Answering Multiple Choice Questions (AQA GCSE Biology): Revision Note
Exam code: 8461
Multiple choice questions in AQA papers
There is no separate multiple choice paper in AQA GCSE Biology
Multiple choice questions appear in both Paper 1 and Paper 2, alongside structured, closed short answer and open response questions
Foundation tier papers have a higher proportion of multiple choice questions than Higher tier papers
You answer by ticking boxes: the question tells you how many, e.g. Tick (✓) one box or Tick (✓) two boxes
The number of options varies, so read every option before you tick
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Never leave a multiple choice question blank, but tick only as many boxes as the question asks for. If you tick too many, a wrong answer cancels out a right one.
If you change your mind, cross out the tick you do not want, so that only your final answer is left.
Eliminate answer options
Read the multiple choice question carefully and make sure you know what it is asking before you look at the answer options
Where you can, work out your own answer first, then look for it among the options
You can then check this answer by discounting each of the other options
Other strategies for determining the correct answer include the following:
Rule out any option you know is wrong, and cross it out on the question paper
Look at what is different between the options that are left, because this shows what the question is really testing
If you are still unsure, choose between the options that are left
An educated guess between two options gives you a much better chance than a blind guess between four
Watch out for:
options that are true statements but do not answer the question
options that are built from common mistakes, e.g. an equation used the wrong way round, or a unit that has not been converted
Worked Example
Which substance is a product of anaerobic respiration in yeast?
A: carbon dioxide
B: glucose
C: lactic acid
D: oxygen
Answer:
Step 1: if you can, work out the answer yourself first
Recall the equation:
glucose → ethanol + carbon dioxide
Identify the products:
ethanol and carbon dioxide
Look at the options: option A (carbon dioxide) matches your prediction
Step 2: double-check by ruling out the other options
B (glucose): incorrect — glucose is a reactant, not a product
C (lactic acid): incorrect — lactic acid is produced during anaerobic respiration in muscles, not yeast
D (oxygen): incorrect
oxygen is a product of photosynthesis
anaerobic respiration does not involve oxygen
Final answer: A
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Option C is the trap: it is a real product of anaerobic respiration, but not in yeast. Read the question carefully to check exactly which organism or process it is asking about.
Other closed questions
AQA papers also use link-box questions, e.g. "Draw one line from each …"
Draw only as many lines as the question asks for: extra lines cancel out correct ones
Sentence-completion questions may give you a box of words to choose from
Manage your time
Each AQA Biology paper lasts 1 hour 45 minutes and is worth 100 marks, so you have just over 1 minute per mark
Tips for time management include:
aim to be about halfway through the marks when you are halfway through the time
most multiple choice questions are worth 1 mark, so do not spend much more than a minute on one
If a question is taking too long, put down your best guess, mark it on the question paper and move on
You could also mark this question to return to at the end if you have time
Never leave a question blank; if you are running out of time, fill in an answer for every question that is left
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