| Analytical Writing Assessment- Analysis of an Argument |
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The GMAT includes a 30-minutes
analytical writing section involving analysis of an argument.
Here is an overview of the task, tips, and sample issues for
you to look at. How exactly do we analyze an argument? The Analysis of an Argument task asks you to read a brief argument, analyze the reasoning behind it, and write a critique of the argument. Analysis of an argument does not ask you to develop your own opinion like the analysis of an issue task. The analysis of an argument task involves analyzing a given opinion, including considering questionable assumptions that underline the opinion, counterexamples that may weaken the conclusion, or evidence that may support it. While analyzing an argument it is also important to present a logical flow of ideas, clear control of the English language, and the use of a strong format, with an introduction and a conclusion. Due to the short time limit it is advisable that you keep your sentences concise and use a few well-developed examples to support your view. The arguments and opinions presented will concern a topic of general interest, and may be related to business or other subjects. No specific knowledge of any content areas will be required to write your analysis, the only thing you need is the ability to write analytically. What are some examples of arguments I may have to analyze? Example 1: The following appeared in the editorial section of a corporate newsletter: "The common notion that workers are generally apathetic about management issues is false, or at least outdated: a recently published survey indicates that 79 percent of nearly 1,200 workers, who responded to survey questionnaires expressed a high level of interest in the topics of corporate restructuring and redesign of benefit programs." Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument. In your discussion be sure to analyze the line of reasoning and the use of evidence in the argument. For example, you may need to consider what questionable assumptions underline the thinking and what alternative explanations or counterexamples might weaken the conclusion. You can also discuss what sort of evidence would strengthen or refute the argument, what changes in the argument would make it more logically sounds, and what, if anything, would help you better evaluate its conclusions. Example 2: The following appeared as part of a campaign to sell advertising time on a local radio station to local businesses: "The Cumquat Cafe began advertising on our local radio station this year and was delighted to see its business increase by 10 percent over last year's totals. Their success shows you how you can use radio advertising to make your business more profitable." Discuss how well… etc. Example 3: The following appeared in a newspaper editorial: "As violence in movies increases, so do crime rates in our cities. To combat this problem we must establish a board to censor certain movies, or we must limit admission to persons over 21 years of age. Apparently our legislators are not concerned about this issue since a bill calling for such actions recently failed to receive a majority vote." Discuss how well… etc. Note: Examples above taken from The Official Guide for GMAT Review, published by GMAC. How will my analysis be scored? The analysis of an argument is scored in half-point increments on a scale of 0-6 according to the following criteria: |
| 0 | No score | A paper that is off topic, not in English, or a copy of the topic |
| 1 | Fundamentally Deficient | A paper providing little evidence of any ability to understand the argument and develop an organized response |
| 2 | Seriously Flawed | A paper that does not present a critique based on logical analysis and has serious errors in the use of language and structure |
| 3 | Limited | Some analysis present, but most of the important features are not analyzed appropriately, limited logical development and unclear support for points |
| 4 | Adequate | Issues and important aspects are identified and analyzed, ideas are organized adequately, sufficient control of language |
| 5 | Strong | Clearly identifies important features, logical organization and flow of ideas, demonstrates control of language |
| 6 | Outstanding | Insightful critique of argument, logically supporting main points with well developed idea, effective control of language |
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You will be graded by both a computer and a human. If the two
disagree, a third human marker will grade your
submission. MBA schools you apply for receive you AWA scores separately than the verbal and quantitative sections of the GMAT, and can request to see the papers you have written. |
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10 Tips for success on argument analysis:
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