I do as expected in the rest of the sections on the ACT, but when it comes to the science section, I have no clue how to approach it. I’m so overwhelmed by the barrage of information. I don’t know how to tackle the questions. There are too many numbers, diagrams, labels. The time constraint is really pressuring. When I get to the questions, I constantly find myself frantically searching the passages and tables to find the answers, but usually to no avail. I understand that a lot of it is just reading comprehension, but I don’t know how to apply it to science. How do I familiarize myself with the dreaded science section and raise my score?
What’s your current score?
@richardshaw The last time I took a practice ACT, I got 23 on the science section.
@YaraHarvardLyfe Thanks so much! 
@photogeek8 Yes that link provides what you need to know most about the reading section. But since you’re getting 23s, I suggest you get the basics right. If you can’t score above 30s when you take them without time constraints, that means your foundation in graphs, charts, complex tables and variables still isn’t there.
Learn the basics first, then slowly refine your strategy to push for the last few points in the science section.
Before giving my advice I would like to make it clear that I am by no means an expert on the ACT Science; however, I got a 32 composite and a 31 in the science section.
First, I would recommend quickly scanning the background info for each of the passages EXCEPT the conflicting viewpoints passage. (Read it scrupulously) This gives you a sense of what the graphs mean and how to interpret them.
Next pick up some points by nailing the easy matching questions. Pay attention to details! For the harder questions that you have to think about, reread the intro and any other info that seems pertinent. Make a decision. Don’t spend too much time on them as they can be enormous time wasters.
For the conflicting viewpoints passage take your time reading. You can even think of what the main idea of each viewpoint is and jot down a couple of words that summarize it. Get inside the head of each scientist, student, researcher, etc. When it comes time for the questions, you should look over your notes and consider EACH answer carefully. Pick the one that is the MOST correct and go with it. Move on.
Hope this helps.
@richardshaw @Chew97083 Thanks for the advice!
Always read the background info at the top of each passage
Photogeek8, the science section is always a wild card. You never know what sorts of passages you are going to get, but here’s the system I show people. As you’ve noticed, science is all about picking out the KEY bits of information really, really fast and ignoring all the useless info. It’s all about speed while maintaining accuracy.
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Jump straight to the questions! Do not try to read or skim the passages first (waste of time)
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Circle or underline ALL key terms (study 1, figure 3, volume of lava, NO2 concentration, age of flood basalt plateau, increase, decrease, 0.523 mg, etc.) Pay attention to directional indicators like “greater than” or “less” or “increase” and such.
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If there are any relationships, take notes. For example, if it says, “As the volume of lava increases, the number of marine organisms that die increase…” you might write “Lava vol. UP, death UP.” This is faster and easier to read/reference than trying to digest a long sentence again.
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Scan the answer choices BEFORE you try to search for the answer on your own. This is critical to save precious time.
First, you might not even know what the question is asking if you don’t do this. I mean a question could say, “the heads of the plumes are…” Well, what exactly are they asking about the heads? Their diameter? Their density? Their position? We have no clue until we look at the answers, which might say, “approximately half the diameter of the tail.”
Second, use the process of elimination. That means don’t find the answer from the graphs on your own, THEN match it up to one of the choices. Instead, do the opposite. Look at the choice and see if it matches what the graphs say. If not, cross it off and move onto the next choice. This is much faster and saves mental brain power.
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Circle any key terms in the answer choices (especially NEW key words, numbers, directional indicators, etc.)
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Circle those SAME key terms from the question and answer choices in the charts/graphs/passages
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Solve. Sometimes you will be looking at a chart, but it doesn’t directly give you the answer. So you must think HOW that chart can reveal the info you need.
For example, if a question asks, “According to Figure 3, what relationship temperature has on the number of infections?” and you jump to Figure 3, you might see nothing about the number of infections.
Maybe Figure 3 shows temperature vs. number of insects. So you must ask yourself what the number of insects has to do with infections. Scan the paragraphs now–maybe they will tell you that the more insects there are, the more infections there are. Boom. Now you know the relationship between temperature --> insects --> infections.
If you hit a dead end and the passage does not reveal the connection, use your common sense, like “insects probably carry virus/germs/infections, so the more insects there are, the more infections there are.”
Try to get away by focusing on ONLY what you need, which are the key terms you circled/underlined. IGNORE THE REST. Do not try to read everything. Read the bare minimum. Often, you don’t have to read the paragraphs at all (sometimes you do though). The more physical you are with this test, the faster you’ll get.
Careless mistakes like looking at the wrong graph are the #1 killer for science. Almost all mistakes you make will end up being careless, so you must take PHYSICAL steps to prevent yourself from doing something stupid. It sounds tedious, but I assure you it’s worth it. Do not just use your eyes to look or your finger to point. Use your pencil to MARK STUFF UP!
@pwcpeng Thanks for the helpful tips! I’ll definitely try them out the next time I take a practice ACT.
No problem - message me and let me know how it goes or you get stuck.
Keep taking science practice tests (real ones). I gotten a dreading 23. I kept practicing and asking so much on this forum that it got annoying.
Second time, I got a 30.