IB Diploma Programme Psychology, SL and HL
SL and HL papers
Both levels share Papers 1 and 2. HL adds Paper 3 on the extensions.
Standard level (SL)
Paper 1: Integration of the concepts, content and contexts 1 h 30 min, 35 marks, 35% of the grade.
Section A: two compulsory short-answer questions from two of the three content areas (4 marks each). Section B: two compulsory short-answer questions applying content to an unseen situation, each from one of the four contexts (6 marks each). Section C: one of two concept-based extended response questions, each from a different context (15 marks).
Paper 2: Applying concepts and content to research contexts 1 h 30 min, 35 marks, 35% of the grade.
Section A: four compulsory questions on the class practicals (4, 4, 6 and 6 marks). Section B: evaluation of an unseen research study with regard to two or more concepts (15 marks).
Internal assessment: Research proposal 24 marks, 30% of the grade.
Design a research proposal to investigate a population of interest using one of the four research methods used in the class practicals. Marked by the teacher and moderated by the IB.
ContentContextsClass practicals and research
305 questions at SL, with feedback on written answers against the IB's markbands.
Higher level (HL)
Paper 1: Integration of the concepts, content and contexts 1 h 30 min, 35 marks, 25% of the grade.
As at SL: Section A, two short-answer questions on content (4 marks each); Section B, two short-answer questions applying content to an unseen situation (6 marks each); Section C, one of two concept-based extended responses (15 marks).
Paper 2: Applying concepts and content to research contexts 1 h 30 min, 35 marks, 25% of the grade.
As at SL: Section A, four questions on the class practicals (4, 4, 6 and 6 marks); Section B, evaluation of an unseen research study with regard to two or more concepts (15 marks).
Paper 3: Data analysis and interpretation of research data 1 h 45 min, 30 marks, 30% of the grade.
Four source-based questions on quantitative and qualitative findings, focused on one HL extension: interpretation of graphs (3 marks), data analysis (6), research considerations (6) and synthesis (15).
Internal assessment: Research proposal 24 marks, 20% of the grade.
As at SL. Marked by the teacher and moderated by the IB.
ContentContextsClass practicals and researchHL extensions and data analysis
379 questions at HL, with feedback on written answers against the IB's markbands.
The internal assessment, a research proposal, is not practised here.