1. Effective AO2 Strategies – Let PALS Be Your Friend

2. Welcome Today is the final Webinar for OCR in the current series
The previous sessions are available here:
Are there any future sessions you would like?

3. Session Aims
What are Psychological Applied Learning Scenarios and what is the importance of them?
Discuss where to find PALS for components 1,2, and 3
Identify strategies for writing effective PALS
Discuss how to mark PALS for components 1,2, and 3
Consider how to use PALS within your course planning
DO YOU USE PALS? INITIAL THOUGHTS?

4. What are PALS
PALS are novel scenarios/case studies, that allow learners to apply their knowledge of psychology.
Their content allows students the opportunity to develop their own thinking to the given problem and there should be a possibility of different answers.
By applying different theories to PALS, students should realise how different approaches to the issues can come from different areas of psychology.
They are also designed to give students the opportunity to develop and practice skills such as critical thinking, evidence-based reasoning and decision making.

5. PALS assessment in the exams
AO2 - Apply knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, processes, techniques and procedures:
in a theoretical context
in a practical context
when handling qualitative data
when handling quantitative data.

6. AO2 – Application marks

7. PALS – Component 1 – Section B
Research design and response
Source material briefly describing details of the method of an investigation
Scenario based questions:
AO1 – 6 Marks, AO2 – 15 Marks, AO3 – 2 Marks
Questions likely to refer to hypotheses, experimental design, the research method, sample/sampling method, methodological issues.

8. PALS – Component 1 – Section B
Designing an investigation - 12 Mark AS Level Question
AO1 – 2, AO2 – 4, AO3 - 6
Designing an investigation - 15 Mark A Level Question
AO1 – 3, AO2 – 5, AO3 – 7
Source Material briefly outlining an aim.
Explain how you would carry out an investigation
Justify your decisions as part of your explanation
You must refer to – 3 or 4 named bullet points
You should use your own experience of carrying out an investigation to inform your response

9. PALS – Component 1 – Section C
Section C: Data analysis and interpretation
Detailed description of an investigation outlining procedures and results.
A level SAM: A01 – 10, AO2 – 14, AO3 -11

10. Where to find and how to write component 1 PALS
Old Specification G541 and G544 Past papers
G541 section outlining an existing piece of research – for new spec section B scenario describing details of the method of an investigation.
G544 Section A scenarios and G541 section outlining a proposed piece of research - for new spec section B 12/15 mark questions, just add 3 or 4 bullet points and new question wording.
G541 section outlining data produced by a piece of a research – for new spec section C data analysis and interpretation.

11. For example – G541 - May 2013
Write your own questions relating to the source or use questions from this paper. Could include:
Hypotheses, population/sample/sampling technique, open/closed questions, methodological issues – reliability, validity, ethics, report writing, how science works in CONTEXT

12. G541 – May 2013
12/15 mark wording can be added to this, with a choice of bullet points. For example:
Explain how you would carry out an investigation. Justify your decisions as part of your explanation. You must refer to:
Operationalisation of variables
Sampling technique
Ethical considerations
Testing/increasing reliability/validity
The use of descriptive stats
The choice of an appropriate statistical test
You should use your own experience of carrying out an experiment to inform your response.

13. G541 – May 2013 - data produced by a piece of a research
Write your own questions relating to the source or use questions from this paper. This could include:
Conclusions from data (behaviour)
Sketching of an appropriate graph or chart
Calculating measures of central tendency or dispersion
Calculating ratios, percentages or fractions
Levels or types of data
Inferential statistics

14. Component 2 - PALS AO2 Marks come from Section C
This section will require learners to apply their knowledge and understanding of psychology to a novel source as provided in the examination. The source could be a newspaper or magazine article, a blog, a diary entry, exchange or equivalent written source.
Identify issue/problems from an article.
Outline research/area/key theme and relate to the article
Suggest techniques to manage or encourage behaviours which relate to key themes:
Evaluate suggestions – considering issues, debates, practicalities, effectiveness and appropriateness

15. Memory PALS
Identify one psychological issue raised by the above article. Support your answer with evidence from the article.
Briefly outline one piece of psychological research and justify how it relates to the above article
Explain why this article can be viewed as being relevant to cognitive psychology.
Use your psychological knowledge to suggest a way to manage the issue you have identified

16. The idea that intelligence can be measured by IQ tests alone is a fallacy according to the largest single study into human cognition which found that it comprises of at least three distinct mental traits. IQ tests have been used for decades to assess intelligence but they are fundamentally flawed because they do not take into account the complex nature of the human intellect and its different components, the study found. The results question the validity of controversial studies of intelligence based on IQ tests which have drawn links between intellectual ability race, gender and social class and led to highly contentious claims that some groups of people are inherently less intelligent that other groups. Instead of a general measure of intelligence epitomised by the intelligence quotient (IQ), intellectual ability consists of short-term memory, reasoning and verbal agility. Although these interact with one another they are handled by three distinct nerve “circuits” in the brain, the scientists found.
Use SAM and summer 2016 questions and mark schemes

17. Useful sources for PALS
News sites
Psychology blogs
Past papers for other exam boards
Youtube
You and your students (including practical activity write ups)

18. Component 3 – Optional Topics Question C
A series of high profile serious violent crimes have been committed in a small village over the last year. Experts are working on the case but it remains unsolved. There are a number of potential suspects including one who has a previous conviction for assault. The experts have been put under pressure to solve the case / The suspect was then charged, but was unanimously found not guilty despite the forensic evidence / however despite the pressure for a conviction the forensic experts found no evidence to find the suspect guilty
(c)* Discuss how motivating factors might impact the collection and processing of forensic evidence in this case. (10 x AO2)
Discuss a strategy for reducing bias in the collection and processing of forensic evidence. (IDENTIFYING A STRATEGY)
Discuss how motivating factors and bias may influence the collection and processing of forensic evidence. (BACKGROUND PROBLEM)
Discuss how a psychologist could investigate whether there was bias in the collection and processing of evidence. (HOW THE APPLICATION COULD BE RESEARCHED)
Discuss how a psychologist might apply their knowledge of strategies for reducing bias to explain why the forensic experts came to their conclusions. (EXPLAINING THE STRATEGY)

19. Writing a Component 3 Question
Topic – Collection of evidence
Background - Collection and use of evidence from witnesses and suspects. Key Research – Memon and Higham Strategy - At least one strategy for police interviews.
4 Question Types – Identifying a strategy, Explaining a strategy, Discussing a problem from the background, How the application could be researched.
A can of baked beans have been stolen from a shop in the North East, the local detective Vera is investigating. There were a number of witnesses who saw the crime.
Discuss how Vera could collect evidence from witnesses in this case (10)
Vera has managed to gain lots of information from witnesses due to her interviewing technique. Discuss how a psychologist would explain how Vera obtained lots of information.
Vera used a traditional police interview but was unable to collect much evidence from suspects and the evidence she did collect was conflicting. Discuss problems associated with collecting evidence from witnesses.
Vera is considering using the cognitive interview. Discuss how a psychologist could investigate the effectiveness of this strategy.

20. How can PALS be used in your planning?
After the teaching of each area and core studies
After completing practical activities
After each component 3 topic
Debates PALS
Methodological issues PALS – general or specific
Issues in mental health PALS
Marking PALS
OCR Mark schemes
tutor2u marking grids

21. Today’s Resources & Any Questions
Today’s resources will be posted in our OCR Teacher FB Group. Search ‘OCR A Level Psychology Teacher’
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22. Any questions? How can we help?