Overview of the Analytical
Writing Section
The analytical writing
section is a new section of the GRE General Test introduced beginning in
October 2002 that tests
your critical thinking and analytical writing skills. It assesses your ability
to articulate and support complex ideas, analyze an argument, and sustain a
focused and coherent discussion. It does not assess specific content knowledge.
The analytical writing
section consists of two separately-timed analytical writing tasks:
__a 45-minute "Present Your Perspective on an Issue" task
__a 30-minute "Analyze an Argument" task
You will be given a choice between two Issue
topics. Each states an opinion on an issue of broad interest and asks you to
discuss the issue from any perspective(s) you wish, so long as you provide
relevant reasons and examples to explain and support your views.
You will not have a choice of Argument
topics. The Argument task presents a different challenge from that of the Issue
task: it requires you to critique a given argument by discussing how well reasoned
you find it. You will need to consider the logical soundness of the argument
rather than to agree or disagree with the position it presents.
The two tasks are
complementary in that one requires you to construct your own argument by taking
a position and providing evidence supporting your views on the issue, whereas
the other requires you to critique someone else’s argument by assessing its
claims and evaluating the evidence it provides.
Preparing
for the Analytical Writing Section
Everyone.even the most
practiced and confident of writers.should spend some time preparing for the
analytical writing section before arriving at the test center. It is important
to review the skills measured, how the section is scored, scoring guides and
score level descriptions, sample topics, scored sample essay responses, and
reader commentary.
The topics in the
analytical writing section relate to a broad range of subjects.from the fine
arts and humanities to the social and physical sciences.but no topic requires
specific content knowledge. In fact, each topic has been field-tested to ensure
that it possesses several important characteristics, including the following:
__GRE test takers, regardless of their field of study or special
interests, understood the topic and could easily discuss it.
__The topic elicited the kinds of complex thinking and persuasive
writing that university faculty consider important for success in graduate
school.
__The responses were varied in content and in the way the writers developed
their ideas.
To help you prepare for the analytical writing
section of the General Test, the GRE Program has published the entire pool of
topics from which your test topics will be selected. You might find it helpful
to review the Issue and Argument pools and to discuss some of the topics with a
friend or teacher. You can view the published pools on the Web at
Test-Taking Strategies for the Analytical Writing
Section
It is important to budget your time. Within the 45-minute
time limit for the Issue task, you will need to allow sufficient time to choose
one of the two topics, think about the issue you’ve chosen, plan a response,
and compose your essay. Within the 30-minute time limit for the Argument task,
you will need to allow sufficient time to analyze the argument, plan a
critique, and compose your response. Although GRE readers understand the time
constraints under which you write and will consider your response a "first
draft," you still want it to be the best possible example of your writing
that you can produce under the testing circumstances.
Save a few minutes at the end of each timed task to check
for obvious errors. Although an occasional spelling or grammatical error will
not affect your score, severe and persistent errors will detract from the
overall effectiveness of your writing and thus lower your score.
Following the analytical writing section, you will have
the opportunity to take a 10-minute break. There is a one-minute break between
the other test sections. You might want to replenish your supply of scratch
paper during each scheduled break.
How the
Analytical Writing Section is Scored
Each response is holistically scored
on a 6-point scale according to the criteria published in the GRE analytical
writing scoring guides (see pages 27 and 28). Holistic scoring means that each
response is judged as a whole: readers do not separate the response into component
parts and award a certain number of points for a particular criterion or element
such as ideas, organization, sentence structure, or language. Instead, readers
assign scores based on the overall quality of the response, considering all of
its characteristics in an integrated way. Excellent organization or poor
organization, for example, will be part of the readers’ overall impression of
the response and will therefore contribute to the score, but organization, as a
distinct feature, has no specific weight.
In general, GRE readers are college
and university faculty experienced in teaching courses in which writing and
critical thinking skills are important. All GRE readers have undergone careful
training, passed stringent GRE qualifying tests, and demonstrated that they are
able to maintain scoring accuracy.
__all identifying information about
the test takers is concealed from the readers
__each response is scored by two
readers
__readers do not know what other
scores a response may have received
__the scoring procedure requires that
each response receive identical or adjacent scores from two readers; any other
score combination is adjudicated by a third GRE reader
The
scores given for the two tasks are then averaged for a final reported score.
The score level descriptions, presented on page 29, provide information on how
to interpret the total score on the analytical writing section. The primary
emphasis in scoring the analytical writing section is on critical thinking and
analytical writing skills.
4
Present Your Perspective on an Issue Task
Understanding the Issue Task
The "Present Your Perspective on an Issue" task
assesses your ability to think critically about a topic of general interest and
to clearly express your thoughts about it in writing. Each topic, presented in
quotation marks, makes a claim about an issue that test takers can discuss from
various perspectives and apply to many different situations or conditions. Your
task is to present a compelling case for
your own position on the issue. Be sure to read the claim carefully and think
about it from several points of view, considering the complexity of ideas associated
with those perspectives. Then, make notes about the position you want to
develop and list the main reasons and examples that you could use to support
that position.
The Issue task allows considerable
latitude in the way you respond to the claim. Although it is important that you
address the central issue, you are free to take any approach you wish. For example,
you might
__agree
absolutely with the claim, disagree completely, or agree with some parts and
not others
__question the assumptions the
statement seems to be making
__qualify any of its terms, especially
if the way you define or apply a term is important to developing your
perspective on the issue
__point out why the claim is valid in
some situations but not in others
__evaluate points of view that contrast
with your own perspective
__develop your position with reasons
that are supported by several relevant examples or by a single extended example
The GRE readers scoring your response are not looking for
a "right" answer.in fact, there is no correct position to take.
