ACT WORK KEYS ASSESSMENTS

ACT Work Keys Reading for Information Applied Mathematics
Level 7

*Recognize the definitions of difficult, uncommon jargon or technical terms, based on the context of the reading materials.


*Figure out the general principles underlying described situations and apply them to situations neither described in nor completely similar to those in the document.

 *Calculate using multiple steps of logic.
*Calculate multiple areas and the volumes of spheres, cylinders, and cones.
*Solve problems with more than one unknown.
*Solve problems involving nonlinear functions, such as rates of change.
*Calculate by applying basic statistical concepts.
*Derive information needed to solve problems if incomplete or implicit information is presented.
Level 6 *Recognize the application of jargon or technical terms to new situations.
*Recognize the application of complex instructions to new situations.
*Recognize, from context, the less common meaning of a word with multiple meanings.
*Generalize from the document situations not described in the document.
*Identify implied details.
*Explain the rationale behind a procedure, policy, or communication.
*Generalize from the document to a somewhat similar situation.

*Calculate using negative numbers, fractions, ratios, percentages, and mixed numbers.

*Calculate multiple rates for comparison or use in other calculations.

*Find basic areas and volumes of rectangular solids.

*Identify and correct errors in calculations.

*Solve problems involving considerable setup and multiple-step calculations or conversions.
Level 5 *Identify the paraphrased definition of a technical term or jargon that is defined in the document.
*Recognize the application of technical terms or jargon to stated situations.
*Recognize the definition of an acronym that is defined in the document.
*Identify the appropriate definition of a word with multiple meanings.
*Recognize the application of instructions from the document to new situations that are similar to those described in the document.
*Recognize the application of more complex instructions to described situations, including conditionals and procedures with multiple steps.

*Look up and calculate single-step conversions within English or non-English systems of measurement or between systems of measurement.

*Calculate using mixed units and several steps of logic.

*Calculate perimeters and areas of basic shapes.

*Calculate percentage discounts and markups.

*Determine what information, calculations, and unit conversions are needed to find a solution.
Level 4

*Identify important details that are less obvious than those in Level 3.

*Recognize the application of more complex instructions, some of which involve several steps, to described situations.

*Recognize cause-effect relationships.

*Determine the meaning of words that are not defined in the document.

*Perform one or two mathematical operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division) using several positive or negative numbers.
*Add commonly known fractions, decimals, or percentages, or add three fractions that share a common denominator.
*Calculate averages, simple ratios, proportions, and rates, using whole numbers and decimals.
*Reorder verbal information before performing calculations.
*Determine which operation(s) to perform and in what order.
*Read a simple chart or graph to obtain the information needed to solve the problem.
Level 3 *Identify uncomplicated key concepts and simple details.
Recognize the proper placement of a step in a sequence of events, or the proper time to perform a task. *Identify the meaning of a word that is defined within the document.
*Identify the meaning of a simple word that is not defined within the document.
*Recognize the application of instructions given in the document to situations that are also described in the document.
 *Perform basic mathematical operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) using whole numbers and decimals.
*Convert a number from one form to another using whole numbers, fractions, decimals, or percentages.
*Solve problems that are straightforward, involving a single type of mathematical operation.
*Translate easily from a verbal setup to a mathematical equation when all the information needed to solve the problem is provided in logical order and no unrelated information is included.

ACT Work Keys Applied Technology Locating Information Teamwork Observation
Level 6

*Use principles of mechanics, electricity, thermodynamics, and fluid dynamics interacting in advanced applications such as air conditioning units.

*Troubleshoot complex systems in which a variety of mechanical, electrical, thermal, or flow faults are potential sources of difficult problems.

*Draw conclusions from the information presented in very detailed graphics.

*Apply information from these types of graphics to specific situations.

*Analyze data within these types of graphics to make decisions and/or predictions requiring judgments based on the information presented.

 *Identify the focus of team activity and select a new focus if that would help the team meet its goals more effectively.
*Select approaches that show a willingness to give and take direction, as needed, to further team goals (e.g., recognize the organization of team members’ tasks that would best serve the larger goals of the team).
*Choose approaches that encourage a team to act as a unit and reach agreement when discussing specific issues. *Identify actions that would help manage differences of opinion between team members, moving the team toward its goals while valuing and supporting individual diversity.

*Notice and remember several details that are relevant to the process or procedure being shown.

