Copolymer structure has a marked effect on solution properties and thus behavioral characteristics of water-soluble copolymers utilized in enhanced oil recovery. The ability of random and graft copolymers to maintain large hydrodynamic volumes in dilute solutions in the presence of mono- and divalent electrolytes is critical for mobility control. The differences in viscosity behavior are described for a series of random and graft copolymers of acryl-amide with sodium-2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonate (NaAMPS), diacetone acrylamide (DAAM), and sodium acrylate (NaA) as a function of polymer microstructure, temperature, concentration, and added electrolytes. Copolymers of AM-NaAMPS show enhanced salt tolerance and phase stability over their AM-NaA counterparts with similar compositions and molecular weights. The AM-DAAM copolymers show unusual solution behavior with increases in viscosity in the presence of added salt.