| How to Write an SAT Essay Posted: 03 Oct 2018 01:00 AM PDT While the SAT's revised essay section is optional, it's an excellent way to develop the writing skills you'll need in college. Plus, many colleges will expect you to complete this portion of the exam. You'll have 50 minutes to read a 500- to 750-word passage and explain how the author uses rhetorical devices to make their argument. The key is to analyze persuasive elements such as factual evidence, logical reasoning, and stylistic choices instead of discussing your opinion on the topic. The new SAT essay is rigorous but, if you practice, it shouldn't give you much trouble. EditExample SAT Essay EditAnalyzing the Passage - Spend about 5 to 10 minutes reading the sample passage. When you read the passage, note the author's main point and try to understand how they make their argument. Look for persuasive elements, such as references to scientific studies or appeals to readers' emotions. Read the passage once straight through, then underline and take notes on persuasive elements when you read it a second time.[1]
- In order to get a good score, you'll need to demonstrate your understanding of the text's main point and the rhetorical devices the author uses to make their case. Read the passage twice so you thoroughly comprehend it.
- It's wise to bring a watch to keep track of time. Just be sure it doesn't have an alarm or make any other sounds.[2]
- Underline examples and write notes in the margins. Mark up the passage so you'll be able to quickly find the examples you'll need to cite in your essay. Underline the author's thesis, or central claim, and the key rhetorical devices they use to persuade their audience. In the margins, label why you've underlined a word or sentence for quick reference.[3]
- For example, underline a reference to a study by a reputable agency (which would be considered ethos). In the margins, write, "factual evidence," or "appeal to authority."
- The way the author appeals to emotion (known as pathos), can be identified through asterisks, exclamation points, or other symbols that call your attention to key examples.
- You won't have extra scrap paper, but you can take notes and outline your essay on the page in the answer booklet labeled "For Planning Only."[4]
- Identify how the author supports their argument. Your task is to explain and evaluate how the author builds their argument using persuasive rhetorical elements. Put yourself in the author's shoes, identify their central claim, and figure out what's needed to make that claim convincing. In your essay, you'll need to cite specific examples from the passage, such as evidence, reasoning, and stylistic elements.[5]
- An author might establish their authority (ethos) by citing factual evidence, such as scientific studies or expert quotes. Keep in mind the passage might lack strong evidence, and your essay could explain how data or statistics would have strengthened the author's claim.
- Logical reasoning (logos) is the thread that ties the author's argument together. You might explain how the author cites a fact, then draws a conclusion, such as, "This study shows ocean temperatures are rising. If ocean temperatures get warmer, then more strong hurricanes will form."
- An author might appeal to readers' fears or beliefs, or use vivid, passionate language to add force to their claim (pathos).
- Analyze the stylistic elements of the text as well, such as the tone, figurative language (alliteration, metaphors, irony, etc.), imagery, parallel structure, and so on.
- Focus on the most relevant persuasive elements. Your essay shouldn't merely list every example of persuasive language that you can find. Ask yourself which techniques are essential aspects of the author's argument. In your essay, explain and evaluate how 2-3 essential techniques function.[6]
- For example, the passage might argue that a decline in literacy has harmful effects on society. The key persuasive devices in this case would be factual evidence of a decline in literacy and specific examples of its harmful effects.
EditCrafting Your Response - Analyze rhetorical devices instead of discussing your opinion. The most important thing to remember about the SAT essay is that you should not discuss whether you agree or disagree with the author. Your job is to explain how they make their argument, not to write about your personal take on their claims.[7]
- You can critique persuasive devices and write that the author's argument is ineffective, but you shouldn't merely write that you disagree with their claim. Explaining that the author failed to support their argument with concrete, credible evidence is different than writing that you disagree with them.
- It shouldn't be hard to identify the author's main point. The essay instructions will most likely identify the passage's thesis, so read the prompt carefully.
- Come up with a concise thesis statement. Your thesis should encapsulate your assessment of the author's argument. A strong thesis statement is clear and concise, and should guide your essay's body.[8]
- Your thesis might be, "By appealing to authoritative evidence, Dana Gioia crafts a convincing argument that a decline in literacy negatively affects society."
- Note that this example doesn't mention whether or not you agree with the argument. Instead, it states the author's argument (a decline in literacy negatively affects society) and the key persuasive elements (authoritative evidence).
