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Methods: Edexcel A‑Level Psychology questions

Every Edexcel A-Level Psychology exam question on 8.2 Methods, 2016–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.

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946 questions

  1. Q15(a)(i)

    June 2025 · Paper 2

    4 marks8.2 Methods
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 2, question 15(a)(i): Calculate the standard deviation for the number of words slurred by the participants who drank 3 pints of beer using the data in Table 4. Show your working out

  2. Q15(a)(ii)

    June 2025 · Paper 2

    2 marks8.2 Methods
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 2, question 15(a)(ii): The standard deviation for the number of slurred words from the participants who drank no beer was 2.1. Using your answer from 15(a)(i), explain what the two st

  3. Q15(a)

    June 2024 · Paper 2

    2 marks8.2 Methods
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 Paper 2, question 15(a): Describe how Saqlain may have gathered his participants using a volunteer sampling technique. (2) 15 Saqlain investigated people’s attitudes towards a new anti-

  4. Q15(b)

    June 2024 · Paper 2

    2 marks8.2 Methods
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 Paper 2, question 15(b): Explain one weakness of Saqlain using a volunteer sampling technique for his investigation. (2) 15 Saqlain investigated people’s attitudes towards a new anti-dr

  5. Q15(c)

    June 2024 · Paper 2

    2 marks8.2 Methods
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 Paper 2, question 15(c): Saqlain used an independent groups design in his investigation. Explain one strength of Saqlain using an independent groups design. (2) 15 Saqlain investigated

  6. Q16(a)

    June 2023 · Paper 2

    2 marks8.2 Methods
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Paper 2, question 16(a): Explain one weakness of Alicia collecting quantitative data. (2) 16 Alicia conducted an experiment to investigate perceptions about whether a drug addict is mor

  7. Q16(b)

    June 2023 · Paper 2

    4 marks8.2 Methods
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Paper 2, question 16(b): Alicia’s results are shown in Table 3. Complete Table 3 and calculate the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test for Alicia’s experiment. (4) Participant Condition A: Condi

  8. Q16(c)

    June 2023 · Paper 2

    2 marks8.2 Methods
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Paper 2, question 16(c): Explain one improvement Alicia could make to her experiment. (2) 16 Alicia conducted an experiment to investigate perceptions about whether a drug addict is mor

  9. Q15(a)

    June 2022 · Paper 2

    4 marks8.2 Methods
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Paper 2, question 15(a): Explain one strength and one weakness of the sampling technique used by Alexei in his investigation on the use of high fear tactics on drug taking. (4) 15 Alexe

  10. Q15(b)

    June 2022 · Paper 2

    1 mark8.2 Methods
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Paper 2, question 15(b): Calculate the mean number of alcohol units consumed in the past week by participants in condition A. (1) 15 Alexei conducted an investigation into whether the u

  11. Q15(c)

    June 2022 · Paper 2

    1 mark8.2 Methods
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Paper 2, question 15(c): Calculate the median number of alcohol units consumed in the past week by participants in condition B. (1) 15 Alexei conducted an investigation into whether the

  12. Q15(d)

    June 2022 · Paper 2

    1 mark8.2 Methods
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Paper 2, question 15(d): Alexei carried out a Mann–Whitney U test on his data. His calculated/observed value was 4.5. Determine whether Alexei’s results were significant or not at p  0

  13. Q15(e)

    June 2022 · Paper 2

    2 marks8.2 Methods
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Paper 2, question 15(e): Explain one improvement that Alexei could make to his investigation. (2) 15 Alexei conducted an investigation into whether the use of high fear tactics influenc

  14. Q16(a)

    November 2021 · Paper 2

    3 marks8.2 Methods8.6 Issues and debates
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2021 Paper 2, question 16(a): Describe the ethical issues that Noah would have had to consider when conducting his experiment. (3) 16 Noah is investigating the influence of a new drug treatm

  15. Q16(b)

    November 2021 · Paper 2

    1 mark8.2 Methods
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2021 Paper 2, question 16(b): Later, Noah carried out an experiment on the effects of the new drug treatment for human heroin addicts using one human heroin addict. He compared the behaviour

  16. Q16(c)

    November 2021 · Paper 2

    2 marks8.2 Methods
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2021 Paper 2, question 16(c): For his experiment Noah gathered qualitative and quantitative data. Explain one reason why qualitative data may be better than quantitative data when researchin

  17. Q16(d)

    November 2021 · Paper 2

    2 marks8.2 Methods
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2021 Paper 2, question 16(d): Explain one weakness of Noah’s investigation using the human heroin addict. (2) 16 Noah is investigating the influence of a new drug treatment for heroin addict

  18. Q16(a)

    October 2020 · Paper 2

    1 mark8.2 Methods
    The whole paper ↗
    October 2020 Paper 2, question 16(a): Identify the sampling technique used by Brie in her experiment. (1) The results from the experiment carried out by Brie are shown in Table 4. Condition A: the h

  19. Q16(b)

    October 2020 · Paper 2

    3 marks8.2 Methods
    The whole paper ↗
    October 2020 Paper 2, question 16(b): Draw a suitable graph to represent the results shown in Table 4. (3) 16 Brie carried out an experiment to see the effect of a new drug for treating heroin addic

