Hi,
I'm picking up psych as a 3/4 in 2017 and did bio 3/4 last year.
Does psych require the same level of interpretation and application as bio does?
Should I approach psych in a similar way as people generally approach bio?
Thanks!
I can't comment on Psychology's similarities to Bio but I will say that there has been a push in recent years to increase the number of 'application' questions in Psychology. I believe VCAA are shifting away from exams which are dominated by 'lower order thinking' questions which require a simple rote learned answer. Instead, you'll find that the questions they ask you are often accompanied by detailed scenarios, requiring you to reference the scenario in your response in order to attain full marks.
That being said, I found that the application questions weren't that difficult because half of your response will contain the familiar theory to back up the response.
I would approach Psychology by creating a detailed set of theory notes. There are bound to be simplistic questions in your exam and SACS and you want to ensure that you pick up all those marks. I would get a copy of Checkpoints and practice the more difficult application questions which separate the state throughout the year. After a while these will become second nature.
I'll also advise you to spend a good amount of time learning the Research Methods part of the course ( I am not 100% sure if it is in the new study design). The state average for the 10 marker question is usually around 3 or 4, so it's an opportunity for you to completely separate yourself from the competition and gives you breathing room if you find some of the SA questions more challenging than usual.
Good Luck!