Essay planner | A-level Psychology

1Choose a question

Issues and debates

Relationships

Schizophrenia

Aggression

Your question · 16 marks · AO1 6 · AO3 10

Discuss gender bias in psychological research. Refer to at least two topics you have studied.

2Your budget

Time: 20 min; 3 to plan, 17 to write
Words: about 425; a guide to balance
Paragraphs: 6; 0 built so far

20 minutes at AQA's rate of 120 minutes for 96 marks: about 3 to plan and 17 to write.
Word counts are a guide to balance, not a rule. Examiners judge the whole answer against the levels; a longer answer is not a better one.
A few developed evaluation points beat many listed ones. Skip a general introduction; start with the psychology.
The minutes follow AQA's own ratio of 120 minutes for 96 marks. The word budgets and paragraph counts are our guidance for keeping the AO balance, not AQA rules: examiners place the whole answer in a level.

3Build the knowledge (AO1, 6 marks)

Tap a building block to add it to the selected paragraph. Choose what this question needs: one block here does not answer it.

AO1Knowledge paragraph 10 of about 70 words

No blocks yet.

Your own detail (optional): a study, an example or a key term

AO1Knowledge paragraph 20 of about 70 words

No blocks yet.

Your own detail (optional): a study, an example or a key term

4Build the evaluation (AO3, 10 marks)

Each paragraph is one developed point: the point, the evidence, why it matters for this theory, and a link back to the question. Write the last two in your own words, then compare.

AO3Evaluation paragraph 10 of about 80 words

Choose a point

Point. Make the point: a strength or a limitation of this theory, study or treatment.Evidence. Give the evidence: a named study and what it found, or a precise methodological reason.Why it matters. Explain why it matters: what it shows about the theory itself, not about research in general.Link. Link back: so how far does this support or weaken the claim in the question?

AO3Evaluation paragraph 20 of about 80 words

Choose a point

Point. Make the point: a strength or a limitation of this theory, study or treatment.Evidence. Give the evidence: a named study and what it found, or a precise methodological reason.Why it matters. Explain why it matters: what it shows about the theory itself, not about research in general.Link. Link back: so how far does this support or weaken the claim in the question?

AO3Evaluation paragraph 30 of about 80 words

Choose a point

Point. Make the point: a strength or a limitation of this theory, study or treatment.Evidence. Give the evidence: a named study and what it found, or a precise methodological reason.Why it matters. Explain why it matters: what it shows about the theory itself, not about research in general.Link. Link back: so how far does this support or weaken the claim in the question?

AO3Judgement0 of about 30 words

Weigh the points: which is strongest, and why? Answer the question: how far, how well, or under what conditions.

5Your draft structure

AO1Knowledge 1Accurate, detailed knowledge selected for this questionNot started · 0 of about 70 words
AO1Knowledge 2Accurate, detailed knowledge selected for this questionNot started · 0 of about 70 words
AO3EvaluationOne developed evaluative point: point, evidence, why it matters, linkNot started · 0 of about 80 words
AO3EvaluationOne developed evaluative point: point, evidence, why it matters, linkNot started · 0 of about 80 words
AO3EvaluationOne developed evaluative point: point, evidence, why it matters, linkNot started · 0 of about 80 words
AO3JudgementA reasoned conclusion that answers the questionNot started · 0 of about 30 words

The plan against the question's AO split
Objective	Marks	Share of marks	Paragraphs	Word budget	Built
AO1	6	38%	2	about 140	0 of 2
AO3	10	63%	4	about 270	0 of 4

This checks the balance of your plan, not its quality. A plan with every paragraph built can still land in any level; the level depends on how accurate, applied and developed the writing is.

Practise this unit

Drafts save on this device as you work.

Plan the paragraphs before you write

1Choose a question

Issues and debates

Relationships

Schizophrenia

Aggression

2Your budget

3Build the knowledge (AO1, 6 marks)

4Build the evaluation (AO3, 10 marks)

5Your draft structure