How to Answer Core Study Questions in A-Level Psychology: Cambridge Has No "Research Report Questions"; Paper 1 Section A Tests 12 Core Studies for 38 Marks

First, a clarification: Cambridge International AS & A Level Psychology (9990) does not include a "research report" question type. The term "report" in the syllabus only appears in "self-report" (a research method) and examiner reports for teachers; Edexcel IAL does not offer Psychology either. Questions directly related to "research" are based on the 12 core studies, primarily in Paper 1. For the extended responses and essays in Section B of Paper 1, we have already covered them in Psychology Essay Questions; for research design questions, see Psychology Research Methods Questions. This article focuses on Section A of Paper 1: Short-answer questions based on core studies (38 marks), which has not been specifically detailed yet, as well as the required depth of understanding for each core study. This is based on the Cambridge 9990 syllabus (the core study lists are identical across the 2024–2026, 2027, and 2028–2030 versions).

I. How Paper 1 is Assessed

• Paper 1 Approaches, Issues and Debates: 1 hour 30 minutes, 60 marks, all questions compulsory, accounting for 50% of AS Level and 25% of A Level;
• Section A: Short-answer questions based on core studies, 38 marks;
• Section B: Extended response and essay questions based on core studies, 22 marks, which may require comparing different studies and evaluating research;
• The syllabus states that this paper tests knowledge of the core studies, as well as the four psychological approaches (biological, cognitive, learning, social) and the AS Level issues and debates.

The weighting of assessment objectives in Paper 1: AO1 Knowledge and Understanding 53%, AO2 Application 17%, AO3 Analysis and Evaluation 30%. In other words, over half the marks in Paper 1 test accurate knowledge—how accurately you remember and clearly explain the core studies.

Additionally, the syllabus specifies: AS Level content is the default knowledge for Paper 3 and Paper 4, but the core studies will not be the direct focus of questions in Papers 3 and 4. Therefore, core studies are mainly tested in Paper 1, while Paper 2 will also test research methods related to the core studies.

II. The 12 Core Studies

The syllabus provides the original paper references for each study; it is recommended to study them alongside the original texts or reliable textbooks. The syllabus also notes that the 12 studies are listed in alphabetical order, which does not represent the recommended teaching sequence, and some studies can be discussed under multiple approaches.

III. What to Master for Each Study

The syllabus requirements for all 12 studies are identical. Students must understand:

1. The psychological theme of the study;
2. The context of the study;
3. The aim of the study;
4. The procedure of the study, including all methodological details: research method, sample size and demographic characteristics (when known), sampling method (when known), experimental design, controls, type of task, data collection techniques, and measured and manipulated variables;
5. Relevant ethical issues;
6. The results of the study, including main or significant quantitative results, main qualitative results, and how they are presented and interpreted;
7. The conclusions drawn or that could be drawn by the researchers;
8. The strengths and weaknesses of each stage of the study.

In addition, students must be able to describe and evaluate the methods used in the study and relate them to psychological issues and debates.

IV. Approaches and Issues to Connect

Key Assumptions of the Four Approaches (paraphrased from the syllabus):

• Biological approach: Behavior, cognition, and emotion can be explained by the functioning of the brain and the roles of hormones, genetics, and evolution; similarities and differences between people can be understood through biological factors and their interactions with other factors;
• Cognitive approach: All people process information in the same way—input, processing, output, similar to a computer; there are individual differences in cognitive processes such as attention, language, thinking, and memory, and these processes also help explain behavior and emotion;
• Learning approach: Humans are born as a blank slate, and experience and interaction with the environment shape behavior, with these changes being directly observable; we learn through operant conditioning, classical conditioning, and social learning, which can be understood using the stimulus-response model;
• Social approach: Behavior, cognition, and emotion are influenced by social situations, social environments, and groups, as well as by the actual, implied, or imagined presence of others.

The Five Issues and Debates for AS Level: Application of psychology in everyday life; Individual vs. situational explanations; Nature vs. nurture; Use of children in research; Use of animals in research.

