Written By Rashi S.
Before beginning, click here if you have not yet seen the guide for IB Psychology Paper 1 and Paper 3 and/or are interested!
Format
Paper 2 is the second exam for HL students and the last one for SL students. HL students must answer two extended response question (ERQ) from two different topics, which contains three options. SL students must answer ERQs of their choice from one topic, which contains three options.
Three ERQs under each of the following topics appear on the exam, you answer the one your school’s Psychology program teaches:
Study Techniques
Specialize
I recommend specializing in one subtopic under the main topic. For instance, in abnormal psychology, the subtopics are the factors influencing diagnosis, the etiology of abnormal psychology, and the treatment of disorders. For abnormal psychology, specifically, I recommend specializing in ‘treatment of disorders’ as that is relatively the simplest and most predictable in terms of what questions to expect. For the rest, you can pick the subtopic that you understand the most and think that you can write on the best. You could even ask your teacher what subtopic he or she recommends specializing in as some criteria for examiners are clearer than others. Specializing is beneficial because a question from each approach is guaranteed. Thus, by covering all possible questions from one subtopic, you can learn it more effectively and can more likely answer any question that appears from it.
Moreover, you can specialize in two subtopics under each topic if you prefer, one for backup. This enables you to pick one ERQ from the two subtopics that you specialized in in case you did not find one of them suitable to write on.
Make Outlines
Once you decide what you are specializing in, start making outlines! A positive aspect of most of the IB psychology exams is that the questions are predictable to a considerable extent. Note that making outlines does not mean writing essays and/or attempting to memorize them. This is counter-effective because first, one normally does not have sufficient time to write essays for all possible topics. Second, even if you do have the time, it is recommended that you do not do this. Memorizing essays is difficult for most people as it is too much content. Furthermore, you most likely have to tailor your answer to the demands of the exam question. Hence, writing outlines is more strategic because it helps you formulate your main arguments and study the psychological studies that you plan on using more effectively.
Refer to IB ++tutor Rashi S.: Psych Exams Planning Material to see what type of questions to expect from each subtopic. However, note s I only have resources on abnormal psychology in addition to that for Paper 1.
Time yourself
For SL and HL students, it is recommended to use 55 mins in answering one ERQ and using the last 5 mins to proofread. Proofreading is beneficial as it allows you to correct any spelling errors, improper tone, or illegible handwriting and helps you to check your language usage, increasing the quality of your writing.
Related:
Your Ultimate Guide for Acing IB Psychology Paper 1 | IB | ++tutors (plusplustutors.com)
Your Ultimate Guide for Acing IB Psychology Paper 3 (HL only) | IB | ++tutors (plusplustutors.com)
- Abnormal Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Health Psychology
- Psychology of Human Relationships
Study Techniques
Specialize
I recommend specializing in one subtopic under the main topic. For instance, in abnormal psychology, the subtopics are the factors influencing diagnosis, the etiology of abnormal psychology, and the treatment of disorders. For abnormal psychology, specifically, I recommend specializing in ‘treatment of disorders’ as that is relatively the simplest and most predictable in terms of what questions to expect. For the rest, you can pick the subtopic that you understand the most and think that you can write on the best. You could even ask your teacher what subtopic he or she recommends specializing in as some criteria for examiners are clearer than others. Specializing is beneficial because a question from each approach is guaranteed. Thus, by covering all possible questions from one subtopic, you can learn it more effectively and can more likely answer any question that appears from it.
Moreover, you can specialize in two subtopics under each topic if you prefer, one for backup. This enables you to pick one ERQ from the two subtopics that you specialized in in case you did not find one of them suitable to write on.
Make Outlines
Once you decide what you are specializing in, start making outlines! A positive aspect of most of the IB psychology exams is that the questions are predictable to a considerable extent. Note that making outlines does not mean writing essays and/or attempting to memorize them. This is counter-effective because first, one normally does not have sufficient time to write essays for all possible topics. Second, even if you do have the time, it is recommended that you do not do this. Memorizing essays is difficult for most people as it is too much content. Furthermore, you most likely have to tailor your answer to the demands of the exam question. Hence, writing outlines is more strategic because it helps you formulate your main arguments and study the psychological studies that you plan on using more effectively.
Refer to IB ++tutor Rashi S.: Psych Exams Planning Material to see what type of questions to expect from each subtopic. However, note s I only have resources on abnormal psychology in addition to that for Paper 1.
Time yourself
For SL and HL students, it is recommended to use 55 mins in answering one ERQ and using the last 5 mins to proofread. Proofreading is beneficial as it allows you to correct any spelling errors, improper tone, or illegible handwriting and helps you to check your language usage, increasing the quality of your writing.
Related:
Your Ultimate Guide for Acing IB Psychology Paper 1 | IB | ++tutors (plusplustutors.com)
Your Ultimate Guide for Acing IB Psychology Paper 3 (HL only) | IB | ++tutors (plusplustutors.com)
