The Official ACT Prep Guide 2016 - 2017 preparation book Paperback Wiley India

Product Description

The Official ACT Prep Guide 2016-2017 is the bestselling resource for students gearing up for the ACT test. This comprehensive guide walks you through the entire test experience, from registration through results, with expert advice straight from the test's creators. You'll find effective test-taking strategies, tips for boosting your score on the English, math, reading and science tests, and detailed information on the enhanced optional writing test. Three new full-length practice tests help you assess your readiness so you can spot weak areas well in advance, and the ACT experts provide valuable advice on preparing both mentally and physically so you can manage anxiety and be fully confident on test day. You also get free online bonus content to help you start college on the right foot, including tips for preparing an application that gets noticed, getting into your first-choice school, being a successful student and much more.

Table of contents

Preface 

How This Book Is Arranged 

Before You Begin 

Part One: Getting Acquainted with the ACT Test 

Chapter 1: About the ACT 

• Description of the ACT 
• English Test 
• Mathematics Test 
• Reading Test 
• Science Test 
• Writing Test (Optional) 
• ACT Test Formats: Paper and Online 
• Using a Calculator
• Taking the Test 

Chapter 2: Preparation, Skills and Strategies 

• Mental Preparation 
• Identify Strengths and Address Areas of Improvement 
• Develop a Positive Mental Attitude 
• Keep the Test in Perspective 
• General Test-Taking Strategies and Skills 
• Remain Calm 
• Pace Yourself 
• Know the Directions Ahead of Time 
• Read Carefully and Thoroughly
• Choose Strategies for Answering Easier and More Difficult
• Questions 
• Use Logic on More Difficult Questions 
• Choose a Strategy for Guessing on Multiple-Choice Questions 
• Choose a Strategy for Changing Answers 
• Write Notes in Your Test Booklet 
• Mark Your Answers Carefully
• Plan to Check Your Answers 
• Learn Strategies for Specific Tests 

Part Two: Taking and Evaluating Your First Practice Test 

Chapter 3: Taking and Scoring Your First ACT Practice Test 

• Simulating Testing Conditions 
• Scoring Your Practice Test 
• Scoring Your Multiple-Choice Practice Tests 
• Scoring Your Practice Writing Test Essay
• Reviewing Explanatory Answers 

Chapter 4: Identifying Areas for Improvement 

• Reviewing Your Overall Performance 
• Highlighting Strengths and Areas for Improvement on the English Test 
• Test-Taking Skills 
• Highlighting Strengths and Areas for Improvement on the Mathematics Test 
• Math Subject Areas 
• Test-Taking Errors 
• Highlighting Strengths and Areas for Improvement on the Reading Test 
• Types of Reading Passages 
• Reading Skills Tested 
• Test-Taking Errors 
• Highlighting Strengths and Areas for Improvement on the Science Test 
• Subject Matter 
• Types of Science Questions 
• Common Science Test-Taking Errors 
• Highlighting Strengths and Areas for Improvement on the Writing Test 
• Writing Skills Tested 
• Writing Strategy or Process Errors 

Part Three: Improving Your Score 

Chapter 5: Improving Your English Score   

• Content of the ACT English Test   
• Types of Questions on the ACT English Test
• Strategies for Taking the ACT English Test   

Chapter 6: Improving Your Math Score 

• Content of the ACT Mathematics Test 
• Types of Questions on the ACT Mathematics Test 
• Basic Math Problems 
• Basic Math Problems in Settings 
• Very Challenging Problems 
• Question Sets 
• Strategies for Taking the ACT Mathematics Test 
• Pace Yourself 
• Answer All Questions 
• Answer All the Easy Questions First, Then Go Back to Answer the Hard Ones 
• Read Each Problem Carefully 
• Look for Information in the Answer Choices 
• Use Illustrations Wisely and Whenever You Can 
• Use Your Calculator Wisely
• Think! 
• Show Your Work
• Check Your Answers 

Chapter 7: Improving Your Reading Score 

• Content of the ACT Reading Test 
• Types of Passages on the ACT Reading Test 
• Prose Fiction 
• Humanities 
• Social Studies 
• Natural Sciences 
• Types of Questions on the ACT Reading Test 
• Representative ACT Reading Test Questions 
• Strategies for Taking the ACT Reading Test 
• Pace Yourself 
• Use the Time Allotted 
• Think of an Overall Strategy That Works for You 
• Keep the Passage as a Whole in Mind 
• Find a Strategy for Approaching Each Question
• Reading Strategies Summary 261

