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Paper 2 is the second examination you'll face in your IB Psychology assessments. In this post, we’ll provide a thorough breakdown of IB Psychology Paper 2, ensuring you are familiarised with the structure of the exam and know what type of questions to expect.
IB Psychology Paper 2
At SL, Paper 2 accounts for 35% of the student's final subject grade, while for HL, it accounts for 25% of the student's final grade.
Both SL and HL students have 1.5 hours to complete the assessment.
Paper 2 is made up of two sections (Section A and Section B)
Section A comprises four compulsory questions that focus on the class practicals
Section B comprises the evaluation of an unseen research study with regard to two or more concepts
Section A may look like this:
Section A: Four compulsory questions that focus on the class practicals.
1a. Describe how you used an interview or focus group in your class practical. [4 marks]
1b. Explain the concept of bias in relation to your interview or focus group class practical. [4 marks]
1c. Compare and contrast the use of an interview or focus group used in your class practical with an experiment. [6 marks]
1d. Design an observation to investigate the same topic as you investigated in your class practical. [6 marks]
Section B may look like this:
Section B: An experiment or non-experimental study from one of the contexts is provided as stimulus material for which students discuss applying two or more concepts.
2. Discuss the following study with reference to two or more of the following concepts: bias, causality, measurement, and/or responsibility. [15 marks]
How to succeed in Psychology Paper 2?
To succeed in IB Psychology Paper 2, it is essential to understand the structure of the exam and the skills required for each section. Since Paper 2 contributes significantly to the final grade, students should practice answering questions within the 1.5-hour time limit and become familiar with the types of responses expected. It is also very important that you understand the command terms, as they determine the type of response that is required. For that, make sure to check out our IB Psychology Command Terms guide.
In Section A, focus on your class practicals, making sure you clearly describe the research methods used and demonstrate understanding of concepts such as bias or research design. The focus of the assessment will be on the research method itself rather than the context in which the practical was conducted. Reviewing the strengths and limitations of different research approaches is important.
In Section B, carefully analyze the unseen research study and discuss it using two or more key concepts such as bias, causality, measurement or responsibility. High-scoring answers clearly define each concept and consistently apply it to specific details from the unseen study, while presenting a balanced discussion supported by psychological terminology. Links between concepts and source material should be relevant, well-developed, and effectively support the discussion.
We hope you found this post helpful in learning more about IB Psychology Paper 2. For more useful materials associated with the IB, check out the wide variety of IA, EE and TOK exemplars available at Clastify and other guides available on our blog.
Paper 2 is the second examination you'll face in your IB Psychology assessments. In this post, we’ll provide a thorough breakdown of IB Psychology Paper 2, ensuring you are familiarised with the structure of the exam and know what type of questions to expect.
IB Psychology Paper 2
At SL, Paper 2 accounts for 35% of the student's final subject grade, while for HL, it accounts for 25% of the student's final grade.
Both SL and HL students have 1.5 hours to complete the assessment.
Paper 2 is made up of two sections (Section A and Section B)
Section A comprises four compulsory questions that focus on the class practicals
Section B comprises the evaluation of an unseen research study with regard to two or more concepts
Section A may look like this:
Section A: Four compulsory questions that focus on the class practicals.
1a. Describe how you used an interview or focus group in your class practical. [4 marks]
1b. Explain the concept of bias in relation to your interview or focus group class practical. [4 marks]
1c. Compare and contrast the use of an interview or focus group used in your class practical with an experiment. [6 marks]
1d. Design an observation to investigate the same topic as you investigated in your class practical. [6 marks]
Section B may look like this:
Section B: An experiment or non-experimental study from one of the contexts is provided as stimulus material for which students discuss applying two or more concepts.
2. Discuss the following study with reference to two or more of the following concepts: bias, causality, measurement, and/or responsibility. [15 marks]
How to succeed in Psychology Paper 2?
To succeed in IB Psychology Paper 2, it is essential to understand the structure of the exam and the skills required for each section. Since Paper 2 contributes significantly to the final grade, students should practice answering questions within the 1.5-hour time limit and become familiar with the types of responses expected. It is also very important that you understand the command terms, as they determine the type of response that is required. For that, make sure to check out our IB Psychology Command Terms guide.
In Section A, focus on your class practicals, making sure you clearly describe the research methods used and demonstrate understanding of concepts such as bias or research design. The focus of the assessment will be on the research method itself rather than the context in which the practical was conducted. Reviewing the strengths and limitations of different research approaches is important.
In Section B, carefully analyze the unseen research study and discuss it using two or more key concepts such as bias, causality, measurement or responsibility. High-scoring answers clearly define each concept and consistently apply it to specific details from the unseen study, while presenting a balanced discussion supported by psychological terminology. Links between concepts and source material should be relevant, well-developed, and effectively support the discussion.
We hope you found this post helpful in learning more about IB Psychology Paper 2. For more useful materials associated with the IB, check out the wide variety of IA, EE and TOK exemplars available at Clastify and other guides available on our blog.
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