Hi! These are my A-Level notes, essays and resources I used to sit the 2018 summer exams, in AQA Psychology, AQA Economics and AQA English Literature (achieving A*A*A). Hope you find these useful.
Hi! These are my A-Level notes, essays and resources I used to sit the 2018 summer exams, in AQA Psychology, AQA Economics and AQA English Literature (achieving A*A*A). Hope you find these useful.
AQA Psychology A-level: Social Influence
From specification 7181, 7182 - Paper 1: Introductory topics in Psychology (I achieved an A* in Psycholology A-level in 2018, across all three papers)
Includes a lot of evaluation! - AO3 needed for high marks!
**NOTES: **
Types of conformity - compliance, identification and internalisation
Explanations for conformity - normative and informational social influence
Factors affecting conformity - group size, unanimity, task difficulty and relevant studies
Evaluation of conformity (A03)
Conformity to social roles - Zimbardo’s Stanford Prison experiment and evaluation
Explanations for obedience - Agentic state and legitimacy of authority
Situational variables: proximity, location and uniform
Dispositional explanations - the Authoritarian personality and evaluation
Resistance to social influence and social change
Explanations for resistance - locus of control, social support and evaluation
Role of minority influence - commitment, consistency and flexibility principles and evaluation
Role of social influence in social change, Civil Rights, snowballing effect**
EXAM QUESTIONS:
Outline and evaluate explanations for conformity (16 marks)
Discuss research by Asch into conformity (16 marks)
Discuss research by Zimbardo into conformity (16 marks)
Discuss research by Milgram into obedience (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate the situational factors affecting obedience (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate legitimacy of authority and the agentic state (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate Adorno’s authoritarian personality (16 marks)
Discuss social support as an explanation for the resistance to social influence (8 marks)
Outline and evaluate Rotter’s LOC as an explanation for resistance to social influence (16 marks)
Discuss research into minority influence and its implications on resistance of social influence (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate social change and its implications on resistance to social influence (16 marks)
** AQA Psychology A-level: Memory**
From specification 7181, 7182 - Introductory topics in Psychology (I achieved an A* in Psychology A-level in 2018, across all three papers. I prioritised revision on evaluation, necessary for accessing higher grade!)
NOTES:
The Multi-store model of memory - Atkinson and Shiffrin - detailed explanation of components and evaluation
The Working Memory model - detailed explanation of central executive, visuo-spatial sketchpad, phonological loop and episodic buffer and evaluation
Types of long-term memory (Tulving 1985)
Procedural vs declarative memory, episodic vs semantic memory and evaluation
Explanations for forgetting - interference theory and evaluation and retrieval failure and evaluation
Eye witness testimony - impact of misleading information through leading questions, post-event discussion and evaluation of misleading information
Effect of anxiety on EWT (positive and negative effect plus studies) and evaluation
Improving the accuracy of EWT - The Cognitive Interview and evaluation
EXAM QUESTIONS:
Outline and evaluate the multi-store model of memory (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate the working memory model (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate the types of long-term memory (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate interference theory as an explanation for forgetting (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate retrieval failure as an explanation for forgetting (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate the effect of misleading information on eye witness testimony (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate the effect of anxiety on eye witness testimony (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate the use of the cognitive interview in improving the accuracy of eye witness testimony (16 marks)
AQA Psychology A-level: Cognition and Development
From specification 7181, 7182 - Issues and options in Psychology - paper 3 (I achieved an A* in Psychology A-level in 2018, across all three papers. I prioritised revision on evaluation, necessary for accessing higher grade!)
NOTES:
Piaget’s theory of development, schemas, motivation to learn, assimilation/accomodation and evaluation
4 stages of intellectual development and evaluation of studies
Vygotsky’s theory of development - language, zone of proximal development, scaffolding and evaluation
Baillargeon and infant abilities - violation of expectation research (VOE), physical reasoning and evaluation
Selman’s perspective-taking research, stages of perspective taking and evaluation
Theory of mind - false belief tasks, eyes tasks, biological basis, role in ASD and evaluation
Mirror neuron system - role of mirror neurons, relation to evolution, relation to ASD and evaluation
EXAM QUESTIONS:
Outline and evaluate Piaget’s theory of cognitive development (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate Piaget’s stages of cognitive development (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate Vygotsky’s theory of cognitive development (16 marks)
Discuss Baillargeon’s research into early infant abilities (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate Selman’s stages of perspective-taking (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate research into Theory of Mind (16 marks)
Discuss research into the role of the mirror neuron system in social cognition (16 marks)
AQA Psychology A-level: Attachment
From specification 7181, 7182 - Introductory topics in Psychology (I achieved an A* in Psychology A-level in 2018, across all three papers. I prioritised revision on evaluation, necessary for accessing higher grade!)
