ACT/SAT TestingACT/SAT Testing

The NUMBER ONE thing you can do to increase your test

scores is to increase your VOCABULARY!!

The NUMBER ONE thing you can do to increase your test

scores is to increase your VOCABULARY!!

General Testing TipsGeneral Testing Tips

Be meticulous. Be meticulous about reading the questions, reasoning the answers, and recording answers on the answer document. Don’t allow any stray or erasure marks on the answer document; it may confuse the scoring machine.

Be meticulous. Be meticulous about reading the questions, reasoning the answers, and recording answers on the answer document. Don’t allow any stray or erasure marks on the answer document; it may confuse the scoring machine.

Be thoroughly familiar with all the directions for answering each type of question BEFORE you take the test. You won’t have to waste precious time during the test trying to figure out what to do. If you have accomplished this, you can also skip over the sample questions and answers.

Be thoroughly familiar with all the directions for answering each type of question BEFORE you take the test. You won’t have to waste precious time during the test trying to figure out what to do. If you have accomplished this, you can also skip over the sample questions and answers.

Do the questions that come easiest first, clearly marking the ones you need to return to. You do not necessarily have to answer them in order.

Work rapidly as well as carefully, the more questions you get to, the higher your score could be.

Check frequently that you are marking the correct corresponding number on your answer document. Every five questions or so, make sure that your test and answer document match.

Do the questions that come easiest first, clearly marking the ones you need to return to. You do not necessarily have to answer them in order.

Work rapidly as well as carefully, the more questions you get to, the higher your score could be.

Check frequently that you are marking the correct corresponding number on your answer document. Every five questions or so, make sure that your test and answer document match.

Keep track of your time so that you are not caught off guard at the end of test. Use your watch to pace yourself.

Mark and skip questions if you don’t understand it, you don’t see a quick way to answer it, or if you have spent too much time on it. Mark question clearly with a (+) or (–) sign so that you know which more promising ones to spend your precious time on when you go back to them.

Keep track of your time so that you are not caught off guard at the end of test. Use your watch to pace yourself.

Mark and skip questions if you don’t understand it, you don’t see a quick way to answer it, or if you have spent too much time on it. Mark question clearly with a (+) or (–) sign so that you know which more promising ones to spend your precious time on when you go back to them.

Use a traditional No. 2 pencil, not a mechanical one or a pen.

Review your work if you finish before time is called. GO back and double check your answers and that you understood and answered the questions correctly. If you are not positive a change should be made, leave your original answer instead.

Read and consider all multiple choice options before making a decision.

Use a traditional No. 2 pencil, not a mechanical one or a pen.

Review your work if you finish before time is called. GO back and double check your answers and that you understood and answered the questions correctly. If you are not positive a change should be made, leave your original answer instead.

Read and consider all multiple choice options before making a decision.

Don’t forget that you can write in your test booklet. Use it for scratch paper or to cross out or emphasize important things in the questions. Practice your active reading skills to ensure a better quality of understanding.

Don’t forget that you can write in your test booklet. Use it for scratch paper or to cross out or emphasize important things in the questions. Practice your active reading skills to ensure a better quality of understanding.

General Essay TipsGeneral Essay Tips PLAN FIRST. If you take at least five minutes to thoughtfully plan ahead of time, you will eliminate the chance that your writing will be useless to answer the question and need to be written over. You will not have time to write your essay twice. You must plan ahead to make sure that you write on topic and organized THE FIRST TIME.

PLAN FIRST. If you take at least five minutes to thoughtfully plan ahead of time, you will eliminate the chance that your writing will be useless to answer the question and need to be written over. You will not have time to write your essay twice. You must plan ahead to make sure that you write on topic and organized THE FIRST TIME.

Don’t be afraid to rephrase the question in your essay. It actually ensures that you are answering the question they ask and using decisive language. Make sure they know that you understand the issue you are writing on completely.

Use clearly indented paragraphs so it is obvious that you have a beginning, middle, and end.

Don’t be afraid to rephrase the question in your essay. It actually ensures that you are answering the question they ask and using decisive language. Make sure they know that you understand the issue you are writing on completely.

