Act WorkKeys: Locating Information
From: http://www.act.org/workkeys/assess/locate/index.html
Locating Information
A recent survey found that 22.1% of hourly employees had an inability to read and translate drawings, diagrams, and flow charts. Locating information has added a fourth "R"—retrieval skills—to the original 3Rs of reading, writing, and arithmetic. The skill people use when they locate, synthesize, and use information from workplace graphics such as charts, graphs, tables, forms, flowcharts, diagrams, floor plans, maps, and instrument gauges is a basic skill required in today's workforce.
The WorkKeys Locating Information test measures the skill people use when they work with workplace graphics. Examinees are asked to find information in a graphic or insert information into a graphic. They also must compare, summarize, and analyze information found in related graphics. Characteristics/Skills
Level Characteristics of Items Skills Elementary workplace graphics such as Find one or two pieces of simple order forms, bar graphs, tables, information in a graphic 3 flowcharts, maps, instrument gauges, or floor View plans Fill in one or two pieces of sample information that are missing item One graphic used at a time from a graphic Level Characteristics of Items Skills Straightforward workplace graphics such Find several pieces of as basic order forms, diagrams, line graphs, information in one or two 4 tables, flowcharts, instrument gauges, or graphics View maps Understand how graphics sample are related to each other item One or two graphics are used at a time Summarize information from one or two straightforward graphics Identify trends shown in one or two straightforward graphics
Compare information and trends shown in one or two straightforward graphics Level Characteristics of Items Skills Complicated workplace graphics, such as Sort through distracting detailed forms, tables, graphs, diagrams, information 5 maps, or instrument gauges Summarize information View Graphics may have less common formats from one or more detailed sample graphics item One or more graphics are used at a time Identify trends shown in one or more detailed or complicated graphics
Compare information and trends from one or more complicated graphics Level Characteristics of Items Skills Very complicated and detailed graphs, Draw conclusions based charts, tables, forms, maps, and diagrams on one complicated graphic or 6 Graphics contain large amounts of several related graphics View information and may have challenging formats Apply information from sample One or more graphics are used at a time one or more complicated item graphics to specific situations Connections between graphics may be subtle Use the information to make decisions Level 3 Locating Information
Sample Item
You regularly check the pressure gauge on a large tank. According to the gauge shown, what is the current pressure (in PSI)?
A. 30 B. 35 C. 40 D. 45 E. 100
Why this is a Level 3 item:
The problem contains an elementary workplace graphic. Examinees find one piece of information. Level 4 Locating Information
Sample Item
You must sort clothes in a dry cleaning establishment according to the customer's instructions. According to the form shown, how should this customer's shirt be treated?
A. Dryclean it, add light starch, and fold it. B. Dryclean it, add light starch, and place it on a hanger. C. Launder it with no starch and place it on a hanger. D. Launder it with light starch and place it on a hanger. E. Launder it with medium starch and fold it.
Why this is a Level 4 item:
The problem contains a straightforward graphic. Examinees must summarize information. Level 5 Locating Information
Sample Item
You are a line supervisor at a plant that packages dishwashing soap in bottles. Each week you review the production rates for the three teams that work on your line. According to the bar chart shown, which team had the highest overall production for Week 38?
A. Team A B. Team B C. Team C D. Team A and Team B had the same high production rate. E. Team B and Team C had the same high production rate.
Why this is a Level 5 item:
The problem contains a complicated graphic, including data for three teams and five days. Examinees must compare information and trends. Examinees must summarize information and find the highest overall production. Level 6 Locating Information Sample Item
You are a road contractor and you have analyzed a soil that you want to use for road fill. Your analysis shows that the soil contains 15% sand, 65% silt, and 20% clay. You need to know what the shrink-swell potential is for the soil because it will affect the durability of the road. Based on the diagram and table shown, what is the shrink-swell potential at a 30-inch depth for this soil?
A. Low B. Low to moderate C. Moderate D. Moderate to high E. High
Soil name Texture class Depth (inches) Shrink-swell potential
0-7 low Sarpy sandy loam 7-60 low to moderate 0-38 moderate Kennebec silt loam 38-60 low to moderate 0-31 high Colo silty clay loam 31-60 high 0-17 high Blend silty clay 17-29 moderate to high 29-60 high 0-28 moderate to high Nevin clay loam 28-48 moderate 48-60 moderate 0-24 low Kenmoor loamy sand 24-60 high
Why this is a Level 6 item:
The problem is based on very complicated, detailed graphics in a challenging format. Examinees must notice the connections between graphics. Examinees must apply the information to a specific situation. Examinees must use the information to draw conclusions.
Answer Key: WorkKeys Locating Information
Answer to Level 3 Sample Item A. The graduations are by 10s not 20s. Attractive because if graduations were by 20s, the pressure would be about 30 (between 20 and 40). B. The graduations are by 10s and therefore the major line between 20 and 40 would be 30. The needle, though, lies between this graduation (30) and 40, so it reads 35 as best choice. Correct C. Attractive because needle is closer to 40 than 20, but 35 is best choice. D. Attractive to those who read 40 and then increase counterclockwise by 5 to get 45. E. The needle is to be read using the pointed end. Attractive because the short, wide end of the needle points to 100.
Answer to Level 4 Sample Item
A. You are to launder the shirt rather than dry clean, and it should not be folded. B. You are to launder the shirt rather than dry clean. C. The shirt should be starched lightly. D. The shirt is to be laundered and then starched (light) and on a hanger. Correct E. The shirt should be starched lightly not medium and it should not be folded.
Answer to Level 5 Sample Item
A. Team A had the lowest production each day, so it had the lowest, not the highest, overall production rate for Week 38. B. Team B had the highest production rate on Tuesday, and the same production rate as Team C on Friday, but on every other day its production rate was lower than Team C's production rate. C. Team C and Team B had the same production rate on Friday, and Team C had a lower rate on Tuesday. But, Team C had a higher production rate on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday and therefore had the highest overall production rate. Correct D. Team A had a low overall production rate, and while Team B had a good production rate, it was not the highest. E. Although Team B and Team C had the same production rate on Friday, Team C had a significantly higher production rate on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Team B had a higher production rate on Tuesday, but Team C had the highest overall production rate.
Answer to Level 6 Sample Item
A. The shrink-swell potential for silt loam is low (to moderate) at range 38-60", but you are interested in 30". B. The shrink-swell potential for silt loam is low to moderate at range 38-60", but you are interested in 30". C. The shrink-swell potential for silt loam at 0-38" is moderate, so the shrink-swell potential for 30" is moderate. Correct D. The shrink-swell potential for silt loam at 30" is moderate, but does not range to high. E. The shrink-swell potential for silt loam does not range to high.
Solution Note: The greatest difficulty with this item is in figuring out how to read the triangular graphic. Solution:
1. Draw a line on the triangular graphic that represents 15% sand. 2. Draw a line on the triangular graphic that represents 65% silt. 3. Draw a line on the triangular graphic that represents 20% clay. 4. Mark the point where the three drawn lines intersect. 5. Read the label for the area where the three drawn lines intersected (i.e. silt loam). 6. Go to the table and find the row for silt loam. 7. Read the shrink-swell potential for silt loam at the specified soil depth of 30".