How Lumini helps with A-Level Psychology
You're writing a 16-mark A-Level Psychology essay on your Mac — probably about the multi-store model of memory, or a comparison of approaches, or a research methods question about a study with ethical issues. You've written your AO1 (knowledge) paragraphs but you're stuck on AO3 (evaluation). You have one evaluation point but you need three more and you're not sure what counts as good evaluation.
Lumini sees your essay on screen. Hold Ctrl+Option and ask "What evaluation points am I missing?" Lumini reads your AO3 section: "You've mentioned that the multi-store model is reductionist — that's one evaluation point. You need at least three more for 16 marks. Consider: supporting research (Baddeley's study on coding in STM and LTM), a contradictory study (Shallice and Warrington's case study of KF — STM is not a unitary store), a methodological criticism (lab experiments lack ecological validity), and a comparison to an alternative model (the working memory model explains STM better). I'm pointing at your current evaluation paragraph — it's only 3 sentences. Each evaluation point should be a full PEE paragraph."
AO1 vs AO3 — the split
A-Level Psychology marks are split between AO1 (describe) and AO3 (evaluate). Lumini teaches you the ratio: "For a 16-mark essay, you need roughly 6 marks for AO1 and 10 for AO3. Most students write too much AO1 and not enough AO3. You've written 4 detailed paragraphs of description and 1 short paragraph of evaluation. You need to flip that. Cut your AO1 by half and expand each evaluation point into a full paragraph. Use the structure: Point (state the evaluative issue), Evidence (cite a study or theory), Explain (why this matters for the topic), Link (connect back to the essay question)."
For research methods questions: "This question asks you to design a study. You must mention: the experimental design (independent groups, repeated measures, or matched pairs), the IV and DV with operationalisation, the sampling method with justification, ethical considerations, and at least one control. The examiner awards marks for each of these elements. You wrote 'use random sampling' but didn't justify it or acknowledge its limitation (it's time-consuming and may not be representative with a small sample)."
The studies you must know
Lumini helps you recall the key studies: "The question asks about obedience. You mentioned Milgram but only described the procedure. You need to state the findings (65% went to 450V), the conclusion (people obey authority even when it conflicts with their conscience), AND an evaluation point (Milgram's study lacked ecological validity because the lab setting was artificial — however, Hofling's hospital study found similar obedience rates in a realistic setting, supporting Milgram's findings)."
Example questions to ask Lumini
- "Is my essay balanced — do I have enough AO3 vs AO1?"
- "What study should I cite for this evaluation point?"
- "How do I structure a PEE paragraph for this essay?"
- "What ethical issues do I need to mention for this study?"
- "Is my operationalisation specific enough for full marks?"
How Lumini automates your Psychology revision
Say "Create a note with the key studies and their findings organised by topic." Say "Remind me to practise a 16-mark essay at 3pm." Say "Search the web for AQA A-Level Psychology 2026 predicted essay topics." All on your screen.