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| Division of Workforce Training and Economic Development | |
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| Division of Workforce Training and Economic Development | |
GED: What You Need to KnowCongratulations on taking one of the most important steps of your life - earning your GED credential! Millions of people like you have taken the GED tests to get a better job, continue their education, or to feel better about themselves.What to Expect on the GED Tests (2002 Series)The GED Tests measure knowledge in five different areas: language arts, writing; social studies; science; language arts, reading; and mathematics. An important feature of the GED Tests is an essay that documents your ability to write and communicate effectively.The GED Tests usually require some preparation on your part; about two-fifths of graduating high school seniors don't pass the tests under current score requirements. This is how passing scores for the GED Tests are set: each spring, the tests are administered to a sample group of graduating high school seniors. To pass, you must perform as well as, or better than, 60 percent of those seniors.
Although the GED Tests may look a little intimidating at first, there is no shame in admitting you need to do some extra studying. Many preparation tools, including our GED classes, are available to help you in your quest for a GED credential. Additional help is also available for people who have documented disabilities. Description of GED Test Sections
Language Arts, Writing
This test has two parts. The first part includes a test of editing sentences. The student is required to read passages, find errors or unclear writing, and figure out the best way to fix them. The three types of passages include business documents, "how to" pieces, and informational texts. The test has 50 multiple choice questions covering four major content areas including: organization of paragraphs, sentence structure, usage (correct word choice), and mechanics (spelling, capitalization, and punctuation).
The second part of the writing test requires the student to write an essay. The essay test provides the student with a topic of common, general interest and asks them to write a 250-word expository essay to analyze and explain the topic. The essay is scored based on the overall impression it received from two trained essay readers. The essay will receive a score on one of four levels: effective(4), adequate(3), marginal(2), and inadequate(1). An essay score of 2 is required to pass the writing portion of the GED.
Language Arts, Reading
This test includes 40 multiple choice questions linked to 200 to 400 word passages. Thirty of the questions are based on fiction, poetry, and drama. 10 of the items cover nonfiction works. Examples of nonfiction documents include biographies, autobiographies, essays, newspaper articles, magazine articles, speeches, film reviews, and business documents such as memos, handbooks, and manuals. The student is asked to read the passages and choose the correct response.
Social Studies
This test includes 50 multiple choice questions based on documents, brief reading passages, graphics, charts, graphs, maps, photographs, and editorial cartoons. The following breakdown shows the content areas covered:
Science
The science test includes 50 multiple choice questions based on reading passages, tables and charts, bar graphs, line graphs, circle graphs, and diagrams. Content covered includes 45% life science such as evolution, cells, genetics, organisms, and ecosystems. 20% of the test includes earth and space science such as the universe, solar system, earth issues, and environmental/people interactions. The final 35% of the test includes physical science areas of physics and chemistry. The test requires the same thinking skills as the social studies test.
Mathematics
This test includes 50 questions: 25 of which can be answered using the Casio FX 260 solar calculator. The calculator
cannot be used to answer the remaining 25 questions. Many questions can be solved with mental math and estimation. Approximately one-half of the questions require you to use some type of graphic. The following content area breakdown applies to the math test:
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