NOTES:
Caregiver-infant interaction
Attachment vs bond, features of attachment and importance of attachment
Studies of early interaction and findings
Reciprocity, Tronick et al (1979), and interactional synchrony, Condon and Ogston (1971)
Attachment development
Schaffer and Emerson longitudinal study and evaluation
Stages of attachment and evaluation
Attachment figures - Grossman (2002) and fathers as primary caregivers, and evaluation
Animal studies
Lorenz’s geese studies and evaluation - imprinting for survival and critical period
Harlow’s monkey study and evaluation, including experiment variations and findings
Explanations for attachment
Learning theory - classical conditioning and operant conditioning (Skinner) - and evaluation
Bowlby’s monotropic theory and evaluation - instinctive attachment, monotropy, internal working model etc.
Types of attachment
Ainsworth’s Strange Situation (1970) and evaluation of attachment types
Causes of individual differences in attachment
Cultural variations in attachment - Van Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg (1988) and evaluation
Deprivation
Bowlby’s theory of Maternal Deprivation and 44 thieves study, and evaluation
Romanian orphan study - Rutter et al and evaluation
Effects of institutionalisation, disinhibited attachment and evaluation
Influence of early attachment
Hazen and Shaver (1987) - study for internal working model
Evidence for behaviour influenced by internal working model and evaluation
ESSAY QUESTIONS
Discuss research into early infant-caregiver interaction (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate research by Schaffer and Emerson into attachment (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate research into the stages of attachment (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate research the role of the father (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate animal studies into attachment (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate learning theory as an explanation for attachment (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate Bowlby’s monotropic theory as an explanation for attachment (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate Ainsworth’s ‘Strange Situation’ research (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate cultural variations of attachment (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation (16 marks)
Discuss research into the effects of institutionalization (16 marks) / Outline and evaluate Rutter’s study of Romanian orphans (16 marks)
Discuss research into the influence of early attachment (16 marks)
AQA Economics A-level: specification 7135, 7136
I sat my Economics exam in summer 2018 and achieved A star (A) grades across all three papers. Here is a collection of some A* grade exemplar essays.
Complete written essays included:
• Discuss the possible contribution of supply-side reforms to achieving an improvement in the UK balance of trade in goods (25 marks)
• Assess the importance of a floating exchange rate to a country trying to achieve macroeconomic stability [25 marks]
• Explain how interdependence and uncertainty affect the behaviour of firms in oligopolistic markets? (15 marks)
• ‘Increased protectionism could be damaging as the UK is placing much of its hopes for export success on the growing Chinese market’. Evaluate the view that the use of protectionism is inevitably damaging to economies (25 marks)
• Explain three characteristics of recession (15 marks)
• Discuss the view that monetary policy has been the most important factor behind the recovery of the UK economy in recent years (25 marks)
AQA Psychology A-level: Attachment, Memory, Psychopathology and Social Influence
From specification 7181, 7182 - Introductory topics in Psychology (I achieved an A* in Psychology A-level in 2018, across all three papers. I prioritised revision on evaluation, necessary for accessing higher grade!)
-> These are FULL 16 mark example essays I created for revision, which helped me get my A*!
