1、800SCORE AWAChapter 1：Guide to the E-rater and the AWAIntroductionThe Analytical Writing Assessment, more than any other element of GMAT preparation, hasbenefits that extend far beyond test day. The skills, reasoning tools, and techniques you learn forthe AWA may be applied to any essay or persuasiv
2、e writing. These skills will help you throughbusiness school and beyond.The AWA can be beaten. The essay topics are available for you to review beforehand. Thestructures for the AWA answers are simple and may be learned.Here are some tips before we get started: Grammar and spelling is, by-and-large,
3、 less important than structure and content. Focuson structure and your argument formation. The E-raters main impact is to put more value on highly structured writing and the use of“key“ words and phrases that the E-rater recognizes. Take plenty of timed practice tests on a computer. Our sample essay
4、s on the site aredesigned for you to take practice essays and be evaluated. Do not procrastinate AWA preparation. Students tend to put off the AWA until it is too lateand then they cannot adequately prepare.The new E-rater will grade your test along with a human grader. If they disagree, it will bes
5、ent to a third human grader. Thus, if you do not write your essay in the proper format for the Eraterit could lead to a lower score. Throughout the guidebook we have tips on the E-rater and asection exclusively about the E-rater.The AWA consists of two 30-minute sections, the Analysis of Issue essay
6、 and the Analysisof Argument essay. You will receive a grade from 1 to 6, which will be sent with your GMATscores.The guide is divided into these sections:Chapter 1: Introduction (this page)Chapter 2: Analysis of IssueChapter 3: Analysis of ArgumentChapter 4: About the E-raterChapter 5: Improving Yo
7、ur WritingChapter 6: Getting the Real Essay QuestionsChapter 2: Analysis of IssueIn the Analysis of Issue question you discuss your opinion toward an issue. You write a wellbalancedanalysis of the issue the test presents to you.These are the most common topics: Governments role in ensuring the welfa
8、re of its citizens Culture and social mores, attitudes, values Management/organizational structure/behavior Business: advertising and marketing Business: labor and employment issue Business-its overall role and objectives in society Governments regulatory responsibilities.Here is an example of an An
9、alysis of Issue question:Following the Colorado massacre of schoolchildren, many lawmakers have proposed that aninternational body regulate the internet so that sites which provide information to terrorists shouldbe eliminated.Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the above opinion.
10、 Support your opinionwith reasons and examples.The people who grade the Analysis of Issue for the GMAT expect the following:i) A well-developed essay that is logical and coherent;ii) An essay that demonstrates critical thinking skills;iii) An essay which uses varied sentence structure and vocabulary
11、;iv) An essay that uses the language of standard written English;v) An essay that is free of mechanical errors in spelling, punctuation, capitalization; andvi) An essay that follows the conventions of standard written English.Analysis of Issue: ContentHow do I write a well-balanced essay?You should
12、always acknowledge both sides of an issue. Among the sample essays there is notone irrefutable essay, yet you must pick a side. The trick to doing this is to persuade the reader that,despite the counter-arguments, your position is the strongest one overall.Try to “straddle the fence“ between both si
13、des of the issue by making limited use of qualifiers.This will allow you to acknowledge the opposing view and appear scholarly. (Note that overuse ofqualifiers will make the essay appear too vague and dilute an argument you are making.)In general, take a politically correct opinion or an opinion tha
14、t a majority of top scorers mighttake. However, if you do not think you can write an effective politically-correct essay, adjust yourcontent to fit what you can comfortably express. In general, though, stay uncontroversial andbalanced. Do not use it as a forum to be an ideologue. Writing a highly ch
15、arged essay might evokea bias from the reader (if he disagrees with you) and it also may confuse the E-rater, since youessay will not resemble any essays it has stored in its database. Try to approach each issue in adispassionate and balanced manner.Nevertheless, you must be sure to take a stand. Yo
16、u must pick a side that will “win out“ in theconclusion/introduction. The test instructions specifically tell you to pick a side. Make sure todisagree or agree with the questions statement.How in-depth should the essays be?Your essay is short (you have only 30 minutes), so you wont be able to cover
