SAT作文考察的是在短时间内表达、展开观点的能力，那么如果想用充分地阐述自己的观点立场，就需要用充分有效的例证来支持你的观点，做好例证的关键就是需要你使用“头脑风暴”(brainstorming)的方法搜集一切你可能可以想到的例证。建议考生在选择例证时挑选以下三种：

　　1.哪些例证是最具体的，是和作文主题密切相关的?

　　2.哪些例证具有最广的范围(即例证会涉及到不同的领域)?

　　3.哪些例证是没有争议的?

　　下面提供给考生们一个“头脑风暴”(brainstorming)例子：

　　作文主题题目是这样的："There's no success like failure"(失败是成功之母)。建议考生们可以从以下8个方面进行例证的搜集，但有些方面你可能想不出合适的例证，但在作文构思的时候也应该把他们例出：

　　Current eventsCan't think of one

　　ScienceBabies learn to walk only after trying and failing time and time again.

　　HistoryCan't think of one

　　PoliticsUS Constitution was written only after the failure of the Articles of confederation.

　　ArtNo idea

　　LiteratureJames Joyce became a writer only after failing as a signer.

　　Personal ExperienceYour uncle realized the need for a placement agency in South Carolina after getting laid off.

　　BusinessGoogle watched the failures of its competitors and learned to improve its Internet business model and technology

　　根据以上例证搜集的结果就可以做一步的工作了，撰写作文提纲。作文提纲一旦完成，那么一篇逻辑性强，思维清晰的作文离你就不远了。