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VCE Stuff => VCE Science => VCE Mathematics/Science/Technology => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE Psychology => Topic started by: iNerd on November 26, 2010, 09:36:56 am

Title: The Mini-Essay Q [Psych] UPDATE!
Post by: iNerd on November 26, 2010, 09:36:56 am
According to rumour the new Psych study design holds a mini-essay extended response question.

Apparently going to be something like this

Anyone else see a trend? BM implemented a new study design and got a 10 mark Q...and now so do we ::)
Thoughts?

UPDATE: A+ WAS TOTALLY WRONG

http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vcaa/vce/studies/psychology/psych-samp.pdf
Title: Re: The Mini-Essay Q
Post by: Slumdawg on November 26, 2010, 10:16:30 am
Tbh all of those questions seem fairly good. Just went through them all and they're all very "do-able". They give you a lot to discuss so I don't think they'll be much of an issue. If you have no clue what they're after then it would be a very big issue. But they seem to do broad stuff so it's actually not too hard.
Title: Re: The Mini-Essay Q
Post by: Russ on November 26, 2010, 10:22:20 am
I thoroughly endorse this sort of assessment rather than 1 mark questions to regurgitate names and facts.
Title: Re: The Mini-Essay Q
Post by: Slumdawg on November 26, 2010, 10:28:46 am
I thoroughly endorse this sort of assessment rather than 1 mark questions to regurgitate names and facts.
Yeah you should see the 2010 psych exam Russ. Rote-learning in psych is basically useless now. The exam was based a lot on understanding rather than recall and I'm guessing 2011 will even more. In fact, barely any of the multiple choice in either exam was simply a recall question, all were applied to a case study. And the short answer required you to use your knowledge and apply it to stuff you might have not come across before (i.e. Ames Room question in unit 3! WTF) No wonder the A+ cut offs have been so low, psych is actually much more difficult now. What is always should have been :)
Title: Re: The Mini-Essay Q
Post by: Russ on November 26, 2010, 10:31:34 am
I did it in 2007 and got a horrible mid year mark because I didn't realise that understanding was second to knowing names. Switched it up for the end of year and reversed the mark :)

I like the direction they're taking
Title: Re: The Mini-Essay Q
Post by: Slumdawg on November 26, 2010, 10:39:46 am
I did it in 2007 and got a horrible mid year mark because I didn't realise that understanding was second to knowing names. Switched it up for the end of year and reversed the mark :)

I like the direction they're taking
I bet your "horrible" mark would have been like an "A" haha. My psych teacher was telling me that at the conference she went to the people in charge of psych at the VCAA were making all these changes to stop people saying psych is "easy" and just a "rote-learned" subject. So they got new exam writers this year to write more conceptual based exams which require a great deal of understanding as compared to the previous years were there was a lot more "What is, define, etc". And they're gonna continue that right through to next year and the next study design. It's a bit annoying for all us 2010ers, why didn't they just leave the old study design alone!
Title: Re: The Mini-Essay Q
Post by: Tashi on November 26, 2010, 05:20:27 pm
I'm so glad I did it this year. I think it will be hard to tell what they are looking for in the answer. I remember there was a 4 mark question on the mid-year about the role of the nervous system in picking up a cup or something. I was so worried that I hadn't included everything they were after (which I guess I didn't because I think I got 3 marks).
Title: Re: The Mini-Essay Q
Post by: iNerd on November 26, 2010, 05:38:35 pm
Hmm so all in all not a bad change.
I was happy with the eradication of the old study design as Vis Percep got demolished, replaced by Mental Health. :)
This Q should also separate the top-end.

Stoked for next year!
Title: Re: The Mini-Essay Q [Psych] UPDATE!
Post by: iNerd on December 03, 2010, 01:57:37 pm
VCAA ..YOU....FAR OUT!

http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vcaa/vce/studies/psychology/psych-samp.pdf

SECTION C ADDED.
Psych is now official harder
Title: Re: The Mini-Essay Q [Psych] UPDATE!
Post by: pi on December 03, 2010, 01:59:05 pm
SECTION C ADDED.
Psych is now official harder

So Ms Lester was right... At least now people might give Psych a bit more respect as a science! That's good for the subject!

