Welcome to Brandon High

School’s STAR /ACT Prep 2015-

2016

The ACT

• The test measures academic achievement

• It does NOT measure your intelligence or ability

• This means, you can increase your score by preparing for this test

High school courses ACT

recommends for all students

English Four years

Mathematics Four years (including Algebra I and above)

Science Three years (including Biology, Chemistry, Physics)

Social Studies Three years

Arts One year

Other Foreign language, visual and performing arts, computer science, etc.

EVERY STUDENT CAN PERFORM WELL ON THE ACT!

- Students don’t have to get every question right in order to get a good score on the ACT!  - Think about the following:- a 50% on an English Class test may be a failing grade, it is an 18 on the ACT, and many colleges will accept that score!!!

-A 60% on a History Class test may be a D-, but on the ACT it’s a 22! -Now colleges aren’t only accepting you, but they’re giving you scholarships!

- Life-long Skills- Workplace Skills -Test scores that reflect true skill ability- Scholarships -College Success

GOALS!

All students,

even those not attending college,

need the skills the ACT exam reinforces!

What is the ACT?

• A multiple choice standardized exam that is supposed to measure your knowledge of some of the subjects taught in high school.

• The test takes 3.5 hours with one break

• The test is divided into 4 different tests (called sections) always given in the same order

The Four Sections

• English Test ( 45 minutes-75 questions)

• Math Test (60 minutes-60 questions)

• Reading Test (35 minutes-40 questions)

• Science and Reasoning Test (35 minutes-40 questions)

• Optional Writing Test (30 minutes)

• Each question on the ACT is worth one point.

• The most difficult question is worth the same point value as the easiest question

• ALWAYS find the easy questions to answer first and save the difficult questions for last

• This strategy allows your to make the best use of the allotted time

EACH QUESTION IS IMPORTANT!

GENERAL TEST-TAKING TIPS

• Pace Yourself (Announcements only made when 5 minutes/1 minute remain)

• Read directions before test date• Read questions carefully (annotate)• Answer easy questions first• Answer EVERY question (no penalty for

guessing)• Be precise in marking answer and don’t

make notes on answer sheet• Don’t panic! Work the entire time.

• Correct Answer: +1 point

• Omitted Question: 0 points

• Incorrect Answer: 0 points

Answer every question. If you don’t know the answer, guess!Answer every question. If you don’t know the answer, guess!

Understanding ACT Scoring

The ACT at-a-Glance

The ACT at a GlanceSECTIONSECTION FORMAT/ TIMEFORMAT/ TIME QUESTION TYPESQUESTION TYPES SCORESCORE 2014 2014

AveragesAverages

1 Section45 minutes

75 Questions in 5 Passages40 Usage/Mechanics;35 Rhetorical Skills

1 Section60 minutes

60 Questions, Each with 5 Answer Choices24 Arithmetic/Pre-Algebra/Elementary Algebra;18 Intermediate Algebra/Coordinate Geometry;14 Plane Geometry; 4 Trigonometry

1 Section35 minutes

40 Questions in 4 Passages10 Prose Fiction; 10 Social Studies;10 Humanities; 10 Natural Sciences

1 Section35 minutes

40 Questions in 7 Passages15 Data Representation (3 passages);18 Research Summary (3 passages);7 Conflicting Viewpoints (1 passage)

1 Section30 minutes

1 Essay(Optional)

Total 4-5 Sections2 hours, 55 minutes3 hours, 25 minutes(including the Writing Test)

215 Multiple Choice1 Essay

English Test

Reading Test

Writing Test

1 - 36

1 - 36

1 - 36

1 - 36

0 - 12

1 – 36

20.3

20.9

21.3

20.8

7.1

21.1

Science Test

Math Test

ACT English Information

ACT English Grammar 75 multiple choice questions; 45 minutes , 36 seconds per questionQuestion given in conjunction with a passageSentence Structure, Grammar and Usage, Punctuation, Rhetorical SkillsThe English section tests not only obscure grammar rules but also punctuation errors as well

ACT expects students to know what they want—It’s more than just pure grammar!

In a series of 3 or more items, put a comma before the “and”

Shorter sentences are preferred to longer sentences

ENGLISH TIPS

• Read the entire passage first (roughly 1.5 minutes). Focus on grammar and revision skills, not comprehension.

• Answer diction and grammar questions first; they are usually the easiest to answer quickly.

• Listen for errors as you read the answer choices. You can often hear an error as you say a sentence in your head.

• Read ALL answers carefully; answers often look similar, sometimes differing only by a comma.

• “NO CHANGE” is the correct choice about 25% of the time.

