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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.
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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.
All resources
AQA Psychology A-level: Approaches in Psychology (A* notes)
AQA Psychology A-level: Approaches in Psychology
From specification 7181, 7182 - Psychology in context - 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!)
Includes
Origins of psychology - introspection, Wundt, empiricism and evaluation
Behaviourist approach - classical conditioning and Pavlov, operant conditioning and Skinner - evaluation
Social learning theory - Bandura’s modelling, imitation, identification, meditational process and evaluation
Cognitive approach - schema, computer models, cognitive neuroscience and evaluation
Biological approach - genetic basis, genotype vs phenotype, evolution, biological structures and evaluation
Psychodynamic approach - unconscious mind, structure of personality, defence mechanisms, psychosexual stages and evaluation
Humanistic approach - free will, self actualisation, congruence and conditions of worth and evaluation
COMPARISON OF APPROACHES (A03) - views on development, nature vs nurture, reductionism, determinism, views on abnormal behaviour
AQA Economics A-level: Fiscal and supply-side policies
AQA Economics A-level: Fiscal and supply-side policies, specification 7135, 7136
I achieved an A in Economics A-level in 2018, across all three papers. These notes helped form an understanding of economic theory and a critical evaluation of it*
Fiscal policy
Expansionary vs deflationary fiscal policy
Fiscal stabilisers - automatic vs discretionary
UK data for post-recession fiscal policy
Impact of fiscal policy on macro objectives and aggregate supply (evaluation)
Spending and taxation
Reasons for government spending
Types of taxation; progressive, proportional and regressive
UK data for taxation and evaluation
Arguments for and against indirect taxation (evaluation)
Budget deficit and national debt
Debt vs deficit, types of deficit: cyclical and structural
Factors influencing size of budget deficit, benefits and costs of deficit (evaluation)
Types of national debt - causes and consequences
Supply-side policies
Macro impacts of supply-side policies on growth, inflation, employment and trade
Free market supply side policies vs interventionist supply side policies
Influence of policies on natural rate of unemployment
Evaluation of supply side policies
Economics A-level: Labour market supply and demand
AQA Economics A-level (specification 7135, 7136)
Includes:
Determinants of labour demand, marginal productivity theory, elasticity of demand
Determinants of labour supply
Wage determination in perfect competition, monopsony markets etc.
Role of trade unions and impacts on market structures
National Minimum Wage, impact and evaluation
Discrimination in the labour market - conditions and evaluation
AQA Economics A-Level: Macro Exemplar Essay Questions
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)
Bundle
AQA Psychology A-Level Cognition and Development Bundle (A* Notes and Exemplar Essays)
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)
A Streetcar Named Desire Essay Plans; AQA English Literature
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!
AQA A-Level Psychology - Psychopathology A* Exam Practice Exemplar Essays
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)
A-level Economics: Production and Productivity
AQA Economics A-level (specification 7135, 7136)
Specification 4.1.4.1 to 4.1.4.8
Includes:
Measuring productivity, impact of increased productivity
Policies to improve productivity
Specialisation and the division of labour - advantages and disadvantages
Costs of production
Law of diminishing returns, economies of scale, LRAC
Revenue and profit - function of profit
Technological change, creative destruction
Economies and diseconomies of scale (and evaluations)
Minimum efficient scale
AQA Economics A-level: International Economy
AQA Economics A-level: International Economy, specification 7135, 7136
I achieved an A in Economics A-level in 2018, across all three papers. These notes helped form an understanding of economic theory and a critical evaluation of it*
Globalisation: characteristics and causes of globalisation
Role of MNCs - benefits and drawbacks (evaluation)
Costs and benefits of globalisation (evaluation)
Trade: static vs dynamic gains, changing patterns of UK trade and World Trade Organisation (WTO)
Theory of competitive advantage, assumption, sources, absolute advantage
Specialisation and division of labour
Trade in developing countries - advantages and risks
UK membership of EU evaluation - arguments for and against
Policies to improve trade in the long run vs short run and supply side policies
Protectionism: graphs and evaluation of tariffs, quotas, export subsidies and dumping
Arguments against protectionism
The balance of payments and current account - components
Factors influencing current account deficit and balance of payment deficit
Impact of trade imbalances (evaluation)
Policies to reduce deficit - expenditure-reducing and expenditure-switching
Exchange rates - determinants, fluctuations, depreciations etc
Exchange rate equilibrium, excess demand vs excess supply
Effects of currency fluctuations on growth, inflation, employment etc.
Benefits and limitations of weaker currency
Evaluation of a devaluation - Marshall Lerner, J curve
Currency systems, free-floating, managed floating and fixed (and evaluation of each)
Global influence of currencies, brexit impact
Benefits and drawbacks of currency unions
Economic growth and development, indicators of development
Objectives of development, barriers to development
Private sector and development
Role of trade/aid in development
AQA Psychology A-level: Eating Behaviour (A* notes)
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!)
