A Step to the Future Preparing Students for the 2007 PSAT/NMSQT

Transcription

1 A Step to the Future Preparing Students for the 2007 PSAT/NMSQT This material was produced solely by the College Board for its organizational purposes; National Merit Scholarship Corporation was not involved in its production.

2 What is the PSAT/NMSQT? PSAT/NMSQT stands for Preliminary SAT/ National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. The PSAT was first administered in 1959; it became the PSAT/NMSQT in 1971 when National Merit Scholarship Corporation began to co-sponsor the test. The PSAT/NMSQT has kept pace with all the changes to the SAT over the years, and even preceding the SAT when it added the multiple-choice Writing Skills section in 1997, though the PSAT/NMSQT does not include an official essay like the SAT does. In 2006, over 3.3 million students took the PSAT/NMSQT: 46% were eleventh-graders, 53% were tenth-graders or younger students. 2 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT

3 Benefits of taking the PSAT/NMSQT The test provides: the best preparation for the SAT Reasoning Test. the entry point to compete for National Merit Scholarships (usually in 11 th grade) including the National Achievement Program. It also provides recognition via the National Hispanic Recognition Program. the option to receive information from colleges and scholarship services through the secure, strictly monitored Student Search Service. personalized feedback on critical reading, mathematics, and writing skills, including specific suggestions for improvement. 3 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT

4 Benefits of taking the PSAT/NMSQT Additionally, when students receive their score reports, they will receive a supplemental, online tool, My College QuickStart, with access until they graduate high school. It includes: an interactive score report with easy access to all test questions full answer explanations (reminder students should review their testbook also, to see any scratch work done on test day); insights into how students academic skills compare to their collegebound peers, via state percentiles (national percentiles will be on your official paper PSAT/NMSQT Score Report); for high school students, a personalized online SAT study plan that will provide additional practice questions and suggestions for further practice based upon their PSAT/NMSQT results; access to MyRoad, a dynamic Web-based career, major, and college exploration tool 4 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT Note to Presenter: New in 2006: All high school students who take the PSAT/NMSQT will receive access information for their online personalized College Planning Package (answer explanations, SAT study plan, and MyRoad) on their student Score Report.

5 What skills are tested on the PSAT/NMSQT?

6 What does the PSAT/NMSQT actually test? Like the SAT, the test assesses the academic skills that students develop over the years, primarily through their academic course work. It measures critical reading, math reasoning, and writing skills that are critical for success in college. 6 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT

7 What does the PSAT/NMSQT actually test? Critical reading skills using content from: humanities, social studies, natural sciences, and literature. Math reasoning skills using content from: number and operations; algebra and functions; geometry and measurement; data analysis, statistics, and probability. Writing skills focus on editing, grammar, usage, and organization. 7 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT

8 PSAT/NMSQT Critical Reading Questions 13 Sentence Completions 35 Passage-Based Reading Questions (100- to 800-word passages) 8 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT

9 PSAT/NMSQT Mathematics Questions 28 Multiple-Choice Questions 10 Student-Produced Response Questions ( Grid-ins or free-response ) 9 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT

10 PSAT/NMSQT Writing Skills Questions 20 Improving Sentences Questions 14 Identifying Sentence Error Questions 5 Improving Paragraph Questions 10 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT

11 How does the PSAT/NMSQT compare to the SAT? Same question types, except the SAT includes an essay assignment that does not appear on the PSAT/NMSQT. The PSAT/NMSQT is 2 hours, 10 minutes; the SAT is 3 hours, 45 minutes. The SAT may have some math questions from third-year math courses; the PSAT/NMSQT will not. (Samples of third-year math questions are available to high school students in the My SAT Study Plan section of My College QuickStart when score reports are distributed to schools.) 11 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT

12 Sample PSAT/NMSQT Questions

13 Critical Reading Section Sentence Completions Roger said the report was significant; Heather contradicted him, saying that all the information presented was (A) contemporary (B) scintillating (C) objective (D) irrevocable (E) immaterial 13 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT Note to Presenter: SENTENCE COMPLETIONS measure knowledge of the meaning of words and the ability to understand how the different parts of a sentence fit logically together. The correct answer is on the next slide.

