Research Paper On Standardized Testing

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ACT, a Standardized Test
As many of us know, the ACT is a standardized test we all must take before being accepted into most colleges. For some people this test is difficult, for some it a breeze. Some people study hard for this test, and some people do not. It just simply depends on who you are and the type of test taker you are. In this paper, I will be arguing that everyone taking the ACT should not be graded under the same standards. First, I will explain what a standardized test is and specifically, what the ACT is. Second, I will bring up an counter argument that the ACT, in some instances, is tested the best way the way it is now because it is sometimes the best way for some people to test and offer my objection to it. Third, I will …show more content…

Standardized testing is any form of test that requires all test takers to answer the same questions during a certain day, this test may however change from week to week, but is scored in a consistent manner. This makes it possible to compare the relative performance of individual students or groups of students (Concepts, Liberty). This is how many of the tests in schools are given. It is the easiest way for teachers to give a test to a large group of people that will test the students over the same concepts. However, the ACT test is a little bit different. The ACT test, which stands for American College Testing, is given to an even larger group of people. These tests are mostly given to everyone in the Midwest to measure high school students' knowledge over their general education and their capability to complete college-level work in four skill areas: English, mathematics, reading, and science. Specifically, ACT states that its scores provide an indicator of "college …show more content…

When students prepare for and take the ACT, they learn test-taking skills that will help them in college (eCampus Tours). I do not believe this to be true. I am currently a college student and I do not think the ACT test has prepared me for college. Even though college tests are standardized, they are over a more condensed topic and you are given plenty of time to finish. I learned my test taking skills from high school. Moreover, high school and college test are very similar and the ACT test and college tests are not. Another objection to my argument is that the test is fair because everyone is given the same chances to improve their score. They argue that everyone has a chance to further their knowledge over the test subjects and improve their testing speed. I would disagree with this because in some schools “gifted” students can enroll in a special ACT prep classes, while students that are average or struggling do not get this opportunity. Furthermore, some school do not offer a program to help kids improve their ACT scores at all. This makes it unfair for the students that do not have access to this kind of help. Moreover, some kids can afford to pay for tutoring and practice test, but some cannot. This puts the students in poverty at an unfair disadvantage as well. The test also cost money to take so some people only have enough money to take it a few times, while other people

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