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Getting assessments just right can be a challenge for IB Psychology teachers. 

Many struggle with knowing how and when to set them and may even dread grading. 

However, assessments are crucial for gauging student understanding and fostering improvement. 

Done correctly, they can enhance learning without overwhelming either students or teachers. 

The key is using assessments strategically to guide progress while keeping them manageable.

Focus on Exam-Style Questions

To prepare students for their final exams, it's essential that formative assessments closely mirror the types of questions they’ll face. 

Fun activities like quizzes and presentations can still be part of lessons to encourage memory recall and public speaking. 

However, they shouldn't form the basis of assessment since they aren't reflective of the skills being graded for summative exams.

Start with small assessments that focus on key elements of the exam. 

For instance, ask students to write a paragraph explaining how a technique like MRI scans helps us understand the brain. 

Another example is to have them describe one study, such as Maguire et al. (2000), in a focused, concise response. 

These tasks help you gauge individual strengths and weaknesses early on, providing an opportunity to offer targeted support or challenge students further.

Gradual Progression of Assessment

Begin with manageable tasks, like writing one PEEL evaluation paragraph (Point, Evidence, Explain, Link), which helps students practice developing and linking evidence to their argument. 

As students grow more confident, gradually increase the complexity of assessments, moving from single-paragraph responses to full SAQs (Short Answer Questions), and eventually to full ERQs (Extended Response Questions). 

This step-by-step approach ensures that students are building their skills in a logical progression without feeling overwhelmed.

This progression also helps teachers assess each component of a full essay separately, allowing for more detailed feedback on specific areas like critical thinking, evidence use, and evaluation of theories and studies.

Effective and Immediate Feedback

Timely feedback is essential for improvement. Ideally, feedback should be provided as soon as possible—preferably the day after the assessment—because students tend to forget what they wrote shortly after completing the task. 

Your feedback should be both verbal and written. 

Along with comments, provide a reflective task that encourages students to work on a specific skill by revisiting and improving a part of their original response.

Using grading grids aligned with the IB mark scheme can make the feedback process clearer and more effective. 

These grids break down the criteria into student-friendly language, showing exactly where they excelled (marked in green), what areas need improvement (amber), and what needs significant work (red). 

I also include a numerical mark and qualitative feedback using the “what went well” and “even better if…” format to guide improvement.

Reflection Tasks to Boost Learning

Alongside feedback, reflection tasks are a valuable way to reinforce learning.

 Ask students to rewrite a section or answer a question related to the skill they need to improve. 

These tasks help students internalise the feedback and actively work on their weaknesses rather than passively receiving a grade.

Final Thoughts

By setting assessments that mirror exam conditions and providing clear, structured feedback, you can make the process both effective and efficient. 

This approach not only helps students master the skills they need for the final exams but also makes your job easier and less stressful. 

With the right strategies, assessments can drive progress and become a powerful tool for student success in IB Psychology.

I hope this helped.

Have a great week,

Thes

Future articles in this series:

• Using technology in IB Psychology lessons.
• Collaborating learning in IB Psychology.
• How to give effective feedback.