17、every possibleargument, rebuttal and example. When you start the test set aside a few minutes to set up thepoints and examples. You do not have to cover every idea/concept. Most GMAT students do nothave time to cover everything they would like to cover. Choose the most persuasive relevantpoints and
18、examples to use. The GMAT graders do not expect you to go in-depth on every topic.The most important concern here is that you do not go off of the main subject. Stay focusedon the topic. Do not either go off on tangential arguments or excessively focus on one example.Where should I get examples?The
19、instructions (with only a few exceptions) allow you to draw upon your personalexperiences in developing your answer to each essay question. This practice is acceptable, butdont overdo it. You should generally rely more on academic knowledge than personalexperiences.Your examples and knowledge can be
20、 impressive, but you shouldnt go too far. Dont try toimpress the grader with you expertise in a narrow area. The AWA tests analytical writing, notspecific subject knowledge.Where do I get essay issue ideas?The topics in the Analysis of Issue section are commonly addressed in policy-orientedmagazines
21、. Wall Street Journal editorial page Forbes The Economist The New Republic SlateInternational Students: Read these American magazines as much as possible to see howAmericans structure their writing and to stay updated on issues.Write with your grader in mindWhen you write your Issue essay, remember
22、that you are fundamentally writing youressay to please your grader. ETS essay graders will typically be under-employed academics. Theirony is that B-school candidates, with hopes of multiple 6-figure salary offers, come from anentirely different worldview. Dont ramble in a self-righteous manner. The
23、 graders will too easilydismiss you as another arrogant MBA candidate.Keep it concisePut yourself in the position of a grader. They grade essays all day. Wouldnt you favor aconcise and effective essay with 5 paragraphs of 4 sentences each more than a 4 paragraphrambling essay with 10 sentences in ea
24、ch paragraph? The bottom line: keep the essays crisp,concise, and written in a manner appealing to the grader. This is particularly important on theAnalysis of Issue question, where you essay expresses personal opinions.Analysis of Issue: StructureStructure is the most important part of your essay.
25、Your essay must be written in a standardformat with the standard logical transitions. The E-rater will scan your essay to identify if it has astandard structure. Introduction/Conclusion- These elements will provide the structure for your essay andkeep you on track. Number of Paragraphs. To satisfy t
26、he E-rater, your essay should be 4 to 5paragraphs: an introduction, a conclusion, and three “body“ paragraphs. Each paragraph shouldhave 2 to 5 sentences (total essay about 300-400 words).Note: You should skip a line between paragraphs since the TAB key does notfunction in the essay section.Essay Te
27、mplateThe template is just a guideline. You do not have to adhere to it. Often you will have to makechanges to suit your argument. The numbers of sentences indicated for each paragraph is a guideline that variesdepending on how much content you have. The transitional phrases we use in the Template a
28、re intentionally simplistic. This is nota simple approach where you can “fill-in-the-blanks.“ Flesh out the template somewhat and use itas a guideline to write a disciplined and focused essay.Template1) Introductory Paragraph (2-4 sentences)Make sure to keep your introductory paragraph concise, stro
29、ng and effective.What the introductory paragraph should accomplish: Explain the issue (briefly). Show that you understand the full complexities of the issue (for example, by recognizingcompeting interests or various factors). State your position on the issue (without the details yet).Sample template
30、 for introductory paragraph (2 sentences):a) Whether _ depends on _.b) (Insert your opinion), _.2) First Body Paragraph (3-5 sentences)Begin to develop your position with your most important reason. Use one or two examples to backup your main point:a) The chief reason for my view is _.b) For example
31、, _.c) Moreover, _.d) Finally, _.3) Second Body ParagraphExpand your position with a “secondary“ reason. Support your rationale further with at least oneexample. State your second reason (one only). Provide rationale and/or evidence to support it.Heres a sample template for the second body paragraph
32、 that accomplishes these objectives:a) Another reason for my view is_.b) Specifically,_.c) The result is,_.4) Optional Third Body ParagraphIn this paragraph (optional) you acknowledge a competing viewpoint or counter-argument (andrationale and/or examples that support it), and then provide rebuttals
