gmat argument essay

• GMAT: How to Write Your Analysis of an Argument
• Graduate School
• GMAT: A Brief History
• GMAT: Data-Sufficiency Practice Questions
• GMAT: Format of the GMAT CAT
• GMAT: How Analysis of an Argument Is Graded
• GMAT: How Analysis of an Issue Is Graded
• GMAT: Analysis of an Issue — Preparing to Write
• GMAT: Problem-Solving Questions — What to Expect and Practice Samples
• GMAT: Reading Comprehension Questions
• GMAT: The ScoreTop.com Cheating Scandal
• GMAT: What to Expect on Critical Analysis Questions
• GMAT: What to Expect on Data-Sufficiency Questions
• GMAT: Writing Your Analysis of an Issue

Directions for analyzing an argument on the GMAT

Some possible approaches to your analysis of an argument include

• Questioning underlying assumptions
• Finding alternative explanations or counterexamples
• Delineating evidence to strengthen or weaken the argument

The actual directions will read something like this: "Write an essay in which you discuss how convincing you find the given argument. Your essay should consider the argument's line of reasoning and how well it uses evidence. You may wish to discuss any doubtful assumptions and how other possible explanations could affect the argument's conclusions. Your essay may also consider how one could make the argument more persuasive and its conclusion more convincing."

Read the argument and directions carefully. Make any notes or do any prewriting (clustering, outlining, and so forth) on your scratch paper. Then type your response into the computer.

Suggested approach for GMAT argument analysis

In the analysis of an argument section, your analysis plays a more important role than your style. In fact, you may use the "bullet format"-you might use asterisks (*) or dashes (—) preceding each of your points - and still score in the upper half of the scale if your analysis is cogent. You will score even better if you combine the "bullet format" with conventional prose paragraphs.

The argument you must analyze will never be strong. Don't waste your time trying to find something good to say about it. Common errors in the argument's line of reasoning likely resemble one or more of the following:

• Assuming because x happened before y, that x was the cause of y. ( Post hoc, ergo propter hoc — after that, therefore because of that.) For example, "Last night there was a full moon, and this morning my cat was sick. Therefore, a full moon makes my cat sick."
• Drawing a conclusion from a failure to respond or act — assuming, for example, that because no hostile response existed, the response was favorable.
• Trusting a survey without looking at complete information about the people questioned and the questions asked.

The weakest responses are usually those in which students write about the subject of the quotation (how a restaurant should be run, why television advertising is a good idea, why student fees should be reduced), but never analyze the weakness in the reasoning of the argument.

Even well-written responses that fail to analyze the argument receive low scores, while essays in broken but understandable English with twice as many errors in grammar and spelling that do explain the flaws in reasoning receive scores in the upper half of the six-point scale.

Which of the following correctly solves | x – 3| + 2 = 5?

Analytical Writing Assessment

You can download for free the list of current Argument essay prompts used on the GMAT. This PDF file is provided by the GMAC. Although it is lengthy, we recommend that you read through the entire list of essay topics in advanced of taking the GMAT. You should also pick at random at least 20 topics and spend five minutes brainstorming and outlining an essay. Furthermore, we suggest that you pick at random at least five more topics and spend 30 minutes writing out a full essay.

GMAT Analytical Writing Approach and Scoring

Your essay is judged on how well-structured and well-supported it is, and to a lesser extent on your usage of standard written English. The essay should be written in a straightforward, somewhat formulaic manner. A creative, nuanced writing style will not be rewarded. You must type your essay into the bare-bones word processor provided. Copy, cut, paste, redo, and undo are the only functions available. We suggest that you spend a few minutes brainstorming and outlining your essay before you begin writing. Also be sure to leave a few minutes at the end to proof-read your essay.

The AWA section does not factor whatsoever into your main 200-800 GMAT score. You get a separate AWA score on a scale from 0 to 6 , in half-point increments. Your essay is graded separately by two readers: a college faculty member and a computer scoring program. If the two scores are within one point of each other, as is typically the case, the two scores are averaged to derive your AWA score. If the two scores are more than one point apart, however, another human reader will evaluate your essay. The AWA section is not particularly difficult . In fact, 13% of test takers score a perfect 6.0 and 82% score 4.0 or above. Because of this, most business schools primarily use the AWA score to ensure that foreign students can write well and to verify that the essays included on your business school applications are consistent with your AWA writing abilities.

Sample GMAT Analytical Writing Essay Topic

Let’s try a sample Argument essay topic. Brainstorm flaws on your own and perhaps even write out a full essay before viewing the explanation and sample essay.

The following appeared as part of an article in the business section of a local newspaper:

“Ronnie’s Auto Body Shop commenced business four months ago at the location formerly occupied by the Mystique Beauty Parlor. Ronnie’s Auto must be doing well at this location, because it intends to open a big body shop in an adjacent town. Mystique, on the other hand, has seen a lower volume of business in its first year at its new location compared to the prior year at its former location. Mystique definitely erred in shifting to its new location; its former location is a better site.”

Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument. In your discussion be sure to analyze the line of reasoning and the use of evidence in the argument. For example, you may need to consider what questionable assumptions underlie the thinking and what alternative explanations or counterexamples might weaken the conclusion. You can also discuss what sort of evidence would strengthen or refute the argument, what changes in the argument would make it more logically sound, and what, if anything, would help you better evaluate its conclusion.

Explanation to Problem

As with all Argument essay prompts, this prompt contains several flaws. Let’s briefly outline the problems with this argument before presenting a full essay that encompasses these points. The sample essay that follows would receive a top score of 6.

• Illogical comparison between Ronnie’s Auto Body Shop and Mystique Beauty Parlor. These are very different types of businesses, and a good location for one may be a poor location for the other.
• Assumes that Ronnie’s Auto Body Shop has been successful, but offers insufficient evidence for this. Ronnie’s Auto may be opening a big body shop in an adjacent town because the current location is poor.
• Inappropriately concludes that Mystique erred in shifting locations. Once again, offers insufficient evidence for this. Lower volume of business is vaguely defined, may not be a long-term concern, and perhaps is not even relevant.

Sample Essay

The author offers a flawed argument in claiming that Mystique erred in shifting locations and that its former location is a better site. The author offers insufficient evidence for these claims while providing an illogical comparison. In particular, the author assumes that Ronnie’s Auto Body Shop has been successful in Mystique’s former location. Second, the author overlooks the differences in the two business types. Third, the author inappropriately equates a lower volume of business to a poor decision by Mystique regarding location. Let’s elaborate on each of these issues in turn.

One problem in the argument is that the author assumes that Ronnie’s Auto is doing well at its current location. The only evidence that the author offers in support of this claim is that Ronnie’s Auto intends to open a big body shop in an adjacent town. But there are many possible reasons as to why Ronnie’s Auto plans to open a large shop in another town. Most notably, perhaps the existing location is performing poorly and Ronnie’s Auto plans to close this location after opening up elsewhere.

A second problem in the argument is the apples-to-oranges comparison between an auto body shop and a beauty parlor. The customer base for the two businesses is probably very different. Even if Ronnie’s Auto is doing well at its current location, a totally different type of business with a totally different customer base would not necessarily do well at the same location. Perhaps Ronnie’s Auto is located in a commercial area with similar types of businesses (e.g. other auto repair and parts businesses). Mystique Beauty Parlor is unlikely to thrive in such a location, since its customers would probably not want to receive beauty treatments in such an area.

Finally, a third problem is that the author concludes based solely on “lower volume of business” that Mystique erred in shifting locations. But how much lower is Mystique’s volume of business in the new location? Perhaps the drop in business volume is very small. In fact, we would expect some drop when moving to a new location, as it takes time to reestablish a customer base. The new location may hold much greater long-term promise, and future business volume may be much higher. We also do not know what volume of business really means. By volume, does the author mean customers or revenue? Either way, a lower volume of business does not necessarily mean lower profits. Perhaps Mystique’s lease and other costs are lower at the new location, resulting in higher profits. If so, we cannot claim that Mystique make a mistake in moving. But even if the move did result in lower profits, the move was not a mistake unless Mystique’s owners have this as a primary concern. Perhaps profit is secondary to Mystique’s owners, and they moved the beauty parlor to a location that affords them other benefits such as a better quality of life.

In conclusion, the author’s claims that Mystique erred in shifting locations and that its former location is better are unsupported. As discussed above, there are far too many unknown variables for the author to make such a definite conclusion. Had the author considered the points discussed above, the argument could have been presented more thoughtfully.

Intro to Argument Essay

Frequently Asked Questions

The GMAT in its current form will be offered through early 2024. Starting on November 7, 2023, a new, shorter version of the exam called the GMAT Focus will become available to take.

All the AWA Essay lessons apply to the current GMAT only. (The GMAT Focus edition does not have an essay.)

Please see the lesson " New GMAT Focus Edition Can be Taken Starting November 7, 2023 " for more details about the Focus edition.

Next Lesson

Logical Fallacies and the Argument Essay

Argument essay.

Brainstorming for AWA

Writing the Argument Essay

GMAT Sample Essays

All GMAT students know the Argument essay comes first in the test, before we get to the more important Quantitative and Verbal sections, so it’s important not to exhaust ourselves in this first part of the exam. One way to stay fresh for the rest of the exam is to have a good idea of what a high-scoring essay looks like, so we have provided some GMAT sample essays to review. Below we look at a “6” and discuss why it would have likely received a perfect score, then we examine a “4” and discuss how it could have been strengthened. You can find more example essays in the GMAT Official Guide. Happy writing!