- Since you won't have extra scrap paper, write your thesis and other notes on your answer booklet's blank planning page.[9]
- Map out your essay briefly in the introduction. In order to get a good score, your essay needs to have a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. Since you're working against the clock, keep your introduction simple and brief so you can spend as much time as possible on the body. Aim to write only about 4 sentences in the intro, and be sure to include your thesis.[10]
- Your thesis can be the first sentence of your introduction. Then, you could map out the body by writing, for example, "First, Gioia proves that the decline actually exists by referencing reports by the National Endowment for the Arts and the US Census Bureau. He then expounds this decline's harmful political and economic consequences, and supports his conclusions by citing credible agencies and publications."
- Explain and evaluate specific examples in your essay's body. When you provide quotations from the passage, incorporate them into your text seamlessly. Describe how the examples you've selected contribute to the author's argument. You might choose 2 or 3 examples, and spend a paragraph analyzing each one.[11]
- For instance, the body's first paragraph might focus on the reports by the National Endowment for the Arts and the US Census Bureau that Gioia cites. This paragraph should explain that Gioia's first task was to prove that the decline is real, and he accomplishes this by citing factual evidence compiled by authoritative agencies.
- Your next paragraphs could discuss the evidence Gioia uses to connect the decline in literacy to economic impacts, decreases in civic awareness, and lower political engagement.
- A final body paragraph could explain that including factual evidence instead of using impassioned, evocative language made Gioia's argument more effective.
- End your response with a clear conclusion. The scoring rubric requires a clear conclusion, so make a closing argument instead of trailing off ambiguously. In your conclusion, restate your thesis and draw your essay's themes together.[12]
- You might close by writing, "Gioia's appeals to authority prove that there is actually a decline in literacy, then connect this decline to specific consequences. Furthermore, rather than waxing poetic, Gioia constructs an effective argument by including facts compiled by credible sources."
EditPracticing for the Essay Test - Familiarize yourself with the scoring rubric. Before you take the SAT, read the standards by which your scorers will be grading your essay. You can find detailed descriptions of each scoring category and numerical score here: https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/scores/understanding-scores/essay.
- Your essay will be graded by 2 scorers. They'll assign individual scores from 1 to 4 for 3 categories: reading, analysis, and writing.
- The 2 scores from each grader are added up for each category, so your best possible score for each category is an 8.
- Find sample passages, essays, and other resources on College Board. College Board is the company that manages the SAT, and it offers plenty of helpful resources. You can read sample passages, take practice essay tests, and read scored sample essays for every quality level, along with descriptions of why the grader assigned a given score.
- Use a timer when you write practice essays. Work on your time management skills so you'll use your allotted 50 minutes efficiently. Set the timer for 10 minutes, and read the passage and take notes during that time. Then set the timer for 35 minutes, and use that time to write your essay.[13]
- Take the last 5 minutes to proofread and polish your work.
- Make sure you finish in the allotted time! If you run out of time when you practice, try to analyze the prompt faster, make your writing as concise as possible, and stick to the introduction, body, and conclusion structure.
- Practice general reading and writing skills before the test. You'll likely take SAT practice tests at school, and your school's writing lab might have helpful resources. In the months prior to the test, take advantage of any opportunities to hone skills such as reading comprehension, and grammar.[14]
- If your school has a writing lab, have a reviewer offer feedback on an essay you wrote and see if you can get a writing tutor. You could also get extra help from your English or literature teachers.
- Review grammar topics including subject-verb agreement, proper sentence structures, and punctuation. Additionally, reading more books and articles can improve both your grammar and comprehension skills.
- Try using a word of the day app or calendar to improve your vocabulary.
- Work on varying your sentence structures. Command of language is important if you want a high writing score, so try writing a page-long essay every day. One key thing the scorer will look for is varied sentence structures, so avoid monotonous, repetitive wording.[15]
- For example, avoid writing terse, repetitive sentences like, "The author wrote this. They then explained that. This is a strong argument."
- Additionally, keep your writing formal and objective. Avoid personal pronouns, slang, contractions, and other informal expressions.
- Hone your skills by reading and analyzing a variety of texts. In the weeks leading up to the SAT, read newspaper articles, academic essays, and other varied publications. Practice identifying the thesis and the persuasive devices that each author uses to make their case.[16]
- Try to read at least 1 text a day for at least a month before the test date.
- Make sure your writing is neat and legible. When you start a new paragraph, indent the first line to help the scorer identify how your essay is organized.[17] You want to make it easier for the graders to give you a good score!
- You'll take the essay portion of the SAT after spending 3 hours on the other sections. Pack a snack and drink to help you stay sharp.[18] However, you cannot eat or drink during the actual test, so plan to snack during the allotted breaks.
