Getting to know the ACT/PSAE Introduction

Why is it important to Prep for the ACT?? To give you confidence Knowing what types of questions to expect Knowing how many questions No surprises!! Reduce your anxiety!!  To give you strategies for success Tips and tricks To help you be more prepared To know the pacing To give you a “plan of attack” To help you answer more questions correctly To improve your overall entrance score to a college

What is the Science Reasoning Test? 35 minute, 40 multiple choice question test Highest score available is 200 points How are the questions broken down? Of the 40 questions 38% or about 15 questions are data representation 45% or about 18 questions are research summaries 17% or about 7 questions are conflicting viewpoints

Why take the Science Reasoning Test? Helps to examine your ability to read and understand scientific information It is NOT about how many science facts you know! It IS about measuring your reasoning and problem solving skills. Does not require Math, you do not need a calculator. Areas tested: Science inquiry Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth and Space science Relationships among science, technology, and society

Bloom’s Taxonomy Normally, questions you are asked every day look at the lower levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. Knowledge, comprehension, etc. The ACT prepares questions that ask you to do things more associated with higher level thinking Apply, analyze, evaluate, etc.

What does your score mean….

What does your score mean? The highest score you can get on the Science portion is a 40/40 question correct which would translate to a 36 (perfect score) on the ACT. Number of Questions Correct Science ACT Score 40/40 36 36/40 31 31/40 26 26/40 23 22/40 21 19/40 19 18/40 18 Just over half the questions correct will get a 21 (NIU, EIU, SIU, WIU) State universities: ISU, Uof I require 23 minimum which will require 26+ correct.

State Schools ACT Requirements University of Illinois (U of I) ACT score of 27+ Illinois State University (ISU) ACT score of 22-26 Northern Illinois University (NIU) ACT score of 19-24 Eastern Illinois University (EIU) ACT score of 19-23 Western Illinois University (WIU) ACT score of 21+ Southern Illinois University (SIU) ACT score of 18-24

Other Universities Ivy League Schools “Big Ten” Schools (Harvard, Yale, Brown, Columbia, Dartmouth, University of Pa, Cornell, Princeton) ACT Score of 29-36 “Big Ten” Schools Michigan State, Michigan, Penn State, U of I, Ohio State, Iowa, Indiana University, Wisconsin Madison, Nebraska, Minnesota, Northwestern, Purdue ACT Scores of 25-33 University of Chicago ACT Score of 28-33 Bradley ACT Score of 22-28

Take an ACT test prep course: At OHS in January At Wabaunsee Community College An online prep course Take the ACT test more than once: Take it at school in April with the junior class. Register (online) to take it again at an ACT test site. October, November, December, February in Aurora or WCC Your score will generally improve a second time.

General Strategies

General Strategies Eat a good breakfast Attend WAKE YOU BRAIN Start with the type of questions you are “best” at Mark up the test Draw arrows Underline Words Don’t leave any questions blank! Watch your pacing

Let’s Look At the Types of ACT Passages!

There are 3 Types of ‘Science Passages’ Data Representation Passages Graphs and Tables Used to measure skills such as Graph reading Interpretation of scatterplots Interpretation of information presented in tables Conflicting Viewpoints Passages Presents several hypotheses or viewpoints that are inconsistent with one another Understanding, analysis, and comparison of alternate viewpoints or hypotheses Research Summaries Descriptions of one or more related experiments Interpretation of experimental results

Presentation of Information in the Passages Information from Science Journals or Textbooks such as: Charts Diagrams Figures Graphs Illustrations Tables

Data Representation Passages Present scientific information in the form of graphs, tables, and figures You may be asked to: Support a conclusion that can be supported by the data Determine the relationship between two variables Select an explanation for the given experimental results Determine if a conclusion is consistent with the given information Apply given data to a new situation Determine what the slope of a line on a graph represents

Data Representation Strategies Do not read the paragraphs or look at the diagrams! Do read the charts and graphs Analyze the charts and graphs. Ask Yourself…. What are they measuring? What are the labels? What do the axes represent? Are there trends? How do the tables and charts relate? The harder the diagram, chart or tables look, the easier the questions! Plan for 4 minutes per passage If you have to read the passage….look for italic words. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5Dfvs7O5pE

Research Summary Passages Consist of descriptions of how specific experiments were carried out and/or summaries of experimental results You may be required to: Identify the different designs in an experiment Predict the outcome of an experiment based on results Predict the outcome of an experiment if the design is changed Identify the hypothesis Select a hypothesis supported by the experiments results Determine the conclusion given certain results Select an experiment that could be conducted in order to test a different hypothesis

Research Summary Strategies Do NOT read the paragraphs or look at diagrams Head to questions first Plan for 5 minutes per passage Analyze the charts and graphs. Ask Yourself…. What are they measuring? What are the labels? What do the axes represent? Are there trends? How do the tables and charts relate? If you have to read the passages Skim passage and ignore irrelevant paragraphs Mark up the test Draw arrows on tables and graphs to show trends http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4YIGV1tD8Q http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4YIGV1tD8Q

Conflicting Viewpoints Passages Present differing hypotheses, theories, or viewpoints of two or three scientists. You may be asked to: Determine each scientists position Select evidence that supports the viewpoints of both scientists Determine the similarities and differences of the viewpoints of the scientists. Determine the strengths and weaknesses of the viewpoints Identify how new information would affect either viewpoint Predict evidence that would support a scientist’s viewpoint. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_L7NqY5hdxU

Conflicting Viewpoint Strategies READ the passages!!! Give the scientists names. Answer Questions First: Read theory 1 and answer theory 1 questions. Then: Read theory 2 and answer theory questions. Finally: answer the questions that relate to both theories. Plan for 6 minutes per passage Mark up the passages Look for the scientist’s opinion (FIRST SENTENCE) Note cause/effect relationship (UNDERLINE) Identify what is different (UNDERLINE) Look for the following words: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_L7NqY5hdxU Believe Agree Support Refute