How to Write an Issue Task of AWA in GRE Test

Issue task is one of two essays of Analytical Writing Assessment in GRE test which presents an opinion on an issue of wide interest followed by specific routes on how to drive the task towards an efficient end. One has to evaluate a given issue considering the complexities keenly with a view to organizing ideas to construct own argument by gleaning position and giving pieces of evidence which support his/her views and visualization. The issue task is to be maintained some specific instructions given to score smartly presenting the ideas in an developed way within 30 minutes where one needs to discuss the issue/recommendation to an extent as a response to which he/she agrees/disagrees developing, supporting & ensuring own position to address the reasons and examples to shape the adopted position. Specific circumstances are to be considered in which adopting position would or would not be advantageous.

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

Introduction

The single step to make the essay elegant with clarity and cognition is taken by an introduction where the issue is to be represented concisely followed by the sentence of clarification with the supported position regarding the issue given.

• The position is to be summarized in the introduction.
• The introduction should reflect the context of the issue with own opinions having the specific reasons or examples planned to provide in the next segments of the essay.
• The introduction should consist of 2-3 representing lines to reflect each of the segment separately and holistically.
• The introduction should explore the complexity of the claim and provide compelling evidence for the position so that one can extract the purpose and objective comprehensively.  

 Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs should introduce, reflect and relate the reasons and examples with the issue where the base of supporting thesis resonates firmly through segments of separate paragraphs.

First Paragraph   

• The firm fact as reason is to be presented in this paragraph specifically with supporting examples and logical analysis.
• The examples can be from anywhere: science, art, business, history, politics, entertainment, current events, or even from personal experience.
• The lucidity among the links to reflect the supporting relations among thesis, examples, and reasons are to be articulated.

Second Paragraph  

• The second body paragraph is to be started with a transition word or phrase to be segmented from the first paragraph.
• The second reason and supporting example are then presented with clarification and confidence.
• The theme of examples follows the similar fields of the first paragraph.

Third Paragraph  

• The third paragraph is a premise to present the possible arguments with the counterargument to own thesis with a view to reflecting that the selected position is right enough to prove that the opposition is transparently wrong.

• The third paragraph is then started with another shift or transitional phrase again in the first topic sentence of it.

• The third reason and supporting example are then given with cogent link and lucidity with confidence.

Conclusion

• A conclusion is a precise paragraph which should have a reflection of the introduction and body paragraphs concisely.
• One can merge the final body paragraph and conclusion together if he is running out of time.
• The bolstered position on the issue is to be firmed enough finally in conclusion linking with the earlier facts, presentations, shifts and logical reasoning.

Questions to be answered in an Issue Task

The issue task should maintain and contain the directions and answers to the following questions suggested by ETS:  

• What is the central issue?
• What are the instructions asking me to do?
• Do I agree with all or any part of the claim? Why or why not?
• Does the claim make certain assumptions? If so, are they reasonable?
• Is the claim valid only under certain conditions? If so, what are they?
• Do I need to explain how I interpret certain terms or concepts used in the claim?
• If I take a certain position on the issue, what reasons support my position?
• What examples to justify facts -- either real or hypothetical -- could I use to illustrate those reasons and advance my point of view? Which examples are most compelling?
• What reasons might someone use to refute or undermine my position?
• How should I acknowledge or defend against those views in my essay?

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 about a topic of general interest 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 2-3 minutes during reading the question.

• Thesis statement

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

• Body

The three body paragraphs can take 21 minutes holistically where one each may take 7 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.

 

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.

In an issue task, the articulation ability is to be evaluated and so the issue is to be presented persuasively choosing a specific position firmly and go onward relevantly with strong confident statements, directives and proper shifts in sentences. The opposition of self-statements is to be refuted with a view to reinforcing own thesis, concluding candidly, and scoring smartly.