Analysis of Issue and Argument Essay - updated

Analysis of Issue Essay

I believe all my previous posts could have helped you to get the basic idea about the New GRE, so i started to explain individual topics in the GRE test, so this is the time to analyze about the issue task in the new GRE, what are the essential guidelines to write a good Issue Essay and score great, read this post completely to get the broad idea about the Issue Task.

Guidelines:

1.) This Issue Task will usually have a statement or two, stating about the issue 

2.) It is usually a straight forward question, so no need to get confused. 

3.) After that statement, follow the set of instructions telling you how to address the topic. 

4.) This guidelines could be followed to all the Issue essays irrespective of the topic.

     a.) Please read the instructions carefully to make sure your response fits well into the issue essay and don't differ from the topic. 

     b.) You have to explain your position/side on an issue, since All the issue topics will have two sides. 

     c.) You must justify your opinion of the topic under discussion with adequate reasons and some sets of examples. 

     d.) There is no "correct/wrong" side in the issue task: just decide your position on the topic after consideration of the pros and cons.

     e.) Always try to be 80-90 one-sided in your discussion, don't fluctuate and confuse the examiner. 

     f.) It is wise to spend the first 5 minutes in thinking and planning. Use your scratch paper and try to think of some 3-5 specific examples on the topic and support your point of view.

    g.) Please look at the topic in a holistic way to show that you are aware of the implications of the different positions on the topic.

Format of your essay:

1.) First of all, there is no specific format for this issue essay, But its better to practice writing in your own unique format to attract the examiner. 

2.) Just beware of the time management, keep in mind always, that you have only 30 minutes to plan and write the essay, so don't show your novel writing skills in this issue
essay. Try to be specific to your topic, introduce your creative ideas in presenting the essay. 

4.) Try to have 2-4 examples , explaining 1 example per paragraph, makes it best organized essay, the more number of relative examples would definitely fetch you more marks 

5.) When you are preparing for the Issue Essay, practice to write as many issue essays as possible. It is better to practice the issue topics given in the official GRE site

NOTE: I would attach the issue topics pool from the official website of GRE soon... check my Blog later and download those topics and practice. 

6.) The Best format to follow for the Issue Essay is to start up with the Introduction paragraph stating about the issue and some of your examples(not explanation) , followed with 2-3 paragraphs of explaining your examples (explain only 1 example per paragraph) and finally conclude the issue essay by your points of view firmly stated.

NOTE: please make it organized by adding the best connectors at the start of each paragraph, don't make an abrupt start, it may look weird to the examiner. 

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The following format is the general format for the Issue task, so try to follow this simple format to score more. Usually the 3 part format has the following components to it:

Part I - Introduction: 

a.) Write an introduction explaining in your own words about the given Issue.  

b.) Try to put-forth your points to make it an interesting discussion, and make it clear why the topic is controversial.  

c.) It is wise to end your introduction paragraph by giving your thesis statement (conclusion), try to be specific in your conclusion, don't confuse the examiner.

Part II - The body of the essay 

a.) The Body of the essay should be specific, while the introduction and conclusion part could be general. 

b.) As described earlier, write 2-4 paragraphs to support your position. Each paragraph should explain your point with example and also give relevant reasons to your valuable point.

Note: please describe only 1 example per paragraph, don't have more than 1 example in a paragraph. It makes the paragraph poorly organized.  

c.) Do not try to give your loads of example, instead try to explain the 2-4 examples as elaborate as possible. These examples can be from your own experience or from your reading or knowledge of current affairs, history etc. 

d.) Don't forget to use connecting words and phrases (links) at the beginning of each paragraph to make it perfectly organized and thus the flow between the paragraphs remains in equilibrium. 

e.) Don't try to sound too dogmatic, always try to remain moderate in your speech.  

Note: always try to start with moderate words like "but" or "however" in your sentences.

Part III - Conclusion 

a.) Don't end your essay without giving a conclusive statement, it will be like watching a   thriller movie without the Climax scene. It would look awkward. 

b.) So never end your essay abruptly, try to bring down your previously described examples into the conclusion part and try to give your conclusion.

Note: Don't try to show your vocabulary skill by writing any complex word of unknown meaning. 

c.) Try to avoid repeating what you have said earlier; find something general to say that makes it clear that you have finished your discussion. 

Note: If you have any famous phrases related to the issue topic, add it in this conclusion paragraph. It may look attractive. 

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Analysis of Argument Essay

The Argument Essay is considered to be the most difficult part in GRE for all the test takers, so try to concentrate on this Argument essay. It has to written in some specific format to score great marks. Follow these guidelines and use this format to score great in your argument task:

Guidelines:

1.) This Argument Essay is completely different from what you could have written in your school days. So that is the reason, why it is felt tough by most of the GRE test takers. 

2.) In this Argument essay, you should not be over-reactive by giving your own points, strategies or argue against the author's view. You simply have to discuss whether the evidence provided warrants that conclusion.

