1. Getting to know the ACT/PSAE
Introduction

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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.

6. What does your score mean….

7. 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.

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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.

11. General Strategies

12. 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

13. Let’s Look At the Types of ACT Passages!

14. 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

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

16. 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

17. 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.

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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.

21. 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:
Believe Agree
Support Refute