Self-Administering a Paper-Based ACT

Instructions for Self-Administering a Paper-Based ACT Test

1) Print out one of the Preparing for the ACT Booklets below. The most recent ones should better reflect the current ACT test. If you have limited access to printing but do have a tablet, one alternative is to look at the test booklet on your tablet’s screen. Make sure you're able to annotate the pdf in your tablet though to replicate taking notes, underlining, and working out math on a piece of paper.

2) Print out the answer sheet below.

3) Use the proctoring video, linked below, to self-administer the test. Alternatively, you can time yourself or ask someone to keep time for you.

4) Complete the test, keeping in mind the following directions:

• • All answers should be recorded on the answer sheet.

  • The test should be done in one sitting, with only small breaks between each of the four sections (English, Math, Reading, and Science).

  • Each section of the test is essentially a separate test from the rest, and the time allotted to each section should be dedicated to working exclusively on that section.

  • A calculator is allowed only for the Math section (Section 2).

  • There is no penalty for a wrong answer, so make sure to fill in an answer to every question on the answer sheet before the time expires.

Materials

Preparing for the ACT Booklets

Preparing for the ACT 2018-2021 (2017/04 - 74F) - Mystery Paper Sculptor

Preparing for the ACT 2014-2018 (2014/06 - 72C) - The Triangular Snowflake

Preparing for the ACT 2011-2014 (2009/06 - 67C) - Dragonfly

Preparing for the ACT 2009-2011 (2007/04 - 64E) - The Potter's Kiln

Preparing for the ACT 2007-2009 (2006/01 - 61C) - The Music of the O'odham

Preparing for the ACT 2005-2007 (2003/01 - 59F) - Notes from the Underground

Mock Administration Materials

Answer Sheet

Mock Proctoring Video

Scoring Instructions

1) Once you have completed the four sections of the test, identify how many correct answers you have for each section of the test. Correct answers can be found on the "Scoring Keys" that follow the main sections of the test on the Preparing for the ACT booklets. For the Preparing for the ACT 2018-2020 booklet, these scoring keys can be found on pages 57 through 59. An example of what the English Scoring Key looks like follows.

2) While the booklets give more detailed scoring directions that include several subscores, these are unnecessary. So, on the scoring key above, for example, you can ignore all of the different "Reporting Categories". Simply count the number of correct answers for each section of the test: English, Math, Reading, and Writing.

3) Next, convert the number of correct answers you have for each section, which is called your raw score, into a score that ranges from 1 to 36, called your scaled score using Table 1. Table 1 can be found on page 70 of the Preparing for the ACT 2018-2021 booklet, for example. Please note that each test will have a different Table 1, but an example of what it looks like follows.

4) If you had 63 correct answers (raw score) in the English Test, for example, your score (scaled score) for English is 28. Determine your scaled score for each of the different sections of the test: English, Math, Reading, and Science.

5) Your overall ACT score on the ACT will be the average of your scores scaled on the 1-36 range. You should round your average to the nearest whole number. If that decimal is 0.5 or higher, you should round your score up. If it’s lower than 0.5, however, you should round down.