Attachment:
Discuss research into early infant-caregiver interaction (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate research by Schaffer and Emerson into attachment (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate research into the stages of attachment (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate research the role of the father (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate animal studies into attachment (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate learning theory as an explanation for attachment (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate Bowlby’s monotropic theory as an explanation for attachment (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate Ainsworth’s ‘Strange Situation’ research (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate cultural variations of attachment (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation (16 marks)
Discuss research into the effects of institutionalization (16 marks) / Outline and evaluate Rutter’s study of Romanian orphans (16 marks)
Discuss research into the influence of early attachment (16 marks)
Memory:
Outline and evaluate the multi-store model of memory (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate the working memory model (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate the types of long-term memory (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate interference theory as an explanation for forgetting (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate retrieval failure as an explanation for forgetting (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate the effect of misleading information on eye witness testimony (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate the effect of anxiety on eye witness testimony (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate the use of the cognitive interview in improving the accuracy of eye witness testimony (16 marks)
Psychopathology:
Outline and evaluate two ways of defining abnormality (16 marks) x2
Outline the characteristics of phobias (6 marks)
Outline the characteristics of OCD (6 marks)
Outline the characteristics of depression (6 marks)
Discuss behavioural explanations for phobias (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate the behavioural approach to treating phobias (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate one or more biological explanation for obsessive-compulsive disorder (16 marks) x2
Discuss the biological approach for treating OCD (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate one or more cognitive explanations for depression (16 marks) x2
Discuss the cognitive approach to treating depression (16 marks)
Social Influence:
Outline and evaluate explanations for conformity (16 marks)
Discuss research by Asch into conformity (16 marks)
Discuss research by Zimbardo into conformity (16 marks)
Discuss research by Milgram into obedience (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate the situational factors affecting obedience (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate legitimacy of authority and the agentic state (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate Adorno’s authoritarian personality (16 marks)
Discuss social support as an explanation for the resistance to social influence (8 marks)
Outline and evaluate Rotter’s LOC as an explanation for resistance to social influence (16 marks)
Discuss research into minority influence and its implications on resistance of social influence (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate social change and its implications on resistance to social influence (16 marks)
AQA Psychology A-level: Forensic Psychology
From specification 7181, 7182 - Issues and options in Psychology - paper 3 (I achieved an A* in Psychology A-level in 2018, across all three papers. I prioritised revision on evaluation, necessary for accessing higher grade!)
Here are my practice exam questions
Includes:
Outline and evaluate methods of measuring crime (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate the top-down approach of offender profiling (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate the bottom-up approach of offender profiling (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate one or more biological explanation for offending behaviour (16 marks)
Discuss Eysenck’s theory of criminal personality as an explanation for offending behaviour (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate cognitive explanations for offending behaviour (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate differential association theory as an explanation for offending behaviour (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate the psychodynamic explanation for offending (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate custodial sentencing as a way of dealing with offending behaviour (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate behaviour modification as a way of dealing with offending behaviour (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate anger management as a way of dealing with offending behaviour (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate restorative justice programmes as a way of dealing with offending behaviour (16 marks)
AQA Psychology A-level: Eating Behaviour
From specification 7181, 7182 - Issues and options in Psychology - paper 3 (I achieved an A* in Psychology A-level in 2018, across all three papers. I prioritised revision on evaluation, necessary for accessing higher grade!)
Here are my exam practice questions
Includes:
Outline and evaluate evolutionary explanations for food preferences (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate the role of learning in food preferences (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate neural and hormonal explanations for food preferences (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate one or more biological explanation for anorexia nervosa (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate one psychological explanation for anorexia nervosa (16 marks)
Discuss social learning theory as an explanation for anorexia nervosa (16 marks)
Discuss cognitive theory as an explanation for anorexia nervosa (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate one or more biological explanation for obesity (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate one or more psychological explanation for obesity (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate explanations for the success or failure of dieting 16 marks)
AQA Psychology A-level: Cognition and Development
From specification 7181, 7182 - Issues and options in Psychology - paper 3 (I achieved an A* in Psychology A-level in 2018, across all three papers. I prioritised revision on evaluation, necessary for accessing higher grade!)
Here are my exam practice questions
Includes:
Outline and evaluate Piaget’s theory of cognitive development (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate Piaget’s stages of cognitive development (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate Vygotsky’s theory of cognitive development (16 marks)
Discuss Baillargeon’s research into early infant abilities (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate Selman’s stages of perspective-taking (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate research into Theory of Mind (16 marks)
Discuss research into the role of the mirror neuron system in social cognition (16 marks)
AQA Psychology A-level: Biopsychology
From specification 7181, 7182 - paper 2 (I achieved an A* in Psychology A-level in 2018, across all three papers. I prioritised revision on evaluation, necessary for accessing higher grade!)
