ACT
GENERAL TEST TIPS
Read the directions and questions carefully.
Calculators may be used on the mathematics test only. You may refer to ACT Calculator policy (PDF)for details about permitted and prohibited Calculators may be used on the mathematics test only.(http://www.act.org/content/dam/act/unsecured/documents/ACT-calculator-policy.pdf)
Pace yourself—don’t spend too much time on a single passage or question.
Pay attention to the announcement of five minutes remaining on each test.
Use a soft-lead No. 2 pencil with a good eraser. Any other writing instruments are not accepted.
Mark only one answer to each question and fill in the oval with complete, black marks. If you change your mind about an answer, erase your first mark completely without smudging.
For each question, decide which answer is the best.
Feel free to skip over difficult problems and answer the easy questions first. Go back if you have time remaining on that test.
On difficult questions, make an educated guess by eliminating as many incorrect answers as you can.
Answer every question. You will not be penalized for guessing. It is to your advantage to answer every question even if you must guess.
If you complete a test before time is called, recheck your work only on the test you were just working on. You will be disqualified from the examination if you look at any other part of the test.
When time is called on any test, lay your pencil down immediately and do not mark or alter any ovals on the test or continue writing the essay. If you do, you will be dismissed and your answer document will not be scored.
TEST DESCRIPTIONS
GET DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT EACH TEST SECTION AND WHAT IS COVERED
The ACT measures the knowledge, understanding, and skills that you have acquired throughout your education. The test contains multiple-choice tests in four areas: English, mathematics, reading, and science. If you register for the optional ACT with writing, you will take the writing test after the four multiple-choice tests.
ENGLISH TEST DESCRIPTION FOR THE ACT
The ACT English test is a 75-question, 45-minute test that measures your understanding of the conventions of standard English (punctuation, usage, and sentence structure), production of writing (topic development, organization, unity, and cohesion), and knowledge of language (word choice, style, and tone).Four scores are reported for the ACT English test: a total test score based on all 75 questions, and three reporting category scores based on specific knowledge and skills:
•Production of Writing (29–32%)
•The questions in this category require students to apply their understanding of the purpose and focus of a piece of writing.
•Knowledge of Language (13–19%)
•Demonstrate effective language use through ensuring precision and concision in word choice and maintaining consistency in style and tone.
•Conventions of Standard English (51–56%)
•The questions in this category require students to apply an understanding of the conventions of standard English grammar, usage, and mechanics to revise and edit text.
MATHEMATICS TEST DESCRIPTION FOR THE ACT
The ACT mathematics test is a 60-question, 60-minute test designed to assess the mathematical skills students have typically acquired in courses taken up to the beginning of grade 12.
The test presents multiple-choice questions that require you to use reasoning skills to solve practical problems in mathematics. Knowledge of basic formulas and computational skills are assumed as background for the problems, but recall of complex formulas and extensive computation is not required.
Nine scores are reported for the ACT mathematics test: a total test score based on all 60 questions and eight reporting category scores based on specific mathematical knowledge and skills.
Eight reporting categories are:
•Preparing for Higher Math (57–60%)
•Number & Quantity (7–10%)
•Algebra (12–15%)
•Functions (12–15%)
•Geometry (12–15%)
•Statistics & Probability (8–12%)
•Integrating Essential Skills (40–43%)
•Modeling (>25%)
READING TEST DESCRIPTION FOR THE ACT
The ACT reading test is a 40-question, 35-minute test that measures your reading comprehension. The test questions ask you to derive meaning from several texts by (1) referring to what is explicitly stated and (2) reasoning to determine implicit meanings. The test comprises four sections, three of which contain one long prose passage and one which contains two shorter prose passages. The passages are representative of the levels and kinds of text commonly encountered in first-year college curricula.
Four scores are reported for the ACT reading test: a total test score based on all 40 questions and three reporting category scores based on specific knowledge and skills.
•Key Ideas and Details (55–60%)
•Read texts closely to determine central ideas and themes. Summarize information and ideas accurately.
•Craft and Structure (25–30%)
•Determine word and phrase meanings, analyze an author’s word choice rhetorically, analyze text structure, understand authorial purpose and perspective, and analyze characters’ points of view. Students will interpret authorial decisions rhetorically and differentiate between various perspectives and sources of information.
•Integration of Knowledge and Ideas (13–18%)
•Understand authors’ claims, differentiate between facts and opinions, and use evidence to make connections between different texts that are related by topic. Some questions will require students to analyze how authors construct arguments, evaluating reasoning and evidence from various sources.
SCIENCE TEST DESCRIPTION FOR THE ACT
The ACT science test is a 40-question, 35-minute test that measures the interpretation, analysis, evaluation, reasoning, and problem-solving skills required in the natural sciences.
The test presents several sets of scientific information, each followed by a number of multiple-choice test questions. The scientific information is conveyed in one of three different formats: data representation, research summaries, or conflicting viewpoints. The questions require you to recognize and understand the basic features of, and concepts related to, the provided information; to examine critically the relationship between the information provided and the conclusions drawn or hypotheses developed; and to generalize from given information to gain new information, draw conclusions, or make predictions.
Four scores are reported for the ACT science test: a total test score based on all 40 questions and three reporting category scores based on scientific knowledge, skills, and practices.
Content Covered by the ACT Science Test
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 knowledge acquired in general, introductory science courses is needed to answer some of the questions. The science test stresses science skills and practices over recall of scientific content, complex mathematics skills, and reading ability. A brief description and the approximate percentage of the test devoted to each reporting category is given below.
•Interpretation of Data (45–55%)
•Scientific Investigation (20–30%)
•Evaluation of Models, Inferences, and Experimental Results (25–35%)
Passage Formats on the Science Test
The scientific information is conveyed in one of three different formats.
•Data Representation (30–40%)
•Research Summaries (45–55%)
•Conflicting Viewpoints (15–20%)
WRITING TEST DESCRIPTION FOR THE ACT
Taking the writing test will not affect your scores on the multiple-choice tests or your Composite score. The ACT writing test is a 40-minute essay test that scores following dimension of writing competency: development and support, ideas and analysis, organization, and language use and convention. The test describes an issue and provides three different perspectives on the issue. You are asked to (1) analyze and evaluate the perspectives given, (2) state and develop your own perspective on the issue, and (3) explain the relationship between your perspective and those given.
You will receive a total of five scores for this test: a single subject-level writing score reported on a range of 2-12, and four domain scores, also 2-12, that are based on an analytic scoring rubric.
Note: The subject score is the rounded average of the four domain scores.