SAT Essay - 8 Ways To Write A Great Introduction

You can't afford to have writer's block since you only have 25 minutes to write your SAT Essay. So to help my students put pen to paper faster I created these 8 techniques for creating a compelling introduction quickly. Try them and they'll help you too.
1. Understand the prompt first
The number one thing you must do to write a great introduction is to make sure you know what you are writing about first. The biggest mistake I've seen in scoring SAT Essays is that many students misread the prompt. To avoid this I have my students underline or circle important words and phrases to make sure they have truly digested the prompt. I suggest you do the same.
2. Use an analogy or metaphor
Analogies require creativity. A trait that SAT Essay graders love to reward. For an essay in which the prompt was "Is it true that to make progress people must make sacrifices?" A student created the following analogy,

"To climb a mountain a person must struggle and strain. And this is the case with any worthwhile goal..."

3. Tell a brief anecdote
You can create an engaging introduction by telling a brief (1-2 sentence anecdote) such as the following.

When I trained for my first marathon it was difficult and often painful. But I wanted to have the accomplishment of running 26.2 miles so I did it anyway. To make progress in life requires sacrifice.

4. Use a quote that was not used in the prompt
It is useful to memorize quotes that you love. You never know when they can come in handy on the test. For example for the essay topic "Do mistakes lead to growth?" one of my students wrote

Someone once asked Edison, "how can you feel good about your work, having failed nine-hundred and ninety-nine times to make a light bulb?" To this Edison replied, "I have not failed so many times, I have merely learned nine-hundred and ninety-nine ways not to make a light bulb. Why did Edison react this way? Because he knew that mistakes are always experiences that lead to learning and growth."

This was a great quote to begin his essay with and would definitely impress SAT Essay graders.
5. Mention a topic in the news
SAT Essay Experts will often say to stay away from news in the body of your essay. And they are right. However, in the introduction it can be very useful IF you have the facts straight AND it's even better if it is a news story that isn't well covered. If you use this idea make sure it clearly fits the topic.
6. Make up an anecdote using very specific details
I don't recommend this as you don't need a creative introduction badly enough to take the trouble to make one up. I had a student insist on trying this and his were so bad at first anyone could guess they were fictional. Finally, however he started to put details that were so specific that I couldn't tell if it was real or not. So you can fool graders if you want to but I don't recommend it.
7. Use a cliche in an inventive way
Most books and articles on writing say to stay away from cliches however, it's a secret of professional writers that if you change a cliche it captures people's attention.
One student used the following cliche to make a great introduction for the topic "Which is a better indicator of a person's true character, their actions or their words?"
"A picture tells a thousand words" is a saying that applies to the newspaper industry but which also applies to people. The picture created by a person's actions tells us a thousand words about him or her and goes much farther than words do in telling us about a person's true thoughts and feelings. Several examples from literature and history demonstrate this point.
Using the cliche "A picture tells a thousand words" to make the point that actions speak louder than words is very unique and very powerful.
8. When all else fails just do a quick summary of what you will cover in your essay
Make sure you clearly state your thesis and state which categories of information your examples are from
For example, "Examples from history, literature and science will prove that people care far too much about what others think of them."
Most of all remember, you do not need to write an impressive introduction so badly that you sacrifice the rest of your essay. In fact I taught my students to write great body paragraphs first as these are just as important. Then when they could write them quickly I taught them how to write great introductions and powerful conclusions.

Rodney Daut is a former public school teacher, SAT instructor and author. Did you find these tips writing the SAT Essay useful? You can learn a lot more about how to write well for the SAT Essay by visiting SAT Essay.
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History Essay Writing - How to Write a Historical Essay

History essay writing is somewhat tricky for one very important reason - history is really not about dates and names and places. A good college history essay should take the issues of a history class and represent them in an interesting way. After all, history is all about telling stories and telling them in new and interesting ways.
I always tell my writing students that a good college essay should be argumentative or persuasive in nature. The job of a college writer is to present an issue in a new and interesting way - not to simply rehash information.
This is the biggest mistake student writers make in history essay writing!
You should never approach a historical essay as though the "facts" are most important to the reader. Facts alone are worthless. The question lurking for your audience (especially your professor - an expert in history writing) is, "what do the facts mean?"
For example: you would never want to write what I like to call the George Washington essay. This is an essay that simply recounts the first G.W.'s life and times. We call this a biographical essay. Trust me: this is the last thing your instructor wants to see.
Your job is to take the life of George Washington and make it interesting. In other words, you need to say something unique about the first president's existence and make an argument or take a new interpretation of the facts.
Information on its own is very boring. The job of a good writer is to take everyday information and transform it into something unique. Most beginning writers struggle with this part of the essay writing process. It can be quite challenging to both present accurate information and look at it in a new way. Of course, every college writer needs to spend time in the writing process on every essay to get the best results.

