SAT作文写作误区：唯洋例子论

What Examples Should You Be Using

Since the essay section was first introduced to the SAT Reasoning Test in 2005, it has been a thorn in the side of many Chinese test takers. One of the biggest challenges students face is in knowing what examples will help them make the strongest arguments possible. A study done at MIT revealed that writers who used examples from history and literature tended to score higher than those who used just personal anecdotes. However, for Chinese students a key question has always been: Should I use Chinese or Western examples?

Nearly all test prep centers in China currently advise their students to use only Western examples. The reasoning for this is that the graders are likely to be confused by or uninterested in Chinese examples. This may seem like a reasonable philosophy, but my research has found just the opposite to be true. Far from hurting them, Chinese students benefited from using Chinese examples.

When we had our Lucy Haagen Method students try first writing essays that used only Western examples to support their thesis, and then later had them use a combination of Chinese and Western examples, students saw their scores jump by an average of 1.5 points. On a scale of just 12 points, that is a huge difference.

There are four key reasons why using Chinese examples can be greatly advantageous to you.