Instead, the readers are evaluating the skill with which you articulate and
develop an argument to support your position on the issue.
Understanding the Context for Writing: Purpose and Audience
The Issue task is an exercise in
critical thinking and persuasive writing. The purpose of this task is to
determine how well you can develop a compelling argument supporting your own
perspective on an issue and to effectively communicate that argument in writing
to an academic audience. Your audience consists of college and university
faculty who are trained as GRE readers to apply the scoring criteria identified
in the scoring guide for .Present Your Perspective on an Issue" (see page
27).
To get a clearer idea of how GRE
readers apply the Issue scoring criteria to actual responses, you should review
scored sample Issue essay responses and readers’ commentaries. The sample
responses, particularly at the 5 and 6 score levels, will show you a variety of
successful strategies for organizing, developing, and communicating a
persuasive argument. The readers’ commentaries discuss specific aspects of
analysis and writing, such as the use of examples, development and support,
organization, language fluency, and word choice. For each response, the
commentary points out aspects that are particularly persuasive as well as any
that detract from the overall effectiveness of the essay.
Preparing for the Issue Task
Because the Issue task is meant to assess the persuasive
writing skills that you have developed throughout your education, it has been
designed neither to require any particular course of study nor to advantage
students with a particular type of training.
Many college textbooks on composition offer advice on
persuasive writing that you might find useful, but even this advice might be
more technical and specialized than you need for the Issue task. You will not
be expected to know specific critical thinking or writing terms or strategies;
instead, you should be able to use reasons, evidence, and examples to support
your position on an issue. Suppose, for instance, that an Issue topic asks you
to consider whether it is important for government to provide financial support
for art museums. If your position is that government should fund art museums,
you might support your position by discussing the reasons art is important and
explain that museums are public places where art is available to anyone. On the
other hand, if your position is that government should not support museums, you
might point out that, given limited governmental funds, art museums are not as
deserving of governmental funding as are other, more socially important,
institutions. Or, if you are in favor of government funding for art museums
only under certain conditions, you might focus on the artistic criteria,
cultural concerns, or political conditions that you think should determine
how.or whether.art museums receive government funds. It is not your position
that matters so much as the critical thinking skills you display in developing
your position.
An excellent way to prepare for the
Issue task is to practice writing on some of the published topics. There is no
"best" approach: some people prefer to start practicing without
regard to the 45-minute time limit; others prefer to take a "timed
test" first and practice within the time limit. No matter which approach
you take when you practice the Issue task, you should review the task
directions, then
__carefully read the claim made in the
topic and make sure you understand the issue involved; if it seems unclear,
discuss it with a friend or teacher
__think about the issue in relation to
your own ideas and experiences, to events you have read about or observed, and
to people you have known; this is the knowledge base from which you will
develop compelling reasons and examples in your argument that reinforce, negate,
or qualify the claim in some way
__decide what position on the issue
you want to take and defend.remember you are free to agree or disagree
completely or to agree with some parts or some applications but not others
__decide what compelling evidence
(reasons and examples) you can use to support your position
Remember that this is a task in
critical thinking and persuasive writing. Therefore, you might find it helpful
to explore the complexity of a claim in one of the topics by asking yourself
the following questions:
__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?
Once you have decided on a position
to defend, consider the perspective of others who might not agree with your position.
Ask yourself:
__What
reasons might someone use to refute or undermine my position?
__How should I acknowledge or defend
against those views in my essay?
To plan your response, you might want to summarize your
position and make brief notes about how you will support the position you’re
going to take. When you’ve done this, look over your notes and decide how you
will organize your response. Then write a response developing your position on
the issue. Even if you don’t write a full response, you should find it helpful
to practice with a few of the Issue topics and to sketch out your possible
responses. After you have practiced with some of the topics, try writing
responses to some of the topics within the 45-minute time limit so that you
have a good idea of how to use your time in the actual test.
It would probably be helpful to get
some feedback on your response from an instructor who teaches critical thinking
or writing or to trade papers on the same topic with other students and discuss
one another’s responses in relation to the scoring guide. Try to determine how
each paper meets or misses the criteria for each score point in the guide.
Comparing your own response to the scoring guide will help you see how and
where you might need to improve.
Deciding Which Issue Topic to Choose
Remember that the General Test will contain two Issue
topics from the published pool; you must choose one of
these two. Because the 45-minute timing begins when you first see the two
topics, you should not spend too much time making a decision. Instead, try to
choose fairly quickly the issue that you feel better prepared to discuss.
Before making a choice, read each topic carefully. Then
decide on which topic you could develop a more effective and well-reasoned
argument. In making this decision, you might ask yourself:
__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?
Your answers to these questions should help you make your
choice.
The Form of Your Response
You are free to organize and develop
your response in any way that you think will effectively communicate your ideas
about the issue. Your response may, but need not, incorporate particular
writing strategies learned in English composition or writing-intensive college
courses. GRE readers will not be looking for a particular developmental
strategy or mode of writing; in fact, when GRE readers are trained, they review
hundreds of Issue responses that, although highly diverse in content and form,
display similar levels of critical thinking and persuasive writing. Readers
will see, for example, some Issue responses at the 6 score level that begin by
briefly summarizing the writer’s position on the issue and then explicitly
announcing the main points to be argued. They will see others that lead into
the writer’s position by making a prediction, asking a series of questions,
describing a scenario, or defining critical terms in the quotation. The readers
know that a writer can earn a high score by giving multiple examples or by
presenting a single, extended example. Look at the sample Issue responses,
particularly at the 5 and 6 score levels, to see how other writers have
successfully developed and organized their arguments.
