About the Analytical Writing Assessment

The first part of the GMAT® exam is the Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA): a two-part essay exam designed to measure your ability to think critically and convey your ideas effectively in writing. The AWA con- sists of two separate writing questions: an Analysis of an Argument and an Analysis of an Issue.You will have 30 minutes to write each essay.  Analysis of an Issue For the Analysis of an Issue essay, you will be presented with a short statement (one to three sentences) about an issue, and you will be asked to take a position on the issue. Your essay should clearly state your opinion and support that opinion with specific reasons and examples. Issue Topics The issue topics can be about anything, including business, social, political, or ethical matters. Whatever their subject matter, issue topics will be general enough so that all test takers can form a reasonable opinion on the issue. You will not need prior or specialized knowledge of the subject to write an effective essay. For example, CHAPTER About the Analytical Writing Assessment 14 221 you do not need specific knowledge of how successful corporations work to answer the Analysis of an Issue prompt from the pretest. Indeed, this prompt is a good example of how open AWA issue questions usually are. Notice, for example, the number of terms that can be defined in many ways, leaving the prompt open to a wide range of responses: “Successful corporations have a moral responsibility to contribute to society by supporting education, nonprofit services, or the arts.” What makes a successful corporation? What sort of responsibility is needed? What kind of contribu- tion must be made? What kind of support is required? This prompt can generate many different responses depending upon the focus each writer chooses. Here is a sampling of the kinds of general issues you might see on the AWA: ■ what schools should teach students (e.g., ethics versus academics) ■ the best methods for protecting the environment ■ the best way to motivate employees ■ the keys to success ■ the best way to improve employee-supervisor relations ■ the impact of technology, consumerism, globalism, mass media, or other predominant features of our culture or times ■ the responsibilities of government, corporations, or individuals ■ the best preparation for the workforce ■ corporate policies, especially regarding employees, privacy, and the environment ■ healthcare ■ advances in science and technology, especially those that impact the workplace Analyzing the Issue The AWA is designed to measure both your writing and analytical skills. Thus, to receive a high score on this essay, you must show evidence that you have carefully considered all sides of the issue and the pros and cons of your position. As you plan your response, consider the following questions: ■ What positions can be taken on the issue? ■ What are the pros and cons of each major position? This does not mean that a good Analysis of an Issue essay will explain each position and present all of the pros and cons for each side; not enough time is available for such a comprehensive review. However, your essay should do the following: ■ Acknowledge the other side, especially powerful counterarguments that might be made by the opposition ■ Concede any serious drawbacks or flaws in your position – ABOUT THE ANALYTICAL WRITING ASSESSMENT – 222 For example, the Analysis of an Issue essay in the pretest skillfully acknowledged the opposition and then presented a rebuttal to that position: Although some may argue that corporations have a responsibility only to their stakeholders and their bottom line and do not legally have a responsibility to “do good” in society, they miss the point that social responsibility is in the best interest of the company. Companies that actively par- ticipate in social programs aimed at curbing crime, fighting poverty and illiteracy, and teaching skills to those in need reap bottom-line benefits from their social programs every day. These pro- grams not only have a positive impact on the local communities where they are enacted, but they also continue to deliver dividends to the organization in positive public relations, building the image of the company in the eyes of the community and developing a more effective employee base.  