V. Common Command Words for Short-Answer Questions

Definitions of command words in the syllabus:

• Identify: Name, select, or recognize;
• State / Give: Express clearly / provide an answer from the material or memory;
• Define: Give the exact meaning;
• Outline: List the key points;
• Describe: State the key points, giving features and main characteristics;
• Explain: State the purpose or reason, clarify relationships between things, explain why and/or how, and support with relevant evidence;
• Suggest: Use knowledge to make a suggestion or offer a view in a context where there are multiple reasonable answers;
• Compare: Identify or comment on similarities and/or differences;
• Evaluate: Judge the quality, importance, or value.

Here is some experience-based advice: since short-answer questions carry fewer marks, you should control the length of your answer according to the command word and marks. For Identify and State, just write the name or fact; for Outline, list the key points; for Describe, include details; for Explain, state the "why" or "how" and relate it to the study itself; for Evaluate, provide a judgment and reasons.

VI. How to Prepare

Here is some experience-based advice:

1. Make a flashcard for each study, organized by the eight syllabus categories: theme, context, aim, procedure (method, sample, design, controls, variables), ethics, results, conclusions, strengths and weaknesses. Short-answer questions basically ask about these items one by one;
2. Details must be accurate: sample size, sample characteristics, experimental conditions, measurement methods, and main data. The syllabus specifically requires mastering "main or significant quantitative results," so these must be memorized accurately, not just from vague impressions;
3. Strengths and weaknesses must apply to "each stage": the syllabus requires evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of each stage of the research, not just "small sample size," but also method, design, controls, data types, ethics, etc.; each evaluation must clearly state "so what is the impact on the conclusions";
4. Connect studies to approaches and issues: for each study, note which assumption of the approach it reflects and which of the five issues it relates to (e.g., Hassett et al. and Fagen et al. use animals; Bandura et al. and Saavedra and Silverman use children);
5. Practice "application" questions: AO2 requires applying knowledge to familiar or unfamiliar contexts; practice using research conclusions to explain real-life examples;
6. Review alongside Paper 2: Section A of Paper 2 will also test research methods related to the core studies, so the methodological information on your flashcards will be useful for both papers (see Article 202).

VII. Common Reasons for Losing Marks

Here is an experience-based summary:

• Misremembering or confusing research details: for example, mixing up the samples or procedures of two different studies;
• Answering the wrong question: writing results when asked for the aim, or writing conclusions when asked for the procedure;
• Overly general evaluations: just writing "lacks ecological validity" without explaining why based on the specific procedures of the study;
• Mismatched length and marks: writing too much for low-mark questions, which eats into the time for Section B.

Final Thoughts

Cambridge Psychology does not have "research report questions"; the questions directly related to research are the core study questions in Paper 1. In Paper 1, AO1 Knowledge and Understanding accounts for 53%, and the 38-mark short-answer questions in Section A test your accurate and complete mastery of the 12 core studies. If you organize each study clearly according to the eight syllabus categories, connect them to approaches and issues, and practice answering according to the command words, you can steadily secure these marks. If you need A-Level Psychology tutoring, feel free to chat with our teachers.

Verification Note: This article was verified in September 2026: Cambridge 9990 does not have a question type named "research report" (the term "report" in the syllabus is only used for self-report and examiner reports). The duration, marks, two-section structure, and question instructions for Paper 1, the weighting of assessment objectives for each paper, the list of 12 core studies, their publication years and research themes, the mastery requirements for each study, the key assumptions of the four approaches, the five issues and debates for AS Level, the statement that core studies are not the direct focus of Papers 3 and 4, and the definitions of command words are all from the Cambridge International "Psychology 9990 syllabus for 2028, 2029 and 2030"; the list of core studies is identical in the 2024–2026 and 2027 versions. The fact that Edexcel IAL does not offer Psychology was verified in Article 172 on our website. The content is our abridged translation. The preparation advice and common reasons for losing marks are our experience-based suggestions.

References:

• Cambridge International：AS & A Level Psychology (9990)
• Cambridge International：Psychology 9990 Syllabus 2028–2030（PDF）