Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2025
First exams 2027
How to Answer an 8 Mark Question (AQA A Level Psychology): Revision Note
Exam code: 7182
How do I answer an AQA A Level Psychology 8-mark essay question?
8-mark questions appear as extended writing questions in Papers 1 , 2 and 3, and they assess your ability to:
demonstrate knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, processes, techniques and procedures (AO1)
critically analyse and evaluate in a well-constructed argument (AO3)
make judgements and draw conclusions (AO3)
Similar to 16-mark essay questions, 8-mark 'mini-essay' questions test your AO1 and AO3 skills:
E.g., outline and evaluate one explanation for conformity [8 marks]
The 'outline' part of the question assesses AO1 = 3 marks
The 'evaluate' part of the question assesses AO3 = 5 marks
Types of 8-mark essay questions
These questions will ask you to 'outline and evaluate', 'discuss' or 'compare' a specific theory, explanation, research study, concept, issue or debate
An 'outline and evaluate' question means to present key points about the topic in question and their strengths and weaknesses
In a 'compare' question, a comparison involves consideration of both similarities and differences
A 'discuss' question invites a broader commentary than a straightforward assessment of strengths and weaknesses
For example, in an 8-mark essay on socially sensitive research (SSR), commentary would consider:
the merits of carrying out SSR and the implications of not conducting it
the overall contributions to psychology made by researchers conducting SSR and the problems caused by it
steps that can be taken to avoid bias and prejudice in the future
It is important to note that 8-mark essay questions tend to be more focused and specific than 16-mark essay questions
This means that you could be asked to discuss a particular key study, an element of an explanation or a specific concept
Any of these types of questions could also be presented with a scenario or stem, which tests AO2 skills in addition to AO1 and AO3
Examples of typical 8-mark essay questions
Outline and evaluate research into duration in memory [8 marks]
Describe theories or research studies into duration in memory (AO1 = 3 marks)
Evaluate theories or research studies into duration in memory (AO3 = 5 marks)
Outline Rusbult’s model of romantic relationships. Explain one or more strength(s) of Rusbult’s model [8 marks]
Describe Rusbult's model of romantic relationships (AO1 = 3 marks)
Evaluate Rusbult's model of romantic relationships - strengths only (AO3 = 5 marks)
Compare the humanistic approach with the psychodynamic approach [8 marks]
Your knowledge of each approach will be demonstrated in your comparison (AO1 = 3 marks)
Compare the similarities and differences of the humanistic and psychodynamic approach (AO3 = 5 marks)
Discuss Duck’s phase model of relationship breakdown [8 marks]
Describe Duck's phase model of relationship breakdown (AO1 = 3 marks)
Evaluate Duck's phase model of relationship breakdown (AO3 = 5 marks)
How much should I write in an 8-mark essay?
You will have around 10 minutes to write an 8-mark essay question, which includes planning time
Aim to write around 200-250 words
You may have to practice writing in timed conditions before you sit your exams
Remember that there are only 3 marks available for AO1
Don't try to describe too many studies or explanations; instead, spend more time on well-explained evaluation (AO3)
It is better to cover fewer studies, theories, or explanations but in greater detail, as this demonstrates your understanding of the material
Think quality over quantity!
A question may ask you to explain one or more studies, explanations, strengths or limitations
It is fine to describe just one (in detail)
There are 5 marks available for AO3 if no stem is presented with the question
This means that you should spend more time on writing your evaluation (AO3) than AO1
Worked Example
Here is an example of an 8-mark essay question:
Q. Outline and evaluate reductionist explanations in psychology.
[8 marks]
Model answer:
Reductionism involves explaining a complex behaviour or phenomenon (e.g., depression) in terms of constituent parts
There are different types of reductionism. Biological reductionism is based on the idea that all behaviour is at some level biological and so can be explained through neurochemical and genetic influences. For example, the biological explanation of depression is reductionist, as it explains the disorder as being the result of an imbalance of serotonin linked to genetics. By isolating one component of depression (the 5HT1-D receptor), a researcher can design a study to test the isolated variable (hypothesis-testing).
A strength of reductionist explanations is that they often form the basis of scientific research. In order to create operationalised variables, it is necessary to break target behaviours (e.g., depression or phobias) down into constituent parts. This makes it possible to conduct experiments in a way that is meaningful and reliable. This is a strength because it gives psychology greater credibility, placing it on equal terms with the natural sciences.
However, reductionist approaches have been accused of oversimplifying complex phenomena as they do not include an analysis of the social context within which behaviour occurs. For example, the physiological act of pointing one’s finger will be the same regardless of the context. However, we don't know why the finger is pointed (it could be an act of aggression or to draw attention to something). This means that reductionist explanations can only ever form part of an explanation, leading to a loss of validity.
Word count: 248
Level 4 response: 7-8 marks
Marking commentary:
This response is in the top band (Level 4) because it shows a thorough understanding of reductionist explanations in psychology. The essay follows a coherent structure, is focused on the question, makes good use of key terms and includes an example of a topic in psychology. The evaluation is effective as each strength and limitation is introduced, elaborated thoroughly and linked back to the question.
Step by step structure:
Paragraph 1: Reductionism is defined and includes key terms (AO1)
Paragraph 2: Reductionism is explained further by defining a specific type and includes an explanation for depression as an example (AO1)
Paragraph 3: An evaluation point is introduced, explained in detail and is linked back to the question (AO3)
Paragraph 4: A counter point is introduced, explained in detail and again linked back to the question (AO3)
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