A* PSYCHOLOGY ESSAY
PLANS
Based on the A-Level AQA Exam Board Specification
Hi! My name is Sarah and these are the revision notes I made and used for my A-Levels in 2023. For each
subtopic I have formed an essay plan template for the possible 16-mark (essay) questions that could
potentially be asked in your exam. During my exams, there were 7/8 16-mark questions across the 3
papers and as AQA frequently repeat the same questions, just worded differently, it is important you
learn all of them for your exam – not just the ones that haven’t come up!
Structure of a 16-mark question: KEY TIPS:
AO1 (description) – 6 marks If the questions say ‘Discuss…’ you
AO3 (evaluation) – 10 marks, 3/4 well elaborated paragraphs need to evaluate both the strengths
Structure of a 16-mark question with a and weaknesses of the debate, this
does not have to be balanced.
scenario/context:
AO1 (description) – 6 marks Never include your opinion in your
AO2 (application) – 4 marks, examiners are looking for you to essay just refer to key statistics and
identify the context in the scenario that relates to the question theories, instead suggest what this
and apply this, this is easiest to do when incorporated into the shows/infers.
AO1 by stating for example, ‘… conformity is … this is shown
Never say that a theory ‘proves’
when ‘[relate to the context]’. Or equally you can show your
something, psychology is a
application in AO3 to help strengthen one argument.
pseudoscience and you will be
AO3 (evaluation) – 6 marks, 2/3 well elaborated paragraphs
marked down for this.
Table of Contents: Memory
o Short and Long-Term Memory
o Multi-Store Memory Model
o Working Memory Model
o Types of Long-Term Memory
o Explanation for Forgetting: Interference Theory
o Explanation for Forgetting: Retrieval Failure
o Accuracy of Eyewitness Testimonies: Misleading Information
o Accuracy of Eyewitness Testimonies: Anxiety
o Improving the Accuracy of Eyewitness Testimonies: Cognitive Interviews
,*AO3 paragraphs get progressively more detailed due to practice, extending to 4-5 in depth PEEL plans, 3-4
paragraphs are still recommended so feel free to pick whatever paragraphs you prefer and develop them
further if you wish.
**Disclaimer: Several months of hard work have gone into these essay plans therefore it is important to note
that it is prohibited to distribute or republish this work without prior permission under copyright protection.
, SHORT AND LONG-TERM MEMORY
Capacity
AO1
→ volume data held in memory store
STM - limited capacity
o Jacobs gave ppts list of letters of numbers to recall in order. Found mean
letter span 7.3 and mean digit span 9.3 → Miller concluded capacity of
immediate memory 7±2 items
o Miller found use chunking improve capacity of STM grouping items into
meaningful units so less items to recall
LTM - potentially unlimited
o Wagnaar kept diary over 6 years recording over 2,400 events, found tested
own recall, after 1 year 75%, after 5 years 45% → capacity very large,
potentially limitless
AO3
P: Criticism Miller’s conclusions not been replicated
E: Recent researcher Cowan suggested Miller over exaggerated capacity of STM, probably
limited to 4 chunks rather than original 5-9 limit. Supported Vogel found visual information
capacity limit of 4 items.
E: Suggests STM more limited than original research portrays could be due to outdated
methodologies that lacked control over confounding variables. For example, Jacob’s lack of
standardisation and control of confounding environmental variables (noisy room) may have
had a greater influence on accuracy of recall, leading to unreliable results.
L: Contradictory evidence highlights foundational research lacked internal validity, STM
smaller capacity than believed.
P: Research highlighted importance of chunking
E: Simon found smaller memory span for larger chunks (polysyllabic) than smaller chunks
(monosyllabic) because multi-syllable words take longer to rehearse.
E: Suggests size of chunk affects number of chunks that can be remembered, supporting
idea although chunking improves capacity, overall STM is limited
P: Individual differences in capacity of STM
E: Jacobs found digit span recall increased steadily with age e.g., 8 yrs. mean 6.6, 19 yrs.
mean 8.6
E: This may be explained by developmental changes in brain and strategies such as
chunking.
L: Therefore, suggests STM is not fixed and is dependent on individual.