ESSAY QUESTION #1:

The following appeared in the editorial section of a national news magazine:

“The rating system for electronic games is similar to the movie rating system in that it provides consumers with a quick reference so that they can determine if the subject matter and contents are appropriate. This electronic game rating system is not working because it is self-regulated and the fines for violating the rating system are nominal. As a result an independent body should oversee the game industry and companies that knowingly violate the rating system should be prohibited from releasing a game for two years.”

Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument. Point out flaws in the argument’s logic and analyze the argument’s underlying assumptions. In addition, evaluate how supporting evidence is used and what evidence might counter the argument’s conclusion. You may also discuss what additional evidence could be used to strengthen the argument or what changes would make the argument more logically sound.

The author concludes that electronic game rating system is not working compared to the movie rating system. He gives reasoning for the argument by stating that electronic companies ability to self manage and regulate the rating system is part of the problem. Author also gives reason for what needs to be done in order for electronic rating system to work, but his reasons are weak. In the next few paragraphs, I will explain why the author’s reasons are weak and what could strengthen the argument.

First, the author mentions that by hiring an independent company to oversee the operation of the electronic rating system would solve the issue. This big assumption that author makes here is that he assumes independent company would do a better job in rating games than electronic game companies themselves. If the electronic gaming companies had a better understanding on how to improve, they might themselves do a better job than independent company to oversee the ratings.

Second, the author mentions that if an electronic company violates the rating system rule, then the penalty would be to prohibit that company from releasing any games for two years. This is another weak point the makes to support his argument because if the electronic company regular product-life cycle is to release each gave every two years, this penalty wouldn’t hurt the company at all. Also, there is not way of assessing how many year of prohibition would be adequate.

Author could have strengthen his argument, if he provided some data point such as from the movie industry to defend this stance that making independent company oversee and prohibition of movie release actually worked in the long-run. Perhaps, some research data that showed making these changes would actually work, would benefit the author’s overall argument stance.

Therefore, the author’s argument that electronic game rating system is not working is weak. Both of the points he made regarding independent company oversee and violation penalty are weak without data showing that it might work.

RECAP: The first thing that stands out in this essay is the organization. The paragraphs as clearly laid out and succinct, and each begin with a great transition word or phrase. The introductory paragraph, while unfortunately uses some unneeded self-reference, clearly demonstrates an understanding of the presented argument, which is mandatory of all “6” essays. Each flaw is then pointed out in a body paragraph, and the author then chooses to include a nice “how to strengthen” paragraph to demonstrate that he/she knows the argument at a more advanced level! The conclusion is clear, and reinforces the claims previously made. While no means perfect, the strong reasoning and clarity of organization definitely give this author a “6”!

ESSAY QUESTION #2:

Political organizations that advocate the use of violence to achieve their goals should be prohibited from operating within our country. Such groups are only interested in achieving short term goals which lead to more serious long term problems.

Political organizations that advocate the use of violence to achieve its goals can sometimes lead to destruction and devastation. However, that claim that such groups are detrimental to society does not follow the same line of reasoning. These groups might be of great help to certain sections of society. Also the claim that short term solutions can only lead to more serious long term problems is stated without any evidence. Hence the above argument is flawed.

Firstly, political organizations might be of great help to certain sections of society. Take for example the Indian National Congress party that helped tons of Indian’s voice their views to the British government during the British rule in india. Although this political organization advocated the use of violence, the organization was critical to India becoming a free of British rule in 1947.

Secondly, the argument assumes that short term solutions lead to more serious long term problems. Short term solutions are often very important in achieving long term goals, irrespective of whether the organizations advocate violence or not. The argument must also state clearly what constitutes violence. In a free country, such as the United States, to prohibit any political organization is to put a hold on their freedom. As long as the violence or aggressive behavior is not illegal, one can not prohibit a political organization from operating.

Thus although the argument seems to convey a valid point, that political organizations that advocate the use of violence should be prohibited from operating, it is worded to strongly and lacks evidence to support its claims that these groups are detrimental to society.

RECAP: The major difference between these two essays is length. More is not always better, but a student who can write 5-6 paragraphs within the given time frame definitely will stand out as a better planner, and as someone who already had a workable template. Furthermore, some minor grammar and spelling mistakes interfere with the essay’s clarity. The thesis, “Hence the above argument is flawed, “ is not as strongly worded as it could be, and doesn’t stand on its own as a powerful statement. The conclusion also seems to weaken the essay by admitting the argument conveys “a valid point.” This concession, without being more specific, weakens the overall thesis. The takeaway: length, specificity, and strength of argument will take this “4” to a “6.”

More AWA Resources: GMAT Essay Writing Guide

GMAT AWA Section: Mastering the Argument Essay

The Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) section of the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) involves two essay tasks: the Issue essay and the Argument essay. In this article, we'll focus on mastering the Argument essay, which requires you to critically analyze and evaluate an argument.