Analysis of an Argument For your Analysis of an Argument essay, you will be presented with a short argument (one paragraph that is one to five sentences long).Your task will be to critique the reasoning behind that argument. In this essay, you should not offer your opinion of the issue in the argument; instead, you must offer your assessment of the argument by evaluating the logic (or lack thereof) of the claims. Argument Topics The argument in your writing prompt can also be about any topic, although a majority of the topics are some- how related to business. Once again, you will not need to have any specific knowledge about that topic to respond effectively in an essay. For example, the Analysis of an Argument prompt in the pretest is business related, but you do not need to know anything about owning a restaurant to successfully critique the argu- ment. You just need to be able to analyze the argument and present your analysis in an organized and engag- ing manner. The following is a sampling of the kinds of general subjects you might find in argument prompts on the AWA: ■ strategies for improving business or services ■ which products or services to choose ■ how to spend funds or save money ■ health and environmental issues ■ societal trends – ABOUT THE ANALYTICAL WRITING ASSESSMENT – 223 AWA Prompt List Want to see the AWA writing prompts from last year’s GMAT exam? You can download a complete list of the 2001–2002 AWA essay prompts from the website www.mba.com/mba/TaketheGMAT/Tools/AWATopics2001.htm. 224 Analyzing the Argument On the analysis level, your readers will be looking for evidence that you have considered the following questions: ■ What assumptions underlie the argument? Are they reasonable or problematic? If they are problematic, why? ■ What is the conclusion of the argument? Is it a logical conclusion based on the evidence? ■ Does the argument have any logical fallacies? ■ What evidence would help strengthen the argument? ■ Are there counterarguments or alternative explanations that would weaken the conclusion? ■ Is there any information that would help you better evaluate the conclusion? Although the arguments on the AWA may be somewhat logical, they will usually have at least one sig- nificant flaw that you will need to recognize. The argument may do the following: ■ be based on problematic assumptions ■ jump to conclusions ■ compare apples to oranges ■ ignore alternative explanations ■ show poor reasoning The argument from the pretest, for example, was based on the problematic assumption that location is everything and a move was therefore necessary to improve business. This ignored alternative explanations for the lack of business, including the possibility that customers were simply dissatisfied with the food, price, or service. It also did not consider other possibilities for attracting customers to the current location. Finally, it neglected to consider the high cost of the move. A solid grasp of critical reasoning skills is essential not only for the critical reasoning questions on the Verbal section but also for an effective analysis of the argument on the AWA. To review critical reasoning skills, see pages 87–107. To earn a 4, 5, or 6 on the AWA, your essays will need to have the following six characteristics: • A clear main idea (thesis). Do you have something to say? In the issue essay, have you taken a clear posi- tion? In the argument essay, have you expressed your main assessment of the argument? • Sufficient development. Have you explained your position or your judgment of the argument? • Strong support. Have you supported your ideas with specific reasons and examples? • Effective organization. Have you presented your ideas and support in a logical order? • Clear, controlled sentences. Do your ideas come across clearly in properly constructed sentences? • Grammatical correctness. Have you followed the conventions of standard written English? Remember that this is an analytical writing assessment. An essay may be beautifully written, but if it doesn’t show evidence of critical reasoning, it will not receive a top score. What Makes a Good Essay? 225  How the Essays Are Scored Two independent readers will score each AWA essay holistically on a scale of 0 (lowest) to 6 (highest). Read- ers will take into consideration the overall effectiveness of each essay, including its content, style, and gram- matical correctness. An essay that expresses sophisticated ideas in sentences full of errors will not receive a top score, but that same essay can earn a 6 even if it has a couple of grammatical mistakes or an awkwardly phrased sentence. A holistic approach means that readers will be looking for the following elements: ■ the level of critical thinking evident in your ideas ■ effective organization ■ sufficient development of ideas ■ strong and sufficient support of ideas ■ effective word choice and sentence structure ■ clear and controlled sentences ■ a command of the conventions of standard written English Your AWA score will be the average of all four scores, two for each essay. If two scores for one essay dif- fer by more than one point, a third independent reader will rate your essay and all five scores will be aver- aged for your total AWA score. Getting to Know E-rater ® As we noted in the first chapter, one of your readers will be a college or university faculty member specially trained to review GMAT essays. The other reader, however, is likely to be a computer program called E-rater®, Follow Directions Your essay will not be scored if you write on a topic other than what was assigned. It is extremely important that you respond to the prompt you are given. Never write about a different topic. 