Best SAT Vocab Book

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
1

<p>Which Vocabulary book/list performed best on the December 2011
International SAT?</p>

<p>I have seen Dark Knight and JefferyJung’s posts about “which list performed
best” on different tests. I found them interesting and decided to compile one
myself. </p>

<p>I began by studying all the CC posts on the December 2011 International
Test. I then talked to friends who got really high critical reading scores. I came up with the following list of 37 words that were answers:</p>

<p>Anecdote, Agrarianism, Analogy, Antagonized, Cerebral, Compunction, Crystallize, Bewilderment, Epiphany, Florid, Hamper, Heresy, Intemperate, Inimical, Innovative, Innuendo, Irony, Metaphor, Malfeasance, Mellifluous, Pastoral, Pervasive, Perplex, Pragmatic, Pertinent, Problematic, Profound,
Provisional, Qualify, Scenario, Stark, Superficial, Shrewd, Trepidation, Theoretical, Unaffected, Unorthodox.</p>

<p>I then compared this list of answers to the leading vocabulary books, eBooks, and free online lists to see which performed the best. Here is what I found:</p>

<ol>
<li> The Essential 300 Words: 341 words (based upon the index); 27 Hits, One
hit per 12.6 words. eBook only</li>
<li> Direct Hits 3rd edition: 670 words (based upon the index); 24 Hits, One
hit per 27.9 words. Paperback and eBook</li>
<li> Hot Words 4th edition: 402 words (based upon the index); 12 Hits, One hit
per 33.5 words. Paperback and eBook</li>
<li> Barron’s High Frequency and Hot Prospect Words: 540 words; 14 Hits;
One hit per 38.5 words. Inside Barron’s SAT book</li>
<li> VocabVideos: 500 words; 10 hits, One hit per 50.0 words. Free online list.</li>
<li> Princeton Review Hit Parade: 250 words; 4 Hits; one hit per 62.5 words;
Inside PR’s Cracking the SAT</li>
<li> Sesamewords: 450 Top Frequency Words; 7 hits; one hit per 64.2 words.
Free online list.</li>
<li> Kaplan’s Score Raising Dictionary: 1000 words, 14 hits, one hit per 71.4
words. Paperback book.</li>
<li> SparkNotes; 1000 words, 13 Hits; one hit per 76.9 words; Free online list.</li>
<li>College Board Blue Book: 669 words compiled by MajorTests.com; 8 hits;
one hit per 83.6 words.</li>
<li> Word Smart: 1505 words; 16 hits; one hit per 94.0 words. Paperback book.</li>
<li>MajorTests.com: 1000 words; 9 hits; one hit per 111.1 words. Free online
list.</li>
</ol>

2

<p>My two cents: I used word smart (I and II) and I got 100% on sentence completion, but this was for the October test. I can let you know how I did on the December one when it comes out…</p>

3

<p>I need a link to " The essential 300 words" and “Direct Hit Volume 1 & 2”. Need them urgently please. </p>

<p>You can private message it to me.</p>

4

<p>[Amazon.com:</a> 300 Essential Words (SAT Vocabulary) eBook: Larry Krieger: Kindle Store](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/300-Essential-Words-Vocabulary-ebook/dp/B006PH587C/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1324672943&sr=1-3]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/300-Essential-Words-Vocabulary-ebook/dp/B006PH587C/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1324672943&sr=1-3)</p>

<p>[Amazon.com:</a> Direct Hits Core Vocabulary of the SAT: Volume 1 2011 Edition eBook: Larry Krieger, Ted Griffith: Kindle Store](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Direct-Hits-Core-Vocabulary-ebook/dp/B004D4YOK6/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1324673000&sr=1-1]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/Direct-Hits-Core-Vocabulary-ebook/dp/B004D4YOK6/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1324673000&sr=1-1)</p>

5

<p>The Essential 300 Words book by Larry Krieger is solid. Highly recommend it.</p>

6

<p>I did the same analysis for the December US test. Check out that thread</p>

7

<p>Which Vocabulary book/list performed best on the December 2011 US SAT?</p>

<p>I have seen the Dark Knight and JefferyJung’s posts about “which list performed best” on different tests. I found them interesting and compiled lists for the December 2011 International SAT. Several CCers asked me to do a list for the December 2011 US SAT. Based upon CC posts and reports from several really good students I came up with a list of 22 consensus vocabulary words. Here they are:</p>