You should use as many or as few paragraphs
as you consider appropriate for your argument.for example, you will probably
need to create a new paragraph whenever your discussion shifts to a new cluster
of ideas. What matters is not the number of examples, the number of paragraphs,
or the form your argument takes but, rather, the cogency of your ideas about
the issue and the clarity and skill with which you communicate those ideas to
academic readers.
Sample
Issue Topic
.In our time, specialists of all kinds are highly
overrated. We need more generalists.people who can provide broad perspectives."
Strategies for this Topic
This claim raises several related questions: What does it
mean to be a generalist or a specialist, and what value do they have for
society? Does society actually need more generalists, and are specialists, in
fact, .highly overrated?.
There are several basic positions you could take on this
issue: Yes, society needs more generalists and places too high a value on
specialists. No, the opposite is true. Or, it depends on various factors. Or,
both groups are important in today.s culture; neither is overvalued. Your
analysis might draw examples from a particular society or country, from one or
more areas of society, or from various situations. It might focus on the role
of generalists and specialists in relation to communications, transportation,
politics, information, or technology. Any of these approaches is valid, so long
as you use relevant reasons and examples to support your position.
Before you stake out a position, take a few moments to
reread the claim. To analyze it, consider questions such as these:
__What are the main differences between
specialists and generalists? What are the strong points of each?
__Do these differences always hold in
various professions or situations? Could there be some specialists, for
example, who also need to have very broad knowledge and general abilities to
perform their work well?
__How do generalists and specialists
function in your field?
__What value do you think society
places on specialists and generalists? Are specialists overvalued in some
situations, and not in others?
__Does society really need more
generalists than it has? If so, what needs would they serve?
Now you can organize your thoughts into two groups:
__Reasons and examples to support the
claim
__Reasons and examples to support an
opposing point of view
If you find one view clearly more persuasive than the
other, consider developing an argument from that perspective. As you build your
argument, keep in mind the other points, which you could argue against.
If both groups have compelling
points, consider developing a position supporting, not the stated claim, but a
more limited or more complex claim. Then you can use reasons and examples from
both sides to justify your position.
Essay Responses and Reader Commentary
Essay Response * . Score 6
In this era of rapid social and technological change
leading to increasing life complexity and psychological displacement, both
positive and negative effects among persons in Western society call for a
balance in which there are both specialists and generalists.
* All responses in this publication are reproduced
exactly as written, including errors, misspellings, etc., if any.
Specialists are necessary in order to allow society as a
whole to properly and usefully assimilate the masses of new information and knowledge
that have come out of research and have been widely disseminated through mass
global media. As the head of Pharmacology at my university once said (and I
paraphrase):"I can only research what I do because there are so many who
have come before me to whom I can turn for basic knowledge. It is only because
of each of the narrowly focussed individuals at each step that a full and true understanding of the complexities of life can be had.
Each person can only hold enough knowledge to add one small rung to the ladder,
but together we can climb to the moon." This illustrates the point that
our societies level of knowledge
and technology is at a stage in which there
simply
must be specialists
in order for our society to take advantage of the information available to us.
Simply put, without specialists, our society would find
itself bogged down in the Sargasso sea of information overload. While it was
fine for early physicists to learn and understand the few laws and ideas that existed
during their times, now, no one individual can possibly digest and assimilate
all of the knowledge in any given area.
On the other hand, Over specialization means narrow focii
in which people can lose the larger picture.No one can hope to understand the
human body by only inspecting one’s own toe-nails. What we learn from a narrow
focus may be internally logically coherent but may be irrelevant or fallacious
within the framework of a broader perspective. Further, if we inspect only our
toe-nails, we may conclude that the whole body is hard and white. Useful
conclusions and thus perhaps useful inventions must come by sharing among
specialists. Simply throwing out various discovieries means we have a pile of
useless discoveries, it is only when one can make with them a mosaic that we
can see that they may form a picture.
Not only may over-specialization be
dangerous in terms of the truth, purity and cohesion of knowledge, but it can
also serve to drown moral or universall issues. Generalists and only
generalists can see a broad enough picture to realize and introduce to the
world the problems of the environment. With specialization, each person
focusses on their research and their goals. Thus, industrialization, expansion,
and new technologies are driven ahead. Meanwhile no individual can see the
wholisitc view of our global existence in which true advancement may mean
stifling individual specialists for the greater good of all.
Finally, over-specialization in a
people’s daily lives and jobs has meant personal and psychological compartmentalization.
People are forced into pigeon holes early in life (at least by university) and
must conciously attempt to consume external forms of stimuli and information in
order not to be lost in their small and isolated universe. Not only does this make
for narrowly focussed and generally pooprly-educated individuals, but it
guarantees a sense of loss of community, often followed by a feeling of
psychological displacement and personal dissatisfaction.
Without generalists, society becomes
inward-looking and eventually inefficient. Without a society that recongnizes
the impotance of braod-mindedness and fora for sharing generalities,
individuals become isolated. Thus, while our form of society necessitates
specialists, generalists are equally important. Specialists drive us forward in
a series of thrusts while generalists make sure we are still on the jousting
field and know what the stakes are.