The Argument essay on the GMAT AWA tests your ability to assess the reasoning and evidence used in an argument and present a clear and well-structured response. Here are some key strategies to excel in this section.

Understanding the Argument Essay Prompt

Before diving into the strategies, let's understand the structure of the Argument essay prompt. It consists of a passage that presents an argument. Your task is to critique the argument's logical soundness, identify flaws, and provide a well-reasoned response. The typical Argument essay prompt includes:

1. Introduction to the Argument: 

The passage introduces the argument, often providing background information and context.

2. Presentation of the Argument: 

The argument's main points are presented. This is where you should identify the thesis and supporting claims.

3. Evidence and Reasoning: 

The argument includes evidence and reasoning to support its claims.

4. Instructions for Your Response: 

The prompt instructs you to discuss the logical soundness of the argument, and often asks you to provide suggestions or recommendations for improvement.

GMAT Argument Essay Strategies

1. analyze the argument structure:.

   - Identify the thesis statement and supporting claims.

   - Examine the evidence provided in the argument.

   - Check for logical connections between claims and evidence.

2. Spot Logical Flaws:

   - Look for common logical fallacies such as circular reasoning, causal oversimplification, or hasty generalization.

   - Assess the sufficiency and relevance of the evidence.

   - Examine any assumptions made by the author.

3. Develop a Clear Thesis: 

Your essay should have a clear thesis statement that states whether the argument is well-founded or not. This thesis will guide your response.

4. Plan Your Response:

   - Outline your essay structure, including the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.

   - Decide on the major flaws you'll address and the order in which you'll discuss them.

5. Write a Coherent Response:

   - In the introduction, summarize the argument's main points and state your thesis.

   - In the body paragraphs, present your critique of the argument's flaws, providing specific examples.

   - Address each flaw in a separate paragraph, using a clear topic sentence to introduce the flaw.

6. Use Evidence and Examples:

   - Back up your critique with evidence and examples.

   - Reference specific parts of the argument to support your claims.

7. Address Potential Counterarguments:

   - Acknowledge potential counterarguments, but explain why they do not weaken your critique.

   - This shows that you have considered alternative viewpoints.

8. Organize and Express Your Ideas Clearly:

   - Use clear and concise language.

   - Ensure your response is well-structured and follows a logical progression.

   - Use transition words to connect your ideas.

9. Reiterate Your Thesis in the Conclusion:

   - Summarize your main points and restate your thesis.

   - End with a strong closing statement that emphasizes the overall strength or weakness of the argument.

Practice and Timing

Practicing Argument essays under timed conditions is crucial. Set aside 30 minutes to complete each practice essay, and review and score your responses using GMAT scoring guidelines. This will help you become more comfortable with the time constraints and improve your performance.

Mastering the Argument essay in the GMAT AWA section requires the ability to critically assess the logic and evidence presented in an argument and construct a well-structured response. With a clear plan, attention to logical flaws, evidence-backed critique, and a well-organized essay, you can effectively tackle this section and earn a strong score on the GMAT.

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GMAT Prep Online Guides and Tips

The 6 gmat essay tips that will help you ace the awa.

If you’re preparing for the GMAT, you’ve probably spent countless hours reviewing math concepts and mastering grammar skills. You’ve likely also spent time studying for the newer integrated reasoning section, too. But have you thought about the analytical writing assessment part of the GMAT?

If your answer is no, don’t worry! You’re not alone. Many test-takers go into test day without spending a lot of time preparing for the essay section of the GMAT, especially since it’s unclear how much (or even if) the GMAT essay even matters for getting into business school.

In this article, I’ll shed some light on the oft-forgotten GMAT AWA section. First, I’ll give you an overview of what’s actually on the AWA section. Next, I’ll discuss whether or not that score really matters for your admission to business school. Finally, I’ll tell share  the top GMAT essay tips that are guaranteed to boost your GMAT essay score.

GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment Overview

The GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment is designed to measure your ability to think critically about a topic and then communicate your ideas about that topic. During the AWA section, you’ll be asked to analyze and critique an argument and judged on your ability to do so clearly, thoroughly, and thoughtfully.

The GMAT AWA section consists of one writing task: a 30-minute essay. You’ll complete the AWA portion of the GMAT first, before every other test section.

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For your GMAT essay, you’ll be asked to think critically about an argument that’s presented to you. You’re not supposed to give your opinion on the subject itself.

GMAT AWA scores range from 0 to 6, in half-point intervals. Every GMAT AWA response receives two independent scores. According to MBA.com, one of your scores may be performed by an essay-scoring engine. At least one of your GMAT AWA scores will be determined by a GMAT essay reader.

Your AWA score doesn’t affect your GMAT total score and is generally considered the least important of your GMAT scores.

The 6 Best GMAT Essay Tips

If you’re looking to achieve a GMAT essay score that’ll help you get into business school, these six GMAT Analytical Writing tips will help you achieve success.