Duration
AO1
→ measure how long information can be stored
STM - 18s no maintenance rehearsal
PLANS
Based on the A-Level AQA Exam Board Specification
Hi! My name is Sarah and these are the revision notes I made and used for my A-Levels in 2023. For each
subtopic I have formed an essay plan template for the possible 16-mark (essay) questions that could
potentially be asked in your exam. During my exams, there were 7/8 16-mark questions across the 3
papers and as AQA frequently repeat the same questions, just worded differently, it is important you
learn all of them for your exam – not just the ones that haven’t come up!
Structure of a 16-mark question: KEY TIPS:
AO1 (description) – 6 marks If the questions say ‘Discuss…’ you
AO3 (evaluation) – 10 marks, 3/4 well elaborated paragraphs need to evaluate both the strengths
Structure of a 16-mark question with a and weaknesses of the debate, this
does not have to be balanced.
scenario/context:
AO1 (description) – 6 marks Never include your opinion in your
AO2 (application) – 4 marks, examiners are looking for you to essay just refer to key statistics and
identify the context in the scenario that relates to the question theories, instead suggest what this
and apply this, this is easiest to do when incorporated into the shows/infers.
AO1 by stating for example, ‘… conformity is … this is shown
Never say that a theory ‘proves’
when ‘[relate to the context]’. Or equally you can show your
something, psychology is a
application in AO3 to help strengthen one argument.
pseudoscience and you will be
AO3 (evaluation) – 6 marks, 2/3 well elaborated paragraphs
marked down for this.
Table of Contents: Memory
o Short and Long-Term Memory
o Multi-Store Memory Model
o Working Memory Model
o Types of Long-Term Memory
o Explanation for Forgetting: Interference Theory
o Explanation for Forgetting: Retrieval Failure
o Accuracy of Eyewitness Testimonies: Misleading Information
o Accuracy of Eyewitness Testimonies: Anxiety
o Improving the Accuracy of Eyewitness Testimonies: Cognitive Interviews
,*AO3 paragraphs get progressively more detailed due to practice, extending to 4-5 in depth PEEL plans, 3-4
paragraphs are still recommended so feel free to pick whatever paragraphs you prefer and develop them
further if you wish.
**Disclaimer: Several months of hard work have gone into these essay plans therefore it is important to note
that it is prohibited to distribute or republish this work without prior permission under copyright protection.
, SHORT AND LONG-TERM MEMORY
Capacity
AO1
→ volume data held in memory store
STM - limited capacity
o Jacobs gave ppts list of letters of numbers to recall in order. Found mean
letter span 7.3 and mean digit span 9.3 → Miller concluded capacity of
immediate memory 7±2 items
o Miller found use chunking improve capacity of STM grouping items into
meaningful units so less items to recall
LTM - potentially unlimited
o Wagnaar kept diary over 6 years recording over 2,400 events, found tested
own recall, after 1 year 75%, after 5 years 45% → capacity very large,
potentially limitless
AO3
P: Criticism Miller’s conclusions not been replicated
E: Recent researcher Cowan suggested Miller over exaggerated capacity of STM, probably
limited to 4 chunks rather than original 5-9 limit. Supported Vogel found visual information
capacity limit of 4 items.
E: Suggests STM more limited than original research portrays could be due to outdated
methodologies that lacked control over confounding variables. For example, Jacob’s lack of
standardisation and control of confounding environmental variables (noisy room) may have
had a greater influence on accuracy of recall, leading to unreliable results.
L: Contradictory evidence highlights foundational research lacked internal validity, STM
smaller capacity than believed.
P: Research highlighted importance of chunking
E: Simon found smaller memory span for larger chunks (polysyllabic) than smaller chunks
(monosyllabic) because multi-syllable words take longer to rehearse.
E: Suggests size of chunk affects number of chunks that can be remembered, supporting
idea although chunking improves capacity, overall STM is limited
P: Individual differences in capacity of STM
E: Jacobs found digit span recall increased steadily with age e.g., 8 yrs. mean 6.6, 19 yrs.
mean 8.6
E: This may be explained by developmental changes in brain and strategies such as
chunking.
L: Therefore, suggests STM is not fixed and is dependent on individual.
Duration
AO1
→ measure how long information can be stored
STM - 18s no maintenance rehearsal