Reader
Commentary for Essay Response . Score 6
This is an outstanding analysis of the issue.insightful,
well reasoned, and highly effective in its use of language. The introductory
paragraph announces the writer’s position on the issue and provides the context
within which the writer will develop that position: "In this era of rapid
social and technological change leading to increasing life complexity and
psychological displacement . . . ."
The argument itself has two parts. The first part
presents a compelling case for specialization, primarily in the field of
medicine. The second part presents an equally compelling, well-organized case
against overspecialization based on three main reasons:
__logical (narrowly trained
specialists often fail to understand the whole)
__moral (usually generalists understand
what is needed for "the greater good")
__personal (specializing/pigeonholing
too early can be psychologically damaging)
The argument’s careful line of
reasoning is further strengthened by the skillful use of expert testimony
(quotation from a prominent medical researcher) and vivid metaphor (to inspect
only one’s toenails is to ignore the whole body).
It is not only the reasoning that distinguishes this
response. The language is precise and often figurative ("bogged down in a
Sargasso sea of information overload," "a pile of useless discoveries,"
and "specialists drive us forward in a series of thrusts, while
generalists make sure we are still on the jousting field"). The reader is
constantly guided through the argument by transitional phrases and ideas that
help organize the ideas and move the argument forward. This is an exceptionally
fine response to the topic.
Essay
Response . Score 5
Specialists are not overrated today. More generalists may
be needed, but not to overshadow the specialists. Generalists can provide a
great deal of information on many topics of interest with a broad range of
ideas. People who look at the overall view of things can help with some of the
large problems our society faces today. But specialists are necessary to gain a
better understanding of more in depth methods to solve problems or fixing
things.
One good example of why specialists are not overrated is
in the medical field. Doctors are necessary for people to live healthy lives.
When a person is sick, he may go to a general practitioner to find out the
cause of his problems. Usually, this kind of "generalized" doctor can
help most ailments with simple and effective treatments. Sometimes, though, a
sickness may go beyond a family doctor’s knowledge or the prescribed treatments
don’t work the way they should. When a sickness progresses or becomes diagnosed
as a disease that requires more care than a family doctor can provide, he may
be referred to a specialist. For instance, a person with constant breathing
problems that require hospitalization may be suggested to visit an asthma
specialist. Since a family doctor has a great deal of knowledge of medicine, he
can decide when his methods are not effective and the patient needs to see
someone who knows more about the specific problem; someone who knows how it
begins, progresses, and specified treatments. This is an excellent example of
how a generalied person may not be equipped enough to handle something as well
as a specialized one can.
Another example of a specialist who is needed instead of
a generalist involves teaching. In grammar school, children learn all the basic
principles of reading, writing, and arithematic. But as children get older and
progress in school, they gain a better understanding of the language and
mathematical processes. As the years in school increase, they need to learn
more and more specifics and details about various subjects. They start out by
learning basic math concepts such as addition, subtraction, division, and
multiplication. A few years later, they are ready to begin algebraic concepts,
geometry, and calculus. They are also ready to learn more advanced vocabulary,
the principles of how all life is composed and how it functions. One teacher or
professor can not provide as much in depth discussion on all of these topics as
well as one who has learned the specifics and studied mainly to know everything
that is currently known about one of these subjects. Generalized teachers are
required to begin molding students at a very early age so they can get ready
for the future ahead of them in gaining more facts about the basic subjects and
finding out new facts on the old ones.
These are only two examples of why specialists are not
highly overrated and more generalists are not necessary to the point of
overshadowing them. Generalists are needed to give the public a broad
understanding of some things. But , specialists are important to help maintain
the status, health, and safety of our society. Specialists are very necessary.
Reader Commentary for Essay Response . Score 5
This writer presents a well-developed analysis of the
complexities of the issue by discussing the need for both the generalist and
the specialist.
The argument is rooted in two extended examples, both
well chosen. The first (paragraph 2) begins with a discussion of the necessity
for medical generalists (the general practitioner) as well as specialists and
moves into an example within the example (breathing problems and the need for
an asthma specialist). This extension from the general to the specific characterizes
the example in the next paragraph
as well. There,
the discussion centers on education from elementary to high school, from basic
arithmetic to calculus.
The smooth development is aided by the use of appropriate
transitions: "but," "usually," and "for
instance," among others. The essay ends by revisiting the writer’s thesis.
While the writer handles language
and syntax well, several lapses in clarity keep this otherwise well-argued response
out of the 6 category. The problems vary from the lack of a pronoun referent
("When a sickness progresses or becomes diagnosed, . . . he may be referred
to a specialist") to an error in parallel structure ("how it begins,
progresses and specified treatments"), to loose syntax and imprecise
language ("Generalized teachers are required to begin molding students at
a very early age so they can get ready for the future ahead of them in gaining
more facts about the basic subjects.")
Essay
Response . Score 4
Specialists are just what their name says: people who
specialize in one part of a very general scheme of things. A person can’t know
everything there is to know about everything. This is why specialists are
helpful. You can take one general concept and divide it up three ways and have
three fully developed different concepts instead of one general concept that no
one really knows about. Isn’t it better to really know something well, than to
know everything half-way.
Take a special ed teacher compared
to a general ed teacher. The general ed teacher knows how to deal with most
students. She knows how to teach a subject to a student that is on a normal
level. But what would happen to the child in the back of the room with
dyslexia? She would be so lost in that general ed classroom that she would not
only not learn, but be frustrated and quite possibly, have low self-esteem and
hate school. If there is a special ed teacher there who specializes in children
with learning disabilities, she can teach the general ed teacher how to cope
with this student as well as modify the curriculum so that the student can
learn along with the others. The special ed teacher can also take that child
for a few hours each day and work with her on her reading difficulty
one-on-one, which a general ed teacher never would have time to do.
