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Understanding the Importance of Paper 1

There’s no getting away from the fact that mastering Paper 1 is crucial for achieving a top grade in IB Psychology, as it accounts for 50% of the overall grade for Standard Level students and 40% for Higher Level students. 

However, the challenge lies in the sheer volume and complexity of the content.

The scope of potential questions is vast. 

Considering content questions, questions based on italicized syllabus terms, research methods questions, and ethics questions, there are 56 possible 9-mark questions. 

For Standard Level students, there are 40 possible 22-mark questions, and for Higher Level students, this number jumps to 58.

And this doesn't even include the different command terms!

So, how can we, as educators and facilitators, make this manageable for students and help them excel?

Effective Strategies for Streamlined Revision

There are several strategies and resources that can streamline the revision process:

Provide a Comprehensive Checklist: Supply students with a checklist of all possible 9-mark and 22-mark questions. This helps them understand the scope and structure their revision accordingly. (IB Psychology - All Possible Paper 1 Questions.docx)

Guide Essay Planning: Students should create essay plans for all potential questions. Using essay writing templates can help them structure their responses effectively. Encourage them to strategically use theories and studies in multiple questions. Some studies can be utilized in over six different contexts if approached strategically. (IB Psychology 9-Mark Essay Planning Template.docx) (IB Psychology 22-Mark Essay Planning Template.docx)Support Condensing Plans into Summary Sheets: Full essay plans should be distilled into concise topic summary sheets. These sheets should highlight key points and serve as quick reference guides. (Paper 1 Topic Summary Sheets.docx)

Promote Memorisation of Summary Sheets: Students should focus on memorising these summary sheets. This allows them to quickly recall important information during the exam.

Advise Tactical Revision for Section B: For Section B, students should be advised to revise 22-mark plans for two approaches instead of all three. This tactical approach can reduce the revision load and enhance focus.

By teaching students a solid essay structure, the demands of each command term and ensuring they consistently link each theory and study back to the question, Paper 1 revision becomes more streamlined. 

Building Confidence for Papers 2 and 3

Students can master Paper 1 and approach their subsequent Paper 2 and, for Higher Level students, Paper 3 with confidence. This structured approach not only demystifies the revision process, it helps students to perform well in their exams and instills a sense of self-belief that they will achieve the grades they deserve on results day.

And students that believe they can, usually do!

Have a great week reviewing and wrapping up year 1!

Thes

Future articles in this series:

• How to hook students from the first lesson.
• Timing and pacing IB Psychology.
• Using the stimulus in Paper 3.