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MLA Format Sample Essay

An MLA format sample essay is an example of a well-formulated essay using the Modern Language Association (MLA) format. The essay takes the MLA guidelines such as a double-spacing, student identification at the top left-hand side, last name and page number at the top right of the header, centered title, etc., and provides a "diagram" of these rules using a given title and topic. Although format sample essays come with a specific person, title, and topic, any person can write one using the guidelines, no matter the topic.
Having an MLA format sample essay provides a living idea of what correct MLA format should be. Often, students are provided guidelines in words but have no conception of understanding about these words in the mind. It shows when they have to format an essay using a certain format (like MLA). Some individuals are just visual in nature and need to see something in order to gain an understanding about it. Another benefit of the MLA format sample essay is that it allows students to maintain academic independence in their writing. Students who consult the essay are less likely to turn to their on campus writing center or a writing tutor for help.
Usually, campus writing centers help their students for free, but writing tutors charge a price for the advice they provide. If a student can learn how to format his essay independently, he will save a handsome amount of money that can be spent on future necessities. In addition, independent knowledge of how to format an essay will prevent a student from losing time with his campus writing center or writing tutor. The student may be part of the local debate team, in an honor club, ensemble, or student organization and juggles his time amidst many things.
Any amount of time that the student can save will benefit him or her in the long run. Perhaps the extra time can be spent preparing for midterms and finals, major class projects, or perhaps time with family and friends---activities that, in some sense, are just as important as academic responsibilities. The MLA format sample essay is an example of what a small paper should be using the Modern Language Association (MLA) format. If education has one goal, it should be to empower students to use academic tools to excel on their own. MLA editing services can help students earn better grades in school.

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White Papers - Marketing Through Education

Government departments are well known for using white papers to spread educational information, but these documents are much less common in the marketing world. In recent times, more businesses have begun using them to market products and services to their potential clients. They describe common problems facing businesses and provide real solutions to them.
It is important that white papers be written in a professional, scientific manner that addresses the problem mentioned with a real solution. Your target market with these documents are people who are still gathering information to make a purchase later on. This means that they should be full of helpful facts and details about your products and services. The main point is to educate the reader, not necessarily to make a sale.
Even though white papers have long been distributed in a printed format, modern technology has made online distribution the smart choice for marketing professionals. If you want it to be easy to print, it would be best to make it available as an Adobe PDF file. This can be offered on your company's website for blog. Other sites, such as blog sites related to your industry, may also allow you to post to them.
Your potential customers will be much more interested in reading your white papers than other marketing documents. This is because of their educational content and the fact that they are designed as a soft-sell. Despite that, readers are actually very likely to make a purchase from you eventually. Becoming one of your readers means they are clearly interested in the solutions your company offers other businesses.
Using white papers is an excellent way to make your B2B business stand out amongst others. It gives you expert status with the public and helps potential clients see how helpful your company can be to them. To make them as successful as possible, be sure to distribute them widely.

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Culinary Scholarships - The Culinary Scholarship Essay Question

Pursuing an education in the culinary arts isn't about being world famous with your own television show and catering to the rich and famous in your own restaurants. As with any career field, it's about being creative and honing your skills on the proven methods to better market yourself and learn what you can and can't do.
Getting your degree requires an education. That education, like all advanced education, requires money. There are culinary scholarships available. Many of these will be awarded through tough competitions with strict guidelines. Are you ready to be judged against other talented students from across your area?
Some of these scholarships, however, will require an essay of 500 words or more. Here is an example of an actual culinary scholarship essay question; What is a chef's role in the community? You won't find the answer to that one in any cookbook. You may be wondering why it is even necessary.
You chose this career path because you love to cook, not write. There is so much more to a culinary degree than just cooking or baking, such as owning your own restaurant or bakery, and you need to prepare. So the folks who administer these scholarships need to consider not only your creativity but also your academic success. They understand that the best and the brightest are generally the ones most driven to succeed.
Students majoring in the culinary arts, knowing this, can recognize their creative side and refine their talent. However, there can only be so many Bobby Flays and Rachel Rays, so students who want to rise to the top must work hard. The cooking doesn't stop when class lets out.
Now if just the thought of having to write an essay, for money you desperately need, sends you screaming out of the kitchen, don't worry there are other options. A quick internet search will find dozens, if not hundreds, of no essay scholarship opportunities. If you are unfamiliar, these scholarships are easy and free to apply for, with a simple one page online application. They are awarded monthly, for as much as $10,000, and have few, if any, restrictions on how you can spend the money.
A career in the culinary arts can bring big opportunities and you need to be smart enough to know how to present and sell your skills and talents to a potential employer or client. Don't let your fear of writing keep from reaching your goals.

