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Science Test Tips
The ACT Science test consists of 40 questions and lasts
35 minutes. The test measures your interpretation, analysis,
evaluation, reasoning, and problem solving skills related to
the natural sciences. Seven sets of scientific information
are presented, each followed by a series of multiple choice
questions.
The scientific information is presented in one of three
formats:
- Data Representation (tables, graphs, etc.)
- Research Summaries (descriptions of several related
experiments)
- Conflicting Viewpoints (expressions of several
related hypotheses or views which are inconsistent with
one another)
All of the questions challenge how well you understood
the basic concepts and meanings of the provided information.
Calculators are not permitted on the test.
Science Test Tips:
- Pace yourself There are 40 questions to be
answered in 35 minutes. Ideally, spend about 30 seconds
on each question; this gives you ample time to review
your work and return to more difficult questions.
- Read carefully Before reading the questions, make
sure you read the scientific material. Its perfectly
fine to jot down important notes and ideas on the test
booklet or provided scratch paper.
- Opposing viewpoints Some questions present you
with multiple viewpoints, and ask for you to distinguish
among these different viewpoints. It is very helpful to
jot down short notes about each viewpoint, so you can
easily look back and compare.
There are three main areas which the science test will
cover. The overall idea of the science portion is not to
test your advanced knowledge in specific areas, or skill in
math or reading ability. The test emphasizes scientific
reasoning ability over anything. The three different formats
in which the scientific information will be conveyed
include:
- Data Representation (38%) Replicates content which
would likely appear in science journals and texts.
Skills involved for these questions include graph
analyzation, scatter-plot interpretations, and
interpretation of tabular data.
- Research Summaries (45%) These question focus on
the design of experiments and the interpretation of
experimental results.
- Conflicting Viewpoints (17%) These questions
represent different expressions which are inconsistent
with one another. These questions focus on the
understanding, analysis, and comparison of alternate
viewpoints or hypotheses.
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