Includes
Evolutionary explanations for food preferences, taste aversion, neophobia and evaluation
Role of learning - classical and operant conditioning, social influence; family, media, peer etc. and evaluation
Cultural influence in eating - norms, meat-eating, learning and evaluation
Neural mechanisms - dual-centre model of eating - Lateral hypothalamus and ventro-medial hypothalamus
Hormonal mechanisms - role of ghrelin and leptin, studies and evaluation
Explanations for anorexia nervosa (AN)*
Genetic explanations - twin studies, candidate-gene and genome-wide associate studies and evaluation
Neural explanations - role of serotonin and dopamine and evaluation
Psychodynamic approach - Family Systems Theory (FST) and evaluation
Social learning theory - modelling, vicarious reinforcement, media, Dittmar et al’s Barbie study (2006)
Cognitive theory - cognitive distortions, irrational beliefs, cognitive inflexibility and evaluation
Explanations for obesity
Genetic explanations - family/twin studies, polygenic determination and ‘thrifty’ gene hypothesis
Neural explanations -hypothalamus, leptin, serotonin and dopamine and evaluation
Psychological explanations - restraint theory, disinhibition, boundary model and evaluation
Success and failure of dieting - spiral model, ironic process theory, restrained eating and disinhibition
Theory of hedonic eating
Evaluation of success and failure of dieting with key studies
Overview of key biological components in eating behaviour
AQA Psychology A-level: Attachment (A* notes)
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!)
Includes
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
AQA Psychology A-level: Memory (A* notes)
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!)
Includes:
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
AQA Psychology A-level: Social Influence (A* notes)
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!
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
AQA Psychology A-level: Psychopathology (A* notes)
AQA Psychology A-level: Psychopathology
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!)
Includes
Definitions for abnormality and evaluation of each
Phobias - types of phobia, behavioural, emotional and cognitive characteristics of phobias
Behavioural explanations for phobias - two-process model, Watson and Rayner (1920) and evaluation
Alternative explanations - biological preparedness Seligman (1970)/ Ohman et al (1975) and social learning theory and evaluation
Behavioural approach to treating phobias - systematic desensitization, flooding and evaluation
OCD -behavioural, emotional and cognitive characteristics of OCD
Biological explanations of OCD - genetic basis (candidate genes) and neural basis (neurotransmitters/brain structures) and evaluation
Biological approach to treating OCD - drug therapy, SSRIs and SNRIs and evaluation
Depression - categories, behavioural, emotional and cognitive characteristics of depression
Cognitive explanation for depression - Beck’s Negative Triad and Ellis’ ABC model and evaluation
Cognitive approach to treating depression - CBT, Beck’s cognitive therapy, REBT and evaluation
AQA Economics A-level: Economic performance (macro)
AQ Economics A-level: MACRO Economic performance, specification 7135, 7136
Economic growth
Short run vs long run economic growth, determinants of long run economic growth
Costs and benefits of economic growth, overall sustainability of growth
The economic cycle, trend growth, output gaps and stages
Explanations of cycle: multiplier/accelerator cycle, inventory cycle, asset price bubbles, animal spirits, herding etc.
Employment
Definitions of unemployment rate, participation rate and labour force
Measuring unemployment - claimant count vs labour force survey
Types of unemployment - cyclical, structural, frictional, classic, voluntary
Table of cause of unemployment, impact and supply side policies to overcome
Natural rate of unemployment
Costs and benefits of unemployment (evaluation)
Policies to reduce unemployment - demand side vs supply side (and evaluation)
Inflation
Measuring inflation with CPI, RPI, PPI
Demand-pull inflation vs cost-push inflation, comparison of causes
Quantity theory of money
Impact of commodity prices/global economy
Controlling inflation, demand-side policies vs supply-side policies (and evaluation)
Costs and benefits of inflation (evaluation)
Deflation vs disinflation - benign vs malevolent deflation
Benefits and consequences of deflation
Policies to avoid deflation
Conflicting macroeconomic objectives
Output gaps
Phillips curve - short-run vs long-run and implications for policy makers
NAIRU explained
Overview of potential conflicts arising from economic objectives
AQA Economics A-Level: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
AQA Economics A-level: Aggregate demand and supply, specification 7135, 7136
Aggregate demand, relationship between price and quantity
Factors influencing AD
Evaluation of consumption, investment, government spending, net exports
Marginal propensity to consume, marginal propensity to save, multiplier and accelerator effect
Short-run aggregate supply and factors influencing SRAS
Long-run aggregate supply and factors influencing LRAS
Keynesian AS curve
Macroeconomic equilibrium - short run, long run and economic shocks
Economics A-level: Macroeconomic performance
AQA Economics A-level: The national and international economy, specification 7135, 7136.
Macroeconomic performance
Government objectives for economic performance
Conflicts in performance - e.g. growth vs inflation
Macroeconomic indicators - GDP, GNP, GNI, CPI, RPI
National income data and evaluation, purchasing power parity
Circular flow of income - leakages, withdrawal and equilibrium
Economics A-level: Income and wealth
AQA Economics A-level (specification 7135, 7136)
Includes:
Difference between income and wealth
Determinants of income inequality and wealth inequality
Measuring inequality - Lorenz curve and Gini coefficient
Evaluation of income and wealth inequality
UK income and wealth statistics
Problem of poverty - relative vs absolute poverty, causes and impact
Policies to alleviate poverty and evaluation
Bundle
AQA Psychology A-Level Memory Bundle (A* Notes and Exemplar Essays)
** 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)
Bundle
AQA Psychology A-Level: Attachment Bundle (A* Notes and Exemplar Essays)
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)