1. “If I waited for perfection… I
would never write a word.”
—Margaret Atwood (renowned
writer and poet)
Lydia Vine, Instructor
SAT ESSAY AND WRITING SKILLS
COURSE

2. Define the author’s argument and explain the ways in which
he supports it
Divide Your Time as you have 50 minutes to read, analyze
and write. The passage is about 650 – 700 words in length and
is similar to a long reading comprehension passage.
Note the author’s use of evidence, credible sources,
statistics, word choice and elements such as similes, or
features you believe to be effective
You may underline and make notes in the margins of the
passage given to you for analysis
SAT ESSAY WRITING TIPS

3.  INDIVIDUAL RESOURCESINDIVIDUAL RESOURCES
 English Teachers, SchoolEnglish Teachers, School
Counselors, Media SpecialistsCounselors, Media Specialists
 Writing Labs, if AvailableWriting Labs, if Available
 ParentsParents
 PeersPeers
HELPFUL WRITING RESOURCESHELPFUL WRITING RESOURCES

4.  WEBSITESWEBSITES
 www.collegeboard.comwww.collegeboard.com
 http://www.writing.utoronto.cahttp://www.writing.utoronto.ca
 http://writing.ku.eduhttp://writing.ku.edu
 http://owl.english.purdue.eduhttp://owl.english.purdue.edu
 http://grammar.ccc.commnet.eduhttp://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu
 http://lklivingston.tripod.com/essay/http://lklivingston.tripod.com/essay/
 http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/pockethttp://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/pocket
 https://www.khanacademy.orghttps://www.khanacademy.org
HELPFUL WRITING RESOURCESHELPFUL WRITING RESOURCES

5.  SOME REFLECTIONS UPON WRITING IN
GENERAL
 Writing IS hard work
 Writing is ALSO rewarding, interesting, and fun!
 Writing an SAT Essay may help you get to
know yourself better
 Good writing shows rather than tells others
what you want to say
THE WRITING PROCESS

6. PICTURE FROMPICTURE FROM
SANDGRAINS.COMSANDGRAINS.COM

7.  If you find it a challenge to compose an essay, consider
responding to a prompt since research shows writing in
response to a prompt facilitates the writing process.
 Try writing a response to the prompt based upon the
photograph: Please write about something you see on a
regular basis which has a deeper, more emotional meaning
for you. The object could represent something beautiful, an
accomplishment, a person or have an emotional meaning.
A PROMPT BASED UPON THIS
PHOTOGRAPH

8. NEWS ABOUT THE REVISED SAT ESSAY TO
BE GIVEN IN 2016!
 The essay will ask you to analyze a passage, explaining
how the writer uses methods such as reasons, evidence
and stylistic devices to support an argument.
 The essay will be optional.
 The SAT Test will take three hours to complete but you
will also be given an extra 50 minutes if you opt to write
an essay.
 The essay will receive a separate score based upon
your “effective use of evidence” and “skill in
composition” (collegeboard.org)
 The essay score will NOT affect the score of the Sat test.

9. “A person who never made a mistake
never tried anything new.” Albert
Einstein
As we work together, we will learn and we will grow.

10. “A person who never made a mistake
never tried anything new.” Albert
Einstein
As we work together, we will learn and we will grow.