3.) Definitely all the arguments given will have flaws. So try to advice the ways to overcome the flaw.

4.) In your initial reading try to find the main conclusion, identify the underlying logic of the argument and identify the major faults. The main categories of assumptions made by the author are:

a.) Causal Assumption

b.) Analogical Assumption

c.) Statistical Assumption

d.) Sampling Assumption

Format of your essay: 

1.) Here again, There is no specific format that the examiners recommend for addressing the Analyze an Argument task. 

2.) Keep in mind that, you have only 30 minutes to plan and write the essay, So its better to work out an approach that perfectly suits you.  

The following format is the basic format that could help the test takers, so try to follow this simple format , to score more marks in the Argument Essay:

Part I - Introduction 

1.) Try the introduction and argument in your own words . 

2.) End your paragraph with a statement such as:  

• However, this conclusion seems unwarranted, or 

• However, the information provided does not justify this conclusion or

• This conclusion is not well supported / fails to convince/ is flawed etc. 

3.) Try to adhere to the instructions given in the statement and try to point out to the flaws moderately, don't ever oppose the author's argument at any condition.

Part II - The body of the essay 

1.) Write 2-4 paragraphs to describe the line of argument according to the specific instructions given. 

2.) In the case in which you are asked to focus on alternative explanations, you can explain what alternative reasons to be considered. 

3.) Sometimes, the question of the argument needs to be addressed to evaluate the argument, so try to be focused on to the misleading figures, wrong analogies, unwarranted statistics and prove your point in the most humble way.

4.) There is not a particular way to workout this argument, So try to practice as many argument essays as possible to get the hold of the format. Try to practice the Argument essay topics available in the official GRE website. 

Note: Soon you can download the official Argument Essay topics from my blog. 

5.) Beware: There are some sample essays provided in the official website ETS, but don't try to copy any words of that in your own Argument essay, if the officials found you have copied the sentence from the sample essays, your score will be deducted.

Part III - What else is needed? 

1.) In the final paragraph, you should able to give a conclusion, not to give a specific conclusion, try to be general and moderate in your approach, So while concluding you try use the words like "may", "might" rather than using "should", "must" words; this way you could prove your genuineness and giving your non-aggressive conclusion. 

2.) It is also better to end the conclusion in doubt, as you may not be against the author's view here in argument essay. 

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That's it, i feel i have delivered all my points to you and it would definitely help all the beginners to understand the basics of the Issue and Argument Task. If you feel i missed a very good point here, please mail me........As we are Human who are prone to do mistakes ....its better to correct it fast......Soon i will be posting the sample issue and argument essays....Stay tuned ......please do subscribe to this Blog to get his valuable information..

Scoring Guide for the Issue Task

Score Guide for the Issue Task

This is the scoring guide obtained from the official website of GRE for Issue Task, www.ets.org/gre

Score 6

In addressing the specific task directions, a 6 response presents a cogent, well-articulated analysis of the issue and conveys meaning skillfully.

A typical response in this category:

• articulates a clear and insightful position on the issue in accordance with the assigned task
• develops the position fully with compelling reasons and/or persuasive examples
• sustains a well-focused, well-organized analysis, connecting ideas logically
• conveys ideas fluently and precisely, using effective vocabulary and sentence variety
• demonstrates facility with the conventions of standard written English (i.e., grammar, usage and mechanics), but may have minor errors

Score 5

In addressing the specific task directions, a 5 response presents a generally thoughtful, well-developed analysis of the issue and conveys meaning clearly.

A typical response in this category:

• presents a clear and well-considered position on the issue in accordance with the assigned task
• develops the position with logically sound reasons and/or well-chosen examples
• is focused and generally well organized, connecting ideas appropriately
• conveys 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

In addressing the specific task directions, a 4 response presents a competent analysis of the issue and conveys meaning with acceptable clarity.

A typical response in this category:

• presents a clear position on the issue in accordance with the assigned task
• develops the position with relevant reasons and/or examples
• is adequately focused and organized
• demonstrates sufficient control of language to express ideas with reasonable clarity
• generally demonstrates control of the conventions of standard written English, but may have some errors

Score 3

A 3 response demonstrates some competence in addressing the specific task directions, in analyzing the issue and in conveying meaning, but is obviously flawed.

A typical response in this category exhibits ONE OR MORE of the following characteristics:

• is vague or limited in addressing the specific task directions and in presenting or developing a position on the issue
• is weak in the use of relevant reasons or examples or relies largely on unsupported claims
• 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 response largely disregards the specific task directions and/or demonstrates serious weaknesses in analytical writing.

A typical response in this category exhibits ONE OR MORE of the following characteristics:

• is unclear or seriously limited in addressing the specific task directions and in presenting or developing a position on the issue
• provides few, if any, relevant reasons or examples in support of its claims
• is unfocused and/or disorganized
• has serious problems in 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 response demonstrates fundamental deficiencies in analytical writing.

