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ACT Science

Students are tested in four fields of science.

The ACT science test contains 40 multiple-choice questions measuring your ability to analyze and interpret scientific data. You are given 35 minutes to complete this portion.

In the ACT’s science section, questions target information presented in one of three formats:

• data representation (graphs and diagrams)
• research summaries (descriptions of experiments, including hypotheses, procedures and conclusions)
• conflicting viewpoints (overview of at least two hypotheses or viewpoints that differ with regard to data or conclusions)

These scenarios are structured into 7 passages. Each passage is followed by 5-7 questions that gauge your skill in recognizing concepts and determining relationships between hypotheses and data. You will also be asked to draw conclusions and make generalizations or predictions based on data.

The scenarios are drawn from four general science categories: biology, chemistry, physics and earth/space sciences.

In addition to science, the ACT exam also includes sections on English, math, reading comprehension, and an optional essay.

What Is (and Isn’t) Tested

The ACT science section assesses your reasoning and analytic skills.

It doesn’t test memorization of scientific facts, math formulas or reading comprehension. Rather, it tests how well you analyze and interpret information. Emphasis is placed on recognizing relationships and understanding what they mean.

How the ACT Science Section Is Scored

The ACT science test is scored similarly to the ACT as a whole. The questions you answered correctly in the science section are added to determine a raw score. This raw score is then converted to a scale score between 1 and 36, with 1 being poor and 36 being excellent.

The national average score is 20.9.

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