human relationships, abnormal psychology, developmental psychology, and health psychology. SL candidates answer one question related to one of these options, while HL students answer two questions related to two options.
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The exam is 1 hour for SL and 2 hours for HL.
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For SL students, Paper represents 25% of their total grade; for HL students the exam is worth 20%.
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Paper 1 contains both short answer questions related to core topics in the IB Psychology course, as well as one essay question, while Paper 2 focuses solely on essay questions from optional components.