The ACT

April 28, 2015Test

# of Questions

Time Content

English 75 questions 45 minutesMeasures standard written English and rhetorical skills.

Mathematics 60 questions 60 minutesMeasures mathematical skills students have typically acquired in courses taken up to the beginning of grade 12.

Reading 40 questions 35 minutes Measures reading comprehension.

Science 40 questions 35 minutes

Measures the interpretation, analysis, evaluation, reasoning, and problem-solving skills required in the natural sciences.

Writing 1 prompt 30 minutesMeasures writing skills emphasized in high school English classes and in entry-level college composition courses.

3

Test Score Scales

• English

– Usage and Mechanics

– Rhetorical Skills

• Mathematics

– Pre-Algebra/Algebra

– Algebra/Coord Geometry

– Geometry/Trig

• Reading

– Social Studies/Sciences

– Arts/Literature

• Science

Composite• Average of four test scores (No writing)

The ACT Plus Writing• Combined English and Writing

• Writing Test subscore

The ACT Features

1–181–18

1–181–181–18

1–181–18

1–36

1–362–12

1–36

1–36

1–36

1–36

4

ACT English Test

• 75 questions, 45 minutes

• 5 essays or passages, each with a set of multiple-choice questions

• Two subscores and a total test score

− Usage/Mechanics

− Punctuation

− Grammar and Usage

− Sentence Structure

− Rhetorical Skills− Strategy

− Organization

− Style

The ACT Features

10–15%15–20%20–25%

15–20%10–15%15–20%

5

• Six elements of effective writing are included in the English Test: punctuation, grammar and usage, sentence structure, strategy, organization, and style. The questions covering punctuation, grammar, and sentence structure make up the Usage/Mechanics subscore. The questions covering strategy, organization, and style make up the Rhetorical Skills subscore.

Content covered by the ACT English test

6

• Punctuation (10-15%). Questions in this category test your knowledge of the conventions of internal and end-of-sentence punctuation, with emphasis on the relationship of punctuation to meaning (for example, avoiding ambiguity, indicating appositives).

• Grammar and Usage (15-20%). Questions in this category test your understanding of agreement between subject and verb, between pronoun and antecedent, and between modifiers and the word modified; verb formation; pronoun case; formation of comparative and superlative adjectives and adverbs; and idiomatic usage.

• Sentence Structure (20-25%). Questions in this category test your understanding of relationships between and among clauses, placement of modifiers, and shifts in construction.

Usage/Mechanics

7

• Strategy (15-20%). Questions in this category test how well you develop a given topic by choosing expressions appropriate to an essay's audience and purpose; judging the effect of adding, revising, or deleting supporting material; and judging the relevance of statements in context.

• Organization (10-15%). Questions in this category test how well you organize ideas and choose effective opening, transitional, and closing sentences.

• Style (15-20%). Questions in this category test how well you select precise and appropriate words and images, maintain the level of style and tone in an essay, manage sentence elements for rhetorical effectiveness, and avoid ambiguous pronoun references, wordiness, and redundancy.

Rhetorical Skills

8

ACT Mathematics Test

• 60 questions, 60 minutes

• Multiple-choice questions that require the use of reasoning skills to solve practical problems

• Three subscores and a total test score− Pre-Algebra /Elementary Algebra

− Pre-Algebra

− Elementary Algebra

− Intermediate Algebra/Coord. Geometry− Intermediate Algebra

− Coordinate Geometry

− Plane Geometry/Trigonometry− Plane Geometry

− Trigonometry

The ACT Features

20–25%15–20%

15–20%15–20%

20–25% 5–10%

9

• In the Mathematics Test, three subscores are based on six content areas: pre-algebra, elementary algebra, intermediate algebra, coordinate geometry, plane geometry, and trigonometry.

Content covered by the ACT Mathematics Test

10

• Pre-Algebra (20-25%). Questions in this content area are based on basic operations using whole numbers, decimals, fractions, and integers; place value; square roots and approximations; the concept of exponents; scientific notation; factors; ratio, proportion, and percent; linear equations in one variable; absolute value and ordering numbers by value; elementary counting techniques and simple probability; data collection, representation, and interpretation; and understanding simple descriptive statistics.

• Elementary Algebra (15-20%). Questions in this content area are based on properties of exponents and square roots, evaluation of algebraic expressions through substitution, using variables to express functional relationships, understanding algebraic operations, and the solution of quadratic equations by factoring.

Pre-Algebra/Elementary Algebra

11

• Intermediate Algebra (15-20%). Questions in this content area are based on an understanding of the quadratic formula, rational and radical expressions, absolute value equations and inequalities, sequences and patterns, systems of equations, quadratic inequalities, functions, modeling, matrices, roots of polynomials, and complex numbers.

• Coordinate Geometry (15-20%). Questions in this content area are based on graphing and the relations between equations and graphs, including points, lines, polynomials, circles, and other curves; graphing inequalities; slope; parallel and perpendicular lines; distance; midpoints; and conics.

Intermediate Algebra/ Coordinate Geometry

12

• Plane Geometry (20-25%). Questions in this content area are based on the properties and relations of plane figures, including angles and relations among perpendicular and parallel lines; properties of circles, triangles, rectangles, parallelograms, and trapezoids; transformations; the concept of proof and proof techniques; volume; and applications of geometry to three dimensions.