A general ed teacher can’t know what a special ed teacher
knows and a special ed teacher can’t know what a general ed teacher knows. But
the two of them working together and specializing in their own things can
really get a lot more accomplished. The special ed teacher is also trained to
work on the child’s self-esteem, which has a big part in how successful this
child will be. Every child in the United States of America has the right to an
equal education. How can a child with a learning disability receive the same
equal education as a general ed student if there was no specialist there to
help both teacher and child?
Another thing to consider is how a committee is supposed
to work together. Each person has a special task to accomplish and when these
people all come together, with their tasks finished, every aspect of the
community’s work is completely covered. Nothing is left undone. In this case
there are many different specialists to meet the general goal of the committee.
When you take into account that a specialist contributes
only a small part of the generalist aspect, it seems ridiculous to say that
specialists are overrated. The generalists looks to the specialists any time
they need help or clarification on their broad aspect. Specialists and generalists
are part of the same system, so if a specialist is overrated, then so is a generalist.
Reader
Commentary for Essay Response . Score 4
This is an adequate analysis of the
issue. After a somewhat confusing attempt to define "specialists" in
the introductory paragraph, the writer presents a pertinent example (the
special education teacher) to illustrate the importance of specialists. The
example dominates the response and contributes positively to the overall score
of 4.
The second example, how a committee works, is less
persuasive. However, it does seem to help clarify the writer’s definition of
"general" as an umbrella term meaning the total collection of what
specialists know about a topic.
Although the writer’s views about the relationship between
"generalist" and "specialist" are unusual, they do become
clear in the conclusion of the essay. Yet, these ideas are not developed in
sufficient depth or with enough logical control to earn a score higher than 4.
The writing is generally error free.
There are few problems in sentence structure, grammar, and usage, although the
phrasing is at times imprecise and wordy. Overall, this response displays
clearly adequate control of the elements of written English.
Essay
Response . Score 3
To quote the saying, "Jack of all trades, master of
none," would be my position on the statement. I feel specialists in all
areas of knowledge lead to a higher standard of living for everyone.
Specializing in different areas allows us to use each others talents to the highest
level and maximize potential. As an example, if a person required brain
surgery, would they rather have a brain surgeon or a general practitioner doing
the work? Clearly a specialist would do the better job and give the patient a
chance at a better life.
A university education starts by laying the groundwork
for general knowledge but then narrows down to a specific field. General
knowledge and a broad prospective are important, but if there was no focus on
specific areas, our overall knowledge as a population would be seriously
lessened.
Another example of specialists not
being overated would be international trade. Not every nation can provide for
themselves. They need to get products and ideas from other parts of the world because
they are better at providing them. This allows for a growing economy if two
different nations can provide each other with two different products. If one
country can produce oranges better than another, it should trade the oranges
for the fish that it can not produce. If generalizing was the normal thing to
do and both countries tried to produce all kinds of products, the countries
would probably survive, but not have the standard of living they presently
have.
Reader
Commentary for Essay Response . Score 3
The writer’s position is clear: specialists are important
and necessary. However, the position is not adequately supported with reasons
or logical examples.
Paragraph 1 presents an appropriate example of the brain
surgeon versus the general practitioner. However, the example of an
increasingly narrow university education in paragraph 2, contains only two
sentences and is seriously undeveloped. It does little to advance the writer’s
position.
Paragraph 3 offers yet another example, the most
developed of all. Unfortunately, this example is not clearly logical. The
writer tries to argue that the "specialist" country (one that is a
better producer of oranges) is superior to the "generalist" country
(presumably one that produces oranges as well as other products). This generalist
country, the writer tells us, would be inferior to the other. This conclusion
does not emerge logically from the writer’s argument, and it seems to be at
odds with everyday reality.
Although language is used with some
imprecision throughout the essay, the writer’s meaning is not obscured. The
main reasons for the score of 3 are the lack of sufficient development and
inappropriate use of examples.
Essay
Response . Score 2
In the situation of health I feel that specialists are
very important. For example if a person has heart problems, choose a heart
specialist over a genral medicine Dr. However if a person is having a wide range
of syptoms, perhaps choose a Dr. with a wide range of experience might be more
helpful.
It also depends on the type of problem you are having.
For example I would not suggest taking a troubled child to a theorpist who
specializes in marriage problems. In some cases have a specialists helps to insure
that you are getting the best possibly treatment. On the other hand dealing
with a person who has a wide range of experience may be able to find different
ways of dealing with a particular problem.
Since the quotation did not state
exactely what type of specialist we are dealing with it is also hard to
determine the importance of having a specialist is. For example the could be
health or problems with a car, or basically anything else. I feel that this information
should not have been left out. I guess the bottom line is that I feel sometimes
a specialist is very important.
Reader
Commentary for Essay Response . Score 2
This is a seriously flawed analysis of the issue. The
response argues in favor of specialists, but neither the reasons nor the examples
are persuasive. The example of not taking "a troubled child to see a
theropist who specializes in marriage problems" is both simplistic and off
the mark since it differentiates between two specialists, not between a
generalist and a specialist.
The sentences are so poorly formed and phrased that the
argument is at times hard to follow. Nevertheless, this is not a 1 essay: the
writer presents a position on the issue, develops that position with some very
weak analysis, and communicates some ideas clearly.
