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GRE Analytical Writing: Key Concepts

40 cards · 🇺🇸 English

Master the key concepts, strategies, and skills needed for the GRE Analytical Writing section, including both Issue and Argument tasks.

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What are the two tasks in the GRE Analytical Writing section?

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  1. 1What are the two tasks in the GRE Analytical Writing section?
    The Issue Task and the Argument Task
  2. 2How much time is allotted for each GRE Analytical Writing task?
    30 minutes for each task (Issue Task and Argument Task)
  3. 3What is the score range for the GRE Analytical Writing section?
    0 to 6, in half-point increments (e.g., 3.5, 4.0, 4.5)
  4. 4What is the Issue Task?
    An essay where you present your own perspective on a selected topic and support it with reasoning and examples
  5. 5What is the Argument Task?
    An essay where you critique the logic of a given argument, identify its flaws, and suggest improvements without giving your personal opinion on the subject
  6. 6What is the key difference between the Issue Task and the Argument Task?
    Issue Task requires your own position on a topic; Argument Task requires critiquing someone else's logic without stating your personal opinion
  7. 7How are GRE Analytical Writing essays scored?
    By at least two trained readers on a holistic 6-point scale; if scores differ by more than 1 point, a third reader evaluates
  8. 8What does ETS assess in Analytical Writing essays?
    Critical thinking, analytical writing skills, ability to articulate and support complex ideas clearly and effectively
  9. 9Are GRE Issue topics available beforehand?
    Yes, ETS publishes the entire pool of Issue topics on their website for test takers to review
  10. 10Are GRE Argument topics available beforehand?
    Yes, ETS publishes the entire pool of Argument topics on their website for test takers to review
  11. 11What is a thesis statement in the Issue Task?
    A clear statement of your position on the issue that guides the rest of your essay
  12. 12What should you do in the introduction of an Issue essay?
    Introduce the issue, present your thesis (your position), and provide a brief roadmap of your main points
  13. 13What should body paragraphs in an Issue essay contain?
    Each should focus on one main point supporting your thesis, with reasoning, examples, and evidence
  14. 14Should you acknowledge counterarguments in an Issue essay?
    Yes, acknowledging and refuting counterarguments strengthens your essay by showing critical thinking
  15. 15What should the conclusion of an Issue essay do?
    Restate your thesis, summarize main points, and provide a final thought or broader implication
  16. 16What is the goal of the Argument Task?
    To analyze the logical soundness of an argument by identifying its flaws, unstated assumptions, and weaknesses
  17. 17Should you agree or disagree with the argument in the Argument Task?
    No, you should remain objective and critique the logic and evidence, not express personal agreement or disagreement
  18. 18What are common logical fallacies to identify in the Argument Task?
    Hasty generalization, false causality, unwarranted assumptions, insufficient evidence, and faulty analogies
  19. 19What are unstated assumptions in an argument?
    Implicit beliefs or conditions that the argument takes for granted but doesn't explicitly state
  20. 20What should you do after identifying flaws in the Argument Task?
    Suggest specific evidence or information that would strengthen the argument or make it more logically sound
  21. 21What is a hasty generalization?
    Drawing a broad conclusion from insufficient or unrepresentative evidence
  22. 22What is a false causality fallacy?
    Assuming that because two events occur together or in sequence, one must cause the other (correlation ≠ causation)
  23. 23What is a faulty analogy?
    Comparing two things that are not sufficiently similar, making the comparison logically weak
  24. 24What should the introduction of an Argument essay include?
    A brief summary of the argument and a thesis stating that it has logical flaws that weaken its conclusion
  25. 25What should body paragraphs in an Argument essay contain?
    Each should identify one specific flaw, explain why it weakens the argument, and suggest what evidence could address it
  26. 26What should the conclusion of an Argument essay do?
    Summarize the main flaws identified and restate that the argument is weakened by these logical issues
  27. 27What writing features earn high scores on GRE essays?
    Clear structure, strong thesis, logical organization, varied sentence structure, precise vocabulary, and few grammatical errors
  28. 28Does the GRE writing interface have a spell-checker?
    No, the basic word processor provided has only cut, paste, and undo functions
  29. 29Is it better to plan before writing or start immediately?
    Better to spend 2-3 minutes planning to organize your thoughts and create an outline before writing
  30. 30How important is vocabulary in GRE Analytical Writing?
    Important but not as crucial as clarity and logic; use precise words naturally, avoid overusing complex vocabulary incorrectly

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