(my first post in psych, probably my last)
Title: Re: The Mini-Essay Q [Psych] UPDATE!
Post by: iNerd on December 03, 2010, 02:02:35 pm
Exactly...but far out, this just got very hard.
Furthermore, quote VCAA: Questions in the examination will not be organised according to areas of study.
Previously it was separated by each AOS...wow they're doing all they can to make Psych harder.
Title: Re: The Mini-Essay Q [Psych] UPDATE!
Post by: stonecold on December 03, 2010, 02:03:28 pm
LOL.  Psych looks shit now.  :P

Further Math ftw!

Bio > Psych!   easier too by the looks of it.
Title: Re: The Mini-Essay Q [Psych] UPDATE!
Post by: iNerd on December 03, 2010, 02:05:02 pm
LOL.  Psych looks shit now.  :P

Further Math ftw!

Bio > Psych!   easier too by the looks of it.
Ehem.."Steve" [haha lol won't give your name here]...I still prefer Psych, much more fascinating :P ...besides, I can write an essay...I just dislike the fact I'm the first year guinea pig kid :P
Title: Re: The Mini-Essay Q [Psych] UPDATE!
Post by: Slumdawg on December 03, 2010, 02:20:08 pm
I don't think people will be able to say Psych is a joke anymore. The sample exam shows how much more is expected from you. Looks like research methods is very very examinable in unit 3, have fun 2011ers. Should be a fun ride for you all haha. P.s. If I were you, I'd hope for a research methods one for section C, looks much easier than an essay.
Title: Re: The Mini-Essay Q [Psych] UPDATE!
Post by: iNerd on December 03, 2010, 02:21:12 pm
I don't think people will be able to say Psych is a joke anymore. The sample exam shows how much more is expected from you. Looks like research methods is very very examinable in unit 3, have fun 2011ers. Should be a fun ride for you all haha. P.s. If I were you, I'd hope for a research methods one for section C, looks much easier than an essay.
High probability that Unit 3 will have research report, Unit 4 will have essay or vice versa. Doubt they'll do the same for both units...
Title: Re: The Mini-Essay Q [Psych] UPDATE!
Post by: Slumdawg on December 03, 2010, 02:28:34 pm
I don't think people will be able to say Psych is a joke anymore. The sample exam shows how much more is expected from you. Looks like research methods is very very examinable in unit 3, have fun 2011ers. Should be a fun ride for you all haha. P.s. If I were you, I'd hope for a research methods one for section C, looks much easier than an essay.
High probability that Unit 3 will have research report, Unit 4 will have essay or vice versa. Doubt they'll do the same for both units...
I doubted they'd do method of loci in short answer two years in a row this year and they did. Luckily I studied that, I know a lot of people didn't bother learning it properly. But yes I agree. It's probably like an 80% chance that one will be research and the other essay. If they're really nasty they'll put the research in unit 3 as most people wouldn't have learned that much research methods at that stage. And considering they seem to be wanting to make psych trickier it would be a smart move on their behalf too.
Title: Re: The Mini-Essay Q [Psych] UPDATE!
Post by: iNerd on December 03, 2010, 02:32:08 pm
I don't think people will be able to say Psych is a joke anymore. The sample exam shows how much more is expected from you. Looks like research methods is very very examinable in unit 3, have fun 2011ers. Should be a fun ride for you all haha. P.s. If I were you, I'd hope for a research methods one for section C, looks much easier than an essay.
High probability that Unit 3 will have research report, Unit 4 will have essay or vice versa. Doubt they'll do the same for both units...
I doubted they'd do method of loci in short answer two years in a row this year and they did. Luckily I studied that, I know a lot of people didn't bother learning it properly. But yes I agree. It's probably like an 80% chance that one will be research and the other essay. If they're really nasty they'll put the research in unit 3 as most people wouldn't have learned that much research methods at that stage. And considering they seem to be wanting to make psych trickier it would be a smart move on their behalf too.
Very smart thought. Research methods has suddenly become a massive priority.
Title: Re: The Mini-Essay Q [Psych] UPDATE!
Post by: Glockmeister on December 03, 2010, 04:32:43 pm
‘The temporal lobe has a considerable influence on our daily lives.’

Good god, I wish you Psych students good luck.

[That said, this isn't particularly hard, it's just you can write a lot of things about this.]
Title: Re: The Mini-Essay Q [Psych] UPDATE!
Post by: iNerd on December 03, 2010, 04:33:37 pm
‘The temporal lobe has a considerable influence on our daily lives.’

