1. PSAE: The ACT Science Test Scientific inquiry and reasoning… not content This portion is testing how well you can think and reason your way through a problem Testing your ability to interpret, analyze, apply/use, synthesize, and evaluate data

2. ACT Science Test 40 Questions in 35 Minutes 7 passages Can’t predict Content It may include biology, chemistry, physics, and/or earth science questions

3. Types of Questions Data Representation Research Summaries Conflicting Viewpoints

4. ACT Science Test DATA Representation Passage (3) Graphs, tables, and figures Easiest, do first! 5 questions per passage 3 minutes to complete each passage Skim text, graphs, & tables (you don’t have time to read) - Get to questions as quickly as possible

5. ACT Science Test Research Summaries (3) Descriptions of Experiments May include graphs, tables and figures 6 questions per passage which should take you 6 minutes to complete Scan to identify purpose/results of each study Do questions that have one experiment first (these are easy); other questions will require more thinking

6. ACT Science Test Conflicting Viewpoints Passage (1) Debate or conflict between scientists/theories Usually all text 7 questions 6 minutes to complete Identify main point of first viewpoint Identify how the second point differs - Underline or Circle.

7. ACT Science Test Prep Ideas Practice sample passages and time yourself MTHS offers online practice Used in your science classes Books available in the library Spend extra time looking and graphs and charts in your textbooks and magazines… This will familiarize you with different types of data presentation Read things that are not necessarily interesting to you… Chances are you won’t enjoy the ACT reading passages. Bring your practice ACT to your science teacher and go over the questions that you got wrong. Practice/develop your scientific vocabulary

8. ISBE Science Test Written by Illinois Teachers 45 questions (5 pilot) - 40 minutes This tests covers what you learned in your science classes It is very content based, and will include biology, chemistry, physics, and earth science questions Questions range from very easy to very complex… Don’t get discourage if you do not know some of the answers Day 2 of PSAE is just as important as the ACT!