14 Critical Reading Section Sentence Completions Roger said the report was significant; Heather contradicted him, saying that all the information presented was (A) contemporary (B) scintillating (C) objective (D) irrevocable (E) immaterial Because Heather is contradicting Roger, the correct response is the word that is most nearly the opposite of "significant. Choice (E) is correct. "Immaterial" means inconsequential or irrelevant. Information that is immaterial is by definition not significant. 14 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT Note to Presenter: Choice (A) is incorrect. To say that the information is contemporary, or current, is not to contradict its significance. Choice (B) is incorrect. "Scintillating" means sparkling or brilliant. It is possible for a report to be both significant and scintillating, so Heather would not be contradicting Roger if she described the report in this way. Choice (C) is incorrect. Heather would not be contradicting Roger if she said the report was objective, or unbiased. A report can easily be both significant and objective. Choice (D) is incorrect. "Irrevocable" means unable to be taken back. This term is not the opposite of "significant" and therefore doesn't indicate a contradiction.

15 Critical Reading Section Passage-Based Reading Excerpt from reading passage: After I left the room, I began to sift my impressions. Only the day before, an acquaintance had warned me to watch carefully for sleight-of-hand tricks, especially as the man had earlier been a stage conjuror. 15 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT Note to Presenter: PASSAGE-BASED READING questions measure the ability to understand words, recognize significant information, make inferences, recognize implications, and follow the author s logic or argument. A question on this reading passage is on the next slide.

16 Critical Reading Section Passage-Based Reading The acquaintance mentioned in line 2 can best be described as a (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) skeptic hypocrite hoaxer confidant mystic 16 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT

17 Critical Reading Section Passage-Based Reading The acquaintance mentioned in line 2 can best be described as a (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) skeptic hypocrite hoaxer confidant mystic The acquaintance mentioned in line 2 warns the author to "watch carefully for sleight-of-hand tricks." Choice (A) is correct. In warning the author to watch out for tricks, the acquaintance is showing that he is skeptical about the telepathist's supposed powers. 17 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT Note to Presenter: Choice (B) is incorrect. There is nothing in the passage to suggest that the acquaintance is a hypocrite; rather, it is the acquaintance who suggests that the telepathist may be a hypocrite. Choice (C) is incorrect. The acquaintance tries to warn the author about a potential hoaxer. But there is nothing to indicate that the acquaintance is a hoaxer. Choice (D) is incorrect. The acquaintance cannot be described as a "confidant" because nothing indicates that he has been the recipient of confidences. Choice (E) is incorrect. Nothing indicates that the acquaintance can be described as a mystic, or one who practices mysticism.

18 Math Section Multiple Choice If ax + bx = 36, what is the value of x when a + b = 12? (A) 3 (B) 6 (C) 12 (D) 24 (E) A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT

19 Math Section Multiple Choice If ax + bx = 36, what is the value of x when a + b = 12? (A) 3 (B) 6 (C) 12 (D) 24 (E) 48 The expression ax + bx is equivalent to (a + b) x, so the equation ax + bx = 36 is equivalent to (a + b) x = 36. When a + b = 12, the equation becomes 12x = 36, which can be solved to get x = A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT

20 Math Section Student-Produced Response If h + 1 = 5h, what is the value of h? 20 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT Note to Presenter: STUDENT-PRODUCED RESPONSE questions do not have answer choices. Answers are recorded on this grid.

21 Math Section Student-Produced Response If h + 1 = 5h, what is the value of h? Multiply each member of the equation by 12 (the common denominator) to get 3h + 4 = 10h Subtract 3h from both sides to get 7h = 4 Divide by 7 h = 4/7. 4 / 7 21 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT Note to Presenter: To put the answer (4/7) on the grid, first write 4, then the fraction bar (slash), and then 7 in the spaces above the grid. It does not matter whether you start at the first space at the left or finish in the last space at the right. If the answer were 2, we could put the 2 in any one of the four answer spaces and bubble in the 2 below it. THE ANSWER MUST BE BUBBLED on the grid in order to receive credit. Incorrect gridding of the answer (ending up different from the one written in the spaces) is one of the most common errors and a sure way to lose points.

