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!

010

2030

40

5060

70

8090

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

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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

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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