<p>For example, if I were to cite literature does it necessary have to be "classic" literature (like Catcher in the Rye, Lord of the Flies, The Scarlet Letter, etc.) or can it simply be a respected novel that's fairly elevated but hasn't made it to the ranks of the classics (like The Help, The Shining, etc.)?</p>
<p>Would doing that seem juvenile? Because honestly, when I read essay prompts, I feel I can make WAY better examples out of my regular, entertainment readings than to the in-class curriculum stuff that we study.</p>
<p>Also, on one of the practice tests, the essay prompt asked "Should people make more of an effort to keep some things private?" A good example that I thought of to use as a con against keeping privacy is rape victims' unwillingness to speak out, but rape is definitely a sensitive issue and I was wondering if I should just not mention anything that sensitive on the real SAT.</p>
<p>Use whatever books you want. A lot of people make up books/plays/historical events, so they don’t have to be “classics.”</p>
<p>Rape probably wouldn’t be too sensitive in that context.</p>
<p>You mostly want to avoid talking about stuff that would evoke any reader’s prejudices. So don’t talk about religion or politics.</p>
<p>@EndlessDonuts: Not really. As long as you cite where your sources come from, it doesn’t matter whether the evidence that you provide is true or not. The SAT graders are just trying to see if you can back up your argument with evidence that you provide. Your sources don’t have to be from classics; it can be from anything: history, magazines, you name it. Take a look at this article from the NYT; I think you would be surprised: [The</a> New York Times > Education > On Education: SAT Essay Test Rewards Length and Ignores Errors](<a href=“SAT Essay Test Rewards Length and Ignores Errors - The New York Times”>SAT Essay Test Rewards Length and Ignores Errors - The New York Times). Hope this helps, and good luck on your SAT!</p>
<p>And I agree with what notanengineer says. You don’t want your reader to give you a much lower grade than you deserve just because you offended their religious or political views.</p>
<p>I agree with the previous posters and I think the books you cite as entertaining are good sources. But I would caution you to avoid books that might be considered immature or melodramatic, like the Twilight series (even though I’ve read them all). Your readers are English teachers and it’s unlikely they’ll qualify these books as “literature.” Even though they are told not to judge your source, like the previous post said, everyone has prejudices. You’d be better off renaming the characters and saying the example came from a novel by Dumas or Steinbeck. Even if the teacher realizes you’re making up the book, they’ll know that if you had more time you would have found a classic novel to use as an example.</p>
<p>I think the rape example in that context would be okay. You’re pro-victim.</p>
<p>I wrote about the demise of bin laden which I hope didn’t affect my grade negatively. I used him as an example of what would happen if one does not follow rules and regulations. Do you guys think I could have went about it any better/worse?</p>
<p>The fall of Bin Laden is okay, too, because he is generally perceived as a bad guy in America. It would be risky to talk about him in a good light, though. And I generally advise my students to stay away from any topic that reveals their (or their parents’) political party affiliation. Supporting or condemning the war in Iraq could alienate your reader.</p>