How should I structure a 16 mark essay? (AQA)

The 16 mark essay is divided into 10 marks for evaluation and 6 marks for explanation. This is important to note as many students will weight their answer more heavily towards explanation rather than evaluation, leading to them lose out on marks they are perfectly capable of picking up. I would suggest writing 3/4 to 1 side of A4 on explanation and between 1-2 sides on evaluation for these questions. The evaluation points should be structured in a PEEL format. This is where P = point, E = evidence, E = explanation and L = link. For example, if the question was 'Discuss the diathesis-stress model of schizophrenia', an example of this format would be: P: One strength of the diathesis stress model is that it is supported by evidence. E: Quote a study which supports the model, for example Tienari et al (2004). E: Explain the research: procedures, aims, findings etc. L: Link it back to the original question with a finishing sentence on how this study supports or demonstrates the model.

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Answered by Jemima P. Psychology tutor

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