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| How to Be a Vlogger Posted: 02 Oct 2018 05:00 PM PDT This wikiHow teaches you how to create video diaries (or "vlogs") for publication. Vlogging is a fairly free, open-ended form of entertainment, but there are a few components of any successful vlogger's routine that you should use. EditGetting Started - Research existing vloggers. Before you create your own vlog, take a look at some existing content to get a feel for the format. Popular, high-end vloggers include people like Casey Neistat, Zoella, and Jenna Marbles, but try to find less popular vloggers as well—popular vloggers tend to have massive budgets for each vlog, so their end presentation isn't feasible for a first-time vlogger.[1]
- Virtually every vlogger has some form of tutorial or advice on how to break into the world of vlogging.
- Identify the type of vlogger you want to be. While vlogging is often considered to be a video summary of one's day or week, that doesn't have to be the case. You can vlog about anything you like, but common examples include the following:
- Food — "What I Eat in a Day" videos are extremely popular. As you might guess, this type of video involves showing your food preparation and final product for a day.
- Activities — If you don't have particularly eventful days, vlogging when you do something exciting (e.g., go hiking) is a feasible outlet.
- Beauty — Many vloggers have makeup- or cosmetics-based sections of their videos. If you like experimenting with different makeup looks, you can record your process as a vlog a few times per week.
- Make sure you have the necessary equipment. Vlogging is fairly accessible in that it doesn't require a studio or intensive lighting, but you'll still need the following:
- Video camera — Anything from a smartphone to a full-blown video camera is acceptable. Make sure that your chosen video option supports HD (1080p) footage.
- Tripod — No one likes shaky footage. Buying a tripod for your camera, regardless of the camera's size, is crucial.
- Lighting — Not entirely necessary, but strongly recommended if you're filming anything indoors. A simple overhead lamp or a makeup light will usually suffice.
- Microphone — A directional microphone that attaches to your camera will pick up audio from whatever your camera is pointing at. This is optional if you're recording with a smartphone, but recommended for audio clarity's sake.
- Figure out your intent before filming. It's important to know what you're trying to accomplish prior to pressing the "Record" button, so determine your goal for the finished product before you proceed.
- If your goal is simply to document your day, you can skip this step.
EditCreating Great Content - Make sure you film yourself in addition to your surroundings. Your vlog should contain both commentary and content shots, so it's a good idea to get your face in the shot from time to time.
- Vlogging is personal, so you may wish to keep your vlog free of commentary and face shots. If so, just keep future vlogs consistent with this presentation.
- Ask questions. One way to keep your audience engaged is by walking up to strangers in the street, asking a question, and filming their responses. This isn't necessary, but it's a good starting point if you don't know what to film.
- Make sure you have consent to post any responses you receive before filming them.
- Keep your questions appropriate. You don't want anyone to think you're harassing them.
- Include interesting or exciting events. Unless your commentary is interesting enough to keep your audience engaged throughout the entire vlog, you'll need to include shots of funny, pretty, or otherwise stimulating content.[2]
- For example, if you're filming a hike, take a few minutes of footage of wildlife, scenery, or similar.
- Including cute animals or dramatic events in your vlog will almost always keep audiences engaged.
- Wandering around any city while recording for long enough will always yield something interesting.
- Edit your vlog. How you edit your finished vlog is up to you; however, the goal should be to cut it down to a reasonable length (e.g., between 8 and 15 minutes) while making some of the longer parts more interesting to look at.
- Jump cuts, which involve identifying two interesting, back-to-back points in the vlog and then cutting the content between them, are essential when editing vlogs.
- You'll want to add music to virtually all of your vlogs.
- Speeding up sections to create a "time-lapse" effect can keep people interested during a lull in the action.
- Upload the edited video. Where you upload your vlog is entirely up to you, though YouTube is a popular choice due to its prominence in the video community. Other choices include Facebook, Instagram, and Vimeo.
EditEngaging Your Audience - Try to incorporate feedback into future videos. After posting your vlog, you may get some feedback from viewers. While not all feedback is useful (or actionable), pay attention if you notice a common theme among the feedback; this demonstrates that enough of the people who saw your vlog felt the same way that you should consider using their feedback in future vlogs.
- For example, if a few people mention that the music was too loud or obtrusive, try lowering the volume of music in future vlogs.
- Create distinct vlogs every time. You can keep the same general formula for your vlog, but make sure you aren't simply copying your steps from the previous vlog.
- For example, if your last vlog involved going to a coffee shop in the afternoon and then visiting food carts, try to avoid both of these activities in the next few vlogs.
- Establish a theme. Once you've created a few vlogs, you'll probably begin to see a trend taking shape. At this point, it's good to determine what that trend is and figure out how to continue it in future vlogs. This will ensure that the people who view your content know what to expect when you upload something, and you'll have a general framework for your content going forward.