#1: Follow the Directions

One of the most important GMAT essay tips is to understand the directions of the AWA section.

The AWA section specifically asks you to critique an argument on its strengths and weaknesses. AWA graders aren’t looking for a well-written, thoughtful opinion piece about the topic discussed in the prompt. They’re looking for you to analyze whether or not the argument itself was sound, and to back up that analysis with evidence from the text, and they’ll judge you on how well you accomplished that specific task. If you don’t follow the directions, you won’t achieve a high score.

#2: Develop a Clear Structure

Another one of the important GMAT writing tips is to take the time to set up your essay in a clear way.

You don’t need to write the most interesting or lengthy essay in the world to score well on the AWA section, but you do need to give your essay an easy-to-follow structure. Usually, that consists of an introduction, three to four well-developed body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Your introduction should restate the main argument of the prompt, then highlight the flaws in the argument that you’ll discuss in the body of the essay.

Each of the body paragraphs should focus on a specific flaw in the argument. First, you should highlight the flaw itself. Next, you’ll need to explain why that particular flaw is a flaw. Finally, you should highlight how the argument could’ve been made more clearly or more successfully.

In the conclusion, you’ll want to restate each of the reasons why the argument was flawed and summarize how those flaws affected the validity of the argument.

Following this clear, simple structure for your GMAT essay will help you achieve your goal score.

#3: Know the Common AWA Flaws

Your task for the GMAT AWA is to critique an argument given to you in a prompt. That means that you can assume the argument given is a weak one, since your job is basically to analyze its weaknesses.

GMAT AWA prompts typically have arguments that are weak in predictable ways. Be on the lookout for these common “flaws” that you’ll encounter in AWA prompts:

Causality: GMAT AWA prompts often contain errors in causality, which means that they attribute the wrong effect to the wrong cause . If you see an argument that uses causality, make sure you check to make sure that causality is correctly attributed and that there’s a provable causal relationship.

Vagueness: GMAT AWA prompts often contain vague terms or statistics that are used incorrectly to draw conclusions. For instance, a prompt might suggest that, out of a sample of 500 consumers, more are buying name-brand paper towels than generic paper towels. The use of the word “more,” in this case, isn’t specific enough because it doesn’t tell you exactly how many more people are buying name-brand paper towels. You can’t draw a definitive conclusion off of vague data.

Overconfidence: GMAT AWA prompts often contain overconfident language. You should be looking for the language in arguments to be thoughtful and well-balanced. Keep an eye out for words like “undoubtedly,” “definitely,” and “of course,” which indicate overconfidence.

#4: Practice

One of the best GMAT essay tips is to practice, practice, practice before you actually complete the GMAT AWA section on test day. You can find real, retired GMAT AWA prompts on the GMAT website for free. You can also purchase the GMAT Write tool to receive scores on practice AWA prompts if you’re really concerned about your score.

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Practicing will help you in a number of ways. First, practicing will help you master your timing. You’ll only have 30 minutes to craft a logical and well-reasoned essay on test day. The more you practice, the faster you’ll get at outlining and completing your essay.

As I mentioned in the previous GMAT writing tips, you’ll need to fully answer the correct prompt to achieve a good score on your GMAT essay. Practicing will help you get used to the structure of GMAT AWA prompts and help you get used to the types of questions you’ll see on test day.

Finally, practicing will help you get used the structure you need to employ to succeed on your GMAT essay. The more you practice, the more naturally you’ll be able to craft a complete introduction, body, and conclusion for each of your GMAT essays.

#5: Take Time to Outline

While outlining may seem like one of the more basic GMAT essay tips, taking five minutes at the beginning of the AWA section to sketch out a basic outline of your essay will really help you as you start to write.

Everyone outlines differently, but in general, I’d suggest having one to two bullet points for each paragraph that highlight the main ideas the paragraph will cover. Outlining will help you make sure you’ve covered all the main points you need to fully answer the question.

#6: Don’t Sweat the AWA Too Much

The final of my GMAT analytical writing tips is to not worry about the AWA section too much. As I mentioned in a previous section, the AWA section isn’t that important in the overall scheme of your GMAT score. It’d be a mistake to spend a lot of time and energy stressing over and preparing for the AWA section before you take the GMAT.

Spend between three to six hours preparing for the AWA, depending on how comfortable you are writing to the AWA’s structure. More often than not, that’s all the time test-takers need to achieve a solid AWA score.

Your GMAT AWA score won’t make or break your chance of admission to the business school of your dreams. An AWA score between 4-6 will sufficiently demonstrate your writing abilities to most admissions committees, and there’s not a huge advantage to scoring a perfect 6 on the AWA section.

An AWA score of below 4, however, will raise red flags for admissions committees who may question your communication abilities. So, it’s important to study for the AWA section to make sure your score is sufficient.

What’s Next?

