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Description of the Test
Full test
–Begins at 8:00 am and continues until 5:30 pm
Writing Skills
(renamed Language Arts, Writing)
45-minute essay; 3 items types (correction revision and construction shift); Sentence structure, usage, and mechanics; Informational documents (“passages”);
Part I, multiple –choice and Part II, essay;
Examinee must complete both parts
Spelling- except for homonyms, possessives, and contractions,
Commas- only tested when they are used to eliminate confusion.
Business Communication (letters, memos, reports, applications, etc.);
“How to” tests (e.g. dressing for success, leasing a car, planning a trip, etc.); both 200-300 words, 12-18 sentences, and unity/coherence, Essay scoring rubric changed form 6-point to 4-point scale.
Social Studies
Multiple-choice in sets and single items; Measures comprehension, application, analysis and evaluation;
Covers history, geography, civics, government, and economics; National, global, and adult contexts;
Text and visual Sources.
Behavioral science-psychology, sociology, anthropology-not tested as separate content area;
some concepts tested within other areas.
More history, civics and government; More graphics, photographs;
More clearly defined content in U.S. and world history;
More analysis; Different content areas tested within same items set;
More single-item questions; at lease one “practical” document (voters’ guide, tax form etc.)
At lease one excerpt from U.S. Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Federalist Papers, or Landmark Supreme Court cases.
Science
Multiple-choice in sets and single items;
Text and visual sources.
More single items, fewer item sets.
Integrated with National Science Educational Content Standards;
Earth science includes space science; Physical science includes physics and chemistry;
Increased focus on environmental and health topics (recycling heredity, disease prevention, pollution, climate) and on science’s relevance to everyday life;
50% conceptual understanding; 50% problem solving;
Increase in graphic stimuli from 30% to 50%
Interpreting Literature and the Arts (renamed Language Arts, Reading)
Reflect diversity- gender ethnicity, age, region;
Passages range from 300-400 words;
One poem (8-25 lines) and one piece of drama represented; No graphics, viewing addressed in textual manner.
Definitions: Popular Text and Classical Literature redefined a time periods;
“Literal comprehension” now “comprehension ”; ”Inferential comprehension ”
now ”synthesis.”
Content areas defined by type of text; Literary (75%) and Nonfiction (25%); At lease one comparison/contrast question, Nonfiction will include one business document and one selection about visual representation; 20% comprehension, 15% application,
30-35% analysis,
30-35% synthesis.
Mathematics
Measures algebra, geometry, number relations, and data analysis.
25% set-up questions- examinee must identify correct way to solve a problem.
“Not sufficient information” questions decreases from 12% to 4%.
More emphasis on data analysis and statistics;
Two Parts: Part I permits calculator. Part II does not;
Candidate will have practice time with calculator prior to test;
Alternate Format items approximately 20%; item sets in which candidate must access multiple pieces of information- pie charts, bar graphs, tables. All Candidates will use Casio fx-260 Solar.
–Part I (25 Questions, 45 min. w/ Calculator)
–Part II (25 Questions, 45 min. No Calculator
–Part I (50 Qs, 75 min.)
–Part II (Essay, 45 min)
–(50 Qs, 70 min)
–(50 Qs, 80 min)
–(40 Qs, 65 min)
–4 ten-minute breaks, 1 sixty minute lunch
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