2007 l 2008 TAKING THE ACT PLUS WRITING STATE TESTING IC 010001080 This student information booklet is for students taking the ACT Plus Writing through State Testing in Illinois and Michigan. Please provide this booklet to each student during or before the session scheduled for students to complete the pre-test information, which must occur before test day. © 2007 by ACT, Inc. All rights reserved. 9692 Where to Find It Why Take the ACT Plus Writing What You Need to Know to Take the ACT Plus Writing Calculators.....................................................4 The ACT Plus Writing is a curriculum- based examination that matches well with the General Information Cancellation of Scores by ACT....................3 education standards in your state. Thus, This booklet gives the information you need taking the ACT Plus Writing can provide to take the ACT Plus Writing. Before the test Checklist for Taking the ACT Plus Writing...4 helpful information for all students, not just date, you will complete pages 1, 2, 3, and 10 those who are planning to attend college. of your State Testing Answer Folder during a Code Numbers Taking the ACT® tests can give every designated class period at school. On your College and Scholarship Agencies ..............11 student a measure of his/her academic test date, you will record your responses to the Congressional Codes ...................................17 strengths and weaknesses for future use. tests starting on page 4 of your answer folder. Thus, you can use your results to recognize After testing is completed, your Test Completing Your Answer Folder .................5 your academic strengths and to analyze how Supervisor will send your answer folder to us. to address areas where you need to improve, Score reports will be mailed about four to five High School Course/Grade whether you intend to follow a college path or weeks after we receive your answer folder. Information ....................................................6 to enter the workplace after high school. If you are not considering college now, ID Requirements............................................4 you may decide to make college part of your Waiver of Retest Restriction plans later. Your ACT results can help you We have waived the normal 60-day retest Interest Inventory ..........................................7 begin the career exploration and planning restriction for State Testing. You may register process. In the modern workplace, lifelong to take the tests on any regularly scheduled Remedies in Response to learning is a fact of life, and it is likely that national test date and may also test on one of ACT Errors or Testing nearly everyone who graduates from high the state testing dates. Disruptions/Compromises..........................18 school will eventually have to continue their Note: If you complete testing on both the education to achieve their career or life goals. initial and makeup state test dates, the Scores The ACT Plus Writing includes four makeup scores will be cancelled Additional Score Reports (ASRs)..................18 multiple-choice tests in English, mathematics, automatically. Automatic Reporting of Scores .....................18 reading, and science. The tests measure Confidentiality of Scores ...............................18 your educational development in those areas Test Accommodations Scores by Web..............................................18 and are based on what you have learned— If you currently receive test accommoda- One Test Date per Report.............................18 they are not aptitude or IQ tests. tions in school as part of your Individualized Reporting Schedule ......................................18 The ACT Plus Writing also includes a Education Program (IEP) or a Section 504 State Testing Record ....................................18 Writing Test, for which you will write an essay Plan, ask your counselor whether test in English in response to a prompt that accommodations have been requested for you. Student Profile Section.................................8 defines an issue and presents two opposing points of view on that issue. The ACT Writing Test Accommodations..................................3 Test measures the writing skills you have acquired in your high school English courses Test Security Procedures.............................3 and complements the multiple-choice ACT English Test. Many colleges use ACT Writing Waiver of Retest Restriction ........................3 Test results as a guide for placing incoming students into first-year composition courses. Visit www.actstudent.org What Test Security Procedures Apply Our test security procedures are designed • Using a calculator on any test other than identity, impersonation of another examinee to ensure that examinees have an equal the Mathematics Test (surrogate testing), unusual similarities in the opportunity to demonstrate their academic • Sharing a calculator with another examinee answers of examinees at the same test center, achievement and skills, that examinees who • Bringing a cell phone, media player, or any or other indicators that the test scores may not do their own work are not unfairly other electronic device into the test room accurately reflect the examinee’s level of disadvantaged by examinees who do not, and • Using any device to share or exchange educational development—may result in the that scores reported for each examinee are information at any time during testing or cancellation of test scores. When ACT valid. In addition to the information in this during the breaks decides to cancel test scores, it notifies the section, see “Remedies in Response to ACT • Attempting to remove test materials, examinee before taking that action (except in Errors or Testing Disruptions/Compromises” including test questions or answers, from cases of testing compromises explained on (page 18). the test room by any means page 18 of this booklet). The notice includes • Using highlight pens, colored pens or information about the options available Prohibited Behavior at the Test Site pencils, scratch paper, notes, dictionaries, regarding the planned score cancellation, Examinees will be dismissed and their or other testing aids not approved by ACT including procedures for appealing the answer documents will not be scored if • Not following instructions or abiding by the cancellation decision. In all instances, the final they are found: rules of the test center and exclusive remedy available to examinees • Filling in or altering ovals or continuing to • Exhibiting confrontational, threatening, or who want to appeal or otherwise challenge a write the essay after time has been called unruly behavior decision by ACT to cancel their test scores on each test • Creating a disturbance or allowing an alarm shall be binding arbitration through written • Looking back at a test on which time has or phone to sound in the test room submissions to the Dallas, Texas, office of the already been called American Arbitration Association. The issue • Looking ahead in the test booklet Cancellation of Scores by ACT for arbitration shall be whether ACT acted • Looking at another examinee’s test booklet ACT reserves the right to cancel test reasonably and in good faith in deciding to or answer document scores when there is reason to believe the cancel the scores. • Giving or receiving assistance scores are invalid. Cases of testing • Using a prohibited calculator irregularities—such as falsification of one’s 3 Checklist for Taking the ACT Plus Writing Before Test Day On Test Day Identification Required ✔ Prepare for the tests by reviewing your ✔ Report for testing at the time designated Unless the testing staff can personally free copy of Preparing for the ACT. This by your school. You will not be admitted if recognize you, ACCEPTABLE IDENTIFI- booklet includes information about the you are late. CATION must be presented at the time of tests, test-taking strategies, and complete ✔ check-in or you will not be allowed to test. practice tests for both the multiple-choice Take the following items with you: The ID you present must be original, not a tests and the ACT Writing Test. You will • Acceptable Identification. Unless the photocopy or reproduction. Present ONE of the also receive instructions on how to score testing staff can personally recognize following. If it’s not on this list, it’s not your practice tests, including the same you, you will not be admitted to test acceptable, and you will not be admitted. scoring guidelines used by the readers without acceptable identification. • Current (not expired) Photo ID: Must be who will score your essay. • Sharpened soft lead No. 2 pencils with issued by your school, employer, or ✔ good erasers (no mechanical pencils or city/state/federal government (such as Complete pages 1, 2, 3, and 10 of the ink pens). driver’s license or passport) on which answer folder during a designated class • A watch, to pace yourself. The supervisor BOTH your name and current photograph period at school. (See instructions will announce when 5 minutes remain on appear. beginning on page 5 of this booklet.) Do each test. • Published Individual Photo: Recognizable not return the answer folder to ACT. • A permitted calculator. individual photograph of you in a recent Follow instructions from your school. ✔ At the Test Site (within the last two years) publication, such ✔ If you do not have acceptable photo • Testing begins after all examinees are as a newspaper or school yearbook, with identification and the testing