<p>Adroit, Aesthetic, Anecdote, Animus, Anomalous, Brevity, Brusque, Curmudgeon, Disparity, Drab, Dubious, Exacerbate, Exuberant, Flourish, Irascible, Juxtapose, Misanthrope, Tendentious, Tumult, Unambiguous, Usurped, Utilitarian</p>

<p>I then compared this list of answers to the leading vocabulary book, eBooks, and free online lists to see which performed best. Here is what I found:</p>

<ol>
<li> The Essential 300 Words: 341 words (based upon the index); 16 hits; one
hit per 21.3 words. eBook only</li>
<li> Princeton Review Hit Parade: 250 words; 8 hits; one hit per 31.2 words
Inside PR’s Cracking the SAT</li>
<li> VocabVideo: 500 words; 13 hits; one hit per 38.4 words; Free online list</li>
<li> Barron’s High Frequency and Hot Prospect Words. 540 words; one hit per
49 words. Inside Barron’s SAT book.</li>
<li> Hot Words 4th edition: 402 words (based upon the index); 6 hits; one hit
per 67 words</li>
<li> Sesamewords: 450 Top Frequency Words; 8 hits; one hit per 56.2 words</li>
<li> MajorTests.com: 1000 Words; 14 hits; one hit per 71.4 words; free online
list</li>
<li> Blue Book: 669 words (based upon a list compiled by MajorTests.com);
9 hits; one hit per 74.3 words</li>
<li> Direct Hits 3rd edition: 670 words (based upon the index); 9 hits; one hit
per 74.4 words. Book and eBook</li>
<li> SparkNotes: 1000 words; 10 hits; one hit per 100 words; free online list</li>
<li> Word Smart: 1505 words; 13 hits; one hit per 115.7 words. Paperback book</li>
<li> Kaplan’s Score Raising Dictionary: 1000 words; 7 hits; one hit per 142.8
words. Paperback book</li>
</ol>

<p>It is interesting to note that The Essential 300 Words was the only book that
had Tendentious and that none of the books/lists had Curmudgeon.</p>

8

<p>Should I compile a list of words for the November test?</p>

9

<p>Yes please. I absolutely love these statistical breakdowns.</p>

10

<p>

</p>

<p>Just as it has been in the past, the above list of words demonstrates how silly it is to “compare” the effectiveness of various word lists for “selected” words. Most of the words are simple enough to present no challenge to an adequately prepared student, especially when read in context. </p>

<p>But, of course, that is old news!</p>

11

<p>Your compilations have been very helpful. Yes, please do one for November. This would be a big help! I have to say, this definitely gave me the books to study in the little time I had! - SAT 2400 here I come…</p>

12

<p>I’m rather appalled at Direct Hits’ ranking, a book that maintains solid popularity on this forum. On previous analyses by Dark Knight, I believe, DH usually always came out first. Perhaps it was only this single test?</p>

<p>Although I’m sure most of these books have huge overlap anyway.</p>

13

<p>me too, now im reconsidering whether i should study direct hits for the january SAT</p>

14

<p>

</p>

<p>This makes sense, I guess DH has lost its true spirit. I’m not sure how this applies to older versions of DH.</p>

15

<p>There was semblance and machination on the December SAT 2011.</p>

16

<p>I just checked graaj007’s previous posts and 4 out of his 5 posts are the exact same review as seen on amazon. Not only this, but he also just made his account today. Something seems a little fishy here…</p>

17

<p>I have to add that Direct Hits did not perform poorly on the Dec test. I think the compiled vocabulary list is a bit easy. I do not doubt the effectiveness of 300 Essential Words by Larry Krieger, but it should be made clear that Direct Hits cannot be 9th on the list.</p>

18

<p>I knew it! A good amount of the words weren’t on DH! </p>

<p>This always happens when I take the test >:[</p>

19

<p>Do keep in mind Direct Hits don’t contain “Level 1” or “Level 2” words. Having said that I think a couple of words in the list are easy. If someone doesn’t know what flourish is, I think it is likely the sentence was constructed such that one can figure it out via context.</p>

<p>Also, Direct Hits 3rd edition is the 2011 edition.</p>

20

<p>So is DH still the consensus best vocab book to study then? Any point in getting the essential 300 Words book? </p>

<p>The compiled list, like others have said, isn’t that hard though.</p>