SAT Reasoning: Brainstorming
How to Focus Your Essay And Respond to The Essay Prompt

This lesson is based on two parts. One is that how to respond an essay and the other is how to get back to the track after distracting from the main point.

How to Focus Your Essay And Respond to The Essay Prompt

How to Focus Your Essay and Respond

If you find that you have lost the way while writing essay do favor yourself and read the question again and focus to get back on the track. Here we are going to cast a light on this issue and try to resolve it.

Look for Key Terms in the Essay Question

SAT essay does not ask your point of view whether you agree or disagree with the certain topic or not, but it demands you to explain the writers standpoint about that topic.

So, most of us unknowingly start writing the disconnecting facts that they remember about the topic and ultimately lose grades on essay.

For example, In question you've asked to respond about the debate over legalizing smuggling in the U.S.

Here, your first step is to explore the key term used in question. You may be asked:

To explain certain contention
To examine certain arguments about legalizing smuggling,
To differentiate or equate certain positions
To build an Statement
To synthesize an argument on the basis of provided content
( In this context, synthesize means to combine so as to form a more complex, product)
To oppose or favor some idea.

So, you should read the essay thoroughly more than once, note down and highlight important points and try to answer according to the instructions of prompt.

Develop a One-Sentence Response

Try to develop a one-sentence response for the asked question. In case of plenty of time ponder over that sentence while in exams or short time just briefly response to that question.

For instance, if the question demands the comparison of two views then point out th major similarity or difference

Let you are asked to build an argument that smuggling should be legalized in the U.S. So, write down ‘Smuggling should not be legalized in the U.S. because it would increase the economic crises and inflation. So, compare different statements to develop the most logical sound.

This step would help you in avoiding irrelevant details.

Sketch out an Outline of Your Major Points

Writing effective sentences at the same time that you work to convey your large-scale points can be a challenge. Putting together an outline of your major points is useful whether you're writing a timed essay for an exam or a term paper for a class. In a timed scenario, you can sketch out a very short, basic outline. With a term paper, you'll have time to add more detail.

Either way, by plotting out the major points of your essay at the start of your writing process,

you can concentrate on expressing your main points effectively within a well-organized structure for your main ideas. Having a plan can also keep you from panicking about how much time you have to write.

For example, if you're constructing an argument that drugs should not be legalized in the U.S., you might decide to structure your paper around three major points. Let's say that you focus on these three main ideas:

Legalization would lead to increased drug use.
Legalization would lead to more young people becoming addicted early in life.
Legalization would lead to more violent crime due to an increase in the number of addicts.

By planning out your major points in a rough outline - and by sticking to that plan - you can help yourself stay on track with what you set out to say in your paper. As you write each paragraph of your paper, you can ask yourself: 'Does this paragraph support my main response that drugs should not be legalized in the U.S.?' As you write each paragraph, quickly refer back to your one-sentence response to the question and to your major outline points to ensure that you're staying on-track with what you need to be writing about.

What to Do if You've Strayed off Point

While attempting timed-essay the stress may distract your attention from the exact prompt. However, you can manage it when you have plenty of time. In computerized essay writing test, editing and adding is not much complicated as compared to paper writing. So, in second case write in a way that you can add or delete something if needed.

Here, if you have used the one-sentence response technique then you easily cast back on that sentence and on that basis could examine whether you have added something unnecessary or forget to write something crucial. So, you can easily add or delete in it then.

You may incurred such errors:

Irrelevant details
Used the right approach in the paragraph.

In other words you have written the odd to question. So, can be able to make amendments if get distracted.

Lesson Summary

You are advised to respond directly in favor of question that has been asked in your essay.

To avoid distraction follow these steps::

When you are asked for making arguments or analyses then look for key points.
By making one-sentence response you would be able to avoid distraction from exact prompt.
You can make changes in your essay by editing it if you feel that you have been flown from the track.

Learning Outcomes

Now you are able to:

Identify key terms in an essay question
Demonstrate the necessity of initial short response to an essay question
Sketching the outline for key points
Apply tips for remaining on point and what to do when you stray from it

Sub Topics

SAT Reasoning: Brainstorming
How to Focus Your Essay And Respond to The Essay Prompt

How to Focus Your Essay And Respond to The Essay Prompt