These are my exam practice questions
Includes:
Describe the structure of the nervous system, with reference to the central and peripheral nervous systems (16 marks)
Describe the structure and role of the endocrine system, with reference to the flight or fight response (16 marks)
Describe the role of neurons and the process of synaptic transmission (8 marks)
Outline and evaluate research into the localisation of function (16 marks)
Discuss research into hemispheric lateralisation and split-brain study (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate research into brain plasticity (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate research into functional recovery (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate ways of studying the brain (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate research into circadian rhythms (16 marks)
Discuss research into infradian and/or ultradian rhythms (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate research into endogenous pacemakers and exogenous zeitgebers (16 marks)
AQA Psychology A-level: Social Influence
From specification 7181, 7182 - paper 1 (I achieved an A* in Psychology A-level in 2018, across all three papers. I prioritised revision on evaluation, necessary for accessing higher grade!)
These are my exam practice questions
Includes:
Outline and evaluate explanations for conformity (16 marks)
Discuss research by Asch into conformity (16 marks)
Discuss research by Zimbardo into conformity (16 marks)
Discuss research by Milgram into obedience (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate the situational factors affecting obedience (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate legitimacy of authority and the agentic state (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate Adorno’s authoritarian personality (16 marks)
Discuss social support as an explanation for the resistance to social influence (8 marks)
Outline and evaluate Rotter’s LOC as an explanation for resistance to social influence (16 marks)
Discuss research into minority influence and its implications on resistance of social influence (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate social change and its implications on resistance to social influence (16 marks)
AQA Psychology A-level: Psychopathology
From specification 7181, 7182 - paper 1 (I achieved an A* in Psychology A-level in 2018, across all three papers. I prioritised revision on evaluation, necessary for accessing higher grade!)
These are my practice exam questions
Includes:
Outline and evaluate two ways of defining abnormality (16 marks) x2
Outline the characteristics of phobias (6 marks)
Outline the characteristics of OCD (6 marks)
Outline the characteristics of depression (6 marks)
Discuss behavioural explanations for phobias (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate the behavioural approach to treating phobias (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate one or more biological explanation for obsessive-compulsive disorder (16 marks) x2
Discuss the biological approach for treating OCD (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate one or more cognitive explanations for depression (16 marks) x2
Discuss the cognitive approach to treating depression (16 marks)
AQA Psychology A-level: Memory
From specification 7181, 7182 - paper 1 (I achieved an A* in Psychology A-level in 2018, across all three papers. I prioritised revision on evaluation, necessary for accessing higher grade!)
These are my exam practice questions
Includes:
Outline and evaluate the multi-store model of memory (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate the working memory model (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate the types of long-term memory (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate interference theory as an explanation for forgetting (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate retrieval failure as an explanation for forgetting (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate the effect of misleading information on eye witness testimony (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate the effect of anxiety on eye witness testimony (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate the use of the cognitive interview in improving the accuracy of eye witness testimony (16 marks)
AQA Psychology A-level: Attachment
From specification 7181, 7182 paper 1 (I achieved an A* in Psychology A-level in 2018, across all three papers. I prioritised revision on evaluation, necessary for accessing higher grade!)
These are my example essay practice questions
Includes:
Discuss research into early infant-caregiver interaction (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate research by Schaffer and Emerson into attachment (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate research into the stages of attachment (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate research the role of the father (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate animal studies into attachment (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate learning theory as an explanation for attachment (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate Bowlby’s monotropic theory as an explanation for attachment (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate Ainsworth’s ‘Strange Situation’ research (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate cultural variations of attachment (16 marks)
Outline and evaluate Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation (16 marks)
Discuss research into the effects of institutionalization (16 marks) / Outline and evaluate Rutter’s study of Romanian orphans (16 marks)
Discuss research into the influence of early attachment (16 marks)
AQA Economics A-level: specification 7135, 7136
*I sat my Economics exam in summer 2018 and achieved A star grades across all three papers. Here is a bundle of all my content/theory notes and 25 mark essay examples and plans!