A typical response in this category exhibits ONE OR MORE of the following characteristics:

• provides little or no evidence of understanding 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

A typical response in this category is off topic (i.e., provides no evidence of an attempt to address the assigned topic), is in a foreign language, merely copies the topic, consists of only keystroke characters or is illegible or nonverbal.

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SOURCE: The Above score guide is the official score guide found in the www.ets.org

Analytical Writing in New GRE

Analytical Writing in New GRE

1.) Analytical Writing plays the vital part in every GRE exam. 
2.) Analytical Writing scores are valued by several universities to test the student's critical thinking and logical writing skills. 
3.) Analytical Writing needs your creativity, verbal skills, Structure and Sequence of Paragraphs to get you to a great score.
4.) The Analytical Writing is the first part of every GRE examination and its never in the experimental section. 

The Analytical Writing consists of 2 sections , they are :

1.) Issue Task

2.) Argument Essay

GRE Issue Task: (30 minutes)

1.) In the GRE issue essay, you will be given a topic that is debatable. 
2.) It can have two sides to it, one is in support of the topic and the other is against the topic. You can decide upon the stand you want to take and develop your line of thought in the GRE issue essay that you write. 
3.) Basically, In GRE Issue Task, you should write your view, your thoughts, your experiences and examples to support your valuable points.

4.) Try to make your essay impressive and strong. The GRE issue essay should not only be convincing, it should be written in grammatically correct English and must have a
logical connectivity throughout the essay.
5.) Connectivity is the key, so One thought should lead to another. 
6.) In your Issue Essay don't ever try to divert from the topic and start discussing another issue. By doing this, the logic and connectivity of the essay is lost.

7.) The GRE issue essay tests various skills of the student. It is not only a test of his thinking capabilities, but it also checks his writing abilities. It measures how a student can express his thoughts. It also tests the use of grammar and sentence formation of the student.


Preparing for the GRE Issue Task: 
1.) The GRE issue essay is considerably different from the argument essay. It would be a blunder to attempt these essays in the manner that you have been writing the essays in your previous classes. 

2.) The GRE issue essay requires preparation before the test. While preparing for the GRE issue essay, the student should understand what is asked in a GRE issue essay. He should know the word limit of the essay, the marks and the time allotted to the essay writing section.

3.)During your preparation for the Issue Essay, try to attempt as many sample questions of GRE issue essays as possible. Reading and learning is important, but writing and applying your knowledge is equally important. 
4.) So Practice is the key to your success, By practicing more, you get familiarized to the test pattern, get hold of your time and above all it makes you familiar with the real test, which helps you to gain confidence and remove your inhibitions.

5.) So make it a point to prepare for the GRE issue essays as well, when you are preparing for your GRE test. 

GRE Argument Task: (30 minutes)

1.) The GRE argument essay is a very important part of the GRE test. 
2.) The GRE argument essay is different from the normal essays that you have been writing as well as from the issue essay asked in the same section of the test.
3.) It is very essential to understand the needs of the GRE argument essay before attempting it.

4.) The question of GRE argument essay is in the form of an argument written by an author. It represents the author's view about an issue. 
5.) You are required to discuss the credibility of the argument. That means you will have to discuss the logic behind the argument. Whether the author is correct in maintaining his thought or he is mistaken and ignores some important issues that can render the argument baseless in some cases. 
6.) You can discuss the areas where the argument does not hold good and suggest an alternate argument or can add something to the same argument in order to make it more logical.

7.) Please do remember that Don't try to out-smart your task, it will lead to disaster. In this Argument essay student is not required to give his point of view or refute the topic. Instead, you should critically analyze the topic and discuss the validity of the argument.

8.)The GRE argument essay is considered difficult by most of the students. However, proper understanding and preparation can help in overcoming the difficulty of the GRE argument essay.

Preparing for the GRE Issue Task: 
1.) This GRE Argument Essay needs specific way of preparation and the students are required to analyze the Argument of Author completely and to look for the key-points , Assumption and Conclusion of the Author's Argument.

2.) Place these assumptions in different situations and find out if the argument holds true in all these situations. The best way to attempt the GRE argument essay is by attacking the argument from as many aspects as possible.

3.) It also requires you to have a good language. For this the only way is to read, read, read a lot. This will help you to understand the correct usage of the language and will make your grammar stronger.Thus Reading helps to build your vocabulary to a great extent. So  Using good words improves the quality of the essay.

4.) It is better to practice sample GRE argument essays and go through as many solved essays as possible. You can get essays that are given a score and their shortcomings are explained. This Way you could Efficiently write the Argument Essay and could score great in Analytical Writing section.

The Detailed instructions about the GRE Analytical Writing is given in the Official ETS New GRE E-book:

Click the Below link to Download it:

File name: analytical writing.pdf

I Believe this Post could helped you to get the Brief Idea About the Analytical Section, Ways to Prepare for the Issue and Argument Task and Key-points to keep note of. 

So Subscribe this Blog for getting regular updates about the New Revised GRE.    

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The sample issue and argument essays will be posted soon.....