Mapping ACT English

Editing five short passages75 questions - 45 minutes – 9 minutes Per passage

Usage - Mechanics Skills40Q 53%

Rhetoric Skills35Q 47%

Punctuation10Q13%

Grammar and Use

12Q16%

SentenceStructure

18Q24%

Strategy12Q16%

Organization11Q15%

Style12Q16%

CommaSemicolonEnd-stopDashes

Hyphensquotes

TenseSubject-verb agreement

Pronoun useAdverb vs. adjective

Double negativeIdioms

Possessivescomparisons

Run-onComma splice

FragmentCoord conjunction

ParallelismMisplaced modifiers

ClausesSubordination

Split constructionUnintended meaning

Appropriate supportMain ideaAudienceEffective:

Opening sentenceConcluding sentence

Paragraph developmentSentence-level structureParagraph-level structure

ConcisenessAmbiguity

Low-level usageShifting point of view

®

ACT Math Information

• 60 multiple choice questions; 60 minutes• 1 minute per question!• Algebra I and II, Arithmetic, Geometry, Trigonometry• This is 7th-11th grade math • It’s the wording in the question that makes this section

difficult• Only four Trig problems, but two can be done without

having even learned Trig! They are out to intimidate you!

MATH TIPS

• Draw a picture if one is not provided. Figures given are not drawn to scale, so mark them with given measures or symbols.

• Know the following translations: of means multiply and per means divide.

• Know the area and perimeter formulas for triangles, rectangles, and circles, and how to find the volume and surface area of a box.

• If a problem is given in terms of fractions, decimals, or percents, consider using an alternate form to find the answer.

Mapping ACT Mathematics

60 questions - 60 minutes

Direct use of math facts or formulas

32Q 53%

Word Problems16Q 27%

Pre-Algebra14Q23%

Elementary Algebra

10Q17%

IntermediateAlgebra

9Q15%

Geometry14Q23%

CoordinateGeometry

9Q15%

Trigonometry4Q7%

Inference or decision making12Q 20%

®

ACT Reading Information

Reading 40 multiple choice questions; 35 minutes, less than 1 min to answer each question

• There are 4 types of passages you will encounter on the ACT.

1. Prose Fiction: Most interesting to read, but often the hardest questions! Most time-consuming!

2. Social Sciences: politics, history

3. Humanities: arts, culture

4. Natural Science: Typically the easiest!

READING TIPS

• Read the passage actively (3 minutes); underline or circle any key points. Read with awareness of the author’s goal, tone, and theme.

• If a question refers to a specific line of the passage, read one line above and below the indicated line to better understand the context.

• Save difficult questions (such as inferring) for last and answer easier questions (such as vocabulary) first. Note: It is best to finish one passage completely before going on to the next.

Mapping ACT Reading4 Passages – 40 Questions – 35 Minutes

Read 750 wordsProse/Fiction

08:4510Q 25%

Read 750 wordsHumanities

08:4510Q 25%

SpecificDetail

SequenceCause/EffectComparison

Author’s VoiceMain Idea

GeneralizationConclusion

Words in Context

Read 750 wordsSocial Science

08:4510Q 25%

Read 750 wordsNatural Science

08:4510Q 25%

Explicit Questions14Q 35%

Implicit Questions26Q 65%

®

ACT Science Information

Instead of calling it Science Reasoning, think of it as Technical Reading.

• Basic understanding of the scientific method will help you

• Not much science knowledge is needed• Read and understand charts and graphs• Opposites – when a student encounters 2 answer

choices that are direct opposites, one will almost always be the correct answer.

SCIENCE TIPS

• If a passage seems difficult, skip it; data representation passages are often the easiest.

• When reading passages, aim at a general understanding on the first reading and do not dwell on a specific aspect of data. If the passage contains conflicting viewpoints, consider similarities and differences between the scientists’ arguments.

• When reading tables and charts, focus on labels, trends in data, and maximum or minimum values. Look for connections between multiple data representations.

Understand7Q 17.5%

7 passages - 40 questions - 35minutes

3 passagesData Representation

15Q 37%

1 PassageConflicting Viewpoint

7Q 18%

3 passagesResearch Summary

18Q 45%

3 3 1

9 6 5

3 9 1

Identify data pointsIdentify units/labelsIdentify trendsIdentify variablesIdentify controls

ExtrapolateInterpolatePredictgeneralize

HypothesizeConcludeCompareevaluate

Mapping ACT Science Reasoning

Analyze20Q 50%

Generalize13Q 32.5%

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What Do Colleges Think?

Facts:

• Nearly all schools accept the ACT.

• 89% of schools use SAT or ACT test scores in making admissions decisions*.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ACT….

• http://www.rcsd.ms/site/default.aspx?PageID=37060