In this guide, you’ll learn how to tackle the three types of passages you can expect to see on the ACT.
There is No “Science” Section on the ACT
For many students taking the ACT, the science section presents the greatest difficulty. The assumption that you’ll somehow need to recall specific science facts learned at some point in your academic career may be intimidating. We will start off by saying that there is no real science section on the ACT. What we mean is that you are not required to know much science beyond a general understanding of biology, chemistry, and earth science. Instead, what you’ll need are good inference and reading skills. We will approach the science section in much the same way we do the reading comprehension and the math. By training your brain to think about the science section as part reading passages and part mathematical problems, you’ll be able to confidently master this section.
Between the Data
The science section is composed of seven “units.” Each unit will have a brief passage and some data. Here’s the breakdown of what passage types to expect:
Data representation (a passage and tables, graphs, or plots)
Research summaries (describe one or two experiments and supporting data)
Conflicting viewpoint (present a problem and two conflicting theories)
General Plan of Attack
The data representation, research summaries, and conflicting viewpoint passages are similar in that they are all fact based and communicate information about specific scientific ideas. Although the topics vary from biology to physics (and everything in between), the approach that we’ll use for these passages will be similar.
Your goal is to “read” the data and compose a story about what’s happening. You can formulate the story of the data by looking beyond the numbers and figuring out the main point behind the information. We have created a general five-step method to deal with the science passages. Later, we’ll look at how to adjust the five steps to the specific passages.
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Step 1: Read the Passage and Data.
Read the passage that accompanies the data, and then look over the data. When you’re examining graphs and charts, focus on the story behind the numbers and what the numbers are telling you. Skip over confusing science jargon or anything that doesn’t make sense—it probably isn’t that important. From the passage and data you should be able to formulate a general understanding of the passage. Just as you would do when you read a story and think about the plot, characters, and scenes, when you read a science passage, consider the following:
Who are the characters—What are the independent and dependent variables? What’s the relationship?
Plot—What is being tested? Why is the experiment being performed?
Author’s tone—Are the findings consistent? What are the patterns?
It might be helpful for you to jot down notes in the margins. You can also think about the goal of examining a science section as being able to tell a friend, “This passage was about ____.”
Step 2: Summarize.
After you have finished reading the passage, write down a few notes about what you read. Summarize for yourself what you have just read. Keep in mind the general questions the ACT may ask you:
Summarize the experiment or hypothesis.
Read and analyze data.
Details on the argument.
Compare and contrast ideas and arguments.
Infer based on the given data.
Consider future experiments or changes in data.
Step 3: Paraphrase the Question.
Read and paraphrase the question. It might be helpful for you to restate the question in the form of “This question is asking _____.” Before you answer the question, make sure that you understand what is being asked.
Step 4: Answer before You Answer.
Answer the question in your own words. We know that taking the time to answer the question in your own words sounds like an extra step. However, by doing this, you will have an easier time selecting the right choice, and you will be less likely to make errors.
Step 5: Look at the Choices.
Okay, now you can take a look at the choices and see which one matches your response. Be careful with trick answers that don’t match your independently generated responses.
Keep in Mind
Base your answers on the passages and the data presented. Do not use outside knowledge to answer the questions. Remember, this isn’t about science that you know—this is about your ability to understand and intrepret data. You might even want to number the area in the charts or passages where you find the answer to the question.
