SAT ESSAY

It looks like this

• Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.

• Some people ruin their chances of achieving success or refrain from attaining a goal because they have learned that success is selfish. But they should not feel guilty about trying to achieve their own goals. People who act on their inner desires—their greatest wishes and ambitions—only make their own and other people's lives better and are more likely to benefit society. Imagine how much better the world would be if everyone could be happy and fulfilled.

Assignment

• Do society and other people benefit when individuals pursue their own goals?

How is it Graded?

• 1 (worst) - 6 (best)

• Content of your essay is not relevant; readers are not checking your facts, nor will they judge you on your opinions.

• They want to see how well you communicate your point of view.

Skills

• Keeping on topic

• Supporting ideas well

• Presenting ideas cohesively

• Writing clearly

How to Prepare

• Information Bank– Read wikipedia pages about famous people (for

example, athletes, politicians, movie stars, pop-culture icons)

– Think about people in your life whose decisions have had either a positive or negative effect on your life or theirs.

– Know a few books really well

What does a 4 look like?

• Addresses the topic

• Supports ideas with examples

• Shows logical thought and organization

• Avoids major errors in word use that lead to unclear writing

What does a 5 look like?

• Addresses the topic in depth (offers examples and details)

• Supports ideas with examples

• Shows logical thought and organization

• Avoids major errors in word use that lead to unclear writing

What does a 6 look like?

• Addresses the topic in depth (offers examples and details)

• Supports ideas with examples• Shows logical thought and organization• Avoids major errors in word use that lead to

unclear writing• Shows variety in syntax and a range of vocabulary• Shows insight into topic

Lets Break it Down

• Prompt – Can be a quote or a statement that you may consider when responding

• It is like a critical lens

Assignment

• This is what you are being asked to do.

• It is a question or a series of questions related to a topic

For example,

Do society and other people benefit when individuals pursue their own goals?

Suggestions

• Read the entire assignment.

• Imagine you are talking to the author of the paragraph about the issue

• Would you argue or agree?

• What other ideas or examples would you bring up?

Don't oversimplify

• Focus on one or two examples to provide as evidence of your thesis

There's nothing wrong with "I."

• Say what YOU think and know about the topic

• Use phrases like:

• “I believe…”

• “In my experience…”

• I have found…”

The Plan

• Know the prompt (1 minute)• Plan (2 minutes or less)

– Topic = only the strong survive

– Intro: Disagree. Gentle is strong

– Para 2: Aunt Marge and the bully

– Para 3: Gandhi and the British Empire

– Concl: look who survived. Who is really strong?

Write essay (20 minutes)

Proofread (2 minutes)

Paragraph 1

• Try to create interest in the topic If Thomas Edison believed it was selfish to research If Thomas Edison believed it was selfish to research

electricity, I would be writing this essay in the dark.electricity, I would be writing this essay in the dark.

• Must include a thesis statement to point the reader in the right direction.

Pursuing and accomplishing positive goals is beneficial to society

Paragraph 2Part I of the example

• Describe the situation and cover about half the “example” here.

The pursuit of goals leads to discovery, innovation and greatness. The quote suggests that some people are afraid they would be considered selfish if they …

Bill Gates is someone whose pursuit of of excellence has created Microsoft, and is now improving the world.

Paragraph 3Example Continued

• Gates started a small company in his garage and now it is one of the worlds largest corporations. He is personally worth 42 billion.

He now devotes his time to charity….

Paragraph 4: Discussion/analysis

• Explain what your example has proven

Bill Gates’ achievements benefit the society and individuals. His business… and his charities…

Paragraph 5Conclusion

• Show how the example leads to more general conclusions about the topic. (If possible, relate to material from the introduction to round the essay off.)

• People like Edison and Gates achieve personal success that betters the world…