  20. Q16(c)

    October 2020 · Paper 2

    3 marks8.2 Methods
    The whole paper ↗
    October 2020 Paper 2, question 16(c): Brie used an independent groups experimental/research design. Compare independent groups and matched pairs experimental/research designs as used in health psych
All 29 questions on Methods, as a list
  1. June 2025, Paper 2, Q15(a)(i) (4 marks): Calculate the standard deviation for the number of words slurred by the participants who drank 3 pints of beer using the data in Table 4. Show your working out
  2. June 2025, Paper 2, Q15(a)(ii) (2 marks): The standard deviation for the number of slurred words from the participants who drank no beer was 2.1. Using your answer from 15(a)(i), explain what the two st
  3. June 2024, Paper 2, Q15(a) (2 marks): Describe how Saqlain may have gathered his participants using a volunteer sampling technique. (2) 15 Saqlain investigated people’s attitudes towards a new anti-
  4. June 2024, Paper 2, Q15(b) (2 marks): Explain one weakness of Saqlain using a volunteer sampling technique for his investigation. (2) 15 Saqlain investigated people’s attitudes towards a new anti-dr
  5. June 2024, Paper 2, Q15(c) (2 marks): Saqlain used an independent groups design in his investigation. Explain one strength of Saqlain using an independent groups design. (2) 15 Saqlain investigated
  6. June 2023, Paper 2, Q16(a) (2 marks): Explain one weakness of Alicia collecting quantitative data. (2) 16 Alicia conducted an experiment to investigate perceptions about whether a drug addict is mor
  7. June 2023, Paper 2, Q16(b) (4 marks): Alicia’s results are shown in Table 3. Complete Table 3 and calculate the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test for Alicia’s experiment. (4) Participant Condition A: Condi
  8. June 2023, Paper 2, Q16(c) (2 marks): Explain one improvement Alicia could make to her experiment. (2) 16 Alicia conducted an experiment to investigate perceptions about whether a drug addict is mor
  9. June 2022, Paper 2, Q15(a) (4 marks): Explain one strength and one weakness of the sampling technique used by Alexei in his investigation on the use of high fear tactics on drug taking. (4) 15 Alexe
  10. June 2022, Paper 2, Q15(b) (1 mark): Calculate the mean number of alcohol units consumed in the past week by participants in condition A. (1) 15 Alexei conducted an investigation into whether the u
  11. June 2022, Paper 2, Q15(c) (1 mark): Calculate the median number of alcohol units consumed in the past week by participants in condition B. (1) 15 Alexei conducted an investigation into whether the
  12. June 2022, Paper 2, Q15(d) (1 mark): Alexei carried out a Mann–Whitney U test on his data. His calculated/observed value was 4.5. Determine whether Alexei’s results were significant or not at p  0
  13. June 2022, Paper 2, Q15(e) (2 marks): Explain one improvement that Alexei could make to his investigation. (2) 15 Alexei conducted an investigation into whether the use of high fear tactics influenc
  14. November 2021, Paper 2, Q16(a) (3 marks): Describe the ethical issues that Noah would have had to consider when conducting his experiment. (3) 16 Noah is investigating the influence of a new drug treatm
  15. November 2021, Paper 2, Q16(b) (1 mark): Later, Noah carried out an experiment on the effects of the new drug treatment for human heroin addicts using one human heroin addict. He compared the behaviour
  16. November 2021, Paper 2, Q16(c) (2 marks): For his experiment Noah gathered qualitative and quantitative data. Explain one reason why qualitative data may be better than quantitative data when researchin
  17. November 2021, Paper 2, Q16(d) (2 marks): Explain one weakness of Noah’s investigation using the human heroin addict. (2) 16 Noah is investigating the influence of a new drug treatment for heroin addict
  18. October 2020, Paper 2, Q16(a) (1 mark): Identify the sampling technique used by Brie in her experiment. (1) The results from the experiment carried out by Brie are shown in Table 4. Condition A: the h
  19. October 2020, Paper 2, Q16(b) (3 marks): Draw a suitable graph to represent the results shown in Table 4. (3) 16 Brie carried out an experiment to see the effect of a new drug for treating heroin addic
  20. October 2020, Paper 2, Q16(c) (3 marks): Brie used an independent groups experimental/research design. Compare independent groups and matched pairs experimental/research designs as used in health psych
  21. June 2019, Paper 2, Q15(b) (3 marks): Rose wanted to see whether her anti-drugs campaign was effective. She collected quantitative and qualitative data from her target population. Describe how Rose
  22. June 2019, Paper 2, Q16(a) (1 mark): Calculate the range of Condition B and complete Table 4 with your answer. (1) 16 Marya has carried out a study to investigate whether a new treatment was effect
  23. June 2019, Paper 2, Q16(b) (2 marks): Marya used the mean as a measure of central tendency. Explain why Marya used the mean rather than the mode in her study. (2) 16 Marya has carried out a study to
  24. June 2019, Paper 2, Q16(c) (2 marks): Explain one improvement Marya could make to her study. (2) 16 Marya has carried out a study to investigate whether a new treatment was effective for people addi
  25. June 2018, Paper 2, Q15(a) (2 marks): Calculate the mean score for Condition 1 and the mean score for Condition 2 and complete Table 4 with your answers to two decimal places. (2) 15 Jason carried o
  26. June 2018, Paper 2, Q18 (16 marks): Ian carries out animal laboratory experiments to study drugs. He gave drugs to 35 monkeys and kept the monkeys in isolation during the experiment. After the exp
  27. June 2017, Paper 2, Q15(a)(i) (1 mark): State which statistical test Benito would use to analyse his data. (1) 15 Benito carried out some research into the effects of an advertising campaign about hea
  28. June 2017, Paper 2, Q15(a)(ii) (3 marks): State three reasons why Benito would use the statistical test you identified in (i). (3) 15 Benito carried out some research into the effects of an advertising
  29. June 2017, Paper 2, Q15(b) (2 marks): Benito used a random sample. Describe how he would have selected his sample. (2) 15 Benito carried out some research into the effects of an advertising campaign

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