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General ACT Background Information

What is the history of the ACT test?

• Introduced in 1959
• Originally conceived of as a test more closely tied to high school curricula, in opposition to the SAT. Originally inspired by the Iowa Tests of Educational Development . Content is now based on national surveys and analysis of state public education standards (Atkinson and Geiser 668).
• An illuminating quote from the founder, E.F. Lindquist: “If the examination is the have maximum motivating value for the high school student, it must impress upon him the fact that his chances of being admitted to college. . . depend not only on his “brightness” or “intelligence” or other innate qualities or factors for which he is not personally responsible, but even more upon how hard he has worked at the task of getting ready for college. . . . The examination must make him feel that he has earned the right to go to college by his own efforts, not that his is entitled to college because of his innate abilities or aptitudes, regardless of what he has done in high school. In other words, the examination must be regarded by him as an achievement test. (qtd. in Atkinson and Geiser 668)
• An optional writing exam was added in 2005

Who is ACT Incorporated? Headquartered in Iowa City, according to ACT itself, they are “an independent, not-for-profit organization that provides a broad array of assessment, research, information, and program management solutions in the areas of education and workforce development”. Much like the initials “SAT,” as of 1996, “ACT” no longer stands for anything. This was done because “American College Testing” no longer resonated with a more diverse clientele that spanned the globe (About).

More information can be found in “ACT: The First 50 Years, 1959-2009.”

What is the ACT English Test like?

The ACT English section takes 45 minutes, and is made up of 40 multiple choice questions about usage and mechanics (10 punctuation questions, 12 about grammar and usage, 18 about sentence structure), and 35 about rhetorical skills (12 about strategy, 11 about organization, 12 about style)*. All questions are derived from included complete essay texts in a range of genres from “personal and narrative pieces to persuasive and informative essays” (Your Guide 4).

(terminology used here is that employed by ACT. go to the link for details about what each of these means.)

What is the ACT Optional Writing Test like?

Unlike the SAT, the written portion of the ACT is optional. ACT states that this decision was made because not all universities use the written score, so keeping it optional can save money for all involved (ACT Writing). Students are given 30 minutes to write an essay that takes a position and supports it (Your Guide).

What do ACT writing Prompts look like?

An example prompt provided by ACT Inc. can be found here.

More prompts can be found here.

How is the ACT essay section scored?

If students complete the essay section, they will receive a separate score of between 2 and 12, and the essay will also figure as ⅓ of an overall separate composite score as well. However, the essay is not used to calculate the subject area score, or the overall composite score at all.

Each essay is read by trained readers who each rate the essay on a scale of zero to six. The two scores are then combined to create the final score. If the first two readers’ scores disagree by more than one point, a third reader will look at it as well. In addition, according to ACT, students are given “positive and constructive” written commentary (ACT Writing). The essay itself is also made available to the student’s high school and colleges of their choosing.

The criteria that readers use can be found here.

How much does it cost to take the ACT? It costs $33 to take the ACT, minus the essay portion. It costs $48 to take the ACT, essay section included. For an additional $18, if students take the test at a national test center they can order a copy of the specific testing materials from that day complete with answers, as well as a copy of their own answers and a scoring rubric. Late registration costs an additional $21. (Students are told to ask their guidance counselors for information and forms regarding fee waivers. Waivers only cover the basic registration fee.)(“2010–2011″)

Bibliography

“2010-2011 ACT Fees and Services.” The ACT. ACT, Inc. 2011. Web. 25 April 2011.

“ACT: The First 50 Years, 1959-2009.” ACT, Inc. 2009. PDF File. 22 April 2011.

Atkinson, Richard C. and Saul Geiser. “Reflections on a Century of College Admission Tests.” Education Researcher 38.9 (Dec. 2009): 665-676. Print.

About ACT. ACT Inc. 2011. Web. 22 April 2011.

The ACT Writing Test. ACT Inc. 2011. Web. 22 April 2011.

Your Guide to the ACT: What it Measures, Its Purposes and Foundations, How it is Developed. ACT Inc. 2010. PDF. 23 April 2011.