ABOUT THIS CONFERENCE

The aim of this refreshed AQA examination board specific A-Level Psychology conference is to provide students with a practical, engaging and motivating preparation day for their upcoming examinations Students will hear from leading and well known A-Level Psychology experts, examiners, and authors and will have the opportunity to respond to a range of different exam questions gaining invaluable feedback. Students will take away top quality key guidance, advice, tips, techniques and revision focus points to give best possible preparation for examination success.

KEY FOCUS AREAS

• Develop an understanding of how to interpret and answer different types of exam questions
• Develop an understanding of common mistakes students make in interpreting and answering exam questions
• Acquire strategies to maximize performance when answering exam questions
• Reinforce understanding of key topics
• Participate in activities to improve examination responses; with feedback given
• Have an opportunity to ask pertinent questions
• Take away a full set of conference notes, with examination tips and example answers

PROGRAMME

Welcome and Introductions

• An overview of the day

Tackling the challenging topics in Paper 1: Cognitive – Memory

• Memory Models and Key Research Studies
• Pitfalls, Exam technique and Re-usable evaluation
• Focus on Selection questions

Tackling the challenging topics in Paper 1: Attachment

• Ainsworth’s ‘Strange Situation’. Types of attachment: secure, insecure-avoidant and insecure-resistant
• Cultural variations in attachment, Van Ijzendoorn
• Focus on Research Study questions

Successfully answering 16 mark questions

• Strategies and techniques to answer essay questions effectively
• What examiners are looking for in the best responses
• Developing high level responses to essay questions

Paper 2: answering Research Methods questions effectively in examinations

• Gain expert insight with examples of what really gets the highest marks
• Helping students to interpret questions and produce structured answers
• Strengthen student responses by examining common errors made by Psychology students
• Student marking exercise on example answers

Paper 2: Dealing effectively with Biopsychology

• Localisation/Lateralisation and Language centres – tackle the common misconceptions and mastering use of key terms
• Plasticity and functional recovery of the brain after trauma- key studies and how to use them effectively
• Focus on Application questions

Paper 3: Issues and Debates in Psychology

• How to incorporate what has been learned in other topics to answer questions in Issues and Debates
• The Nature/Nurture Debate and the case for interactionism
• Focus on Short Answer questions

Final Top Tips and close

• Extra tips on excellent revision ideas, including using the specification
• Action plan – what to do after today to get the highest grades exam answers