22 Math Section Know the Student-Produced Response Directions Read and understand the directions in the PSAT/NMSQT Official Student Guide ahead of time. IMPORTANT: The correct answer must be gridded correctly to receive credit. What is written in the boxes cannot be scored. 22 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT Note to Presenter: The directions for recording answers to STUDENT- PRODUCED RESPONSE questions are written in the test booklet and in the Official Student Guide and Practice Test. Students should read the directions before test day.

23 Math Section Student-Produced Response Practice Grids 23 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT Note to Presenter: These are practice grids. The correct answers should be gridded as 1.75, 7/3 (or 2.33),.444, and.2. 20% can also be bubbled in as 1/5. NOTE: if it is a repeating decimal, as in.44444, it MUST extend to the last column. If it were to stop at.44, it would be scored as wrong.

24 Math Section Calculators are encouraged A scientific or graphing calculator is recommended. Bring a familiar calculator, for test day is not the time to figure out how to use a new calculator. 24 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT

25 Writing Section Improving Sentences A few barges still move oil up to Hartford, but in the old days they had more traffic then. (A) but in the old days they had more traffic then (B) but in the old days traffic was heavier (C) but in the old days they had a lot more (D) whereas the traffic was a lot more in the old days (E) whereas then there was more traffic in the old days (Note: In this question type, the first choice always repeats the underlined phrase exactly, thus would mean no change.) 25 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT Note to Presenter: The Writing Skills section of the PSAT/NMSQT does not require students to write an essay. However, through multiplechoice questions, it tests the ability to identify effective expressions in standard written English, to recognize faults in usage and structure, and to chose effective revisions in sentences and paragraphs. IMPROVING SENTENCES questions require you to choose the best, most effective form of a sentence. The correct answer to this question is on the next slide.

26 Writing Section Identifying Sentence Errors A few barges still move oil up to Hartford, but in the old days they had more traffic then. (A) but in the old days they had more traffic then (B) but in the old days traffic was heavier (C) but in the old days they had a lot more (D) whereas the traffic was a lot more in the old days (E) whereas then there was more traffic in the old days Choice (B) is correct. It avoids the errors of the original by eliminating both the unnecessary adverb, "then," and the vague pronoun, "they." 26 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT Note to Presenter: Choice (A) involves a pronoun error and creates redundancy. The pronoun "they" has no logical antecedent in the sentence. The adverb "then" is unnecessary, conveying nothing more than was earlier conveyed by the adverbial phrase "in the old days." Choice (C) introduces a vague pronoun. The sentence contains no noun to which the pronoun "they" can logically refer. Choice (D) involves improper predication. The phrase "a lot more" is inappropriately used as a predicate adjective; its proper use is as an attributive adjective modifying a noun, as in "there was a lot more traffic." Choice (E) involves redundancy. The adverb "then" unnecessarily duplicates the meaning of the subsequent adverbial phrase "in the old days."

27 Writing Section Identifying Sentence Errors The electronic computer is a technological triumph that scientists have developed, mastered, and then put it to constantly increasing use. No error. D A B C E 27 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT Note to Presenter: In IDENTIFYING SENTENCE ERRORS questions, certain parts of the sentence are underlined. Read the entire sentence and determine if there is an error. Note that some sentences contain no error and that no sentence contains more than one error. If the sentence contains an error, choose the letter under the underlined mistake as the answer choice. Correct answer is on the next slide.

28 Writing Section Identifying Sentence Errors The electronic computer is a technological triumph that scientists have developed, mastered, and then put it to constantly increasing use. No error. D A B C E The error in this sentence occurs at (B), where an unnecessary pronoun is used. The object of the verb "have... put" (like the object of the verbs "have developed" and "have... mastered") is the relative pronoun "that," which refers to "technological triumph." The pronoun "it" is therefore unnecessarily inserted after "put." 28 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT Note to Presenter: There is no error at (A). The past participle "mastered" properly joins the helping verb "have" to form the present perfect tense. There is no error at (C). The adverb "constantly" appropriately modifies the participle "increasing." There is no error at (D). The participle "increasing" functions properly, modifying the noun "use."

