A series of model experiments were designed to investigate rheological properties of polyacrylate thickening agents prepared by inverse emulsion polymerization. The model experiments were carried out via solution polymerization, and the relationship of stress-strain for resultant polymers was studied, and the effects of the amount of water and crosslinking agent on modulus of polymer were also investigated. It was concluded that the modulus decreased with increasing amount of water and decreasing amount of crosslinking agent. In addition, the relationship between viscosity and concentration of thickening agent with various amounts of crosslinking agent was explained by investigating the swollen state properties of the polymer.