IB Psychology Paper 1: Command Terms, Studies and Evaluation

TUTORZONE EXAM DRILL GUIDE · IB PSYCHOLOGY PAPER 1: COMMAND TERMS AND STUDIES

Half of the spread on IB Psychology Paper 1 comes from whether the command term was read properly, and half from whether the studies actually answer the question. The short-answer items want three or four points and punish an essay; the extended response wants the method, findings and conclusion of each study tied back to the concept in the question. This page covers timing, drill order, a 12-week timetable, the error log and the usual mark losses.

IB Psychology Paper 1 drilling technique: SAQ command terms are only describe/outline (AO1) or explain (AO2) – give 3-4 points and do not write an essay; ERQ command terms are discuss/evaluate/to what extent (AO3) and require both sides, research evidence and a conclusion. Prepare at least two studies per approach (author + year + method + findings + evaluation).

Subject-specific weighting for this timetable: Weeks 1-3: command terms. Write the same content once as describe, once as outline and once as explain, compare length and depth, until the command term alone tells you how many points to make.\nWeeks 4-6: study cards. Six to eight studies per approach, each card holding four fields – method, participants, findings, the concept it supports – and drill using only what is on the card.\nWeeks 7-9: timed essays at about fifty minutes, always in the order concept, study one, study two, evaluation, link back to the question. Evaluation means the limits of the method, not its strengths.\nWeeks 10-12: redo only the studies and command terms that keep failing, add two full papers, and give the Paper 2 option its own slot instead of circling the core approaches.

Three columns, one approach per page: (1) the question and its command term, with the number of points it asks for; (2) the failing action, whether too much was written, a study card field was missing, or the evaluation turned into a list of strengths; (3) the fixed shape to reuse, for example one sentence of definition, two of study, one of evaluation, one linking back. Three hits means rewrite that card.

The psychology course structure has been reorganised, so the mix of core approaches and options has changed. Older papers are still useful for command terms and for using studies, but do not assume the shape matches the current paper; take weightings and paper count from the current guide only.

Is this page a mock paper or a drilling guide?
This is the IB Psychology Paper 1 drilling guide: assessment structure, drill order, a 12-week timetable, pacing, common mark losses and the error-log method. For questions with answers, use the IB Psychology Paper 1 mock papers linked under Related.

By topic or by year first?
By topic. Eight to ten years of the same topic back to back is what exposes repeating errors; going straight to whole papers just repeats the same batch under time pressure.

How should the error log be written?
Do not copy out questions. Per error record four things: question reference, which step failed (concept, wording, calculation), what the mark scheme requires, and the correct action next time.

Can the same study be reused across questions?
Yes, from a different angle each time: the procedure when the question is about method, the findings and inference when it is about a concept. Drilling one study against three different command terms beats memorising more studies.

Must the evaluation discuss limitations?
Yes, and concretely: sample, validity of the method, cultural bias, the limits of causal inference – pick two and be specific. Saying a study “has limitations” without naming which one usually earns nothing.

Original mock: IB Psychology Paper 1 mock paper with answers; more practice in the practice area.