Social studies allow us to understand specific events that have happened throughout history. When preparing for the social studies portion of the GED, it is important to be able to identify evidence in order to analyze important documents.

Below, we will be reviewing two practice questions that are similar to what you may see on the social studies portion of the GED.

These questions will help you master the identification of specific evidence to support analyses of primary and secondary sources. It will also help you understand the precise details of explanations or descriptions of a process, event, or concept.

Example #1

This excerpt is from an anti-Federalist paper published in 1787. It has been paraphrased.

First, let’s clear up what the terms cause and effect mean.

Cause and effect is the relationship between two things when one thing makes something else happen. A cause is something that happens. As a result of that, an effect is what follows. For example, as a cause, if you spend a week lounging around munching on junk food all day, the effect is that you’d gain a couple pounds.

• An effect answers the question*: “What happened?”
• A cause answers the question*: “How or why did it happen?”

If you’re wanting to know how to pass the social studies section of the GED test, you’ve come to the right place. The social studies portion of the GED test is designed to check your knowledge of history, government, economics, and geography. These are divided up in the following ways:

• Civics and Government (50% of the section)
• U.S. History (20%)
• Economics (15%)
• Geography and the World (15%)

To pass the social studies section of the test, you won’t be required to memorize facts about each subject. Instead, it will be more about social studies as it relates to real-life applications, including:

• Analyzing history and interpretations of events
• Reading to understand social studies subjects
• Interpreting graphs and numbers related to social studies

Below, we’ll answer major questions about passing the social studies section. This should demystify the subjects you’ll be tested on and help you study for them in the simplest way.

Teachers often recommend starting with the test subject that is least challenging, to wade in gently with topics that are in your comfort zone. This approach helps build confidence as you gear up for the tough stuff.

To begin, login to your account at GED.com to check out free study guides. You’ll get a sense of all four subjects, then decide which one is best for you to take first.

Social Studies

Social Studies is interesting because there are many visuals involved, such as graphs, maps and charts. These help you understand trends and gather clues through imagery. You won’t feel pressured to answer every question based only on text.

You won’t have to memorize a lot for Social Studies. It’s more about applying concepts that you know already and interpret info presented in the test.

Science

Science uses formulas and analytical thinking. You’ll be given reference sheets during the test, so there’s very little memorization. Practice questions are a great way to stay sharp for Science.

RLA

To make Reasoning through Language Arts (RLA) flow smoothly, get used to absorbing info quickly by reading articles on major news sites. The average article contains 500 to 700 words. Here’s a hint: it typically takes less than a minute to read 100 words. So you’re looking at just a few minutes of reading per article. For example, the blog post you’re reading now is under 400 words long.

Writing is something we do everyday, like texting and posting to social media; but when it comes to long-form essays, it’s great to have a writing tutor help you along. This virtual expert will help you organize thoughts, make content flow, catch spelling errors and clear up grammar confusion…like when to use an ellipsis.

Math

Many students agree that Math is the toughest subject. By enrolling in a local class or taking online courses, you can learn the skills you need to pass, such as algebra. Also, practicing a little at a time makes Math easier to get through. In just a few minutes a day, try GED Flash for thousands of interactive questions at home or on-the-go.

Last but not least, here’s a tip for test day from Captain Obvious: “Get a good night’s sleep, eat a healthy breakfast and stay hydrated.”

Have other study tips that you’d like to share with other GED students? Put them in the comments below.

The GED Social Studies test focuses on U.S. history and gives you context to understand the nation, the world and society as a whole. It covers a variety of different topics, but don’t worry it’s not a memorization test. We know trying to remember a bunch of dates or capitals wouldn’t be fun!

Test Topics

The Social Studies section of the GED includes three different topics:

• Reading for Meaning in Social Studies
• Analyzing Historical Events and Arguments in Social Studies
• Using Numbers and Graphs in Social Studies