ACT 1-on-1 CurriculumScience: Research Summary & Conflicting Viewpoints

ACT Science

• The ACT Science test covers:– Biology– Earth/Space Science– Chemistry– Physics

• The ACT Science test is a science reasoning test.– Most of the questions can be answered by the information presented.

• There are three types of passages:– Data Representation — 3 passages with 5 questions each– Research Summary — 3 passages with 6 questions each– Conflicting Viewpoints — 1 passage with 7 questions

The Basics

ACT Science

• Research summary passages present two or three experiments and the data resulting from those experiments.

• They are similar to data representation passages but add the supporting context of an experiment to them.

• As you prepare to tackle research summary passages, remember the steps of the scientific method and the characteristics of a good experiment.

Research Summary

ACT Science

• Some of the research summary questions require you to evaluate and critique the procedures of experiments. You usually have to read the passage for these questions.

• Some questions to ask yourself about any procedure:– What are the control factors?– What are the variables?– What are the differences between various experiments?– How can error enter into the experiment?– What happens if you change the experiment?

Experiment Design — Research Summary

ACT Science

A group of students proposed that driving cars at faster speeds lowered fuel efficiency. To measure this, they took a car to the local racetrack. They filled it up with 2 gallons of fuel, set the car cruise control at 40 miles per hour, and drove the car until it stopped. They measured the distance the car traveled when it ran out of fuel. Using this, they found the miles per gallon on that particular tank. They repeated the experiment at various speeds. Their results are below:

1. What factors did the experimenter keep constant in this experiment?2. What factors did the experiments vary?3. Did the results match their hypothesis?

Interpreting Charts — Data Representation

Speed Miles Travelled Miles Per Gallon

40 62 3150 59 29.560 54 2770 51 25.5

ACT Science

• Some research summary passages include images of the design of the experiment.

• Some questions to ask:– Compare these images to the text. How do these images explain the

experiment design?– What happens if you change one aspect of the image design?

Figures –Research Summary

ACT Science

• Glance over the graphs and charts to note what each is describing and then go to the questions.

• Read when you have to answer a question about the procedure of the experiment.

• Read questions carefully.

Conquering Research Summary

ACT Science

• Turn to p. 622-23 in the red book. Work problems 30-35.

Try it Out—Research Summary

ACT Science

• The conflicting viewpoints passage presents two to five theories about observable phenomenon and asks you questions about those viewpoints.

• There is only one conflicting viewpoints passage per test.

• Questions to ask yourself on conflicting viewpoints passages:– What is the natural phenomena or question that each scientist is

addressing?– What is that particular scientist’s viewpoint?– How does this scientist support his/her viewpoint? – Are there similarities between the different scientist’s viewpoints? If

so, what are the similarities?

Conflicting Viewpoints

ACT Science

• Conflicting viewpoints is the most time intensive passage in science, so save it for last.

• Underline or mark each passage that you read.

• Be able to restate the hypothesis in a few words. Remember this as you answer questions on the passage.

• What information might contradict each scientist’s hypothesis?

Conquering Conflicting Viewpoints

ACT Science

• Turn to p. 620 in the red book and work problems 23-29.

Try it Out — Conflicting Viewpoints

ACT Science

• The best way to improve on science is to do practice passages. This will help familiarize you with the various passages used on this test.

• Pay attention to the wording of each question and its answer choices.– Pay specific attention to statements that ask for a certain order.– Watch out for the wording of answer choices.

• Save conflicting viewpoints for last.

Strategies for Science