- As with any form of expression, your vlogs will likely change over time. Knowing your general theme will help make this transition more gradual than if you're uploading without knowing what the overarching theme is.
- Promote your vlogs. Once you have a few vlogs uploaded to your platform of choice, begin talking about them on other forms of social media (e.g., Facebook and Twitter). This is a good way to grow your vlogs' collective audience.[3]
- An easy way to do this is by creating a Facebook page for your vlogs and then posting links to the vlogs there.
- You might even want to notify a few close friends whenever you post; if they enjoy your content, they may share it with their friends as well.
- The sky is the limit when it comes to vlog content. If you feel comfortable being yourself in front of (or behind) the camera and you don't mind trying new things, you'll have the recipe for a great vlog.
- If you monetize your vlogs on YouTube, you can make money from any ads that play on it. You will have to become a YouTube partner in order to cash out.
- While most public spaces are okay to film in, make sure you respect the privacy of the people around you.
- Never film in areas in which recording is prohibited.
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| How to Sing A Cappella Posted: 02 Oct 2018 09:00 AM PDT Singing a cappella involves producing a song entirely using your voice as opposed to with instruments. While it requires ordinary singing skills, such as maintaining a pitch and harmonizing, it also takes a good ear to be able to separate the individual sounds in a song. To sing a cappella, you can start arranging your own songs, or you can join a group of others. Once you practice your arrangement and are stage-ready, you'll be able to wow any crowd with your a cappella skills. EditLearning Necessary Skills - Practice basic singing techniques. Untrained singers often breathe from too high in their chest, compress their throat as they sing, and adopt poor posture that affects their voice. Whenever you sing, stand up straight, place your feet shoulder-width apart, and roll back your shoulders. Breathe deeply from your diaphragm, low in your chest.[1]
- Work on staying in pitch throughout a song. It's important that you're able to hold the same pitch while you're singing, as well as be able to match your pitch to different notes. To practice this, play different notes on a piano and match your voice to the note. Singing major scales also helps you with your pitch.[2]
- To see if you're staying in pitch, record yourself singing a song without the music. Play it back with the instruments and see if your pitch was correct throughout the song.
- You can also use a pitch pipe to get you started on the first note.
- Sharpen your harmonizing skills. You'll likely need to harmonize with others while singing a cappella, and it's also a useful skill to know even if you're singing on your own. Practice harmonizing by singing with others, such as in an a capella group or choir.[3]
- Record yourself while you practice harmonizing so that you can play your voice back to see if it goes well with the original sound.
- Try humming the harmony section of a song while someone else sings the melody.
- Extend your vocal range. Many a cappella arrangements require certain singers to sing with extended ranges, especially tenors, sopranos, and altos. As you sing through the vocal range you're comfortable with, practice more difficult notes little by little, such as notes that are just above or below your normal range. Singing scales will help you achieve a fuller vocal range.[4]
- To determine your vocal range, such as soprano, alto, tenor, or bass, sing each note from low to high and write down the highest note you can comfortably sing as well as the lowest. This is your vocal range. If you need help, download an app like SingSharp to help you find your range.
- Even if you are able to sing all the notes in a song's range, you may need additional practice to keep the sound fluid and soft.
- You can find videos that will walk you through the process of figuring out your vocal range, such as https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IejHKpfHso.
- Learn how to emulate different instruments. Since a cappella music is entirely made up of voices and no instruments, you'll need to mimic the sound of the instruments with your voice. Each instrument sound requires a different method from your voice, but they can all be done with a bit of practice and research.[5]
- Practice producing the sound that a guitar, bass, keyboard, or even a maraca would make by watching videos online of people mimicking these instruments.
- For example, to make your voice sound like a kazoo, practice making the 'nnn' sound with your tongue against your teeth, and then pull your tongue back to produce the kazoo sound.
- Take classes from a voice teacher to enhance your voice. Nearly all trained singers can immediately tell when someone has been trained, simply from the pitch, phonation, and projection of the singer. Professional voice training will help you improve all of the skills needed to sing a cappella, and you'll receive valuable 1-on-1 attention.[6]
- Go online to find voice teachers near you and look up reviews to see which ones are the best. Meet with at least 3 teachers to determine who you connect with the most and who is trained in the genre in which you want to perform.[7]
- Check with your local college campus, as they sometimes have singing students who would be willing to teach you for little to no cost.
EditCrafting Your Own Arrangement - Listen to the original song carefully beforehand. When you choose a song that you'd like to sing a cappella, you'll need to listen to it thoroughly to truly understand everything that's happening in it. Listen to it multiple times, getting a feel for the lyrics, rhythm, and different instruments that all make up the song.[8]
- Starting with a simple song you know by heart will make it easier to arrange.