226 which “reads”the essays looking for very specific elements. E-rater cannot understand your ideas and will not grasp the nuances of your argument and style. Rather, it looks for evidence that you have presented a logi- cal, well-organized argument in clear and controlled sentences. Although some might argue that this is a highly superficial way to score an essay, the general writing elements that E-rater will be assessing are the same elements that human readers — who really only have a few minutes to devote to each essay — are also looking for. These elements include the following: ■ the number and length of paragraphs and other indications of logical grouping of ideas ■ transitions and other words and phrases that suggest the development and organization of ideas (e.g., in addition, more important) ■ variety in sentence structure (varied sentence length and combinations of phrases and clauses) ■ correct grammar and mechanics (punctuation, capitalization, and spelling) Keep It Simple Because you only have a half-hour to write each essay, because human readers must read AWA essays quickly, and because E-rater is designed to look for fundamental structural elements, a simple, straightforward pres- entation of your ideas using all of the signposts possible is the best way to write on this exam. Don’t try to write an elaborate, complicated essay, and do not try to gain points by showing off sophisticated stylistic tech- niques. Aim for simplicity and clarity throughout your essays. Instead of implying your main idea, for example, make sure you have a clear thesis statement for your essay and topic sentences for each paragraph. Choose a simple, easily recognizable organizational pattern for your ideas. Use transitions between sentences and paragraphs, even if the connections seem obvious to you. Avoid stylistic techniques that you might sometimes use for emphasis. For example, sometimes a one-word sentence or paragraph can have great impact as a stylistic technique. However, E-rater is likely to see it as a grammatical error (sentence fragment) or an underdeveloped paragraph. Instead, stick to a more traditional sentence or paragraph length. The GMAT Scoring Rubric Although scoring an essay is far more subjective than correcting a multiple-choice exam, the GMAC has devel- oped a detailed scoring rubric to guide its human readers through the essay-scoring process. This rubric lists the specific criteria that essays should meet for each score. The following shows a scoring rubric modeled after the official GMAT scoring guide. Be sure to review the scoring guide carefully. The more you know about what is expected of you in the essay, the better you will be able to meet those expectations. – ABOUT THE ANALYTICAL WRITING ASSESSMENT – 227 The content of your written response shows an understanding and interpretation of the issue or argument and the task presented in the prompt. The development of your written response gives a clear and logical explanation of ideas using spe- cific and relevant support. The organization of your written response shows a coherent, orderly, and well-reasoned approach. The expression of your ideas reflects an awareness of audience, a com- mand of vocabu- lary and sentence structure, and an ability to use lan- guage to convey purpose. The use of stan- dard English in your written response exhibits the correct use of spelling, punctua- tion, paragraph organization, capitalization, and grammar. SCORE 6 ■ Forms a thesis statement that reveals an in- depth under- standing of the issue or argument. ■ Presents a sophisticated and insightful analysis of the issue or argu- ment. ■ Develops ideas clearly and fully. ■ Provides a wide range of rele- vant and spe- cific evidence to support the thesis state- ment. ■ Maintains the focus of the thesis state- ment. ■ Uses a logical and coherent structure. ■ Applies skillful writing devices and transitions. ■ Exhibits a mature, sophis- ticated use of language that is precise and engaging. ■ Has a voice and a sense of awareness of audience and purpose. ■ Varies the structure and length of sen- tences to enhance meaning. ■ Shows control of the conven- tions of stan- dard English. ■ Has few, if any, errors even when using sophisticated language. ■ Forms a thesis statement that reveals a thor- ough under- standing of the issue or argument and the task pre- sented in the prompt. ■ Presents a clear and thoughtful analysis of the issue or argu- ment. ■ Develops ideas clearly and consistently. ■ Makes refer- ence to relevant and specific evidence that supports the thesis state- ment. ■ Maintains the focus of the thesis state- ment. ■ Uses a logical sequence of ideas. ■ Applies the appropriate writing devices and transitions. ■ Uses language that is fluent and original. ■ Has an aware- ness of audi- ence and purpose. ■ Varies the structure and length of sen- tences to con- trol the rhythm and pacing. ■ Shows control of the conven- tions of stan- dard English, but may have some errors, especially when using sophisti- cated language or sentence structure. 