The digital transition of the SAT Reading and Writing sections from long passages with multiple items per passage to shorter passages with individual questions represented more than just a shift in educational expectations. On a device that can sometimes be as small as an iPad, test takers should not be expected to scroll back and forth between passages and questions.
Another aspect of the digital format that differs substantially from paper tests is the availability of annotation tools. Older versions of the test didn’t have any, unless you count your #2 pencil. The digital SAT offers a ton of useful tools that make sense on the Reading and Writing section:
Highlights & Notes: highlight text from a question (multiple color options) or leave yourself a note
Mark for Review: flag any question you want to come back to–always reference the Question Menu to see which questions you skipped or marked for review
Line Reader: focus as you read test content
Option Eliminator: Cross out answer choices you think are wrong
No matter how useful these tools might be, they won’t help you if you don’t use them properly. I was never a big proponent of underlining and annotation on the paper version of the SAT but love the potential for effective highlighting on the digital SAT to focus on the right questions and clues for answers (examples taken from Bluebook digital SAT 2):
1. START WITH THE QUESTION STEM
When answering RW questions, start by highlighting the question stem.
For Reading questions, also consider additional underlining or using a different color to emphasize a specific word, e.g. do you need to strengthen or weaken the team’s hypothesis?
For Rhetorical Synthesis questions (the last ones on the RW section), highlight the student’s specific goal. e.g. wants to emphasize a difference between the two books. Note that in this example, as in so many RH questions, the notes aren’t even necessary!
2. WORK WITH THE TEXT
Use tools to focus on the relevant text and punctuation marks, but be careful not to underline too much.
For Words in Context questions, highlight the text that provides context for the word or phrase in the blank.
4. For Writing questions other than Rhetorical Synthesis, be sure to consider the importance of transitions and punctuation marks.
3. WORK WITH THE ANSWERS
If you cannot immediately identify the correct answer, use the key information you’ve identified to eliminate the choices that cannot be right. Don’t be afraid to guess and flag a question that is taking too much time.
Understanding unfamiliar and complex text under timed conditions is meant to be challenging. Don’t make it harder than it needs to be by ignoring useful tools. Answering SAT Reading and Writing questions without highlighting is like answering math questions in your head: fine in certain instances but likely to lead to unnecessary errors and fatigue over time. Make your life easier–and your Reading and Writing score higher–on test day by using highlighting tools to focus on what matters most.
Mike Bergin