Preparing for the ACT/PSAE:
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Transcript of Preparing for the ACT/PSAE:
3 Types of ACT Science Questions:
Charts & Graphs – 38% (data analysis)
Research Summaries – 45%
Conflicting Viewpoints – 17%
Type 1: Charts & Graphs
Look It Up!
Charts or tables. Easiest type.
Do these first!
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plant A plant B plant C plant D
Fertilizer A
Fertilizer B
ControlP
lant
Gro
wth
Rat
e (m
m)
Charts & Graphs cont’d.
What If? Used to find specific info or in
comparing infoMakes predictionsDraws conclusionsAnalyzes data
Key: What is changing?
Charts & Graphs cont’d.
What Does It Mean?
Involves the analysis of charts and graphs. Make predictions and extrapolations (go beyond the known range) from the data.
Strategies for Charts & Graphs
Determine what is being represented
Determine what the axes represent
Note units Look for trends in the data
© K&K ProductionsTinley Park High School04/17/2002
Assignment
In groups of 2, find the 3 passages that are graphs and charts passages.
Determine what is being represented in the graphs/charts
Determine what the axes represent or what the rows and columns mean
Note units for all variables Look for and describe at least 2
trends in the data
Type 2: The Experiments Passage
Structure is always the same:Experiment is conductedResults are given
Experiments
Identify the purpose - P Identify the variable - V Identify the control - C
Circle the results
Only one condition should change, all others stay the same.
The variable is what is changed. temperature, amount of light, amount of
chemical, etc.
The control is staying the same same size dish, same amount of water,
same type of chemical, etc.
Experiments Passage cont’dQuestions ask 3 things:
What factor is being changed? Underline and label “V”
What is the control group? Underline and label “C”
What do the results show? Circle the results
How to handle the experiments passage:
Skim description of each experiment
Decide what are the purpose, variable and control
Go to the questions
© K&K ProductionsTinley Park High School04/17/2002
Assignment: In groups of 2, find the 3
passages that are research summary passages.
Choose 2 passages. In each passage, there should be multiple studies. For each study: Identify the purpose - P Identify the variable - V Identify the control - C Summarize the results
The Conflicting Viewpoints Passage
7 questions- no charts or graphs
All written info is important here- don’t skip!
Read carefully.
Type 3: Conflicting Viewpoints
Do this passage last even if it is found in the middle of the test!
Questions involve two conflicting viewpoints on an issue.
Passages start with short introduction, followed by viewpoints of two (or three) opposing scientists.
When analyzing conflicting viewpoints
Your job:
Understand the position of each scientist
DO NOT figure out which scientist is right or which one is wrong
Conflicting ViewpointsGeneral Technique
Read the intro
Identify the hypothesis - H Identify the support - S Identify the conflicts - *
Understand the hypothesis before moving on
Two types of data
Data that supports a scientist’s theory.
Data that weakens a scientist’s theory.Don’t mix up the viewpoints.
Once viewpoints are understood, then analyze the data.
Most questions will refer to only one of the viewpoints.
Conflicting Viewpoints Question Technique
Step 1: Read the question Step 2: Think of answer first Step 3: Cross out obviously
incorrect answers. Step 4: Find the answer among
the choices
Final Tips For ACT Science Reasoning
What kind of passage is it? Label the passages before you start Prioritize – answer the easiest ones
first Guessing won’t hurt
© K&K ProductionsTinley Park High School04/17/2002
Assignment
Identify the hypothesis - H Identify the support - S Identify the conflicts - * Read the question and write an
answer first next to the question Cross out obviously incorrect
answers. Circle the answer among the
choices