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Sample Essay Writing - What Must Be Considered

You may be looking at it or you may be required to write on it.
This is a particular type of writing essay that is often put for view by online research and writing services. As a student, you should not only consider looking at classification essay, you should also consider writing a sample essay that can be viewed as a sample paper by other students.
In most cases, students will turn to these essays because of the factor of time. Most students will keep research and writing till the last minutes before actually beginning the write-up. One of the most important aspects in any academic writing is the issue of time. In everything you do in academia, it is always necessary to make use of an outline. The outline guides you as you write from start to finish. The outline is there to ensure that you start and finish on time. Writing without an outline is what makes you get caught up by deadlines.
When an online research and writing service offers a sample paper for view, it is asking you to consider its services in writing your essay. There is nothing wrong if you rely on it, but make sure you consider the issue of plagiarism seriously. Your essay is supposed to be something ingenious. Fortunately, there are anti-plagiarism tools over that internet that you can use to check for the authenticity of what has been written for you and to also check the references linked to your reflective essay.

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College Education Levels The Playing in Today's Economy: Conquering College Education

Why I insist that you need a college education in today's economy?
Today more than ever, you need some form of higher education beyond high school. It can be a one-year certificate program, an associate degree or a two-year technical degree. You want to have a piece paper that proves that you have been trained to perform a task at an acceptable level. An employer wants to see that you can start something and finish it. This is proof that you have ambition, self-discipline and the ability to persevere. If you have the ambition and the ability to pursue a four-year education, you will create a better opportunity to make more money and live a better life for the most part. I am well aware of that you can create a great income with a two-year technical degree depending on the major that you choose.
In today's ever changing work world, you will need some form of technical training to have any chance of landing a decent paying job. With the escalating cost of living in today's economy, a minimum wage job is not going to help you in pursuit of independent living. I am adamant that everyone who wants to live a nice life needs to pursue a college degree. Not only will a college education improve your life, but it will also improve the life of your children and the life of their children. I speak from a personal experience as a father and a grandfather.
Can a college education level the playing field for you?
The only thing that can level the playing field in any society is education. For most people on this planet, the only way they can better their life is through education. In the United States (the best country in the world), anyone who wants to create a better life can by either attending a vocational/technical high school or they can attend a college/university. A college education can afford you the ability to make an income that will allow you the opportunity to live a comfortable life. How much money you will make depends on the major that you choose and your personal ambition.
Will your attainment of a college degree level the playing field for your children and future generations? The answer is YES
We are all role models for our friends, our children and our grandchildren. You will be amazed at how many people you will inspire in your lifetime. By getting a college degree, you will be a role model for your children and your grandchildren. Because you went to college, it is most likely that your children will go to college, which will level the playing field for them. This is the perfect example of paying it forward because each generation will do their best to better the life of the next generation. For this reason, you will never be able to repay your parents for all that they have done for you. You can only do the same or better for your children (paying it forward).

To get more information on how you can level the playing field for you and your future generations, click on the website below to get started.

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Crime Scene Investigation: Understanding The CSI Effect

Programs such as Forensic files, Law and Order, CSI, CSI Miami etc may be hugely popular and thoroughly entertaining but they have created what is know in academic and professional circles as the 'CSI effect'
According to Max Houck, director of the Forensic Science Initiative, a program that develops research and professional training for forensic scientists, "The CSI effect is basically the perception of the near-infallibility of forensic science in response to the TV show,"
The main distortion between fictional portrayals and the application of forensic science in the real world is 'time frame'. It can take several weeks, sometimes months to get results back from the lab, however, in the fictional world of forensic science and crime scene investigation, results invariabaly come back straight away.
The CSI effect in action
It would seem that the CSI effect is most visible in the court room, particularly among jurors. Max Houck mentioned above, argues that Prosecutors fear the CSI effect among juries because they may question why everything is not subject to forensic analysis, when in fact not everything has to be. Equally, Defence attorneys are concerned about the CSI effect because jurors may perceive the science of forensics as completely objective and totally accurate, thus ignoring the possibility of human or technical error.
Writing for USA today Richard Willing outlined a number of examples that highlighted the CSI effect in action. These included:
A murder trial where jurors alerted the judge that a bloody coat introduced as evidence had not been tested for DNA. In fact, the tests were not needed because the defendant acknowledged being at the murder scene. The judge stated that TV had taught jurors about DNA tests, but not enough about when to use them.
A murder trial where jurors asked the judge if a cigarette butt found during the crime scene investigation could be tested to see if it could be linked to the defendant. The defence team had ordered the tests but had not introduced them into evidence. Upon doing so, the tests exonerated the defendant, and he was acquitted.
The fact that prosecutors are now being allowed to question potential jurors about their TV-watching habits.
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