ACT Science Prep Tips and Tricks - PowerPoint Presentation

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ACT Science Prep

Tips and Tricks

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

What do you already know (skills, types of questions,

etc

) about science portion of ACT?

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

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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.

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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.

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Tips for Success

1. Above all, timing is the key5 minutes per passage, no more than 50 seconds per questionIf time is a problem, focus on the questions that require analyzing data from just a single table or graph2. Read less, much lessIf 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 readingOnce 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

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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.

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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)

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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

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Graphs and Table Tips

In order to read most graphs and tables, you have to do four things:

determine

what's being

represented

determine

what the axes

represent

take

note of units of

measurement

look

for trends in the data

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Graphs and Table Tips

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

extremes

(maximums and minimums

)

critical

points (or points of change

)

direct

or inverse variation (or proportionality)

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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.

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Shows relationship b/t the time of day and the length of a shadowThe graph shows that there is an inverse relationship between the time of day and length of the shadowAs 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 shorterWhen 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.

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What type of graph is this?

What are the variables?What do each of the four lines represent?

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Practice Data Representation

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

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Research Summary

Questions for research summary passages typically ask you about the following

Appropriateness of the experimental design

The impact of modifications in the design

The scientific concepts reflected in the experiment.

The relationship between the experimental data and concepts

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

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Research Summary Practice

Complete the ACT practice section.

You may write on this paper.

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Conflicting Views

Typically ask you following

Scientific ideas or assumptions discussed in the passages

The similarities or differences among the viewpoints

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

Which diagram best illustrates one of the viewpoints

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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.

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Conflicting Views Practice

Complete the ACT practice section.

You may write on this paper.

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Overall steps

Skim and identify the passageDon’t worry about the detailsLook at charts and diagrams just enough to get an idea of what it is aboutWhat data is available??

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Overall Steps

2. Read the question and all the answersbe sure you are clear about what the question is asking

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Overall Steps

3. Eliminate obviously incorrect answers

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Overall Steps

4. Choose the answer that is most correct

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Sources

Questions/Practice From

Amsco’s

preparing for the ACT

Robert D. Postman