Use clearly indented paragraphs so it is obvious that you have a beginning, middle, and end.

Use SPECIFIC details, examples, and evidence based on reading, studies, experience, and observations to support your claim in your body paragraphs.

End with a concise paragraph and statement that captures the overall topic of your writing, brings it to a logical close, and decisive. Do not cancel out everything you just wrote by telling the reader it is up to them, or that it can be argued either way, etc. Take a stand in your writing even if you don’t feel that way.

Use SPECIFIC details, examples, and evidence based on reading, studies, experience, and observations to support your claim in your body paragraphs.

End with a concise paragraph and statement that captures the overall topic of your writing, brings it to a logical close, and decisive. Do not cancel out everything you just wrote by telling the reader it is up to them, or that it can be argued either way, etc. Take a stand in your writing even if you don’t feel that way.

Revise and edit to make sure it flows and makes sense. Feel free to make corrections directly on your essay; it helps.

Follow the conventions of Standard American English.

Write for the audience they are giving you. Your language is expected to be more formal when writing to a congressman as opposed to a friend.

Revise and edit to make sure it flows and makes sense. Feel free to make corrections directly on your essay; it helps.

Follow the conventions of Standard American English.

Write for the audience they are giving you. Your language is expected to be more formal when writing to a congressman as opposed to a friend.

Write neatly. If they cannot read it, you cannot get credit for it.

Write on topic. Off topic answers do not receive any credit.

Vary the sentence structure of your writing. It indicates a more mature writing ability and is more interesting for the scorer to read.

Use appropriate and specific grade level vocabulary.

Write neatly. If they cannot read it, you cannot get credit for it.

Write on topic. Off topic answers do not receive any credit.

Vary the sentence structure of your writing. It indicates a more mature writing ability and is more interesting for the scorer to read.

Use appropriate and specific grade level vocabulary.

If possible, give broader implication of the issue. Explain why it is important to discuss. Predict how the information might be used in the future, yours, the country’s, the world’s etc.

Provide counter arguments and give rebuttal to strengthen your own argument.

Make clear transitions, but not with middle school transitional words if possible.

If possible, give broader implication of the issue. Explain why it is important to discuss. Predict how the information might be used in the future, yours, the country’s, the world’s etc.

Provide counter arguments and give rebuttal to strengthen your own argument.

Make clear transitions, but not with middle school transitional words if possible.

Do not write outside of the space they give you on the answer document. Anything written there will not be scored.

Do not write outside of the space they give you on the answer document. Anything written there will not be scored.

Which one should you take?

Which one should you take?

The SAT is preferred on the coasts, while the ACT is more often used in the Midwest. However, many schools accept both exams. You should check with every school to which you're considering applying.

The ACT has a Science section. This is a potential reason to avoid the ACT. However, you should realize that the Science section of the ACT tests reasoning skills and not actual science knowledge.

The SAT is preferred on the coasts, while the ACT is more often used in the Midwest. However, many schools accept both exams. You should check with every school to which you're considering applying.

The ACT has a Science section. This is a potential reason to avoid the ACT. However, you should realize that the Science section of the ACT tests reasoning skills and not actual science knowledge.

The essay is required on the SAT, but optional on the ACT. # More importantly, the essay factors into your overall SAT score but not your composite ACT score.

All your SAT scores show up on every SAT report, but you can send only the ACT scores you want. So it's easier to hide bad ACT scores. However, most schools claim to look at only your highest score on a particular test. The biggest ramification of this difference is probably that it's harder to hide taking the SAT many times.

The essay is required on the SAT, but optional on the ACT. # More importantly, the essay factors into your overall SAT score but not your composite ACT score.

All your SAT scores show up on every SAT report, but you can send only the ACT scores you want. So it's easier to hide bad ACT scores. However, most schools claim to look at only your highest score on a particular test. The biggest ramification of this difference is probably that it's harder to hide taking the SAT many times.

While the College Board would deny it, the SAT tends to work slightly more like an IQ test than does the ACT. The subject matter is no more advanced, but math is trickier and grammar concepts are harder to pin down. So at least marginally, good test-takers do better on the SAT while good students do better on the ACT.