Essay
Response . Score 1
I disagree with the statement about
specialists, we need specialists who take individual areas and specialize. A
generalists can pinpoint a problem. He or she cannot determine the magnitude of
the problem. A specialist can find the root of the problem. When he or she has
years working in that specific field. For example, when i got sick i went to a
doctor. He did blood work, x-ray, talk to me, ect. He prescribed me a medicine.
I got worst. So i decided to go another doctor. Now, i am doing great. A specialist
knows the facts right away. Otherwise, it will take longer or not at all.
Reader
Commentary for Essay Response . Score 1
This response presents a
fundamentally deficient discussion of the issue.
The first sentence states the
writer’s position in support of specialists, but that position is not followed
by a coherent argument. Some of the ideas seem contradictory (e.g.,
"generalists can pinpoint a problem") and the example is confusing.
If the essay explained that the first (unsuccessful) doctor was a generalist
and the second (successful) doctor was a specialist, the example would be
useful. However, as written, the example is unclear and even misleading. The
concluding statement only adds to the confusion. Since most of the sentences
are short and choppy, the ideas they try to communicate are also choppy. The
writer needs to provide transitional phrases and ideas to bring logical
cohesion to this response. Also, basic errors in usage and grammar are
pervasive, but it is primarily the lack of a coherent argument that makes this
response a
1. Analyze an Argument Task
Understanding the Argument Task
The "Analyze an Argument" task assesses your
ability to understand, analyze, and evaluate arguments and to clearly convey
your analysis in writing. The task consists of a brief passage in which the
author makes a case for some course of
action
or interpretation of events by presenting claims backed by reasons and
evidence.
Your task is to discuss the logical soundness of the author’s case by
critically examining the line of reasoning and the use of evidence. This task
requires you to read the argument very carefully. You might want to read it
more than once and possibly make brief notes about points you want to develop
more fully in your response. In reading the argument, you should pay special
attention to
__what is offered as evidence, support,
or proof
__what
is explicitly stated, claimed, or concluded
__what
is assumed or supposed, perhaps without justification or proof
__what
is not stated, but necessarily follows from what is stated
In addition,
you should consider the structure
of the argument.the way in which
these elements are linked together to form a line
of reasoning; that is,
you should recognize the separate, sometimes implicit steps in the thinking
process and consider whether the movement from each one to the next is
logically sound. In tracing this line, look for transition words and phrases
that suggest that the author is attempting to make a logical connection (e.g., however, thus, therefore,
evidently, hence, in conclusion).
An
important part of performing well on the Argument task is remembering what you
are not being asked to do. You are not being asked to discuss whether the
statements in the argument are true or accurate; instead, you are being asked
whether conclusions and inferences are validly drawn from the statements. You
are not being asked to agree or disagree with the position stated; instead, you
are being asked to comment on the thinking that underlies the position stated.
You are not being asked to express your own views on the subject being
discussed (as you were in the Issue task); instead, you are being asked to
evaluate the logical soundness of an argument of another writer and, in doing so,
to demonstrate the critical thinking, perceptive reading, and analytical
writing skills that university faculty consider important for success in
graduate school.
"Analyze
an Argument" is primarily a critical thinking task requiring a written
response. Consequently, the analytical skills displayed in your critique carry
great weight in determining your score.
Understanding
the Context for Writing: Purpose and Audience
The
purpose of the task is to see how well equipped you are to insightfully analyze
an argument written by someone else and to effectively communicate your
critique in writing to an academic audience. Your audience consists of college
and university faculty who are trained as GRE readers to apply the scoring
criteria identified in the scoring guide for the .Analyze an Argument. task
(see page 28).
To
get a clearer idea of how GRE readers apply the Argument scoring criteria to actual
essays, you should review scored sample Argument essay responses and readers’
commentaries. The sample responses, particularly at the 5 and 6 score levels,
will show you a variety of successful strategies for organizing and developing
an insightful critique. You will also see many examples of particularly
effective uses of language. The readers’ commentaries discuss specific aspects
of analytical writing, such as cogency of ideas, development and support,
organization, syntactic variety, and facility with language. These commentaries
will point out aspects that are particularly effective and insightful as well as
any that detract from the overall effectiveness of the responses.
Preparing
for the Argument Task
Because the Argument task is meant to assess analytical
writing and informal reasoning skills that you have developed throughout your
education, it has been designed so as not to require any specific course of
study or to advantage students with a particular type of training. Many college
textbooks on rhetoric and composition have sections on informal logic and
critical thinking that might prove helpful, but even these might be more
detailed and technical than the task requires. You will not be expected to know
methods of analysis or technical
terms.
For instance, in one topic an elementary school principal might conclude that
the new playground equipment has improved student attendance because absentee rates have declined
since
it was installed. You will not need to see that the principal has committed the
post hoc, ergo propter hoc fallacy;
you will simply need to see that there are other possible explanations for the
improved attendance, to offer some common-sense examples, and perhaps to
suggest what would be necessary to verify the conclusion. For instance,
absentee rates might have decreased because the climate was mild. This would
have to be ruled out in order for the principal.s conclusion to be valid.
Although you do not need to know special
analytical techniques and terminology, you should be familiar with the directions
for the Argument task 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
An excellent way to prepare for the "Analyze an
Argument" task is to practice writing on some of the published Argument
topics. There is no one way to practice that is best for everyone. Some prefer
to start practicing without adhering to the 30-minute time limit. If you follow
this approach, take all the time you need to analyze the argument. No matter
which approach you take, you should
__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
Write down each of these thoughts as
a brief note. When you’ve gone as far as you can with your analysis, look over
the notes and put them in a good order for discussion (perhaps by numbering
them). Then write a critique by fully developing each of your points in turn.