Includes:
Paper 1 - Micro
Economic Problem and Methodology
Supply and Demand
Production, Costs and Revenue
Market Structure
Labour Market
Income and Wealth
Market Mechanism, Market Failure and Government Intervention
Paper 2 - Macro
Macroeconomic performance
Aggregate Demand and Aggregate Supply
Economic Performance
Financial Markets
Fiscal and Supply Side
International Economy
Paper 3 - Synoptic
Synoptic practice questions
AND *A Example 25 mark essays and practice questions covering:
**
Includes 25 mark essays:
Assess whether you agree that governments should subsidize companies who are developing cars which run on clean fuels such as hydrogen (25 marks)
Assess whether you agree that the government should give financial assistance to firms producing cars in the UK to increase their competitiveness (25 marks)
Assess whether you agree that the implementation of pollution permits could play a role in reducing global warming (25 marks)
Discuss the view that falling unemployment will inevitably lead to trade-offs with other macroeconomic policy objectives (25 marks)
Evaluate policies that the government could use to reduce obesity, referring to classical solutions such as taxes, subsidies and regulations, and behavioural solutions such as nudges and default choice (25 marks)
Using your knowledge of behavioural economics and neoclassical economics, evaluate the possible policies that could be used to reduce congestion in the UK’s cities. (25 marks)
Evaluate the view that imposing a tax is the most effective government policy for reducing the market failure arising from overconsumption of unhealthy food and drink (25 marks)
Using the extracts and your economic knowledge, assess whether you agree that fixing a maximum price for energy that is sold households is the best way of dealing with market failure in the UK energy industry (25 marks)
Using the extracts and your economic knowledge, assess the view that inequality is ‘good for us all’ (25 marks)
9 and 15 mark essays:
With the help of a diagram, explain how export subsidies may help promote economic growth in India (9 marks)
Explain how government policies can reduce the natural rate of unemployment (15 marks)
Explain why, in a free market, sugary drinks may be overconsumed (15 marks)
Essay plan
To what extent do you agree that expansionary monetary policy is always effective in creating economic growth? (25 marks)
AQA Psychology A-level: Issues and Debates
From specification 7181, 7182 - Issues and options in Psychology - paper 3 (I achieved an A* in Psychology A-level in 2018, across all three papers. I prioritised revision on evaluation, necessary for accessing higher grade!)
Includes:
Gender and Culture Bias
Free Will and Determinism
Nature-Nurture Debate
Holism and Reductionism
Idiographic and Nomothetic Approach
Ethical Implications of Research
From A-level specification 7181, 7182
(I achieved an A* in Psychology A-level in 2018, across all three papers. I prioritised revision on evaluation, necessary for accessing higher grade!) Here is a complete bundle of all my notes.
INCLUDES:
Introductory Topics in Psychology
Social Influence
Memory
Attachment
Psychopathology
Psychology in Context
Approaches
Biopsychology
Research Methods
Issues and Options
Issues and Debates
Cognition and Development
Eating Behaviour
Forensic Psychology
AQA English Literature A-level; Specification A (7711, 7712). Love through the ages; comparative set texts (Great Gatsby and Love poetry pre-1900)
Includes example essays and teacher-assessed marks (all Band 5, 21-22/25)
Compare how the authors of two texts you have studied present ideas about unrequited love
Compare how the writers of two texts you have studied present ideas about immorality in love
Compare how the writers of two texts you have studied present ideas about truth and deception in love
Compare how the authors of two texts you have studied present ideas about romantic commitment
Compare how the writers of two texts you have studied present ideas about conflict within relationships
(Cross-poetry analysis) Compare how the authors of two texts you have studied present ideas about loss of love
AQA English Literature A; Love through the ages (7711, 7712) - I sat my a-level exams in June 2018 and achieved an A grade in English Literature
This resource includes a discussion of the theme of tragedy and how it relates to Othello, The Great Gatsby and A Streetcar Named Desire.
It considers
The traditional Aristotelian tragic hero, and characteristics
Gatsby as a tragic hero
Othello as a tragic hero
Blanche DuBois as a tragic heroine
Critical evaluation of Blanche’s heroism
AQA English Literature A; Love through the ages (7711, 7712)
Tennesse Williams -** A Streetcar Named Desire
*I sat my A-levels in June 2018 and achieved an A grade in English Lit
Includes essay plans for:
Examine the view that ‘men in A Streetcar Named Desire are most despicable, it is the women who show nobility of character’.
Examine the view that A Streetcar Named Desire fails because Blanche is unable to achieve true tragic dignity.
Examine the role of deception in the action of A Streetcar Named Desire.
Examine the view that in A Streetcar Named Desire, Stella symbolises the plight of women in 1940s American society, where life without the support of a man is inconceivable.
Examine the view that 'We do not sympathise enough with Blanche to make this play truly tragic'
Also includes templates for your own attempts at essay plans and practice questions!