While the College Board would deny it, the SAT tends to work slightly more like an IQ test than does the ACT. The subject matter is no more advanced, but math is trickier and grammar concepts are harder to pin down. So at least marginally, good test-takers do better on the SAT while good students do better on the ACT.

About the SATAbout the SAT

There are 3 sections on the SAT. Each section is scored on a 200 to 800 point scale, making the "perfect" score 2400 (instead of the old 1600).

Math 44 multiple-choice, and 10 grid-in questions

70 minute section Calculator use is allowed, but not required

There are 3 sections on the SAT. Each section is scored on a 200 to 800 point scale, making the "perfect" score 2400 (instead of the old 1600).

Math 44 multiple-choice, and 10 grid-in questions

70 minute section Calculator use is allowed, but not required

Critical Reading 67 multiple-choice questions 60 minute section

Writing (Essay) 49 multiple-choice questions and an essay

60 minute section

Critical Reading 67 multiple-choice questions 60 minute section

Writing (Essay) 49 multiple-choice questions and an essay

60 minute section

SAT Testing TechniquesSAT Testing Techniques Order of Difficulty (OOD)

Each SAT section is divided into three levels of difficulty: easy, medium, and hard. The first third of each group are easy, the second third are of medium difficulty, and the last third are hard. (The only exception is the Reading Comprehension passages, which do not follow this order.) An easy question is one that almost everyone gets right. A hard question is a question that almost everyone gets wrong.

Order of Difficulty (OOD) Each SAT section is divided into three levels of difficulty: easy, medium, and hard. The first third of each group are easy, the second third are of medium difficulty, and the last third are hard. (The only exception is the Reading Comprehension passages, which do not follow this order.) An easy question is one that almost everyone gets right. A hard question is a question that almost everyone gets wrong.

Process of Elimination (POE) Instead of trying to find the right answer, try to find the wrong answers. By eliminating wrong answers, you greatly improve your chances of getting the question right because even if you can't narrow your choices to a single answer at the end, you will have only two or three to choose from instead of all five. Physically cross out the wrong answer choices in your test booklet, and then guess among whichever answer choices remain.

Process of Elimination (POE) Instead of trying to find the right answer, try to find the wrong answers. By eliminating wrong answers, you greatly improve your chances of getting the question right because even if you can't narrow your choices to a single answer at the end, you will have only two or three to choose from instead of all five. Physically cross out the wrong answer choices in your test booklet, and then guess among whichever answer choices remain.

The Joe Bloggs Approach Joe Bloggs is a fictional, average American student. When you are taking the SAT, think about how Joe Bloggs would answer an easy, medium, or hard question. Joe Bloggs always picks the answer that seems right. On the easy ones, you should pick the answer that seems right — the Joe Bloggs answer. On hard questions, find the answer that seems right and eliminate it — that's the Joe Bloggs answer. Easy questions have easy answers, and hard questions have hard answers.

The Joe Bloggs Approach Joe Bloggs is a fictional, average American student. When you are taking the SAT, think about how Joe Bloggs would answer an easy, medium, or hard question. Joe Bloggs always picks the answer that seems right. On the easy ones, you should pick the answer that seems right — the Joe Bloggs answer. On hard questions, find the answer that seems right and eliminate it — that's the Joe Bloggs answer. Easy questions have easy answers, and hard questions have hard answers.

Specifics Tips for the SAT

Specifics Tips for the SAT

Be conscious of where the questions are placed in each section. They are generally arranged from easiest to hardest. Remember, an obvious answer will be correct on an easy question but not so on a harder question.

Be conscious of where the questions are placed in each section. They are generally arranged from easiest to hardest. Remember, an obvious answer will be correct on an easy question but not so on a harder question.

The College Board advises you to guess on all SAT multiple choice questions, if you can positively eliminate at least one wrong answer first. It has statistically been proven that it will increase your score more than if you had not guessed at all. The penalty for wrong answers is only ¼ of a point. The risk is definitely worth an educated guess.

The College Board advises you to guess on all SAT multiple choice questions, if you can positively eliminate at least one wrong answer first. It has statistically been proven that it will increase your score more than if you had not guessed at all. The penalty for wrong answers is only ¼ of a point. The risk is definitely worth an educated guess.

