How to Smash Any Issues & Debates Question (Even If You Forget the Content)
It’s the final paper. The clock’s ticking. Your mind goes blank.
You know this question is from Issues and Debates… but was it the one about reductionism, or was it about idiographic and nomothetic approaches?
Sound familiar? Most students panic in these moments — not because they didn’t revise, but because Issues & Debates doesn’t stick.
This article gives you a framework to answer any Issues & Debates question confidently — even if the topic isn't fresh in your mind.
The Real Problem with Issues & Debates
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Unlike Paper 1 and Paper 2, there’s no story or schema.
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Topics like “gender bias” or “cultural relativism” feel abstract — students can’t picture them in the same way they remember Little Albert or Pavlov’s dog.
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On top of that, application is required in many 8 and 16-mark questions — and students often forget to refer to real topics they've studied.
The “3P Essay Formula” for Issues & Debates
🔲 1. Pick your Position
Are you for or against the debate topic? (e.g., Do you support reductionism?
🔲 2. Provide Psychology
Back your point with a real topic or theory you’ve studied — e.g., how OCD can be explained biologically or via learning theory.
🔲 3. Push the Critique
Discuss consequences or limitations. Does it oversimplify? Ignore free will? Harm real people (e.g., via gender/cultural bias)?
Do this 2–4 times depending on the question (8 or 16 marks).
Example: How It Works
Question: "Discuss gender bias in psychological research" (8 marks)
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Position: Gender bias can distort our understanding of behaviour.
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Psychology: For example, Bowlby’s maternal deprivation theory assumes only the mother can form attachments — this reflects androcentrism.
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Critique: This has real-world effects, like reinforcing traditional gender roles or shaming working mothers.
(Repeat for a second paragraph.)
Want All 27 Model Answers, Already Written for You?
This framework works. But sometimes you just want to see exactly how a top-band student writes it.
I’ve compiled 27 fully exam-ready model answers covering every Issues & Debates question asked by AQA in the last 8 years.
✅ Includes all 16-, 8-, 6-, 4- and 2-mark questions
✅ With application to real topics (e.g., Attachment, Schizophrenia, OCD, Memory)
✅ Follows the 3P formula + PBWC for full AO1/AO2/AO3 marks
🎯 Download the full Issues & Debates Essay Pack now and turn your weakest topic into your most confident one.