Consider, for example, ways you might put what you've written into a broader context or offer a memorable insight based on the analysis you've provided. While not always possible, aim to leave some time at the end for review. In doing so, you may catch misinterpreted information or find other ways to further build on the points you made in your response.
Try to be as critical of your own work as possible, and consider every minute of time available as an opportunity to provide the best possible representation of your writing and thinking. The SAT Essay provides an opportunity to showcase analytical skills and writing ability.
As with the rest of the test, preparation is the key to performing well. Fifty minutes may not seem like a long time to develop a well-written response, but with a calm and practiced approach you'll have the opportunity to show your best work. Register for an upcoming SAT test date today! SAT Suite. Close Site Navigation. College Board April 30, Consider the following when mapping out your test-taking strategies and game plan: 1. Turn to Professional Writing and Editorial Outlets Another way to build on your analytical reading skills would be to devote time to reading op-ed pieces from reputable media outlets.
Graders read tons of essays each day. If they cannot decipher your script, they will lower your score. Do yourself a favor and write legibly. Remember the basic essay structure you learned in school: introductory paragraph, body paragraphs and a conclusion? The SAT essay graders love it! Your introduction should describe the text and paraphrase the argument being made, as well as introduce the specific elements of the passage and argument that you will discuss in the essay.
Use your body paragraphs to back up your thesis statement by citing specific examples. Use short, relevant quotes from the text to support your points. Blanking on terminology? If you do know the official terms, though, feel free to use them! Our private tutors will help you build a prep plan that's customized to your score goals, study habits, and schedule.
Here's a pretty clear instance of a case where an author uses explanations of each piece of evidence she discusses to logically advance her argument again from the Dockterman passage :. The reason: engagement. Unfortunately, the explanation the Official SAT Study Guide gives for how to discuss an author's "reasoning" is a little vague:.
You may decide to discuss how the author uses or fails to use clear, logical reasoning to draw a connection between a claim and the evidence supporting that claim.
But how exactly you should go about doing this? And wh y is it persuasive to clearly explain the link between evidence and claim? In the Dockterman example above, the author clearly lays out data Civilization leads to improvements in history class , a claim this is because of engagement with the game and thus the subject material , provides data that back up that claim retention rate skyrockets when students do things for themselves , and links that smaller claim to a larger concept actively browsing pages on a computer or tablet is way more brain-stimulating than vegging out in front of the TV.
This clear pattern of data-explanation-more data-more explanation enables the reader to follow along with Dockterman's points. It's more persuasive because, rather than just being told " Civilization leads to improvements in history" and having to take it on faith, the reader is forced to reenact the thinking processes that led to the argument, engaging with the topic on a deeper level.
This final category of examples is the top layer of argument building. The foundation of a good argument is evidence, which is often explained and elucidated by reasoning, but it is often the addition of stylistic or persuasive elements like an ironic tone or a rhetorical flourish that seals the deal. Vivid language is truly the icing on the persuasive cake.
As with explanations of evidence, vivid language can be found across all topics of essay prompts although it usually plays a larger role when the passage is lacking in more convincing facts or logic. Here are a couple of examples—the first is Paul Bogard again:. This example is relatively restrained, using the metaphor of "a blanket of light" to add emphasis to Bogard's discussion of light pollution.
Vietnam continued to draw men and skills and money like some demonic destructive suction tube. If used in moderation, vivid language will also make the topic more interesting for the reader to read, thus engaging them further.
In the excerpt taken from Martin Luther King Jr. If King had left out the second part of the sentence and only said, "Vietnam continued to draw men and skills and money," his point would not have had as big of an impact.
The last category I'll be discussing in this article are direct addresses and appeals to the reader. These stylistic elements are found across all sorts of different passage topics, although as with the previous category, these elements usually play a larger role when the passage is light on facts or logic. Direct addresses and appeals to the reader are wordings or other stylistic devices specifically designed to provoke a response often emotional in the reader.
This category covers many different elements, from appeals to emotion to rhetorical questions. Here's an example of an appeal to emotion, taken again from Martin Luther King, Jr. Perhaps a more tragic recognition of reality took place when it became clear to me that the war was doing far more than devastating the hopes of the poor at home. It was sending their sons and their brothers and their husbands to fight and to die in extraordinarily high proportions relative to the rest of the population.
Who knows what this vision of the night sky might inspire in each of us, in our children or grandchildren? Appealing to the emotions , as Martin Luther King, Jr. By describing how the war was causing "their sons and their brothers and their husbands to fight and die," King reminds the reader of the terrible costs of war, playing upon their emotions to get them to agree that the Vietnam War is a mistake, particularly for the poor.
Goodman eloquently argues the point that news organizations should increase the amount of professional foreign news coverage provided to people in the United States.
Goodman builds his argument by using facts and evidence, addressing the counterarguments, and couching it all in persuasive and compelling language. Much like planning on the SAT essay, revision seems unnecessary to most students. But trust us, it will help your score.
There are two reasons for this:. So what do you do when you revise? New text is bolded. By writing about how social media and man-on-the-ground reporting has assisted had some positive impact on the state of foreign news reporting, Goodman heads off naysayers at the pass. It would have been very easy for Goodman to ignore elide over the whole issue of citizen reporting, but the resultant one-sided argument would have been much less convincing.
After all, Goodman acknowledges that social media does have some power. Want to see what this essay looks like put all together? Read our article on how to get a perfect 8 on the SAT essay. Our goal here was to show you how formulaic the SAT essay can be. I figured out a plan for the SAT essay! Now you know how to write an SAT essay.
To put this information to good use, you need to practice with real SAT essay prompts. Aiming for a perfect SAT essay score? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep classes. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by points or more. Our classes are entirely online, and they're taught by SAT experts. If you liked this article, you'll love our classes.
Along with expert-led classes, you'll get personalized homework with thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively.
We'll also give you a step-by-step, custom program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Our new student and parent forum, at ExpertHub.
0コメント