*Take in and recall incoming sensory information so it can be used to make predictions, comparisons, or evaluations.
*Visualize how a detail or task fits into the entire process or procedure demonstrated.
*Interpret if-then and cause-effect relationships.
Level 5

*Use the basic principles of mechanics, electricity, thermodynamics, and fluid dynamics in moderate and advanced applications.

*Understand complex machines and systems, such as the operation of gasoline engines, complex appliances, or an electrical system in a building.

*Summarize and/or compare information and trends in a single graphic.

*Sort through distracting information to summarize and/or compare information and trends presented in more than one workplace graphic.

 *Identify courses of action that give direction to other team members.
*Determine the best use of team talents to accomplish goals.
*Choose approaches that encourage other team members to improve relationships and/or complete tasks. *Consider and evaluate the possible effects of alternative behaviors on both team relationships and the completion of tasks.

*Focus attention on and recall several important aspects of the information presented.

*Ignore irrelevant background information through selective attention to important details.

*Maintain attention to detail.

*Recall several important details about unfamiliar material.
Level 4

*Understand the operation of moderately complex tools, machines, and systems, such as appliances, pulley-driven equipment, or piping systems that carry more than one fluid.

*Apply elementary principles underlying the operation of physical systems, such as a block and tackle or cooling fins.

*Find several pieces of information in graphics.

*Summarize and/or compare information and trends in a single graphic.

*Summarize and/or compare information and trends among more than one graphic by determining the relationships among the graphics.

 *Identify the organization of tasks and the time schedule that would help the team reach goals efficiently, creatively, and effectively.
*Select approaches that accept direction from other team members in order to complete tasks and to build and keep up good team relations.
*Identify behaviors that show appreciation for the personal and professional qualities of other team members and respect for their diversity.
*Recognize the need for commitment to quality and sensitivity to customers while pursuing the team goal.

*Sustain focused attention on the demonstrated instructions, process, or procedures.

*Select and attend to important details.

*Recall a few important, moderately reinforced details about the demonstrated process or procedure.
Level 3

*Understand the operation of basic handtools, simple machine components, and uncomplicated systems, such as piping systems, simple electrical heaters, or other equipment found in the home, school, or workplace.

*Apply elementary principles underlying the operation of physical systems, such as the workings of plumbing components or simple electrical systems.

*Find one or two pieces of information in a graphic.

*Fill in one or two pieces of information that are missing from a graphic.

 *Identify team goals and ways to work with other team members to accomplish team goals.
*Recognize that a team is having problems finishing a task and identify the cause of those problems.
*Choose actions that actively support the ideas other team members have for accomplishing team goals.
*Recognize the need for trust and dependability in a team environment.

*Pay attention.

*Watch and listen to a strongly cued demonstration or set of instructions.

*Recall a few strongly reinforced details of a process or procedure.

ACT Work Keys Writing (Scoring Criteria) Listening (Scoring Criteria)
Level 5 *Write messages that are clear and highly consistent with standard business English.
*Use good sentence structure with a smooth, logical style and no mechanical errors.

*Correctly record all the important information and the relationships among pieces of information from a spoken communication.

*Use supporting details to convey insight into the particular situation the message involves.
Level 4 *Write messages that are clear and generally consistent with standard business English, but may contain a few minor errors in grammar and punctuation, and/or the writing style may lack clear organization and appropriate transitions. *Accurately convey the central idea of a spoken communication.
*Correctly record all the important information and the relationships among pieces of information, but may miss or incorrectly record some details or include irrelevant information.
Level 3 *Write messages that are clear, but may include some incomplete sentences and/or errors in grammar and punctuation.
 *Listen to a spoken communication and record messages that are basically correct.
*Present all the primary details and the relationships among them correctly, but may miss one or two pieces of important information.
Level 2 *Write messages that are generally understandable, but contain many errors in grammar, punctuation, and/or sentence structure making these messages somewhat difficult to comprehend.
 *Correctly write down the basic ideas of a spoken message.
*Give a fair amount of useful information, but may miss some of the important details or incorrectly record some of the information.
Level 1 *Write messages in English that contain a large number of major grammatical, punctuation, spelling, and/or other mechanical errors making the messages very unclear and inconsistent with standard business English.
*Write down a small amount of useful information based on a spoken communication.
*Give clues to the gist of the situation or provide sources of further information, but do not include enough information to give the receiver a correct understanding of the situation described in the message.