Even if you choose not to write a full essay response, you should find it very
helpful to practice analyzing a few of the arguments and sketching out your
responses. When you become quicker and more confident, you should practice
writing some Argument responses within the 30-minute time limit so that you
will have a good sense of how to pace yourself in the actual test. For example,
you will not want to discuss one point so exhaustively or to provide so many
equivalent examples that you run out of time to make your other main points.
You might want to get feedback on your response(s) from a writing instructor, a
philosophy teacher, or someone who emphasizes critical thinking in his or her
course. It can also be very informative to trade papers on the same topic with
fellow students and discuss one another’s responses in terms of the scoring
guide. Focus not so much on giving the "right scores" as on seeing
how the papers meet or miss the performance standards for each score point and
what you therefore need to do in order to improve.
How to Interpret Numbers, Percentages, and Statistics in
Argument Topics
Some arguments contain numbers, percentages, or
statistics that are offered as evidence in support of the argument’s
conclusion. For example, an argument might claim that a certain community event
is less popular this year than it was last year because only 100 people attended
this year in comparison with 150 last year, a 33 percent decline in attendance.
It is important to remember that you are not being asked to do a mathematical
task with the numbers, percentages, or statistics. Instead
you should evaluate these as evidence that is intended to support the
conclusion. In the example above, the conclusion is that a community event has
become less popular. You should ask yourself: does the difference between 100
people and 150 people support that conclusion? Note that, in this case, there
are other possible explanations; for example, the weather might have been much
worse this year, this year’s event might have been held at an inconvenient
time, the cost of the event might have gone up this year, or there might have been
another popular event this year at the same time. Each of these could explain
the difference in attendance, and thus would weaken the conclusion that the
event was "less popular." Similarly, percentages might support or
weaken a conclusion depending on what actual numbers the percentages represent.
Consider the claim that the drama club at a school deserves more funding
because its membership has increased by 100 percent. This 100 percent increase
could be significant if there had been 100 members and now there are 200
members, whereas the increase would be much less significant if there had been
5 members and now there are 10. Remember that any numbers, percentages, or
statistics in Argument topics are used only as evidence in support of a
conclusion, and you should always consider whether they actually support the
conclusion.
The Form of Your Response
You are free to organize and develop
your critique in any way that you think will effectively communicate your
analysis of the argument. Your response may, but need not, incorporate
particular writing strategies learned in English composition or
writing-intensive college courses. GRE readers will not be looking for a
particular developmental strategy or mode of writing. In fact, when faculty are
trained to be GRE readers, they review hundreds of Argument responses that,
although highly diverse in content and form, display similar levels of critical
thinking and analytical writing. Readers will see, for example, some essays at
the 6 score level that begin by briefly summarizing the argument and then explicitly
stating and developing the main points of the critique. The readers know that a
writer can earn a high score by analyzing and developing several points in a
critique or by identifying a central flaw in the argument and developing that
critique extensively. You might want to look at the sample Argument responses,
particularly at the 5 and 6 score levels, to see how other writers have
successfully developed and organized their critiques.
You should make choices about format
and organization that you think support and enhance the overall effectiveness
of your critique. This means using as many or as few paragraphs as you consider
appropriate for your critique.for example, creating a new paragraph when your
discussion shifts to a new point of analysis. You might want to organize your
critique around the organization of the argument itself, discussing the
argument line by line. Or you might want to first point out a central
questionable assumption and then move on to discuss related flaws in the
argument’s line of reasoning. Similarly, you might want to use examples if they
help illustrate an important point in your critique or move your discussion
forward (remember, however, that, in terms of your ability to perform the
Argument task effectively, it is your critical thinking and analytical writing,
not your ability to come up with examples, that is being assessed). What
matters is not the form the response takes, but how insightfully you analyze
the argument and how articulately you communicate your analysis to academic
readers within the context of the task.
Sample Argument Topic
Strategies for this Topic
This argument cites a particular hospital statistic to
support the general conclusion that .investing in high-quality protective gear
and reflective equipment. will reduce the risk of being severely injured in a
roller skating accident.
In developing your analysis, you should ask yourself
whether the hospital statistic actually supports the conclusion. You might want
to ask yourself such questions as:
__What percentage of all roller skaters
goes to the emergency room after roller skating accidents?
__Are the people who go to the emergency
room after roller skating accidents representative of roller skaters in
general?
__Are there people who are injured in
roller skating accidents who do not go to the emergency room?
__Were the roller skaters who went to
the emergency room severely injured?
__Were the 25 percent of roller skaters
who were wearing protective gear injured just as severely as the 75
percent who were not wearing the gear?
__Are streets and parking lots inherently
more dangerous for roller skating than other places?
__Would mid-quality gear and equipment
be just as effective as high-quality gear and equipment in reducing the risk of
severe injury while roller skating?
__Are there factors other than gear
and equipment.e.g., weather conditions, visibility, skill of the skaters.that
might be more closely correlated with the risk of roller skating injuries?
Considering possible answers to questions
such as these will help you identify assumptions, alternative explanations, and
weaknesses that you can develop in your critique of the argument.
Essay Responses and Reader Commentary
Essay Response
* .
