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The Analytical Writing Assessment Section of the GMAT exam is an essay section of the exam. It requires that you analyze the reasoning behind an argument that is given and write an assessment of that argument. Your ability to think critically and to communicate your ideas and thoughts through an essay in English is checked and evaluated. The Analytical Writing Assessment is generally known as the “essay” section. It assesses the writing skills of a candidate. This section has only one essay writing. The scores are marked in the range of 0-6.
This section consists of one question of a 30-minute writing task. The topics of the arguments consist which are related to business or various other subjects. Knowledge of the particular essay topic is not necessary but your capacity to write analytically is important as it is assessed.
Analysis of an Argument in the Analytical Writing Assessment Section
In the Analytical Writing Assessment section, you will have to discuss the reason you find a given argument. To do so, you will have to analyze the line of reasoning and the use of evidence to prove the argument. Before starting to write you should take a few minutes to evaluate the argument and plan your response accordingly. Your ideas should be organized structured and fully developed. Good GMAT preparation will surely give you a good score.
| Duration | 30 minutes |
| Number of Question | Only 1 essay |
| Tests | Ability to analyze an argument |
How to use the allotted 30 Minutes for the GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment Section
You are given exactly 30 minutes to complete the particular Analytical Writing Assessment task given to you. It is critical to have a time-based plan and stick to it so that you do not find yourself rushing at the end or leaving it incomplete. Here is a recommended plan for your 30 minutes:
Step One: Read (2 minutes)
Read the given task properly and focus on each word given. Doing so will force your brain to think and help you to focus on the task given. In these two minutes, read the question at least twice to ensure that you don’t miss out on any good point that you can use in your essay. In this part, you should break down the argument into the main conclusion and supporting premises so that you can start your work in a structured way.
Step Two: Plan (5 minutes)
Here you should brainstorm and generate ideas. This part will generate the main content of your essay, so don’t rush yourself. Think more and generate ideas more. In this part, you will get a rough structure of what points you are going to mention in your essay (the four paragraphs). Consider using the provided scratchpad to sketch out a very brief outline so that you can keep your ideas organized. This will help you to remember points or ideas which are generated in this part during these 5 minutes.
Step Three: Type (20 minutes)
This part is where you will flesh out the points you generated in the previous 5 minutes. Do not forget to refer to the points you have written down so that you don’t miss out on anything. If one paragraph you are working with is making you feel stuck, don’t force yourself to go complete it. You should move on to the next paragraph and return when you are ready to give the answer in that paragraph. As long as you are keeping your paragraphs structured and ideas separated, you can move smoothly between ideas as works best for you. By the end of this part, you should have a draft of your essay. To complete your 500 words, you should have written approximately 30-35 sentences of 15-20 words each.
Step Four: Review (3 minutes)
At this point, stop adding any new points. Just read your essay 2 times, correcting all the mistakes regarding the syntax, grammar, and spelling mistakes as you read, and make sure that proper transition of words have been used as you move from one point to the next. Also, try to increase the vocabulary level, but don’t try to use fancy language, flowery words, etc. Look for the sentences where you can change your syntax to leave a more sophisticated impression. Stick to formal English and keep the language relevant and simple.
For more information: Time management of 3 Hours 30 Minutes in the GMAT
General tips for Analytical Writing Assessment Section preparation
- Check your typing speed Before the test and practice well. You should be able to type that many words in less than 20 minutes.
- Read the sample essays more than once to train your mind to organize your thoughts along those lines. Here is an example of it: GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment Sample Questions
- If your command of English is not strong, make sure you adhere to the principles you learn in Sentence Correction to minimize grammar errors.
- You should be strong in 3 skills for Analytical Writing Assessment which are Organization and Presentation, Logical Analysis, and Linguistic Skills. So practice as much as you can to sharpen these skills.
Tricks for the Analytical Writing Assessment
The first section of the GMAT requires you to type an original analytical writing sample. here are some tips which you can use to gain a good GMAT score in Analytical Writing Assessment:
- Choose your point of view immediately. There's no right answer to the question, so don't waste time trying to switch your point of view.
- Make sure you have an argument ready for the essay and a topic statement for all 4 paragraphs.
- Don’t forget to Include an introduction paragraph as well as the conclusion paragraph in the essay.
- Be specific with your supporting evidence, drawn from your own knowledge.
- Leave a couple of minutes near the end to proofread your essay and correct any errors.
- Don’t simply list examples. Develop your thoughts. Use your erasable note board to organize your thoughts.
- Your essay should be logical, appropriately introduced examples with full sentences and logical transitions. Here are some of the tips: How to get 700 on GMAT?
So now you know how to prepare and crack the Analytical Writing Assessment Section. So do your best to keep all the tips in your mind and crack them well
All the best.!!
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