• Trigonometry (5-10%). Questions in this content area are based on understanding trigonometric relations in right triangles; values and properties of trigonometric functions; graphing trigonometric functions; modeling using trigonometric functions; use of trigonometric identities; and solving trigonometric equations.

Plane Geometry/ Trigonometry

13

• Examinees may bring any 4-function, scientific, or graphing calculator as long as it is a permitted calculator modified if needed as described above.

• Sharing calculators during the test is not permitted, and the test proctor will not provide a calculator.

• Examinees are responsible for ensuring that their calculator works properly. If their calculator uses batteries, the batteries should be strong enough to last throughout the testing session.

• Examinees may bring a spare calculator and extra batteries.

Calculator Use

14

http://www.actstudent.org/testprep/tips/calculator-tips.html

Calculator Use

•Students are not required to use a calculator. All the problems can be solved without a calculator. •If students regularly use a calculator in their mathematics work, use one they're familiar with when they take the Mathematics Test. Using a more powerful, but unfamiliar, calculator is not likely to give students an advantage over using the kind they normally use.

http://www.actstudent.org/faq/calculator.html- list of prohibited calculators

15

ACT Reading Test

• 40 questions, 35 minutes

• 4 sections, each containing one long or two shorter prose passages

• Two subscores and a total test score− Arts/Literature

− Literary Narrative or Prose Fiction

− Humanities

− Social Studies/Sciences− Social Studies

− Natural Sciences

The ACT Features

25%25%

25%25%

16

• The Reading Test is based on four types of reading selections: social studies, natural sciences, literary narrative or prose fiction, and humanities. The Social Studies/Sciences reading skills subscore is based on the questions on the social studies and natural sciences passages, and the Arts/Literature reading skills subscore is based on the questions on the literary narrative or prose fiction passage, and the humanities passage.

Content covered by the ACT Reading Test

17

• Social Studies (25%). Questions in this category are based on passages in the content areas of anthropology, archaeology, biography, business, economics, education, geography, history, political science, psychology, and sociology.

• Natural Sciences (25%). Questions in this category are based on passages in the content areas of anatomy, astronomy, biology, botany, chemistry, ecology, geology, medicine, meteorology, microbiology, natural history, physiology, physics, technology, and zoology.

• Literary Narrative (25%) or Prose Fiction (25%). Questions in the Literary Narrative category are based on intact short stories or excerpts from short stories or novels, or passages from memoirs and personal essays. Questions in the Prose Fiction category are based on intact short stories or excerpts from short stories and novels.

• Humanities (25%). Questions in this category are based on passages in the content areas of architecture, art, dance, ethics, film, language, literary criticism, music, philosophy, radio, television, and theater. Questions may be based on passages from memoirs and personal essays.

Passages

18

ACT Science Test

• 40 questions, 35 minutes

• Interpretation, analysis, evaluation, reasoning, and problem-solving skills• Biology, Earth/Space Sciences, Chemistry, and Physics

• One score• Data Representation

− Research Summaries

− Conflicting Viewpoints

The ACT Features

30–40%45–55%15–20%

19

• The content of the Science Test includes biology, chemistry, physics, and the Earth/space sciences (for example, geology, astronomy, and meteorology). Advanced knowledge in these subjects is not required, but background knowledge acquired in general, introductory science courses is needed to answer some of the questions. The test emphasizes scientific reasoning skills over recall of scientific content, skill in mathematics, or reading ability.

Content covered by the ACT Science Test

20

• Data Representation (30-40%). This format presents graphic and tabular material similar to that found in science journals and texts. The questions associated with this format measure skills such as graph reading, interpretation of scatterplots, and interpretation of information presented in tables.

• Research Summaries (45-55%). This format provides descriptions of one or more related experiments. The questions focus upon the design of experiments and the interpretation of experimental results.

• Conflicting Viewpoints (15-20%). This format presents expressions of several hypotheses or views that, being based on differing premises or on incomplete data, are inconsistent with one another. The questions focus on the understanding, analysis, and comparison of alternative viewpoints or hypotheses.

Scientific information is conveyed by:

21

ACT Writing Test

• 1 writing prompt, 30 minutes

• Measures writing skills emphasized in high school English classes and in entry-level college composition courses

The ACT Features

22

• The Writing Test is a 30-minute essay test that measures your writing skills—specifically those writing skills emphasized in high school English classes and in entry-level college composition courses.

• The test consists of one writing prompt that will define an issue and describe two points of view on that issue. You are asked to respond to a question about your position on the issue described in the writing prompt. In doing so, you may adopt one or the other of the perspectives described in the prompt, or you may present a different point of view on the issue. Your score will not be affected by the point of view you take on the issue.

Content covered by the ACT Writing Test

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Key Non-Cognitive Components

• High School Course/Grade Information− Courses completed or intend to take

− Grades received

• ACT Interest Inventory− Helps students explore personally relevant career options

• Student Profile Section (SPS)• Educational and vocational aspirations

• Post-high school plans

• Activities

• Accomplishments

• Needs

The ACT Features

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• http://www.act.org/qotd/

ACT Question of the Day

ACT Practice Test Items

• http://www.actstudent.org/sampletest/