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Business schools evaluate your writing skills through
the Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA)
The AWA section has two 30-minute essay prompts, each
requiring a completely different strategy.
Present your perspective on an Issue (30 minutes)
Here you present your perspective on a debatable topic
with supporting reasons and examples.
Analysis of argument (30 minutes)
Here you critique an argument - point out the flaws
in reasoning, offer counter arguments etc.
Your essay will be evaluated on a scale of 0- 6. You
receive one grade for both responses put together.
The essays are graded at two levels- a computerized
e-rating and rating by human graders.
Topics are chosen
from a pre-disclosed list of 250+
Click here for list of topics
Quick bytes
| Issue
essay- strategy |
Step
1:
Study the issue prompt closely- what does the
statement mean – how do I interpret some
of the terms/ ideas given in the statement. Do
I agree completely/ disagree completely with the
statement- agree to part of the statement and
disagree with the other?
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Use writing
devices appropriately :
Quotation
Simile
Anecdotes
News
Citations
Statistics
Sayings
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Step
2:
Write preliminary notes – support statements
to argue for my position – examples, personal
experience/ reading/ observations.
Step 3 :
Compose the issue essay following the template.
Step
4 :
Revise – edit- modify.
Issue
template Para
1:
In paragraph one, restate the issue statement
in your own words- discuss the scope of the statement
– use of terms and ideas presented in the
passage – discuss the pros and cons of each
of the terms/ idea – take a stand –
agree / disagree / qualify the statement –
state clearly as to which part of the statement
you endorse which part you would like to disagree
with.
Para
2 :
Strengthen your position with a supporting statement
– follow it up with an example to illustrate
your line of reasoning – discuss the implication
of your point of view.
Para
3 :
Support your line of reasoning from another perspective
– discuss the Relevance of this perspective
with another instance, which further consolidate
your line of reasoning – discuss its implications
and how it impacts the issue being debated.
Para
4 :
Acknowledge the other side of the issue –
discuss how in certain contingent situations the
statement doesn’t hold true – acknowledge
that no position is perfect- to further qualify
it, use a relevant example leading to another
point of view.
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| Argument
essay - strategy |
| Brainstorming
and writing
Step 1:
Study the argument closely; pinpoint the conclusion/
claim; identify the premises and the line of reasoning.
Step 2:
Make preliminary notes – what are the flaws
in the author’s reasoning – what more
evidence are required for the argument to be compelling
– what real / hypothetical example can counter
the argument- what questionable assumptions are
made/ what alternative explanation can refute
the claim/ what additional information would help
better evaluate the claim.
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A
partial list of logical fallacies in argument
prompts :
Faulty analogy
Causal
fallacy
Unauthentic
sources
Misleading
representation
Hasty
generalizations
Non
sequitor evidence
Biased
/ suppressed evidence
Statistical error
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Step
3 :
Compose the essay based on the preliminary notes
and on the lines of the template.
Step
4 :
Revise – edit – modify.
Argument template
Para
1:
Analyze the given argument – restate the
conclusion – author’s line of reasoning
– use of evidence; end by stating how well
reasoned the argument is.
Para
2 :
Major flaw – Counter example – alternative
explanations – implications- what would
refute the argument – what would strengthen
the argument.
Para
3 :
Another flaw- counter example – alternative
explanation – what would strengthen/refute
the argument- what additional information would
help better evaluate the argument.
Para
4 :
More flaws – counter example – alternative
explanation – what would strengthen / refute
the argument – what additional premises
help better evaluate the claim.
Para 5 :
Summary statement on how logically sound/ unsound
is the argument
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| Different
strokes |
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