Psychology subject report · November 2012

November 2012 extended essay reports Page 1 Psychology Overall grade boundaries Grade: E D C B A Mark range: 0 - 7 8 - 15 16 - 22 23 - 28 29 - 36 Candidate performance against each criterion Criterion A: research question Many of the selected research questions were well composed and gave rise to sustained and interesting essays. Regrettably there were also several examples where insufficient, or inappropriate thought appeared to have been given to the wording of the questions. The individual question should interest the candidate to the extent that he or she becomes immersed in the topic area and discovers the many different facets that contribute to arguments that it has generated. Without these qualities it is difficult for the candidate to sustain enthusiasm over the course of time tha t the essay research and subsequent writing will demand. Initial effort on the selection and composition of the question will pay dividends as the candidate’s work progresses. Criterion B: introduction Some candidates seemed unaware that this section sh ould not be a cursory preamble to the extended essay. Rather it should represent a conscientious attempt to put the research essay into the context of past research that has been published in the topic area. Where little or no research was claimed to exist then this section suffered adversely in ways that impacted gravely on successive sections. This was in marked contrast to other essa ys where the context of relevant past research was comprehensively reviewed . This then allowed the writer to explain why an d how the current essay was intended to contribute to a more informative account of current problems that have arisen and how these could be addressed. Criterion C: investigation Candidates