Do you know a good score in GRE Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) segment gives you edge over your competitors in the test?? The ETS, the official examiners of GRE vouch for this!! Your score in the AWA segment will be an asset during the admissions decision. Now can you take AWA lightly? You can never.

What is tested in AWA?

Dear Students, the Analytical Writing segment of GRE primarily tests your writing skills, and of course your Analytical (methodical) judging skills. A writing exercise is a passive presentation. When you speak on something facing a group of audience it is an active presentation. But passive doesn’t mean the presentation has to be dull; it does mean it has to be even more effective than the active presentation. The reason being you are not present to defend your case to the panel.

Types of Questions asked in the Analytical Writing Segment:

There are two main questions asked under the Analytical Writing segment of GRE

1. Issue
2. Argument

The Issue Task:

Two questions are asked in the Issue Task and a student is given exactly 45 minutes to answer one of the two.

The Argument Task:

The Argument Task has no choice. Students are given a small paragraph and asked how well reasoned it is. You have to answer this in exactly 30 minutes.

The AWA Score Pattern:

The Analytical Writing Segment is rated over a scale of 6. Outstanding write-ups secure a 6 on 6. However a score that is above 3.5 is generally considered good.

What gets the best score in AWA?

The ETS (Official examiners of GRE) elucidates certain common aspects for a better score in the Analytical Writing Segment. They say that the essays both issue and argument should result from a thorough understanding of the pros and cons of the given issue and argument. The student should put forth his/her views in a logical order. Providing his/her views with proper examples. He/she should then conclude the writing task effectively.

Directions for the Issue and the Argument tasks:

In the AWA segment you need to present your perspective on the issue and critique (reason out) an argument in precisely an hour and fifteen minutes. The “Present Your Perspective on an Issue” task usually evaluates your ‘critical reasoning’ skills and the lucidity of your language. I mean more than trying to impress the reader of your essay, you need to focus on your ability to ‘express’. When you read an ‘Issue’ task that is usually presented to you within quotes, you need to take a minimum time to take your position on the given topic. The position that you take needs to be substantiated with a compelling, eloquent presentation. Your write-up should be a persuasive one seeking more and more participation from the reader’s side. A lackluster presentation will yield similar results.

The ETS suggests the students to start by asking the following questions to themselves:

• What, precisely, is the central issue?

• Do I agree with all or with any part of the claim? Why or why not?

• Does the claim make certain assumptions? If so, are they reasonable?

• Is the claim valid only under certain conditions? If so, what are they?

• Do I need to explain how I interpret certain terms or concepts used in the claim?

• If I take a certain position on the issue, what reasons support my position?

• What examples—either real or hypothetical— could I use to illustrate those reasons and

advance my point of view? Which examples are most compelling?

You need to be highly judicious when you choose a topic from the Issue. You have to bear in mind whether your experience helps you to equip your essay with proper examples and evidences. The ETS tells the student to bear the following things in mind before choosing an Issue task.

• Which topic do I find more interesting or engaging?

• Which topic more closely relates to my own academic studies or other experiences?

• On which topic can I more clearly explain and defend my perspective?

• On which topic can I more readily think of strong reasons and examples to support my

position?

Interesting aren’t they. You have to take your stance and support it with proper examples while working on an issue. You cannot tend to jump between choices you made. You also can have a neutral opinion on the entire Issue. But do remember you need to justify that too.

Preparing for the Argument Task

The Argument task has no choice. Your reasoning skills are typically evaluated in this task. For doing this you need to have some informal reasoning skills. You need not attend an institute to learn them. Your education so far already equips you with these skills. The ETS suggests: Although you do not need to know special analytical techniques and terminology, you should be

familiar with the directions for the Argument task in the Practice Tests and with certain key concepts, including the following:

• Alternative explanation—a possible competing version of what might have caused the events in question; an alternative explanation undercuts or qualifies the original explanation because it

too can account for the observed facts

• Analysis—the process of breaking something (e.g., an argument) down into its component parts in order to understand how they work together to make up the whole; also a presentation, usually in writing, of the results of this process

• Argument—a claim or a set of claims with reasons and evidence offered as support; a line of

reasoning meant to demonstrate the truth or falsehood of something

• Assumption—a belief, often unstated or unexamined, that someone must hold in order

to maintain a particular position; something that is taken for granted but that must be true in

order for the conclusion to be true

• Conclusion—the end point reached by a line of reasoning, valid if the reasoning is sound; the

resulting assertion

• Counterexample—an example, real or hypothetical, that refutes or disproves a statement in the argument

While working with the argument task bear in mind the following points:

• Carefully read the argument—you might want to read it over more than once
• Identify as many of its claims, conclusions, and underlying assumptions as possible
• Think of as many alternative explanations and counterexamples as you can
• Think of what additional evidence might weaken or lend support to the claims
• Ask yourself what changes in the argument would make the reasoning more sound
• Jot down each of these thoughts as a brief note.

General Advice:

You need to practice a lot of writing before actually taking the GRE Test. While practicing for the first few tasks you may not be stringent about the time frame. Let the thoughts flow logically and freely. See that you give a proper and a compelling ‘introduction’ to the write-ups.

As we know ‘Well begun is half done’ a good start gives a smooth flow to the essay. Let the main body of your essay have your ideas framed in a logical sequence. Provide all these ideas with good and sound examples. Don’t over express your feelings. You can be moderately eloquent.

While concluding reiterate the stance you chose. Don’t be didactic and don’t try to over emphasize your feelings. Try to be euphemistic. A harsh and acerbic tone is anti-GRE. Do not highlight or advocate any type of discriminations in your essays. Try to be cool. And one thing to remember and the most important one: Don’t fall a prey to circumlocution and hasty generalization.

Circumlocution is beating about the bush. If you keep repeating things you already mentioned you will gain nothing. Your write-ups should give the reader a feeling of discovery, not bore him/her on the contrary. And when I say ‘hasty Generalization’ I mean phrases like “all Indians’ ‘all electronic brands’. Phrases like these show that you have an impulsive nature. Avoid them seriously.

I hope you now know what AWA is all about. Until a pick up a few topics from Issue and Argument and start working on them you will never ever get the feel of it. You will not get readymade answers for the Issues and Arguments are different from the ones that appear in the previous examinations.

Do not wait for miracles to happen. You need to slog out and bead out that last drop of sweat on your forehead! Is that clear? Start working. In case you have queries pertaining to AWA do approach us anytime. We are available round the clock!

Regards,

Anu Veluri

Manager- Learnwordlist.com