- Look online for the song without instruments by searching for the name of the song plus "vocals only."
- Condense the song to fit in a cappella format. Most songs have long instrumental solos or parts that just don't work when you're singing it a cappella. Decide which parts of the song you're going to cut and which you're going to keep, making sure you string the sections together so that they flow smoothly.[9]
- If you need help doing this, look up videos of other people's a cappella arrangements to see how they condensed the original song.
- It's helpful if you cut up the actual song using a computer system so that you're able to play it over and over again once it's condensed.
- Write out the lyrics and musical factors that make up the arrangement. This includes the solo and all the verses you'll be including in the song. If you're able to read and write music well, write out the notes for the bass as well as any other instruments you're hoping to include in the arrangement.[10]
- You may need to experiment with several different versions of your arrangement until you discover one you like.
- If you can't write sheet music, use a computer system to split up the different levels of the song so you can arrange it that way.
- If you aren't experienced with arranging music, look online for an a cappella arrangement for the song you want to sing.
- Hone your performance. Your sound is your main priority, but spend effort on other visual aspects such as facial expressions and choreography. Once you're satisfied with your singing, work on the movements you'll be doing onstage (if any) and on expressing the song through your facial expressions as well.[11]
- All dancing should be well-practiced and fit the song's theme — a quiet heartbreak song might do well with you standing still, while an upbeat song can have dance moves incorporated.
- Use your face to express the emotion in the song. If you have lots of energy and grin during a happy, upbeat song and look serious and sorrowful during a sad song, the crowd will take you much more seriously.
EditFinding Singing Opportunities - Audition to be in an a cappella group. Look to see if your school or local community center has an a cappella group that you could try to join. You can also go online to find a cappella groups near you. Practice your song a lot beforehand so that you feel well-prepared when you go to audition, and show that you're confident and unique when performing.[12]
- If you find an opportunity to audition, ask the a cappella group if there's anything specific you need to bring or sing for them.
- Smile, stand up straight, look the group members in the eye, and tell them clearly your name, what you'll sing, and who the song is by.
- Organize your own a cappella group if one doesn't already exist. If you can't find an a cappella group near you that you'd like to join, start your own! Advertise your new group around town and hold auditions to find your new members. Make sure you look for a diverse group of voices so that you'll be able to create unique, complete arrangements.[13]
- Post flyers at libraries, schools, grocery stores, or other local places around town (after getting permission first, if necessary) with all the information about your a cappella auditions, such as where and when they'll take place and who to contact for more information.
- Reach out to friends in person or on social media to see if they're interested in joining.
- When someone expresses interest in auditioning, ask the singer to prepare a short snippet of a song for auditions, and make sure you keep a list of the potential singers so you can make notes.
- Choose someone with strong leadership skills and who has experience arranging and conducting music to be the director of the group.
- Join a local choir to gain group singing experience. Joining a good choir will rapidly improve your voice, pitching, ear, and sight-singing. In addition, it builds the maturity and professionalism needed to sing as part of a group. Ask your local community center or go online to find choir opportunities near you.[14]
- Joining your church or school choir is a great place to start.
- When you're in an a cappella group, you need to know when to blend your voice to mesh well with the other singers, as well as when you can make your voice unique to stand out.
- Pay attention to your volume when singing in a choir to make sure you're not singing too loudly or too softly.
- Find gigs around town to get performance experience. Performing in public, no matter how big or small the crowd, will give you practice and confidence as you continue practicing a cappella. Look for opportunities to sing in churches, hospitals, nursing homes, or even at fundraisers.[15]
- You could also reach out to other performers to see if they'd let you sing their back-up vocals.
- Get in touch with a representative of the church, business, or event (whether through email, phone, or in person) and ask if they're interested in having you perform.
- Put together a sample of your a cappella singing so that the potential gig provider can listen to your music.
- Make it clear ahead of time whether you're doing this for free or if you'd like to be compensated.
- If you can't find gigs, try busking. You can perform anywhere with a pop-up a cappella street performance!
- Don't be discouraged if you don't get chosen after an audition, and just put all of your effort into improving your arrangement for the next time.
- Understand the group dynamic of a cappella—you don't want to sing so loudly that the crowd can't hear anyone else.
- To sing an entire arrangement by yourself, practice recording yourself singing each part and then putting it all together.
- Play the video game Rock Band and choose vocals as your instrument. Pick a song you know well and mute the TV 15 seconds into your performance. You'll be able to sing a cappella while the game lets you know if you're on pitch!
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