Science Reasoning

Reasoning is a skill that is being lost by a lot of people. The idea behind reasoning is to figure out an answer to a question when you do not know the answer.

To figure out the answer, first you must not give up. Next is to make sure you understand what the question wants to know. Then think about information related to the question that you know.

Use information you know and infer an answer. If you are not taking a test, then you can research the information. That is the purpose of research papers. To find information to come up with an answer.

In real life, you come up with the wrong answer. Do not give up. That just means you need to use a different approach.

Reasoning is not really a skill you can study for. This is the kind of questions lots of science tests are based on. The ACT is called science reasoning.

You may ask why tests are testing this skill in the science section and not just asking knowledge based questions. Because scientists do not know the answer to what they are looking for. They must find it.

The next question is “how are these questions asked?” The question usually is written to include graphs, tables, or concept maps. You look at the information and infer an answer from them.

How many primary (first- order) consumers does the food web include?

four

What is the LOWEST taxonomic level at which the dog and human share common character- istics?

Class

This chart shows the characteristics of three different plants. Plant 3 on the chart is a A. moss B. fungus C. pine tree D. fruit tree

Pine Tree

In the diagram, a pine tree should be placed at which of the following positions? A.(W) B. (x) C. (y) D. (z)

Y

The percentages in these diagrams show the concentration of salt in two cells and in the water around each cell. What will happen in cell A and cell B?

Water will enter cell A and water will leave cell B

average 64.4 Tropical wet 2.4”

64.4 Tropical monsoonal

2.4” 64.4 Tropical savanna

>64.4 <15” Low latitude desert

<64.4 <10” Mid-latitude desert

> 64.4° 15”-30” Low latitude steppe

Mid-latitude steppe < ”-30”

Humid subtropical

Mediterranean

Marine west coast

Humid continental 50° 32° At least 4 humid

Subarctic 50° 32° 3 or less

Tundra 50° 32°

Ice cap 32°

Highland