5 CONTENT DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION EXPRESSION CONVENTIONS – ABOUT THE ANALYTICAL WRITING ASSESSMENT – 228 ■ Forms a thesis statement that shows a basic understanding of the issue or argument and the task pre- sented in the prompt. ■ Presents a rea- sonable analy- sis, often of the most obvi- ous aspects of the issue or argument. ■ Develops some ideas more fully than others. ■ Provides some specific and rel- evant evidence to support the thesis statement. ■ Maintains a clear and appro- priate focus throughout most of the essay. ■ Uses a logical sequence of ideas but may lack consis- tency. ■ Uses appropri- ate language. ■ Shows some awareness of audience and purpose. ■ Occasionally varies the sen- tence structure and length. ■ Shows incom- plete control of standard English. ■ Has some errors but they do not interfere with comprehension. 4 3 ■ Forms a thesis statement that shows a basic understanding of the issue or argument and the task pre- sented in the prompt. ■ Presents an incomplete analysis of the issue or argu- ment or neg- lects important aspects of the analysis. ■ Develops ideas briefly. ■ Provides some evidence and support material to support the thesis statement. ■ Creates, but does not main- tain an appro- priate focus. ■ Uses a basic structure but may include some inconsis- tencies or irrele- vancies. ■ Uses very basic vocabulary. ■ Demonstrates little sense of audience or pur- pose. ■ Attempts to vary the sentence structure or length but has uneven success. ■ Attempts to control standard English but has some errors that interfere with comprehension. – ABOUT THE ANALYTICAL WRITING ASSESSMENT – 229 2 ■ Expresses a confused or incomplete understanding of the issue or argument and the task pre- sented in the prompt. ■ Makes little attempt to analyze the issue or argu- ment or pres- ents a fundamentally flawed analysis. ■ Is a combination of incomplete or undeveloped ideas. ■ Uses references that are vague, irrelevant, repet- itive, or unsubstantiated. ■ Suggests some organization but lacks an appro- priate focus. ■ Suggests a focus but lacks organization. ■ Uses language that is often simple and imprecise or that may be unsuitable for the audience or purpose. ■ Shows little awareness of how to use sen- tences to achieve a rhyth- mic effect. ■ Shows little control of stan- dard English. ■ Has frequent errors that inter- fere with comprehension. 1 ■ Gives minimal or no evidence of understand- ing of the issue or argument. ■ Makes little or no attempt to analyze the issue or argu- ment. ■ Has minimal evi- dence of devel- opment. ■ Shows no focus or organization. ■ Uses language that is very lim- ited, incoherent, and/or inappro- priate. ■ Shows little or no ability to vary the sentence structure or length. ■ Is limited, mak- ing the assess- ment of conventions unreliable. ■ Is illegible or not recognized as English. 0 ■ If response is totally unre- lated to the topic, incoher- ent, or blank, the essay will be given a 0. Get Real Scores for Your Practice Essays For a fee of $20, you can complete an official practice AWA and have it scored by the GMAC in the same way your GMAT AWA will be scored. For more information, visit the GMAC website at www.mba.com/mba/Store/ products/EssayInsight.htm. 230 How Long Should the Essays Be? Although length is not a guarantee of a high score — you could write 500 words of fluff — the length of the essay and the score are related. In general, longer essays are more effective because they take the time to suf- ficiently develop and support their ideas. As a general guide, you will need to write at least four or five paragraphs to have a strong, sufficiently developed essay. This includes an introductory paragraph that states your main idea, two or three paragraphs developing and supporting that main idea, and a brief concluding paragraph. Your essay should run approx- imately 400 to 600 words with an average of three to five sentences per paragraph. But remember, this is just a general guide. An essay with seven or eight shorter paragraphs might be just as effective as an essay with four longer ones. Keep these paragraph suggestions in mind, but focus on developing and supporting your ideas. . – ABOUT THE ANALYTICAL WRITING ASSESSMENT – 222 For example, the Analysis of an Issue essay in the pretest skillfully acknowledged the opposition and then. CONVENTIONS – ABOUT THE ANALYTICAL WRITING ASSESSMENT – 228 ■ Forms a thesis statement that shows a basic understanding of the issue or argument and the task