ACT Science Reasoning Test Basics

-DOES NOT test your knowledge of science. It tests whether you

    can read a passage about a science, and understand a chart,     graph, or table.

 

-Test is 35 minutes long and gives you 7 passages

 

-There are three types of passages: 1. Charts and Graphs     

    2. Experiments     3. “Fighting Scientists”

Passage Type # 1: Charts and Graphs

-3 of the 7 passages are “Charts and Graphs”.  

    (You'll know because they have 5 questions each)

    

Basic Strategy:

    1. DO NOT READ the passage! Just scan it (and the graph         or chart) for a basic idea. (After you look at the questions,         you'll come back to them)

 

    2.  One at a time, find key words in the question, then find             them in the chart/diagram and passage. The                 question     leads you exactly where you need to look!

 

    3.  One at a time, find key words in the answers, then find             them in the chart/diagram and passage.

    

THREE important things for all science sections:

 

Don't worry if you don't know what the words mean. (Most people won't know them!)  You can easily read the charts and graphs.

Always use Process of Elimination. Getting rid of answers helps!

    Pay attention to the unit of measurement. The ACT will      

    trick you by changing up the units.

 

Type #2: Experiments

3 of the 7 passages are “Experiments”

    (You'll know because they have 6 questions each)

 

Basic Strategy:

    1. READ the passage and underline the “objective”.

        (objective: What are they studying? what is the             purpose?)

 

    2. Read through each experiment and JOT. Note the             differences between the experiments on the side. --            How is this one different from the others?

 

    3. Answer the questions using the same strategies as             charts and graphs. (find key words in the questions,         then the charts/graphs/passages and ProcessofElim!)

 

Useful science words:

control:

 

variable(independent and dependent):

 

 

 

direct relationship:

 

 

linear relationship (positive or negative):

 

 

 

Type #3: Fighting Scientists

1 passage (out of 7) will be this type

    (you'll know because there are 7 questions each)

 

-In this passage, there are two scientists who disagree with each other about an issue. This is more like a reading comprehension question!

 

Basic Strategy: (similar to “Experiments”!)

 

1.SCAN the topic sentences; determine what the basic issue is in the passages. (What are they disagreeing about?)

2.READ the passages and decide what is each scientist's position?  JOT it.

3.Finally, look at key words in each question, and use process of elimination. The questions will ask you about the problems with each theory, the points the scientists agree on, and the differences between their opinions.