Preparing for the ACT/PSAE:

1. Science Reasoning Preparing for the ACT/PSAE:

2. 3 Types of ACT Science Questions: • Charts & Graphs – 38% (data analysis) • Research Summaries – 45% • Conflicting Viewpoints – 17%

3. Type 1:Charts & Graphs • Look It Up! • Charts or tables. Easiest type. Do these first! Plant Growth Rate (mm)

4. Charts & Graphs cont’d. • What If? • Used to find specific info or in comparing info • Makes predictions • Draws conclusions • Analyzes data • Key: What is changing?

5. 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.

6. Strategies for Charts & Graphs • Determine what is being represented • Determine what the axes represent • Note units • Look for trends in the data

7. 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

8. Type 2: The Experiments Passage • Structure is always the same: • Experiment is conducted • Results are given

9. Experiments • Identify the purpose - P • Identifythe variable - V • Identify the control - C • Circle the results • Only one condition should change, all others stay the same.

10. 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.

11. 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

12. How to handle the experiments passage: • Skim description of each experiment • Decide what are the purpose, variable and control • Go to the questions

13. 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 • Identifythe variable - V • Identify the control - C • Summarize the results

14. The Conflicting Viewpoints Passage • 7 questions- no charts or graphs • All written info is important here- don’t skip! • Read carefully.

15. 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.

16. 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

17. Conflicting ViewpointsGeneral Technique • Read the intro • Identify the hypothesis - H • Identify the support - S • Identify the conflicts - * • Understand the hypothesis before moving on

18. 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.

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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