Methods for ACT Science Test
Don't get bogged down in complex scientific details. Use this 3-step framework to extract the data you need to answer questions correctly.
Map the Passage: Purpose, Method, Results
Get an overview of the text, searching for the Purpose, Method, and Results. Don't get bogged down in the details; you can give everything else a quick read and come back later if the question requires it.
This is the "how" of the experiment. What did the researchers actually do?
- Look for physical actions ("heated the mixture").
- Identify what variable is being changed.
- For multiple experiments, focus on what's different each time.
These are usually listed in charts and graphs, but may be in paragraph form.
A high percentage of questions come from analyzing data. Move quickly through the text so you can spend time analyzing Results in Step 2.
Scan Figures, Identifying Variables and Patterns
Here's where you analyze the data. This shouldn't be a long process, but giving each chart and graph an overview prepares you to find answers quickly.
Scan Figures
Get a sense of what is being represented by looking at labels, axes, and variables.
Identify Variables
Identify Independent (what scientists change) vs Dependent (what they observe) variables.
Note: On a coordinate graph, Independent is usually on the x-axis, Dependent on the y-axis.
Find Patterns
Do variables vary directly (both increase/decrease together) or inversely (one increases, other decreases)?
Find Support for the Answer in the Passage
Always refer back to the passage before looking at the choices and selecting one.
- Make sure you read charts and graphs accurately and do not confuse different kinds of units.
- Answer the question in your own words first. Form a prediction.
- Don't rely too much on your outside knowledge of science. The answer is almost always in the passage.
- Match your prediction with one of the choices.
Ready to analyze some data?
Practice these science methods with real ACT questions.
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