How to write good IDA Possible IDA points

How to write good IDA Possible IDA points to discuss: • Approaches • Nature nurture debate • Determinism and free will • Reductionism • Ethics issues • Use of animals • Issues of bias, including gender and culture,

Key things to remember about IDA • The IDA must be about what you outlined for the AO 1; usually this will be theory • You do not need IDA in paper 4 but should you include it and it is relevant, you will gain credit since IDA is good wider evaluation • For most theories, there a variety of possible IDA points

More key things How much should I write? Aim for 100 words, but you can write more or less, depending on your speed of writing and how much you have to say What if the question is on two separate theories? There are various ways to answer here; you could include two short IDA points, only have IDA for one of theories (you do not have to evaluate each theory equally) but probably the best way to answer is to pick an IDA point that covers both theories. This would then allow you to compare theories and answer in a more sophisticated way.

How do I make an ‘effective’ point? There are three things that you should cover in a good IDA paragraph: Which IDA point is relevant, why and so what? By ‘so what? ’, we mean make a further comment, so why does this point really matter for theory, or what does it really mean for theory? If you can't make a ‘so what? ’ point, it would be better to select a different IDA since the so what? is the bit that gets you most marks.

Good examples of IDA On your handout, look at the three good examples that you have of IDA.

Over to you You have 5 minutes to write a good IDA point for one of these questions: 1)Discuss the biosocial approach to gender development. (8 marks + 16 marks) 2) Outline and evaluate cultural research into gender. (8 marks + 16 marks) 3) Outline and evaluate research into institutional aggression. (8 marks + 16 marks) 4) Discuss evolutionary explanations of human aggression. (8 marks + 16 marks)