<p>Mainly writing a solid esay. I read Rocket review. It says, I need to cite 3 literature/history references. Am I looking at the wrong exam or advise? Thanks</p>
<p>Jay</p>
<p>You don't NEED to, but in general you should have plenty of evidence to back up your thesis statement.</p>
<p>If you have ample room for improvement in the MC, you should really concentrate on that over the essay.</p>
<p>I got an 80 on the MC, and only a 9 on the essay, yet a section score of 800.</p>
<p>For writing the essay though, there are three keys to writing a good essay based on what I can tell from the College Board SAT prep book and a little bit of personal experience...</p>
<p>Length is essential. There is an obvious correlation between essay score and essay length, so writing less and finishing with time to spare is a poor strategy.</p>
<p>Well constructed sentences utilizing effectively placed big vocabulary. The former makes your essay flow and communicate more effectively, obviously making it better. I would recommend studying how the MC fixes sentences in order to get a good idea of how to write as lucidly as possibly. As for the latter, I presume it subconsciously effects the grader in a positive way for your, because advanced vocabulary does not imply quality writing. To clarify, just having large words does not make a good essay. But having them there should help give that illusion to the grader. People are always more inclined to rate you highly if they think you are intelligent.</p>
<p>Finally, examples are integral. You need to support your statements. Don't ever, ever, try to have your argument stand on their own. My friend, who is nearly as smart at me and excellent in formulating arguments, got a 7 on his essay. We were riding back from the testing center together after the test and talking about the essay (not the question, for those CB personnel snooping here) and the examples we used (again, not the implementation, but just what they were). He mentioned he used only one, because he preferred to think his arguments could stand by themselves. I winced, as I had already theorized that examples were necessary, and that the more there were, the better. His score now has only proved what I realized then</p>
<p>As for the literature/history examples, they are a great idea. If you can cite sophisticated literature or obscure but relevant history, you give the same subconscious impression of intelligence to the grader as with big words, with the same beneficial results.</p>