Feeling set on GMAT analytical writing tips, but looking for more advice on other sections of the GMAT? We’ve got tons of in-depth, high-quality guides to help you master the content you’ll see on GMAT test day. Check out our guide to the GMAT verbal section to learn how to master the three GMAT question types or read our guide to the GMAT quant section  to understand exactly what math you need to know to achieve your goal GMAT score.

Looking to make an in-depth, comprehensive GMAT study plan? Our guide to GMAT study plans provides four sample study plans that you can adapt to your needs. Pick and choose between one-month, three-month, and six-month study plans that are each designed to boost your GMAT score.

Setting a realistic goal score is a hugely important part of your GMAT prep. By setting a realistic goal score, you give yourself a target to work towards and a benchmark by which to measure your progress as you prep for the GMAT. In our guide to GMAT score requirements, you’ll learn about how to set a goal that makes sense for your abilities and needs as a test-taker.

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Author: Hayley Milliman

Hayley Milliman is a former teacher turned writer who blogs about education, history, and technology. When she was a teacher, Hayley's students regularly scored in the 99th percentile thanks to her passion for making topics digestible and accessible. In addition to her work for PrepScholar, Hayley is the author of Museum Hack's Guide to History's Fiercest Females. View all posts by Hayley Milliman

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Lesson: Writing the AWA Argument Essay

Reinforcement Activities

• Download the official list of all possible essay prompts for the AWA essay
• Use AWA Practice   to have your essays scored by the GMAT's official essay-scoring algorithm (paid)

Comment on Writing the AWA Argument Essay

That's a great way to handle

That's a great way to handle flaws and fixes.

Cheers, Brent

Sorry I have on e more qs.

No, there's no spellcheck..

No, there's no spellcheck. The test-makers claim that spelling does not affect the score. HOWEVER, I have to imagine that the reader might be biased to give a lower score to an essay if it's riddled with errors.

There's no word limit. So,

There's no word limit. So, your essay can be as long as you wish.....within the 30 minute time frame :-)

Link: https://gmatclub.com

Link: https://gmatclub.com/forum/argument-essay-motorcycle-x-please-rate-it-14... I read your essay. I'd give it a score in the 4.5 to 5.0 range.

Thank you so much for your

Another awa request :), essay link: https://gmatclub.

Essay link: https://gmatclub.com/forum/rate-my-essay-gmat-tmrw-109796-60.html#p3105032

Very nice. I believe your essay would receive a score between 5.0 and 6.0 on test day. A little feedback: I suggest you try using fewer words to summarize the argument in your first paragraph.

Thank you for your feedback,

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GMAT AWA Topics – Sample Prompts

Before you start.

Remember that the AWA is testing your ability to effectively critique an argument being presented. There will be some common fallacies used in the prompts that you will need to address. Familiarize yourself with these flawed arguments so that you can quickly identify them as you write your essay:

Inappropriate Comparisons – comparing two things which are not necessarily similar, thus leading to a flawed conclusion. You will notice that in an inappropriate comparison, the argument will only note the similarities between two things with no explanation of why the differences do not change the outcome.

Example: "Dogs are highly motivated by food, which is a useful tool for training. Using this same method, you can help to encourage your children to repeat positive behaviors." This argument does not address early childhood development, nor does it address dog psychology – the person assumes that if a solution worked in one situation, it will work in the other.

Vague Language – using words such as "many", "few", "some", "more", or "less" without further qualification is often too vague to make a cogent point.

Example: "In Chicago, more people voted to add bike lanes than people did in Aurora, so it is clear that the citizens in Chicago are more pro-bike than the citizens in Aurora." This argument does not explain what 'more' means. Is it by percentage? Does it refer to raw number of votes, and if so, does it take into account the number of voters in Chicago vs. the number of voters in Aurora?

Correlation vs Causation – this common fallacy asserts that because something occurred, it must be a consequence of some specific variable observed before the result.

Example: "Students in Neighborhood A have higher test scores on average that students in Neighborhood B. Therefore, it is clear that the schools in Neighborhood A are better than the schools in Neighborhood B." This argument is flawed because it assumes the only meaningful variable in test scores was the school the children attend. This argument does not consider other various factors, such as poverty, school resources, home situations, and the parents' abilility to supplement educational opportunities, etc.

Sampling Issues – a case in which statistics are used inappropriately to compare unlike populations or to draw broad conclusions using a small sample.

Example: "56% of the reviews of Company A are negative, which shows that most customers are very unhappy with the service provided." The problem with this argument is that it does not address the percentage of overall customers who have written reviews. How do we know that this is representative of all customers vs. those who are upset about an issue and take the time to write a review?

Now that you have reviewed some common flawed arguments you may encounter, it is time to get started practicing!

