How to Write an Argument Task of AWA in GRE Test

How to Write an Argument Task of AWA in GRE Test

Argument task is one of two essays of Analytical Writing Assessment in GRE test which is to be driven to analyze and evaluate the author’s argument.  The task provides a brief passage in which the author interprets events by presenting claims and supporting evidence. One has to examine the claims made and critically assess the logic of the author's position. This task is a given argument with specific instructions on what to highlight in the answer as a relevant response. The argument segment of AWA is a premise where the test taker is to evaluate the logical soundness of an argument rather than to agree or disagree with the position it presents, according to specific instructions. There is nothing to fix aided by own opinions rather the argument is to be flawed and the reflected underlying conclusion is to be presented based on the evidence and reasoning provided within 30 minutes to be evaluated on the basis of ability to think critically.

The GRE argument task is to be presented in a standard structure as five/six-paragraph comprehension/essay to write confidently and score smartly:

Introduction

The argument task is to be started with a single step to make the essay elegant with clarity and cognition as an introduction following a stage of brain-storming phase to identify, among other things, the conclusion, evidence, and underlying assumptions of the argument that’s being presented.

·      Introduction should consist of three or four sentences linked and presented with cogent lucidity. The facts or proposals of the author is to be summarized here

·      The author’s conclusion is to be identified as evidence and is to be restated and hinted briefly which will be reflected in the body paragraphs with logical reasoning.

·      The argument flawed is to be presented and concised finally in the paragraph’s thesis statement.

·      Introduction should explore the author’s claims and evidence so that one can extract the objective to shape the essay comprehensively.  

 Body Paragraphs

The essay can contain 3-4 body paragraphs where each of the body paragraphs consists of 5-6 lines. Each paragraph reflects the examples to be flawed on the basis of existing evidence, conclusions and presenting assumptions and ramifications.

First Paragraph  

• The first paragraph should deal with the lack of assumptions to support the arguments. Every argument has many unsupported assumptions. One has to identify a primary assumption to provide examples of evidence truly which weaken the conclusion. It is not expected to refute the conclusion presented rather one should work on that if the author did more research, might find that his conclusion isn’t a strong one.

Second Paragraph  

• The second body paragraph is to be started with a transition word or phrase to be segmented from the first paragraph.
• Secondly, one has to identify another assumption or flaw in the author’s reasoning and show how better reasoning or evidence undermines the argument in different ways.

Third Paragraph  

• The third paragraph can deal with the specific terminology the author uses in the argument with extremities, numbers, percentages, statistics to use the author’s own rhetorical construction against him.

Fourth Paragraph  

•  The fourth paragraph is to point out the theme ideas about the merit to the author’s argument—and that the conclusion could be strengthened and supported by different pieces of evidence or assumptions.

Conclusion

• In conclusion, the original thesis is to be rephrased and restated concisely as a decision.
• It should only be one or two sentences to make it lucid that the argument is analyzed on the basis of instructions where nothing is fixed by own theories.
• The conclusion can point out that the author has more work to do.
• Specific recommendations can be provided for changes that would strengthen the argument.

Questions to be reflected in an Argument Task

The logic of the author's case is navigated and analyzed by evaluating both the use of evidence and the logical connections.  In reading the author's argument, one has to consider the following according to the instructions of ETS:

• what evidence is given?
• what conclusions are made?
• what are assumptions (likely not stated) made?
• what ramifications (perhaps not stated) would necessarily follow from the author's argument?

Besides, one has to evaluate the reasoning and structure of the argument.  Look for transition words and phrases to show the author's logical connections e.g., however, thus, therefore, evidently, hence, in conclusion.

Notions to Navigate

One does not need to know special analytical techniques and terminology but one should be familiar with the directions for the Argument task to navigate with certain key concepts, including the following:

• Argument 

An argument is 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 

An assumption is 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.

• Alternative explanation 

It is a competing version of what might have caused the events in question that undercuts or qualifies the original explanation because it too can account for the observed facts

• Counterexample 

An example, real or hypothetical, that refutes or disproves a statement in the argument.

• Analysis 

It is the process of breaking something (e.g., an argument) down into its component parts in order to understand how they work together.

• Evaluation 

Evaluation gives an assessment of the quality of evidence and reasons in an argument and of the overall merit of an argument.

• Conclusion 

A conclusion is the end point reached by a line of reasoning coherently.

Avoid Addressing in an Argument Task

The important perception for performing well on the Argument task is remembering what one is not being asked to do i.e. what should be avoided to address:

• It is not being asked to discuss whether the statements in the argument are true or accurate.
• It is not being asked to agree or disagree with the position stated.
• It is not being asked to express one’s own views on the subject being discussed.

One should be clear enough about the difference between an issue task and argument task. In an issue task one is to make an argument in his essay with his own opinion and argument taking a firm position on provided issue , while in a GRE Argument Essay, instead of taking or supporting any side he needs to critique & deal with another author's argument given in the question regarding evidence, underlying assumptions and conclusion onward.

 Time Management

The writing segment is a premise where the test taker must support one side of the issue opining own self with supporting logical arguments within 30 minutes to be evaluated on the basis of ability to think critically and to clearly express his or her thoughts about it in writing. This writing section is scored on a scale of 0–6, in half-point increments. The essays are written on a computer using a word processing program specifically designed by ETS. The software contains the following functionalities: timer, inserting text, deleting text, cut and paste, undoing the previous action and scrolling. The program allows only basic computer functions and does not contain a spell-checker or other advanced features.

One can divide the 30 minutes in this way:

• Brain-storming

It can take 2 minutes during reading the question.

• Thesis statement

This line of introduction is to be written taking 1 minutes approximately.

• Body

The four body paragraphs can take 20-21 minutes holistically where one each may take 5 minutes per paragraph or it can vary.

• Completion of introduction

It is very time-saving sometimes to complete the introduction after the bodies have been shaped as it gives a holistic idea to structure the introduction with proper ideas aptly.

• Conclusion

The conclusion can take 2-3 minutes to be completed concisely with precise perception.

• Edit

The remaining 2-3 minutes is to be used to correct the presentations of issue task, edit additional information with the proper application of spelling, language, and grammar.

In an argument task, the articulation ability to evaluate author’s argument is to be presented where one should read the argument and instructions simultaneously and identifying the argument's claims, conclusions, and underlying assumptions. The test-takers should think of as many alternative explanations and counterexamples with specific additional evidence that might weaken or lend support to the claims. One should finally reflect changes in the argument which would make the reasoning sounds logical, in his/her wave of writing with a view to merging analytical abilities and critical thinking skills with cogent clarity.