Good god, I wish you Psych students good luck.

[That said, this isn't particularly hard, it's just you can write a lot of things about this.]
...and you get a page only, or can you write beyond the lines?
Title: Re: The Mini-Essay Q [Psych] UPDATE!
Post by: darren94 on December 03, 2010, 04:42:34 pm
Wow VCAA... not organising according to AoS ... Mini essay question...
Oh well. At least this gives me a chance to practice some of my English and redeem myself from failing science  :police:
Title: Re: The Mini-Essay Q [Psych] UPDATE!
Post by: Russ on December 04, 2010, 09:19:46 am
Having only a page doesn't make it harder, it just means you have to not put in excessive/irrelevant information. i wrote plenty of 10mark/1page answers in year 12, they're pretty much entirely formulaic for working out the points - marks ratio
Title: Re: The Mini-Essay Q [Psych] UPDATE!
Post by: burbs on December 10, 2010, 12:56:03 am
BM got similar treatment this year, everyone is in the same boat, dw.
Title: Re: The Mini-Essay Q [Psych] UPDATE!
Post by: Nullisecundus on December 17, 2010, 01:33:53 pm
Tbh all of those questions seem fairly good. Just went through them all and they're all very "do-able". They give you a lot to discuss so I don't think they'll be much of an issue. If you have no clue what they're after then it would be a very big issue. But they seem to do broad stuff so it's actually not too hard.

personally I don't quite like this new implemented '10-mark question'

Question 1
‘The temporal lobe has a considerable infl uence on our daily lives.’
Discuss the above statement.
Your answer should include at least one example from daily life and include reference to the primary and association cortex and structures in the medial temporal lobes.

This question could be marked very subjectively, depending on who your assessors are.
Since its out of 10 marks, there arent any even hints as to what you must include, whereas in 3-4 mark questions you tend to know what you need in your solution to guarantee full marks..
and compared to mc which are 1 mark, this one question will pretty much say whether you get a 45 or a 50..
Title: Re: The Mini-Essay Q [Psych] UPDATE!
Post by: Slumdawg on December 17, 2010, 01:41:58 pm
Tbh all of those questions seem fairly good. Just went through them all and they're all very "do-able". They give you a lot to discuss so I don't think they'll be much of an issue. If you have no clue what they're after then it would be a very big issue. But they seem to do broad stuff so it's actually not too hard.

personally I don't quite like this new implemented '10-mark question'

Question 1
‘The temporal lobe has a considerable infl uence on our daily lives.’
Discuss the above statement.
Your answer should include at least one example from daily life and include reference to the primary and association cortex and structures in the medial temporal lobes.

This question could be marked very subjectively, depending on who your assessors are.
Since its out of 10 marks, there arent any even hints as to what you must include, whereas in 3-4 mark questions you tend to know what you need in your solution to guarantee full marks..
and compared to mc which are 1 mark, this one question will pretty much say whether you get a 45 or a 50..
LOL! That was based on the ones from A+ notes book actually. I saw each of them and you could tell exactly what you needed to write to get full marks. So I thought it'd be alright. I agree, the temporal one is really not great. You guys all better hope it's a research methods one, cos a report for 15 marks is too good! It's basically an ERA in the exam and once you know how to write good ERAs it'll be a breeze in the exam.
Title: Re: The Mini-Essay Q [Psych] UPDATE!
Post by: Nullisecundus on December 17, 2010, 02:03:44 pm
hahaha oh right my bad shilayli,

but yeah, i still reckon any 10 mark question probably makes psych a bit less rote,
but is still subjective in its own right

i even found this yr subjective based on those around me's results, with over 100+ psych markers marking to different difficulties ):
Title: Re: The Mini-Essay Q [Psych] UPDATE!
Post by: Glockmeister on December 26, 2010, 02:34:54 am
hahaha oh right my bad shilayli,

but yeah, i still reckon any 10 mark question probably makes psych a bit less rote,
but is still subjective in its own right

i even found this yr subjective based on those around me's results, with over 100+ psych markers marking to different difficulties ):

I think generally with these essay-type questions (because you will get essay-style exams at uni as well), the most important thing to remember is that the assessors are not going to be English teachers. Basically to get your marks, all you need to do is to use key words so that when an assessor reads your work, they can instantly see that what you have put on your sheet is what is part of their dot-point criterion.