ACT Science PrepTips and Tricks

1. What questions do you have about the science portion of ACT?

2. What do you already know (skills, types of questions, etc) about science portion of ACT?

3. Reflect on your current graphing/reading skills. What do you need to do to become more efficient at these skills?

ACT content

• biology, chemistry, physics, and the Earth/space sciences (for example, geology, astronomy, and meteorology)

• Advanced knowledge in these subjects is not required, but background knowledge acquired in general,

• introductory science courses is needed to answer some of the questions.

• The test emphasizes scientific reasoning skills over recall of scientific content, skill in mathematics, or reading ability.

ACT Science Test Layout

• 40-question, 35-minute test

• 50 seconds per question!• 7 passages

• (5-7 questions on each passage)

• measures the skills required in the natural sciences: interpretation, analysis, evaluation, reasoning, and problem solving.

Tips for Success

1. Above all, timing is the key• 5 minutes per passage, no more than 50 seconds per question• If time is a problem, focus on the questions that require analyzing data from just a

single table or graph

2. Read less, much less• If the passage has diagrams and figures, go straight to questions that refer to them,

skipping the reading entirely at first.

3. Skim until you get the gist • search the questions for clues that will send you to the right sections in the reading• Once you find a word from the question in the passage, be sure to read around it for

context to avoid trick answer choices that distort the meaning.

http://www.examiner.com/article/top-tips-for-the-act-science-test

Tips for Success

4. Graphs: first ascertain what is being measured • Note each axis• Get a general idea of the trend (going up, down, leveling off)

before answering questions.

5. Beware changed or mixed units!

6. Tables: quickly scan them and draw an arrow noting

the direction of any trends• with the arrow pointing towards the higher numbers• This observation is very likely enough to answer one or two

questions and get rolling on that passage.

ACT Science Test Layout

• data representation (38%) (graphs, tables, and other schematic forms)

• research summaries (45%) (descriptions of one or more related experiments)

• conflicting viewpoints (17%) (expressions of several related hypotheses or views that are inconsistent with one another)

Data Representation

• Include diagrams, graphs, tables, charts, figures, or illustrations

• Examples: bar graph, line graph, labeled skeleton, a graph with relationship between two variables

• YOU MUST BE ABLE TO:• Read data, interpret data or explain the science that underlies

the represented data

Graphs and Table Tips

• In order to read most graphs and tables, you have to do four things: 1. determine what's being represented

2. determine what the axes represent

3. take note of units of measurement

4. look for trends in the data

Graphs and Table Tips

When reading data, you should be on the lookout for the three characteristic patterns or trends:

1. extremes (maximums and minimums)

2. critical points (or points of change)

3. direct or inverse variation (or proportionality)

What kind of relationship exists between the variables?

• Graph shows a relationship between the volume of a gas and the temperature of a gas.

• As temperature increases, volume increases.• As temperature decreases, volume decreases.

• Shows relationship b/t the time of day and the length of a shadow

• The graph shows that there is an inverse relationship between the time of day and length of the shadow

• As day progresses from sunrise to noon, the length of the shadow grows smaller.

• When the sun shine from the side at sunrise, the shadow is longest.

• As the sun gets closer to being directly overhead, the shadow gets shorter

• When the sun is overhead at noon, the shadow is shortest

1. Describe what kind of relationship exist b/t the variables in the graph below?2. Write a conclusion concerning your interpretation of graph.

• What type of graph is this?

• What are the variables?

• What do each of the four lines represent?

Practice Data Representation

• Complete the ACT practice section.• You may write on this paper.

Research Summary

• Questions for research summary passages typically ask you about the following1. Appropriateness of the experimental design

2. The impact of modifications in the design

3. The scientific concepts reflected in the experiment.

4. The relationship between the experimental data and concepts

5. The meaning of the results or the implications for future research.

Research Summary Practice

• Complete the ACT practice section.• You may write on this paper.

Conflicting Views

Typically ask you following

1. Scientific ideas or assumptions discussed in the passages

2. The similarities or differences among the viewpoints

3. Whether certain results or facts are consistent with one of the viewpoints

4. Which diagram best illustrates one of the viewpoints

Conflicting Views

• Don't waste time trying to figure out which scientist is "right." Just worry about understanding their different viewpoints

• Don't panic if you don't understand both scientists' positions. Many questions will hinge on just one of the arguments.

Conflicting Views Practice

• Complete the ACT practice section.• You may write on this paper.

Overall steps

1. Skim and identify the passage• Don’t worry about the details• Look at charts and diagrams just enough to get an idea of what

it is about• What data is available??

Overall Steps

2. Read the question and all the answers• be sure you are clear about what the question is asking

Overall Steps

3. Eliminate obviously incorrect answers

Overall Steps4. Choose the answer that is most correct

Sources

• Questions/Practice From Amsco’s preparing for the ACT• Robert D. Postman