Chapter 8: Improving Your Science Score 

• Content of the ACT Science Test 
• Format of the ACT Science Test 
• Data Representation Format 
• Discussion of Sample Passage I (Data Representation) 
• Research Summaries Format 
• Discussion of Sample Passage II (Research Summaries) 
• Conflicting Viewpoints Format 
• Discussion of Sample Passage III (Conflicting Viewpoints) 
• Strategies for Taking the ACT Science Test 
• Develop a Problem-Solving Method 
• Take Notes 
• Pace Yourself 
• Practice Interpreting Graphs, Tables and Diagrams 
• Make the Most of the Information in Graphs
• Make the Most of the Information in Tables 
• Develop an Understanding of Scientific Investigations 
• Carefully Analyze Conflicting Viewpoints 

Chapter 9: Improving Your Score on the Optional Writing Test 

• Content of the ACT Writing Test 
• How Your Essay Will Be Scored 
• Sample Prompt and Essays 
• Sample ACT Writing Test Prompt 
• Sample Essay Responses 
• Strategies for Taking the ACT Writing Test 
• Prewrite 
• Write 
• Review Your Essay
• Practice 

Part Four: Taking Additional Practice Tests 

Chapter 10: Taking Additional Practice Tests 

• Explanatory Answers 
• Explanatory Answers 

Chapter 11: Scoring the Additional Practice Tests 

• Scoring Your Practice Tests 
• Scoring Practice Test 2 
• Scoring the Multiple-Choice Tests 
• Scoring Your Practice Writing Test 2 Essay
• Scoring Practice Test 3 
• Scoring the Multiple-Choice Tests 
• Scoring Your Practice Writing Test 3 Essay

Chapter 12: Interpreting Your ACT Test Scores and Ranks 

• Understanding Your ACT Test Results 
• How ACT Scores Your Multiple-Choice Tests 
• How ACT Scores Your Writing Test 
• Recognizing That Test Scores Are Estimates of Educational Achievement 
• Using Ranks to Interpret Your Scores 
• Comparing Your Test Scores to Each Other 
• Comparing Your Scores and Ranks to Your High School Grades 
• Comparing Your Scores to Those of Enrolled First-Year College Students 
• Using ACT College and Career Readiness Standards to Help You Understand Your ACT Scores 
• Planning Your Education and Career 
• Seeking Additional Information and Guidance 
• ACT College and Career Readiness Standards--English 
• Production of Writing
• ACT College and Career Readiness Standards--Mathematics 
• ACT College and Career Readiness Standards--Reading 
• Text Complexity Rubric--Reading 
• ACT College and Career Readiness Standards--Science 

Part Five: Moving Forward to Test Day 

Chapter 13: Registering, Planning and Packing for Test Day 

• National Testing Program versus School / District / State Testing 
• Registering for the ACT 
• Selecting a National Testing Date and Location 
• Selecting a Test Option 
• Registering
• Registering Under Special Circumstances 
• Planning and Packing for Test Day
• Getting to the Test Center 
• Dressing for Test Day 
• Packing for Test Day: What to Bring 
• Obtaining Additional Test Details 
• At the Test Center 
• Checking In 
• Following the Rules 
• Communicating with the Testing Staffff 
• Maintaining Your Composure and Energy 
• Voiding Your Answer Documents on Test Day 
• Testing More Than Once 

Market Description

Primary: Students in their junior and senior year of high school; ACT reports approximately 1.8 million students taking the test annually. Secondary: parents; tutors; high school guidance counselors.

About Author

ACT (Iowa City, IA) is a not-for-profit organization providing assessment, research, information and program management services to support education and workforce development. Known most widely as the makers of the ACT® exam--the college readiness and placement assessment taken by some 1.8 million high school students each year--ACT produces a number of assessments and services reaching more than 10 million people along the kindergarten through career continuum. ACT's rigorous research informs policy decisions and helps develop programs that boost lifelong learning potential in schools and workplaces around the world.