Score 6
Reader
Commentary for Essay Response . Score 6
Reader
Commentary for Essay Response . Score 5
Essay
Response . Score 4
Reader
Commentary for Essay Response . Score 4
Essay
Response . Score 3
Reader
Commentary for Essay Response . Score 3
Essay
Response . Score 2
Reader
Commentary for Essay Response . Score 2
Essay
Response . Score 1
Reader
Commentary for Essay Response . Score 1
The Graduate Record
Examinations®
Analytical Writing 1
PRESENT
YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON AN ISSUE
45 minutes
You will have 45 minutes to plan and
compose a response that presents your perspective on a topic you select. A response
on any topic other that then one you select will receive a score of zero. You
will have a choice between two Issue topics. Each topic will appear as a brief
quotation that states or implies an issue of general interest. You are free to
accept, reject, or qualify the claim made in the topic, as long as the ideas
you present are clearly relevant to the topic you select. Support your views
with reasons and examples drawn from such areas as your reading, experience,
observations, or academic studies.
Before you make your choice, read each topic carefully.
Then decide on which topic you could write a more effective and well-reasoned
response. GRE readers who are college and university faculty will read your
response and evaluate its overall quality, based on how well you
__consider the complexities and
implications of the issue
__organize, develop, and express your
ideas about the issue
__support your ideas with relevant
reasons and examples
__control the elements of standard
written English
You may want to take a few minutes
to think about the issue you have chosen and to plan a response before you
begin writing. Be sure to develop your ideas fully and organize them
coherently, but leave time to read what you have written and make any revisions
that you think are necessary.
Issue
Topic Choice
Present your perspective on one of the issues
below, using relevant reasons and/or examples to support your views.
TOPIC
1:
.Both
the development of technological tools and the uses to which humanity has put
them have created modern civilizations in which loneliness is ever increasing..
TOPIC
2:
.Our declining environment may bring
the people of the world together as no politician, philosopher, or war ever
could. Environmental problems are global in scope and respect no nation.s
boundaries. Therefore, people are faced with the choice of unity and cooperation
on the one hand or disunity and a common tragedy on the other..
Sample Test
The Graduate Record
Examinations®
Analytical Writing 2
ANALYZE AN
ARGUMENT
30 minutes
__identify and analyze important
features of the argument
__organize, develop, and express your
critique of the argument
__support your
critique
with relevant reasons and examples
__control the elements of standard written
English
Argument
Topic
Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument.
TOPIC:
Six months ago the region of
Forestville increased the speed limit for vehicles traveling on the region.s
highways by ten miles per hour. Since that change took effect, the number of
automobile accidents in that region has increased by 15 percent. But the speed
limit in Elmsford, a region neighboring Forestville, remained unchanged, and
automobile accidents declined slightly during the same six-month period.
Therefore, if the citizens of Forestville want to reduce the number of automobile
accidents on the region.s highways, they should campaign to reduce
Forestville.s speed limit to what it was before the increase.
GRE
Scoring Guide: Present Your Perspective on an Issue
Score 6
A
6 paper presents a cogent, well-articulated analysis of the complexities of the
issue and conveys meaning skillfully.
__develops the position with compelling reasons and/or
persuasive examples
__sustains a well-focused, well-organized analysis,
connecting ideas logically
__expresses ideas fluently and precisely, using effective
vocabulary and sentence variety
__demonstrates facility with the conventions (i.e.,
grammar, usage, and mechanics) of standard written English but may have minor
errors
_______________________________
Score 5
A 5 paper presents a generally
thoughtful, well-developed analysis of the complexities of the issue and
conveys meaning clearly.
A
typical paper in this category
__presents a well-considered position on the issue
__develops the position with logically sound reasons and/or
well-chosen examples
__is focused and generally well organized, connecting ideas
appropriately
__expresses ideas clearly and well, using appropriate
vocabulary and sentence variety
__demonstrates facility with the conventions of standard
written English but may have minor errors
Score 4
A 4 paper presents a competent
analysis of the issue and conveys meaning adequately.
__develops the position on the issue with relevant reasons
and/or examples
__is adequately focused and organized
__expresses ideas with reasonable clarity
___________________________________
Score 3
A 3 paper demonstrates some
competence in its analysis of the issue and in conveying meaning but is
obviously flawed.
A
typical paper in this category exhibits ONE OR MORE of the following
characteristics:
__is vague or limited in presenting or developing a
position on the issue
__is weak in the use of relevant reasons or examples
__is poorly focused and/or poorly organized
__has problems in language and sentence structure that
result in a lack of clarity
__contains occasional major errors or frequent minor errors
in grammar, usage, or mechanics that can interfere with meaning
______________________________
Score 2
A 2 paper demonstrates serious
weaknesses in analytical writing.
A
typical paper in this category exhibits ONE OR MORE of the following
characteristics:
__is unclear or seriously limited in presenting or
developing a position on the issue
__provides few, if any, relevant reasons or examples
__is unfocused and/or disorganized
__has serious problems in the use of language and sentence
structure that frequently interfere with meaning
__contains serious errors in grammar, usage, or mechanics
that frequently obscure meaning
_______________________________________
Score 1
A 1 paper demonstrates fundamental
deficiencies in analytical writing skills.
A
typical paper in this category exhibits ONE OR MORE of the following
characteristics:
__provides little or no evidence of the ability to
understand and analyze the issue
__provides little or no evidence of the ability to develop
an organized response
__has severe problems in language and sentence structure
that persistently interfere with meaning
__contains pervasive errors in grammar, usage, or mechanics
that result in incoherence
_______________________________________
Score 0
Off
topic, in a foreign language, merely copies the topic, consists of only
keystroke characters, or is illegible, blank, or nonverbal
27
