Using only one example on the essay?

Jakeus · 04-13-2008, 06:08 PM

If I used only one example on the essay but made everything clear, concise, and strong, would it deserve a 12? Or is it generally safer to go with 2-3 examples?

I was just reading Gruber's sample 12 essay, which built off of just one example, and it got me thinking.

Thanks!

RahoulVA · 04-13-2008, 06:15 PM

Essay graders usually expect 2, and when they see one, they feel like they are being challenged because they think that you think that your 1 example is super good, as in it's so good that they can't refuse it a good score, and usually it's quite hard to make one example that good. Go with 2 because you'll find yourself rambling on with your one example.

tomackze · 04-13-2008, 06:42 PM

One example is very risky so i would be against it...

two examples are great because you can develop both very well and it makes a good essay...

three would be amazing structure wise but hard to expand all 3 so it's tough

Jakeus · 04-13-2008, 07:04 PM

I guess it would be wiser to stick to 2 examples and go into detail with it. I guess it would be wiser/easier than trying to expand on 3 topics; it probably wouldn't dig deep enough in the allotted time.

Once again, thanks.

Flare12345neo · 04-14-2008, 08:15 PM

i always use 2 examples and score consistent 10/12's
though i know you want a 12

Jakeus · 04-14-2008, 09:47 PM

by all means, a ten is fine by me. You always have to aim for perfection though.

tomackze · 04-14-2008, 10:28 PM

i usually get 10's with 2 examples so i agree... kinda stinks

i think for me it's b/c i am not using SAT vocab in my essays

Nick017 · 04-15-2008, 07:06 PM

I think 2 examples tends to be a magic number because you can go into a reasonable amount of depth, without running out of time or space. With one, you still want two body paragraphs, just examine one aspect of the example and in one paragraph, and do a deeper, more insightful examination in the next paragraph. What gets people bad is when they do one example, but just say the same things twice, so it ends up not being overly insightful, just wordy.

blinkangel44 · 04-16-2008, 07:50 AM

My AP English teacher went to a College Board AP conference and the one piece of advice they gave him about the SAT was that they want exactly 2 examples.