Remembering Names

Former Member

Hello,

I'm studing Sociology, Psychology, English Lit and General Studies at AS level and am taking them in their entirety over the course of one week in May! (great planning AQA!)

I'm wondering, with regards to the exams and revision- is it crucial that I memorise names/dates? Because especially with the Psychology and Sociology there are literally tons to remember- and I doubt I'll be able to do it- esp. with 3 X 1 hour Pyschology exams consequtively!!

Just wondering if anyone else has done these subject and whether or not they bothered with the names etc? In my opinion I would say that so long as I know the nature of the reserach and can evaluate/criticise it then thats more important than rattling off the names/dates regarding it all.

Anyway experience and advice much appreciated

Former Member

Names are more important than dates in subjects like sociology and psychology I'd say. If it were history it would be a different matter though.

Former Member

names are important i'd say yes. it's no use in stating a theory or something and not saying who said it. as for the date, i'd say you could try and remember something - if not even just the decade that the study was carried out in. btw, i did a-level sociology.

Former Member

I am doing both sociology and psychology at AS this year too. My teachers have told me that they use "positive marking". Basically, if you throw in a few dates/names its good, but if you don't you won't be penalised for it, unless of course the question directly states "describe a study into...."(or something like that).

Personally I just try and learn the main studies, and a few other smaller ones. Just write a few names into various subcatagories or whatever..e.g. Short Term Memory...duration...capacity.

Former Member

i did sociolagy and pyscholagy at as level.. its best to remember the theorist people and the purpose of the research and relate it as much to the questions you get in exams..
i got a b and i did this.. hope this helps!!

Former Member

sweet_gal wrote:

i did sociolagy and pyscholagy at as level.. its best to remember the theorist people and the purpose of the research and relate it as much to the questions you get in exams..
i got a b and i did this.. hope this helps!!

It's brilliant if you can remember the academics' names and the dates of their studies, but when it comes down to it, it's much more important to know what the studies were about, the findings and to be able to analyze them in the way the questions ask. Anyone can regurgatate a list of names and dates, and alone it doesn't show a lot of intelligence, although knowing the details can be icing on the cake of an already really good answer. Although, obviously, you'd look a bit silly if you didn't mention the really important names and dates in your field.

(This is coming from a historian's viewpoint, but I'm sure it applies to other essay based subjects as well)

Former Member

In my psychology class, we had a take home test (a research-type paper).

Former Member

Knowing the names of studies in sociology and psychology papers is very important, though you only need to remember the important ones. Whil;st you can get by without knowing the names, it makes an argument in an essay more cogent, and you are more word and time-efficient.

Good revision will reinforce the names. Try writing the names and a 5 word synposis on a postcard, and testing yourself on the bus or whatnot.