<p>Still. I’m gonna do it and see what I get. Then you’ll all see. =)</p>
<p>
The reader gets a 1-minute time-frame to grade the essay. I doubt they will dwell too long considering whether or not the info is factual. I do recommend, however, that you first resort to literary works for supporting details…this usually impresses the readers the most, even if only at a superficial level. At the same time, though, I would absolutely go for it and make up a fake fact as a supporting detail (but make it sound more official; the one you posted is too vague. I’d say something like, “According to a long-term study conducted by professors at Johns Hopkins University, those who reported consistently optimistic attitudes on average had life-spans lasting five years longer than those who reported consistently pessimistic or indifferent attitudes”). Odds are the person reading your essay won’t have a comprehensive knowledge of every single research project conducted at JHU.</p>
<p>I’ve made up a book for an SAT essay and got an 11 still. They won’t notice and probably won’t care. Just make it really obscure</p>
<p>@ Cacciato: Ahahah. Really? Now I’m dying to know more–what was the example you used? =)</p>
<p>You are all still discounting a major piece of evidence: chiefly that SAT GRADERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO GRADE FOR FACTUAL INCONSISTENCIES</p>
<p>I made up a book and made it foriegn sounding so the reader wouldn’t know it.</p>