So just to make sure, the essay portion of the ACT is the only thing that really changed in terms of directions.
Yep.
It depends on what you mean by changed? If you’re using strictly the Red Book, then a lot has changed: Reading now has a Double Passage, Science is probably 6 passages instead of 7, Math is more complex.
But if you’re using Released tests that started on June 2014 to the present, then yes, only the Essay has changed.
Wait, reading always will have a double passage? and what do you mean the math is more complex?
@hsalem32 I think there will be more probability/statistics questions on there. I counted about 7 questions either directly or indirectly related to probability, although most were pie charts, etc. There were 3 questions that directly asked for probability. Also, I noticed that the Red Book doesn’t test on matrices, but I will bet you that there will be at least one question on them every test.
I got this info from their online practice test for 2015-2016.
Reading will always have a double passage, and perhaps only 3 or so questions will ask you to compare both passages. Very similar to the SAT. Go to page 37 here http://www.act.org/aap/pdf/Preparing-for-the-ACT.pdf
Also, Science will have 6 passages as opposed to the 7, as indicated in the link.
@PartyNextDoor So now the science test won’t be the traditional Data Representation, Research Summary and Conflicting Viewpoints that it has been for years?? Do we have to prepare and practice differently like the writing section, or is it just a slight change that won’t change our basic approach to the science section?
Is the English test and Reading Test (other than the double passage) also changing in difficulty?
Thanks
I’m new to the ACT. What’s changing?
All of your questions have been answered SEVERAL times. Please read through this thread before asking the same question repeatedly.
@TheIG19 Idk all that man. Take the practice test in this link http://www.act.org/aap/pdf/Preparing-for-the-ACT.pdf and see how you do, and how it’s different.
Also, I took the ACT once and SAT once, and never prepped at all for the essay. I got a 10 both times. Every time I have used personal experiences for the essays instead of a piece of literature or a historical event, and I could mold it according to the topic conveniently. Even if the essay requirements may change, you can still use personal experience to agree or refute with each of the 3 perspective.
Personally, I would do this:
- Intro: Thesis and your stance on the issue, and concrete ideals on why you choose your stance
- Body 1: Analysis of Perspective 1 and how it would support or refutes your points in your thesis
- Body 2: Analysis of Perspective 2 and how it would support or refutes your points in your thesis
- Body 3: Analysis of Perspective 1 and how it would support or refutes your points in your thesis
- Conclusion: Restate thesis and how summarize how each perspective supports or refutes it
Usually, Perspective 1 is for something, Perspective 2 is against something, and Perspective cleverly defends (or is for) something by hinting that the primary notion presented in Perspective 2 is hypocritical.
Example: Public Health restrictions vs. Individual Freedom
Perspective 1: Health Restrictions are more important
Perspective 2: Individual Freedom is more important
Perspective 3: This one’s very smart, and would argue something like: The desire to have health restrictions can be considered an individual freedom itself.
Then, it hints a support for the stance of Perspective 1 by saying that the allowance of individual freedom to trump public health restrictions can both injure heath and injure the individual freedom of those that claim that the desire to implement public health restrictions is an individual right in itself.
Here are the distributions for the science test. These changes went into effect last summer (2014).
Data Representation (30-40%). 12-16 questions. Old distribution was 15 questions/3 passages.
Research Summaries (45-55%). 18-22 questions. Old distribution was 18 questions in 3 passages
Conflicting Viewpoints (15-20%). 6-8 questions. Old distribution was 7 questions.
http://www.actstudent.org/testprep/descriptions/scicontent.html
This is the strategy I teach my students for the double passage
- Read passage 1; answer questions related to passage one (you may have to skip around)
- Read passage 2; answer questions related to passage two
- Answer questions related to the comparison of both passages
I think double passages are easier than single passages because the test makers pick easier passages. The problem is reading both passages and keeping them straight. Tackle the more difficult questions- those about both passages- last.
Prepare for this question: What would the author of passage 1 probably say about X in passage 2? That is almost always a question answer to the question.
I agree with @HeretoHelpYou 's strategy on dual passages. The ACT specifically tells you which questions belong to which passage, and which questions require you to analyze from both passages. Thus, you can focus on one essay at a time and you know exactly what questions you should be answering after you reading each passage.
More about the reading section… does each passage have at least one line reference question?
@HereToHelpYou great strategy!
For english, i would advise people to read the whole passage, not just the lines with questions. For reading, i’ve gotten 32 on 4 practice tests in a row. On the last one, i decided to listen to posters’ advice and read the whole passage. My score jumped 2 points to 34, and i only missed 2 rhetorical questions. The ironic thing is that it actually saved me time to read the whole passages because i wasn’t confused while reading it. I wish i did this earlier.
For science in the new ACT exam, would you guys just skip the passages and look at the charts when possible?
@anBoa122 For the passage that has Scientist 1, Scientist 2 etc. (Conflicting Viewpoints) I read the passage then answer the questions, because if you don’t, the questions get really confusing (much like the Reading Comp. Section). For Research Summary and Data representation passages (the ones that have data tables, graph, charts, etc) I jump straight into the questions without reading the passage. I only read the passage when it is needed to answer a specific question.
@TheIG19 Thanks for the tip! It’s my first time with the ACT and I’m glad I found out about the changes.
I’ve never taken the ACT before. Where should I begin? How does it differ from the SAT? Is there a grid in section for some of the math questions? s the vocab on the ACT as difficult as the vocab on the SAT? Are there any great ACT books I should look into? Thank you!