Essay help please

<p>Can someone read and honestly rate and give me advice for this essay that I wrote? Its my response to the Collegeboard's blue book test #4 (Do things that make our lives more efficient necessarily make our lives better?). It got a 10/12 when I entered my answers online and got my scores. </p>

<p>Changes that make our lives easier don't always make our lives better. Even though technology can make our lives more efficient, , it also has negative aspects to it. Three examples that prove this true are the relationship between computers and child obesity, the attack on the World Trade Center (September 11, 2001), and the Industrial Revolution. </p>

<p>Over the past decade, childhood obesity rates have risen dramatically. This is mostly because children have been spending more and more time doing technology-related activities, such as spending time on computers and playing video games and less time going outside to move around and play sports. This may be because technology has been more ''fun'' than it has ever been, with new video games and the Internet. A recent study has shown that childhood obesity has risen by about 25% from 2005. Obesity is such a threat because if children keep at it, it can cause them many problems, such as high blood sugar, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart attacks. </p>

<p>On September 11, 2001, airplane use was highly abused. An airplane was a technology that was meant to safely and quickly get goods and people from one destination to another, not to threaten nations. Al Queda wanted to harm our nation for some reason, by flying airplanes into the Pentagon in Washington DC, but the planes missed, so on September 11, he sent two more planes to fly into New York City to hit the Twin Towers. This has made our lives so negative because now we are more fearful of threats than ever before. Security checkpoints at airports have adapted stricter policies since September 11, 2001. </p>

<p>Even though the machines of the Industrial Revolution improved the rates at which goods were produced and increased the number of them, this technology also had negative aspects. Machines weren't always working properly, so people were often hurt and killed using them. I remember my history teacher telling me that these machines were built so poorly that one woman got her hair caught in it. The machine kept pulling her hair, and that's how she passed away. Even though these machines were meant to keep society up and running by producing numerous goods, it only brought society down. </p>

<p>In summary, changes that may make our lives seem easier don't always make our lives better. Over time, more and more kids have been spending more and more time playing video games and going online. This has always been meaning less physical activity and more obese kids. Due to the attack on September 11, 2001, our nation has become more fearful of threats than it ever has been. Even though the machinery of the Industrial Revolution was meant to increase the output of goods, it only killed people. When used improperly, technology can lead to the loss of many lives.</p>

<p>Honestly read, rate, and help me please? Thanks.</p>

<p>Hey there,</p>

<p>Just some real comments on your essay:</p>

<p>It has great structure, and a flow to it, but it fails to EXPLICITLY state the reason why the examples support your thesis. It indirectly states it, but that’s what got me many times for my essays.
Furthermore, on your first Body Paragraph regarding obesity, try to get more information regarding it, such as popular video game names and it’s effects on youths. 2005 information is really out-dated, and it makes your essay seem worse than good.
“so on September 11, he sent two more” - it should be “so on September 11, they (or it? It might be a collective noun) sent two more”
And the example on the Industrial Revolution is the weakest of the whole essay. It has no specific examples, dates, names. And you made a hybrid example of an Industrial Revolution example and a personal example. Choose one! (But personal examples suck, so don’t choose that.)</p>

<p>There are some pretty clear grammar mistakes, so you may want to leave a minute or two at the end for proof-reading. It’ll improve your score a lot.</p>

<p>But other than that, your essay has all the structural components it needs. Just research your topics a bit beforehand.</p>

<p>Hope I could help,
Ian</p>

<p>Thank you! I will consider this a little more next practice test…people should keep posting so I can find this thing in a few days…</p>

<p>i’d prob give it a 6-7/12. First of all there were not many transitions so I thought the flow could have been better. Also, in your examples you didn’t really go back to the overarching question of efficient. Like in the obesity one sure you mentioned technology and change but you never directly stated how it makes life efficient. Yeah, technology is change but you never said how video games make life more efficient. Always in your body paragraph relate back to the overlying topic otherwise the reader may think you’re just spitting out examples. The negative consequences of obesity are clearly stated but in the 2nd example on 9-11 you lack emphasis on the negative outcomes and again you don’t really talk about how technology/precautions are more “efficient”. In your last example, you had a good start but then you switched to a personal tale of your history teacher. If this was intended to be about the Industrial Revolution, than talk about efficiency like how technology greatly quickened travel like the invention of the automobile—> easier mobility etc. You need to have details to impress your readers; you seem to be skimming the examples and then quickly talking about the cons. Like just a suggestion for the industrial revolution you could also expand the cons to environmental cons and how they detrimentally impact your life. When you talked about deaths in factory, honestly I wasn’t too convinced and the example of ONE lady who got her hair stuck seems to detract the power from the essay. Conclusion was good. I had to give it a 6-7 because the vocab was not too varied either. Try to squeeze in some SAT caliber words, not erratically, only if you know what it means. I also suggest reading the cc post by AcademicHacker how to write a 12 essay in 10 days. It is really helpful in approaching the essays. Honestly, im not trying to sound too harsh, my essays aren’t that great either, but this is what I truly believe is wrong. I don’t think it is horrendous, just that you need to practice writing more SAT prompts. The examples were good but you need to elaborate more on them and don’t forget transitions. Good Luck!</p>

<p>@biofreak21: No. Wasn’t harsh at all. I agree with it. And yes, I hate writing essays. I will try to keep that in mind and read it. And I try not to use transitions and higher-leveled vocabulary because I’m not exactly sure HOW to use them…I don’t want to get points off because my usage is wrong…Isn’t no usage better than bad usage?</p>

<p>That is absolutely correct. Making your essay succinct and straight to the point is MUCH MUCH better than using elaborate vocabulary. In the end, the use of elaborate vocabulary may actually hurt you, as you may not know how to use a certain vocab in a certain context, making the phrase (or even worse, paragraph) sound awkward.</p>

<p>@ytr968, yes i agree that improperly used vocabulary can hurt your essay. However, using elevated diction in lieu of some more simplistic words (2-4 times) can greatly enhance your writing. Your essay can be succinct and still use higher level vocab. The essay I think stops becoming succinct when you start becoming redundant or try to inundate your essay with improper vocabulary.</p>

<p>@eliza I’m not trying to encourage you to bombard your essay with random words. Just when proof-reading, try to replace a word that is redundant or simplistic with a more SAT caliber word. Don’t even have to think of bigger words so much, but replacing 2-4 words with higher level words can greatly help you. The reason I believe vocab is necessary because if you look at the high scoring essays that get 10-12, you will most always see higher level vocab. It may be possible to pull off a high score w/o vocab, but using vocab is one of the secret and quick tips to strengthen a SAT essay. I highly doubt you have poor vocabulary maybe you are just feeling a bit apprehensive of putting an incorrect word down. I understand your fear but as you write more essays and try to incorporate higher level words, the process becomes more natural and organic. The words you use will soon become common in your essays after practice. If your vocab is weak, I suggest reading some novels and this is the key thing that will greatly boost your vocab and also through reading novels you can see how a word is used in context so you’ll learn how to correctly use it. If you don’t have that much time, get a SAT vocab book like Direct Hit’s. This will serve the dual purpose of elevating your vocab as well as helping you tackle SAT CR SC. Good Luck!</p>

<p>Okay but I’m just not sure of how to use those transitions correctly…</p>