About the ACTAbout the ACT

You'll earn one score (1 to 36) on each section of the test (English, Math, Reading, and Science), and a composite score, which is an average of these 4 sections. Usually, when people ask about your ACT score, they're referring to your composite score. The composite score falls between 1 and 36. The national average is about 21.

You'll earn one score (1 to 36) on each section of the test (English, Math, Reading, and Science), and a composite score, which is an average of these 4 sections. Usually, when people ask about your ACT score, they're referring to your composite score. The composite score falls between 1 and 36. The national average is about 21.

ENGLISH 75 multiple-choice questions 45 minute section

MATH 60 multiple-choice questions

60 minute section

READING 40 multiple-choice questions

35 minute section

ENGLISH 75 multiple-choice questions 45 minute section

MATH 60 multiple-choice questions

60 minute section

READING 40 multiple-choice questions

35 minute section

SCIENCE 40 multiple-choice questions 35 minute section

WRITING

1 optional essay 30 minute section

SCIENCE 40 multiple-choice questions 35 minute section

WRITING

1 optional essay 30 minute section

Specific Tips for Taking the ACT:

Specific Tips for Taking the ACT:

Guess on every question. There is no penalty for wrong answers.

Understand the prompt. Identify the four key components:

Guess on every question. There is no penalty for wrong answers.

Understand the prompt. Identify the four key components:

A situation that is usually a problem to solve or an opportunity to improve something in the community or in schools. Some examples of ACT situations are a vacant lot, overcrowded classes, or the need for education materials.

Two proposals that address the situation or resolve the problem presented in the situation. For example, ball courts or a vegetable garden to be developed in the vacant lot noted above; smaller classes or teaching assistants to deal with overcrowded classes; books or videos to be added to a school’s educational materials.

A situation that is usually a problem to solve or an opportunity to improve something in the community or in schools. Some examples of ACT situations are a vacant lot, overcrowded classes, or the need for education materials.

Two proposals that address the situation or resolve the problem presented in the situation. For example, ball courts or a vegetable garden to be developed in the vacant lot noted above; smaller classes or teaching assistants to deal with overcrowded classes; books or videos to be added to a school’s educational materials.

A specific audience with authority for choosing between the two proposals, and to whom students should respond in the form of a letter. This audience could be a community board, city council, the mayor, the school principal, the student government, or the parent association.

A specific criterion for judgment that is the basis for making the decision between the two proposals and for supporting the proposal chosen. Some examples of the criterion for judgment are the needs of the community, student retention, or the quality of student life.

A specific audience with authority for choosing between the two proposals, and to whom students should respond in the form of a letter. This audience could be a community board, city council, the mayor, the school principal, the student government, or the parent association.

A specific criterion for judgment that is the basis for making the decision between the two proposals and for supporting the proposal chosen. Some examples of the criterion for judgment are the needs of the community, student retention, or the quality of student life.

LA Content Covered by the ACT/SAT

LA Content Covered by the ACT/SAT

Punctuation Grammar Sentence structure Strategy Organization Style Articulating a position

Maintaining a focus in writing

Punctuation Grammar Sentence structure Strategy Organization Style Articulating a position

Maintaining a focus in writing

ID sentence errors Sentence correction Editing in context Sentence completion Reading comprehension

Support writing with logic and evidence

Organize writing logically

Use effective SAE

ID sentence errors Sentence correction Editing in context Sentence completion Reading comprehension

Support writing with logic and evidence

Organize writing logically

Use effective SAE

How are we going to prepare?

How are we going to prepare?

Daily grammar exercise on testing skills first nine weeks

Memorization and use of testing verbs

Practice smart general testing-taking skills

Practice correctly USING grade-level vocabulary

Daily grammar exercise on testing skills first nine weeks

Memorization and use of testing verbs

Practice smart general testing-taking skills

Practice correctly USING grade-level vocabulary

The NUMBER ONE thing you can do to increase your

test scores is to increase your VOCABULARY!!

The NUMBER ONE thing you can do to increase your

test scores is to increase your VOCABULARY!!