How to Answer a 4-Mark Question (AQA A Level Geography): Revision Note

What is a 4-mark question?

• The 4-mark question, often called a 4-marker, is the first question in each section of both Paper 1 and Paper 2

• You will answer three on each paper

  • These questions carry 12 of the 120 marks (10%)

• You have about 5 minutes and no figure to use, so your marks depend on your knowledge of the topic

The question at a glance

Command words and assessment objectives

• These questions usually use the command word "outline", which means giving a brief account of the relevant information

• You don't need to reach a judgement

• Past paper questions include:

  • “Outline how human factors impact upon the water cycle.” (Paper 1, June 2024)

  • “Outline the sequence in the development of a sea stack.” (Paper 1, June 2024)

  • “Outline the concept of the ‘ecological footprint’.” (Paper 2, June 2024)

  • “Outline how you used a qualitative data source to investigate lived experience in the past in your local place.” (Paper 2, June 2024)

• The question tests one assessment objective (AO):

  • AO1 (4 marks): what you know, meaning knowledge and understanding of processes, concepts, interactions and change

How much should I write?

• Spend about 5 minutes on the question

• Aim for about 60–90 words, as these marks can be gained quickly

• Write in full sentences rather than a list

• A short, direct answer can get all 4 marks

How is a 4-mark question marked?

• This is a point-marked question, so it has no levels

• You gain 1 mark for each valid point

• You gain another mark each time you develop a point by adding something new

Ways to reach 4 marks

• Some mark schemes limit the marks for a narrow answer

  • For example, the June 2024 water cycle question gave a maximum of 3 marks for only one factor

  • The same question gave a maximum of 1 mark for a list of factors with no development

What separates 2 marks from 4 marks?

• 2-mark answers often name relevant ideas or define a term, then stop

• 4-mark answers add something new each time, such as a process, a consequence or an example

• Words and phrases such as "which means that", "so" and "because" can help you to develop a point

How to answer a 4-mark question

Step 1

• Read the question carefully and highlight the command word

"Outline how vegetation affects the water cycle in a drainage basin."

• "Outline" means that you need to give a brief account, with no judgement

Step 2

• Highlight the key words

"Outline how vegetation affects the water cycle in a drainage basin."

• In this example, your answer must:

  • be about vegetation, not other factors such as geology

  • describe effects on stores and flows of water

  • stay at the scale of a drainage basin

Step 3

• Think of two or three relevant points

• A 4-marker structure for this question could be:

  • point 1: interception and evaporation

  • point 2: transpiration

  • development: what happens when vegetation is removed

Step 4

• Write your answer, making one clear point in each sentence

• Develop each point by adding something new:

  • Point: "Vegetation intercepts precipitation in its canopy, which delays the movement of water to the ground"

  • Development: "Some of this water evaporates before it reaches the soil, which reduces surface runoff"

• Stop when you have made enough points to reach 4 marks, and move on

What if?

• You don't know the key term: write what you can about the rest of the question, then move on so that you don't lose time on your other answers

• You run out of points: add "which means that" to your last point and say what happens next, because a development can earn a mark

• The question asks about your place study: name the source you used, say what it showed and link that to the question