Sample Prompt 1

The following appeared in the health section of a magazine on trends and lifestyles:

"People who use the artificial sweetener aspartame are better off consuming sugar, since aspartame can actually contribute to weight gain rather than weight loss. For example, high levels of aspartame have been shown to trigger a craving for food by depleting the brain of a chemical that registers satiety, or the sense of being full. Furthermore, studies suggest that sugars, if consumed after at least 45 minutes of continuous exercise, actually enhance the body’s ability to burn fat. Consequently, those who drink aspartame-sweetened juices after exercise will also lose this calorie-burning benefit. Thus, it appears that people consuming aspartame rather than sugar are unlikely to achieve their dietary goals."

Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument. In your discussion, be sure to analyze the line of reasoning and the use of evidence in the argument. For example, you may need to consider what questionable assumptions underlie the thinking and what alternative explanations or counterexamples might weaken the conclusion. You can also discuss what sort of evidence would strengthen or refute the argument, what changes in the argument would make it more logically sound, and what, if anything, would help you better evaluate its conclusion.

Sample Prompt 2

The following appeared in the opinion column of a financial magazine:

"On average, middle-aged consumers devote 39 percent of their retail expenditure to department store products and services, while for younger consumers the average is only 25 percent. Since the number of middle-aged people will increase dramatically within the next decade, department stores can expect retail sales to increase significantly during that period. Furthermore, to take advantage of the trend, these stores should begin to replace some of those products intended to attract the younger consumer with products intended to attract the middle-aged consumer."

Sample Prompt 3

The following appeared as part of an editorial in an industry newsletter:

"While trucking companies that deliver goods pay only a portion of highway maintenance costs and no property tax on the highways they use, railways spend billions per year maintaining and upgrading their facilities. The government should lower the railroad companies’ property taxes, since sending goods by rail is clearly a more appropriate mode of ground transportation than highway shipping. For one thing, trains consume only a third of the fuel a truck would use to carry the same load, making them a more cost-effective and environmentally sound mode of transport. Furthermore, since rail lines already exist, increases in rail traffic would not require building new lines at the expense of taxpaying citizens."

Sample Prompt 4

The following was excerpted from the speech of a spokesperson for Synthetic Farm Products, Inc.:

"Many farmers who invested in the equipment needed to make the switch from synthetic to organic fertilizers and pesticides feel that it would be too expensive to resume synthetic farming at this point. But studies of farmers who switched to organic farming last year indicate that their current crop yields are lower. Hence their purchase of organic farming equipment, a relatively minor investment compared to the losses that would result from continued lower crop yields, cannot justify persisting on an unwise course. And the choice to farm organically is financially unwise, given that it was motivated by environmental rather than economic concerns."

Sample Prompt 5

The following is part of a business plan created by the management of the Megamart grocery store:

"Our total sales have increased this year by 20 percent since we added a pharmacy section to our grocery store. Clearly, the customer’s main concern is the convenience afforded by one-stop shopping. The surest way to increase our profits over the next couple of years, therefore, is to add a clothing department along with an automotive supplies and repair shop. We should also plan to continue adding new departments and services, such as a restaurant and a garden shop, in subsequent years. Being the only store in the area that offers such a range of services will give us a competitive advantage over other local stores."

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GMAT Writing Sample Introduction

Home » 800score Free GMAT Prep Course » FREE GMAT PREP COURSE » GMAT Writing Sample Introduction

The GMAT Writing Sample asks you to write an essay in 35 minutes. It is wise to invest a few hours in preparation for your essay. Those who don’t prepare at all often write terrible essays. These essays might even be bad enough to endanger a student’s admission chances. Spend a few hours looking at sample essays to avoid any unnecessary mistakes.

The essay section is designed to test how well you can (1) organize a compelling argument using sound reasoning and supporting evidence and (2) express your thoughts clearly in written form. The essay section is NOT meant to test how many big vocabulary words you know, how much you know about the business or any other specific topic, or really even how creative you are.

The writing sample is a much lower priority than GMAT prep, so we suggest that you jump ahead to the GMAT course . Otherwise, you can divert about 20 minutes to review this page to review this content now or circle back to review it later.

What will the topic be?

You won’t be asked to write about a specific topic so much as you’ll be asked to respond to a specific scenario. The scenario will always be presented in the same form. Here’s a watered-down example (keep in mind that the scenario on your exam will be more involved):

John wants to buy a pet. He is choosing between a cat and a dog. He only has time to care for one pet. Write an essay in which you argue for the purchase of one type of pet over the other based on the following considerations:

• John wants a pet that will be relatively maintenance-free.
• John wants a pet that will be a true, loyal companion.

The first option, the cat, is a clean pet that does not typically damage or destroy household property. While the cat does need to be fed twice per day, it does not need to be taken for daily walks. The cat is very aloof and non-responsive to human interaction, but it does grow attached to its human owner over time.

The second option, the dog, requires daily attention. The dog has been known to damage household property, and it requires walks on a daily basis. With training, the dog can learn to be relatively self-sufficient. The dog responds to human interaction and craves the attention of its human owner, but it can’t communicate very well with humans.