29 Writing Section Improving Paragraphs (1) The last century was a time of great technological progress. (2) Life is more convenient, comfortable, and efficient today than ever before. (3) Yet this has created new concerns. Which of the following versions of sentence 3 (reproduced below) is most effective? Yet this has created new concerns. (A) Although this has created new concerns. (B) Yet this progress has created new concerns. (C) Yet these have created new concerns. (D) Yet this has created new concerns to worry about. (E) New concerns have been created. 29 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT Note to Presenter: IMPROVING PARAGRAPHS questions ask students to make choices about improving the logic, coherence, or organization in a flawed passage. The directions explain that the test taker is looking at an early draft of an essay and that some parts need to be rewritten. This process of revision is what students do to improve their own writing or critique the writing of others. The correct answer to this question is on the next slide.

30 Writing Section Improving Paragraphs (1) The last century was a time of great technological progress. (2) Life is more convenient, comfortable, and efficient today than ever before. (3) Yet this has created new concerns. Which of the following versions of sentence 3 (reproduced below) is most effective? Yet this has created new concerns. Choice (B) is correct. (A) Although this has created new concerns. The vague pronoun "this" is replaced by (B) Yet this progress has created new concerns. "this progress," (C) Yet these have created new concerns. which clearly refers (D) Yet this has created new concerns to worry about. to the progress (E) New concerns have been created. mentioned in sentence A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT Note to Presenter: Choice (A) is unsatisfactory because it creates a sentence fragment--a subordinate clause that is unattached to a main clause. Choice (C) is unsatisfactory because the plural pronoun "these" is vague and does not agree with the singular noun to which it presumably refers, "progress." Choice (D) is unsatisfactory because it fails to clarify the reference of the demonstrative pronoun "this" and introduces a redundancy with the unnecessary addition of the modifier "to worry about" to the word "concerns." Choice (E) is unsatisfactory because the weak passive construction fails to identify the cause of the new concerns and therefore establishes no link with the previous sentences.

31 Writing Section Preparation for the SAT Essay A practice SAT essay assignment will be printed on the PSAT/NMSQT Score Report. In the My SAT Study Plan section of My College QuickStart, high school students will be able to see sample papers written for that essay assignment and learn about how the SAT essay will be scored. 31 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT Note to Presenter: If your school is using ScoreWrite: A Guide to the New SAT Essay to administer a practice SAT essay, you might want to add a slide about when, where, how that will take place.

32 Scoring the PSAT/NMSQT

33 How is the PSAT/NMSQT scored? Multiple-choice questions: 1 point for each correct; 1/4 point deducted for each incorrect Math grid-ins: 1 point for each correct; 0 points for each incorrect (nothing deducted) 0 points for omitted questions (nothing added, nothing deducted) 33 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT

34 How is the PSAT/NMSQT scored? Scores are reported on a scale of for each section: critical reading, mathematics, and writing skills. For eleventh graders, is about average; for tenth graders, is about average; for ninth graders, average is about A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT

35 How does a PSAT/NMSQT score compare to an SAT score? Some students add a 0 to the two-digit PSAT/NMSQT score to give a rough estimate of a three-digit SAT score. High school students receive a more reliable SAT projected score range in their online SAT study plan. SAT writing score = approximately 1 / 3 essay scaled score + 2 / 3 multiple-choice score. Students who have taken the PSAT/NMSQT average higher scores on the SAT than those who have not. 35 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT

36 Personalized Skills Information The PSAT/NMSQT Score Report contains information to help students improve their academic skills. Lists those skills that have the best chance of improvement with additional work. Includes advice, written by teachers, on how to improve those skills. 36 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT

37 Getting ready to take the PSAT/NMSQT Long-term and short-term preparation

38 Long-Term Test Preparation Developing Skills Students should READ: improve vocabulary and develop essential skills through continuous reading read more books than just those required for class 38 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT

39 Long-Term Test Preparation Developing Skills (continued) Students should: exercise, develop, and strengthen critical thinking, higher-order reasoning, and problemsolving abilities by taking the most challenging courses that they can 39 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT

40 Short-term Test Preparation Students should: Take the full-length Practice Test in the Official Student Guide and get comfortable with the test format. Take time to score it, to better understand the scoring process. Visit for complete answer explanations for the questions on the Practice Test and for additional practice test questions Sign up to receive the SAT Question of the Day at (free) Understand formula scoring and educated guessing Become familiar with the types of test questions, the test directions, and test format 40 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT

41 Test-Readiness Strategies When students sit down to take the test, they should: Read all the directions (if you ve become familiar with these by taking the Practice Test, you will save some time on test day) Read all the answer choices Do scratch work in the test book Work steadily If students skip a question, they should be sure to note it in the test book and leave it blank on the answer sheet; then return to it if there is time remaining to work on that particular test section. Remember: students don t have to answer every question to score well 41 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT

42 Be sure to take the Practice Test inside the Official Student Guide 42 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT

43 Test-Readiness Strategies In most sections, the questions are arranged from easy to more difficult (except for passagebased reading in critical reading section and improving paragraphs in writing skills section) Wild guessing is discouraged, but students should make educated guesses when answer choices can be eliminated. 43 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT Note to Presenter: Students can make an educated guess by eliminating one or more wrong choices; they increase their chances of choosing the correct answer and earning one point. However, students should avoid wild or random guessing.

44 Wild Guessing 44 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT Note to Presenter: Use this grid to show the impact of wild guessing. The answer grid represents a series of 10 questions. Ask students to guess at the answers without seeing the questions.

45 Wild Guessing 45 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT Note to Presenter: This slide represents an example of guesses prior to viewing the answers.

46 Educated Guessing 46 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT Note to Presenter: To test educated guessing, two choices on each question have been eliminated, just as students would eliminate any choices that were definitely wrong. Ask students to now fill in guesses to these questions for which two answers are missing because they ve already eliminated them as wrong.

47 Educated Guessing 47 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT Note to Presenter: again, this represents an example of guesses made prior to viewing the correct answers

48 Answer Key 48 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT Note to Presenter: Now score both tests. In each case, the number of right answers minus 1/4 the number of wrong = total score. Unless students are very unlucky--and some will be--they should end up with a higher score with educated guessing.

49 Wild Guessing = correct answer = wrong guesses Score = 0 2 (¼ X 8) = 2-2 = 0 = correct guesses 2 correct 49 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT Note to Presenter: Use this grid to show the impact of wild guessing. The answer grid represents a series of 10 questions. Ask students to guess at the answers without seeing the questions.

50 Educated Guessing = correct answer = wrong guesses Score = 5 6 (¼ X 4) = 6-1 = 5 = correct guesses 6 correct 50 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT Note to Presenter: To test educated guessing, two choices on each question have been eliminated, just as students would eliminate any choices that were definitely wrong. Ask students to now fill in guesses to these questions for which two answers are missing because they ve already eliminated them as wrong.

51 To learn more visit 51 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT

52 To learn more visit Create your free online account to access all the college planning resources and tools available to students. 52 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT

53 Take the PSAT/NMSQT How to sign up: (Be sure to pick up the Official Student Guide with Practice Test.) Test Day/Date: Time: Where: Bring: Two #2 Pencils Calculator Address (optional, but encouraged) 53 A Step to the Future: Preparing Students for the PSAT/NMSQT Note to Presenter: Use this slide to inform your students about the PSAT/NMSQT test day by editing the slide in Microsoft PowerPoint. Provide the important facts, such as day, date, and location of testing, as well as a reminder to bring a calculator and #2 pencils. Social Security numbers and addresses are optional. You may also want to include information about the cost of the test; where and when they register with a deadline date; and anything else that you think they ll need to know.