Is Psychology a Science?

Review of essay

Rating: 5 star(s)

Response to the question

Response to Question: This is an excellent response due it being well-structured (with a clear introduction, argument and conclusion) and it giving well-explained evidence for both sides of the debate. The introduction is good as it makes clear what exactly will be discussed by saying “Broadly speaking the discussion focuses on the different branches of psychology, and if they are indeed scientific.” This allows the reader to easily understand what is to come. The evidence for and against psychology as a science is well-explained; the general idea is stated (“Science is meant to be objective and unbiased.”) and then goes on to elaborate. This is important as all analytical points need to be explained in the context of the question – many essays give good evaluative points but don’t explain how these relate the matter at hand.

Level of analysis

Level of Analysis: This is also very good, four main evaluative ideas are explored: definable subject matter, theories, hypotheses and empirical methods. Each of these points are supported by citations of scientists (e.g. Smith and Cowie (1991), Kline (1998) ). This is good as it shows the writer’s views have evidence from influential psychologists to support them – they are not simply subjective opinions. To add, many points are supported by examples (“. For example, if someone talks about hearing voices, they may be referring to a spiritual experience, but a medical practitioner might well diagnose schizophrenia.”) which again, improves the objectivity of the essay.

Quality of writing

Quality of Writing: There is nothing to fault here – spelling and grammar are both good. Also, the structure is important in improving the standard of the essay – the main points flow together with the use of connectives such as ‘on the other hand’ and the essay is ordered so that each point links to the rest. This makes it easy to read and understand.