33、 to further support yourposition. In this paragraph you walk a tightrope, you must acknowledge the counter-argument, butyet deny it immediately in the next sentence and use that denial to strengthen your own argument. Acknowledge a different viewpoint or a counter-argument. Provide rationale and/or
34、examples that support it. Provide a rebuttal.Heres a sample template for the third body paragraph that accomplishes the objectives indicatedabove:a) Some might argue,_.b) Yet,_c) Others might cite, _.d) However,_.5) Conclusion ParagraphIn this paragraph you write a summary of your position in 1 to 3
35、 sentences: State the thrust of your position. Restate the main points from the body of your essay.The concluding paragraph is not the place for new information or reasons. It is not a place to drawnew conclusions.a) In sum, I concur that _.b) However,_; on the whole_.Time Breakdown:How to write a c
36、oherent 300 word essay in 30 minutes1. Examine the issue (2-3 minutes)a. What is the basic issue? Try to phrase it as a question.b. Those in favor would say.c. Those against would say.2. Choose what points you want to make (4-5 minutes)a. Arguments in favor:b. Arguments opposed:c. Take a side: which
37、 side do you prefer?d. What are the assumptions in the arguments?Step 3: Outline (1 minute)Use the templates on the prior page.1. Make sure that your outline:a. states the central idea of the essay clearly and forcefully;b. provides a word or phrase for every paragraph in the essay;c. relates each p
38、aragraph to the central idea of the essay in (2a) above;d. includes an opening and closing paragraph which tie the essay together.2. Build your paragraphs in the essay carefully. You may produce effective writing in the GMATanalytical writing section on the analysis of an issue by following a few si
39、mple rules:a. Each paragraph should state a central idea which relates to the central idea of the entireessay.b. Every statement in each paragraph should relate to the central idea of the paragraph in (3a)above. In each paragraph, use examples to support the central idea or explain it completely.c.
40、Consciously choose paragraph length, for if your paragraphs are all too short (one or twosentences), you will be penalized, and if they are too long you will also be penalized.Step 4: Write/type your essay (20 minutes) Whats your thesis sentence? Arguments for Arguments opposed.Step 5: Proofread you
41、r work (2 minutes)Check for grammar, spelling, etc.Chapter 3: Analysis of ArgumentWhat is an Argument?A strong argument attempts to persuade the reader to accept a point of view. As such, itconsists of a proposition, a declarative statement which is capable of being argued, and a proof, areason or g
42、round which is supported by evidence. The evidence, in turn, is composed of relevantfacts, opinions based on facts and careful reasoning. If you are analyzing an argument, you shouldlook for both of these: a proposition and the evidence supporting the proposition.In the same way that an analysis of
43、issue essay must start with a thesis, so also an essaythat analyzes an argument must start with a topic sentence which provides for the analysis of aproposition. Every argument should have a proposition, and the identification of this proposition iscrucial to the writing of an analysis of an argumen
44、t. For instance, the following could appear inthe analytical writing section of the GMAT:The two clauses beginning with since provide evidence in support of the proposition. In turn,the proposition itself is framed by the second sentence.Since the world population will double to 11 billion people by
45、 the middle of the 21stcentury and since food production will not show a corresponding increase, effortsshould be made to limit population growth. Governments must institute populationcontrol policies to insure an adequate food supply for future generations.One aspect of argumentation that needs spe
46、cial attention is the use of terms. In an argument,all of the terms should be clear and well-defined. If the terms are unclear, proof is likely to beimpossible, creating a weak argument. One type of weak term is the emotionally loaded term.Terms such as “socialized medicine“ evoke emotional response
47、s and, thus, obscure the argument.Thus, anyone who writes an analysis of an argument should examine the terms used and be surethat the writer avoids emotive, subjective terms. To the extent of your ability, make sure that thewriter defines terms clearly and objectively.In addition, the people who wr
48、ite and grade the analysis of an argument section for theGMAT expect the following:i) They want an essay that analyzes the several aspects of the argument with critical insight.ii) They want a cogently developed essay that is logical.iii) They want a coherent essay with well-chosen transitional devices.iv) They also expect an essay that uses varied sentence structure and vocabulary.v) They expect an essay that is free of mechanical error
