SAT Writing Gen Information and Strategy Flashcards
This is not a stand alone deck. It's made to move into another deck (34 cards)
What is the SAT writing assignment?
You must compose a 300-350 word essay on a given prompt taken from a quote of a noteworthy person.
What type of essay should you expect to write?
You will have to write a persuasive essay.
How many minutes do I have to write my essay? How should I structure my time?
You have 25 minutes to write your essay
- 5-7 minutes planning (on scrap paper provided)
- 16-19 minutes composing the essay
- 1-2 minutes proofreading and making quick edits
What will you be instructed to write with – and where?
You will be instructed to write in pencil only in the space provided.
What are some things that could cause you to not get full credit for the essay that you write?
- Writing too lightly
- Poor penmanship
- Writing in pen
- Writing outside the space provided
- Writing off topic
Write large enough to be read when scanned, but small enough to fit 300+ words on two pages.
How important are grammar and spelling?
Nothing needs to be perfect, but errors that affect clarity, coherency, or effectiveness will impact your overall score.
What are the criteria for evaluating the essay?
There are three areas of focus in the criteria for evaluation:
- demonstrating strong critical thinking through a developed point of view and appropriate examples / support
- smooth-flowing and well-organized structure
- effective use of language with varied and appropriate sentences
How is the essay scored?
Two high school or college English teachers (or their equivalent in skill set) will independently read and score your essay on a scale of 0-6.
Therefore, the maximum score is a 12.
How should I structure my essay?
You should write 4-5 paragraphs.
- Intro
- 2-3 body paragraphs
- Conclusion
What should your first paragraph accomplish?
The first paragraph should…
- Establish contact with the audience.
- Clearly state your position and basic reasoning why you think the way you do.
- Introduce the examples that support your point in the order that they follow in the body paragraphs.
What should the body paragraphs accomplish in the structure of the essay?
The body paragraphs present each example (one per paragraph) and relate them to the main sentence of the 1st paragraph.
What should the conclusion paragraph accomplish?
The conclusion should briefly…
- Restate your main sentence.
- Restate how your examples supported your point of view.
- Connect back to the idea in the introduction.
- Leave the audience wanting more.
Should you add endnotes or a bibliography?
No, that is never necessary in this type of essay.
Should you try to explore both sides of the question in your essay?
No. Although acknowledging the other side is acceptable, it harms the essay’s unity to try to fully cover both sides of the question.
In 25 minutes, it shouldn’t be attempted.
What are some non-writing keys to a successful approach to the SAT essay?
Focus, time management, and good strategic use of scrap paper.
What makes the SAT essay more difficult than writing samples on other standardized tests?
The SAT writing test is more difficult because of the time limitation.
25 minutes means a student must plan in no more than 5 minutes, compose at a speed of nearly 18 words per minute, and edit in less than 2 minutes.
What is the best way for you to improve your understanding of SAT essay prompts?
The best way to improve that skill is practicing on sample questions.
(We’ll go into how you can best do this later.)
What kinds of essay prompts are typical for the SAT?
SAT essay prompts usually involve value judgements (‘how important is this thing, or how important is it compared to this other thing?’), or moral or societal obligations (‘what should a person do?’).
Which techniques can help you better analyze the prompt?
Try marking the keywords and clearly defining them before attempting to take a position.
This step ensures focus and clarity when you do the steps to answer the assignment prompt.
Find and define the keywords from this quote and prompt:
“Men kick friendship like a football, but it doesn’t seem to crack, women treat it like glass, and it goes all to pieces.” – Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Prompt: Is the durability of friendship different within the sexes?
The keywords are “durability of friendship” and “different within the sexes”.
“Durability of friendship” refers to how well friendship stands against rough or careless treatment.
“Different within the sexes” refers to how men treat friendships among men and how women treat them among women.
How should a student begin to practice for the SAT Writing section?
Evaluate your general writing skills in these areas:
- Writing under pressure
- General focus level
- Prior knowledge
- Relating ideas
- Composing logical statements
- Finding and assessing examples
- Grammar and style
What should you do to improve your ability to deliver enough words to satisfy the demands of the SAT essay?
Practice writing under time pressure!
You could turn some of your writing tasks at school into timed tests with a goal of 18 words per minute.
Writing under time pressure is just a skill. All skills are improved by practice.
How should you address a low focus level?
Practice minimizing distractions as you do your work.
Learn to turn off music, cell phones, etc. while working. Set a limited amount of time to do a task and do it, gradually increasing your focus time as you improve.
This problem will affect your performance on all sections of the SAT. If you have a problem here, try to find a way to address it.
How can you improve your ability to use prior knowledge for effective examples on the SAT?
Concentrate on areas of strength.
If you’re stronger in literature, build up literature. If you’re stronger in history, sharpen history. If you’re strong in neither, pick one.