As mentioned earlier, the scenario will always be presented in the same way. The first part will present a choice, the second part (the bullet statements) will present two considerations that need to be weighed in making that choice, and the third part will provide more information about the two choices at hand. Notice that there is no right or wrong answer here. In fact, the scenario is presented in such a way as to make it difficult to decide which option is better! They both have their pros and cons. What’s important is NOT which option you choose, but rather how you justify, or support, the choice that you do end up making.

How should I write my essay?

The following will outline a process for planning and writing your essay. It certainly isn’t the only way to do it, but it does provide a consistent, repeatable approach that you’ll be able to rely on.

Step 1: Compile information in grid form (5 minutes total for steps 1-3)

In the test booklet, set up a table that has the two choices along the top and the two considerations along the side. In the intersecting cells of the grid, include the appropriate pros and cons using a “+” before any pro and a “-“ before any con. For our example, it might look like this:

You’re familiar with cats and dogs, so it’s probably already obvious to you that a cat would be a good low-maintenance choice and a dog would be good for companionship. Keep in mind, however, that the scenario you will see on your exam will be much less familiar to you. Organizing the information in grid form will make it much easier for you to see the relative strengths and weaknesses of each choice.

Step 2: Decide on a “more important” consideration (5 minutes total for steps 1-3)

At this point, you want to make a decision. Is it more important for John that the pet be maintenance-free or that it be a loyal companion? Again, there’s no right answer. Even so, you need to decide which you will make more important. Choose one that you can easily justify (even if it’s a made-up justification). For example, we’ll decide:

“Having a loyal companion is more important than having a low-maintenance pet because true friendship trumps all else. If John has a true companion and friend, the daily maintenance will become a labor of love instead of a hassle.”

Step 3: Make your choice! (5 minutes total for steps 1-3)

Your decision in step 2 should lead you to a clear choice. In this case, if we deem companionship to be the more important consideration, then we’ll want to choose the dog (since the dog clearly has more compelling plusses in that part of the grid).

“John should pick the dog because it will serve as a more loyal companion than the cat will.”

Step 4: Write the essay (25 minutes)

Plan on structuring your essay the same way every time. Here’s an easy template to follow:

Essay Section Template Paragraph 1: A. Summarize the decision to be made.   “The scenario presented above puts John in a position in which he will choose between purchasing a cat and purchasing a dog.” B. Acknowledge the complexity of the decision.  “Given the considerations and characteristics of the choices at hand, this is a very difficult decision in that each choice has its merits.” C. State your opinion.  “Even so, John would be better served by choosing the dog.” Paragraph 2: A. State why the primary consideration (the one you chose to be the primary consideration) is more important and how your choice satisfies this consideration.  “First, it is more important to have a pet that serves as a loyal companion than it is to have a pet that is maintenance-free…” (justify this statement, even if it’s a made-up justification) or  “The dog will be a loyal companion in that it will …” (use the information from the grid to show how) B. State why the other choice (cat) falls short in this regard.   “The cat, on the other hand, is a poor match for anyone looking for a loyal pet …” (use the information from the grid to show how) Paragraph 3: State how your choice still does an okay job with the secondary consideration.   “Furthermore, while the dog isn’t an ideal choice for someone wanting a maintenance-free pet, it can learn to be relatively self-sufficient…” (use any other information from the grid to support this) Paragraph 4: Summarize your argument

Step 5: Proofread! (5 minutes)

Spelling errors, misprints, grammatical errors, etc. will never go over well. While a few simple mistakes won’t kill you, you want to be sure your final essay is as clean as possible.

Practice this a few times on some real essay prompts and you should be all set. Good luck!

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Need a 6 on the GMAT Writing Sample section? Use the 800score guide.

The GMAT Writing Sample consists of one 30-minute section, the Analysis of an Argument essay. You will receive a grade from 1 to 6 on each and these will be sent with your GMAT scores.

The good news is that the GMAT Writing Sample can be beaten. The essay topics are available for you to review beforehand. The structures for the GMAT Writing Sample answers are simple and may be learned. In addition, while much GMAT preparation may appear “useless” and without any merit beyond test day, the skills, reasoning tools, and techniques you learn for the GMAT Writing Sample may be applied to any essay or persuasive writing. Don’t worry about over-preparing for the GMAT Writing Sample section, because you’ll actually use this for the real world!

800score  has graded tens of thousands of essays from GMAT candidates and we have an unparalleled knowledge of where students go wrong.

Here are some tips before we get started:

• Grammar and spelling are less important than structure and content.
• Take many timed practice tests on a computer. We have 20 practice essays.

The guide is divided into these sections:

•      Chapter 1:      Introduction (current page)
•      Chapter 2:      Analysis of Argument
•      Chapter 3:      Improving Your Writing
•      Chapter 4:      Getting the Real Essay Questions
•      10 Most Common Errors
•      Essay Grading Service

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