The ACT Science Test does not directly test your knowledge of science, but rather your ability to interpret scientific information presented to you in graphs, tables, and text. You will have 35 minutes to answer the 40 questions on topics ranging from life science to physical science. Here’s some quick tips to help you improve your ACT Science score, even if you have a limited understanding of biology, chemistry, and physics.

Look for trends in the data. Graphs and tables provide a lot of data. You will not need everything to solve, just be able to see the relationship between the measurements. Look for direct and indirect relationships between the elements. For graphics with arrows, always take note of what direction the arrow is going.

Identify dependent and independent variables. Independent variables are factors that are controlled in an experiment. Certain questions may require you to “break down” an experiment’s factors. Did the scientists increase the heat in an experiment? Did they add or remove pressure? If the scientists have control over the variable, it is independent. Dependent variables are factors that the scientists observe changing. This is what the look for and how they record data — but they don’t control it.

Always go back to locate needed info. Read the paragraphs to understand the gist and the data that is presented, but also move back to the paragraphs to locate the information you need to answer each specific question. Memory alone will not suffice, and you may find it helpful to jot down a few short notes on each passage. Drawing arrows and circling important info is also a great idea!

Sum up each purpose of every passage. Look closely for keywords that help you identify the main idea of each paragraph. What does the author focus on? What adjectives and adverbs does he use to describe the various scientific topics? Look for the main idea behind each experiment.

Read all the labels on graphs and tables. What is in each column? What is in each row? What is the range of values? Occasionally you will need to do simple conversions, such as grams to kilograms, so always watch the units of measurement!

Do the easier questions first. You must finish the section in 35 minutes, but you can do the questions in any order. If a certain early passage or diagram looks too complex for you, you can skip it and save it for the end. Managing your pacing is an important part of getting a good ACT Science score, so make sure you do all the “easy” questions first.

Finally, remember that there is no wrong answer penalty on the ACT test. Even if you do not know the answer to a question, remember to guess anyway. Never leave a question blank. If you find your time is running out, make sure to go back and answer any questions you skipped.

Vivian Kerr is a test prep tutor, blogger, and content creator for Learnist with 7+ years experience. She offers tutoring online via Skype for all sections of the SAT, ACT, GRE, and GMAT with GMATrockstar.com.