Science Reasoning

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Science Reasoning

• Testing reasoning not subject matter
• 7 passages - 35 minutes
• 5 minutes per passage
• 40 questions
• 5 or 6 per passage

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Types of passages

• Data representation (2 or 3)
• reading charts and graphs
• Drawing conclusions
• Research Summaries (3 or 4)
• Description of an experiment and results
• Evaluate experimental method, results
• Conflicting viewpoints (1)
• Based on a controversial scientific issue
• Not asked who is right

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Cognitive Levels

• Understanding (usually 1st two questions)
• Reading graphs
• Identifying parts of experiments
• Identifying controversial issues
• Analysis (about three questions)
• Tying together several pieces of info from
  passage (trends in data)
• Determining experimental errors
• Going beyond understanding
• hypothetical

4
Cognitive Levels

• Generalization (one or two per passage)
• Making predictions based on data
• What further study might be suggested
• understanding the big picture
• How it affects society

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Tactics

• Base your answers on the text
• Scan the question/graphs/charts
• Read the passage
• Do not be afraid to mark up the passage
• Underline, circle, etc.
• Do not skip the first question(s)
• They are understanding questions
• All others are based on these
• Go back and find the right answer
• Estimate numerical answers
• No calculators, test writers know this
• Do not find right answers, eliminate wrong answers

6
Data Representation

• Graph and table reading
• Experimentally based (usually)
• Tactics
• Identify the variables
• Independent (changed), controlled (not changed)
• Units of measure where
• Scales 0.1, 1, 10, etc.
• Trends obvious increase, decrease, uniformity
• Correlations
• Usually found between charts/graphs

7
Data representation - understandingTwo species
of the microorganisms Paramecium are grown in
cultures, and the population density is measured
daily. The upper graph shows the results if the
two species are grown together in a single
cultures

• When the two species are grown separately,
• Both species reach maximum population density in
  18 days
• Both species stop reproducing after 12 days
• Populations of both species grow fastest after 3
  days
• Both species reproduce fastest after 2 days

• Both species reach maximum population density in
  18 days no, after 10 days
• Both species stop reproducing after 12 days no
  data about only reproduction
• Populations of both species grow fastest after 3
  days - Yes
• Both species reproduce fastest after 2 days - no
  data about only reproduction

p.388
8
Data representation - analysisTwo species of the
microorganisms Paramecium are grown in cultures,
and the population density is measured daily. The
upper graph shows the results if the two species
are grown together in a single cultures

• When the two species are cultured together,
• P. aurelia is unaffected, but it inhibits the
  population of P. caudatum.
• P. aurelia reproduces more rapidly than P.
  caudatum.
• It takes about a week for the populations to
  begin to interfere with each other.
• Each species inhibits the population growth of
  the other.

• P. aurelia is unaffected, but it inhibits the
  population of P. caudatum. no aurelia is
  affected
• P. aurelia reproduces more rapidly than P.
  caudatum. Not only reproduction rate
• It takes about a week for the populations to
  begin to interfere with each other. affect
  occurs much faster than a week
• Each species inhibits the population growth of
  the other. yes

9
Data representation - generalizationTwo species
of the microorganisms Paramecium are grown in
cultures, and the population density is measured
daily. The upper graph shows the results if the
two species are grown together in a single
culture.

• Comparison of the graphs seems to imply that,
• The two species of Paramecium are competing for
  the same resources.
• No two microoganisms can live successfully
  together in the same culture.
• P. caudatum cannot survive in the wild.
• P. aurelia is a more common species than P.
  caudatum.

• Comparison of the graphs seems to imply that,
• The two species of Paramecium are competing for
  the same resources. Yes
• No two microoganisms can live successfully
  together in the same culture. cannot say the
  same for other microorganisms
• P. caudatum cannot survive in the wild. nothing
  is stated about the wild
• P. aurelia is a more common species than P.
  caudatum. - nothing is stated about the wild

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p.390
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Comparing mature - plants at 0.5 and 4.0
fertilizer concentration. 0.5 60 while 4.0 170
Compare the 4.0 column of the graphs. The
existing parts are the roots, stems leaves. The
grains do not exist at 50 days (graph A). The
leaves do not grow much, but the roots and stems
both grow dramatically
Compare the 0.5 column of the graphs. No seed
ever forms in the 1st 50 days. The graphs are not
comparing growth of Striga (only the grass), and
in the - column there is growth without the
presences of Striga
Compare the columns in graph B. There is no
information given about where Striga attacks or
the health of the plants. The Striga was a
controlled variable, so when it attacked the
plant was no studied
More grain is the goal of the farmers
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p.391
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Cannot generalize about all oceans from Bering Sea
From the graph 0/00 means parts per thousand,
1 kg 1000g 5 x 33 (salinity) 165
15
Research Summary

• Understand the problem
• Understand the design
• Identify the variables
• Identify the controls
• Study the results
• Look for flaws

p.393
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p.394
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p.398
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Conflicting Viewpoints
p.403

• Identify points of agreement and disagreement
  between scientists
• Read passage quickly first
• Identify the basic disagreement
• What is the position of each scientist?
• What evidence does each bring?
• What flaws do they find in the others research?

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p.407
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p.410
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ACT Prep Class

• Room 212