gre writing - shandong university

GRE Writing

Dianfang Lin

林殿芳

AEAP

Analytical Writing

The Analytical Writing section measures your ability to:

• articulate complex ideas clearly and effectively• support ideas with relevant reasons and examples• examine claims and accompanying evidence• sustain a well-focused, coherent discussion• control the elements of standard written English

The Analytical Writing section requires you to provide focused responses based on the tasks presented, so you can accurately demonstrate your skill in directly responding to a task.

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Analytical Writing-Writing Question Types


The Analytical Writing section of the GRE General Test consists of two separately timed analytical writing tasks:

• An Analyze an Issue task

• An Analyze an Argument task

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Analytical Writing-An Analyze an Issue task


• The Analyze an Issue task assesses your ability to think critically about a topic of general interest and to clearly express your thoughts about it in writing.

• Each issue statement makes a claim that you can discuss from various perspectives and apply to many different situations or conditions. The issue statement is followed by a set of specific instructions. The specific instructions could be one of the following:

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The specific instructions could be one of the following:

1. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.

2. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the recommendation and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, describe specific circumstances in which adopting the recommendation would or would not be advantageous and explain how these examples shape your position.

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3. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the claim. In developing and supporting your position, be sure to address the most compelling reasons or examples that could be used to challenge your position.

4. Write a response in which you discuss which view more closely aligns with your own position and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should address both of the views presented.

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5. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the claim AND the reason on which that claim is based.

6. Write a response in which you discuss your views on the policy and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider the possible consequences of implementing the policy and explain how these consequences shape your position.

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Sample Analyze an Issue Tasks

• As people rely more and more on technology to solveproblems, the ability of humans to think for themselves willsurely deteriorate.

• Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.

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Sample Analyze an Issue Tasks

• A nation should require all of its students to study the samenational curriculum until they enter college.

• Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the recommendation and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, describe specific circumstances in which adopting the recommendation would or would not be advantageous and explain how these examples shape your position.

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Analytical Writing-Analyze an Argument Task

• The Analyze an Argument task assesses your ability to understand, analyze and evaluate arguments and to clearly convey your evaluation in writing. You are presented with a brief passage in which the author makes a case for some course of action or interpretation of events by presenting claims backed by reasons and evidence.

• Your task is to discuss the logical soundness of the author's case according to the specific instructions by critically examining the line of reasoning and the use of evidence.

• The specific instructions could be one of the following:

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The specific instructions could be one of the following:1. Write a response in which you discuss what specific evidence is

needed to evaluate the argument and explain how the evidence would weaken or strengthen the argument.

2. Write a response in which you examine the stated and/or unstated assumptions of the argument. Be sure to explain how the argument depends on these assumptions and what the implications are if the assumptions prove unwarranted.

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The specific instructions could be one of the following:3. Write a response in which you discuss what questions would need to

be answered in order to decide whether the recommendation and the argument on which it is based are reasonable. Be sure to explain how the answers to these questions would help to evaluate the recommendation.

4. Write a response in which you discuss what questions would need to be answered in order to decide whether the advice and the argument on which it is based are reasonable. Be sure to explain how the answers to these questions would help to evaluate the advice.

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The specific instructions could be one of the following:5. Write a response in which you discuss what questions would need to

be answered in order to decide whether the recommendation is likely to have the predicted result. Be sure to explain how the answers to these questions would help to evaluate the recommendation.

6. Write a response in which you discuss what questions would need to be answered in order to decide whether the prediction and the argument on which it is based are reasonable. Be sure to explain how the answers to these questions would help to evaluate the prediction.

7. Write a response in which you discuss one or more alternative explanations that could rival the proposed explanation and explain how your explanation(s) can plausibly account for the facts presented in the argument.

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Sample Analyze an Argument Tasks

• In surveys Mason City residents rank water sports (swimming, boating, and fishing) among their favorite recreational activities. The Mason River flowing through the city is rarely used for these pursuits, however, and the city park department devotes little of its budget to maintaining riverside recreational facilities. For years there have been complaints from residents about the quality of the river's water and the river's smell. In response, the state has recently announced plans to clean up Mason River. Use of the river for water sports is, therefore, sure to increase. The city government should for that reason devote more money in this year's budget to riverside recreational facilities.

• Write a response in which you examine the stated and/or unstated assumptions of the argument. Be sure to explain how the argument depends on the assumptions and what the implications are if the assumptions prove unwarranted.

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Sample Analyze an Argument Tasks

The following is a memorandum from the business manager of a television station.

"Over the past year, our late-night news program has devoted increased time to national news and less time to weather and local news. During this time period, most of the complaints received from viewers were concerned with our station's coverage of weather and local news. In addition, local businesses that used to advertise during our late-night news program have just canceled their advertising contracts with us. Therefore, in order to attract more viewers to the program and to avoid losing any further advertising revenues, we should restore the time devoted to weather and local news to its former level."

Write a response in which you discuss what specific evidence is needed to evaluate the argument and explain how the evidence would weaken or strengthen the argument.

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Analytical Writing

To conclude

• The Analytical Writing measure tests your critical thinking and analytical writing skills.

• It assesses your ability to articulate and support complex ideas, construct and evaluate arguments, and sustain a focused and coherent discussion. It does not assess specific content knowledge.

• GRE ISSUE作文的写作要求，大体相当于中文里的立论文，也就是根据作文题目给出的内容自己确定一个论点观点后搭框架写文章。而与之相对的ARGUMENT，则是驳论性质的文章，需要考生根据给出的题目和观点进行反驳，也就是通俗意义上的挑错。

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Analytical Writing

Purpose and Audience of the Issue Task

• The Issue task is an exercise in critical thinking and persuasive writing.

• The purpose of this task is to determine how well you can develop a compelling argument supporting your own evaluation of an issue and effectively communicate that argument in writing to an academic audience.

• Your audience consists of GRE raters who are carefully trained to apply the scoring criteria identified in the scoring guide for the "Analyze an Issue" task.

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Analytical Writing

A sample Issue task

• As people rely more and more on technology to solve problems,the ability of humans to think for themselves will surelydeteriorate.

• Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.

• How will you address this topic？

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Analytical Writing

A sample Issue task

You may agree with the topic and argue that:

• reliance on technology leads to dependency; we come to relyon problem-solving technologies to such a degree that whenthey fail we are in worse shape than if we didn't have them

• everyday technologies such as calculators and cash registershave decreased our ability to perform simple calculations, a"use it or lose it" approach to thinking ability

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Analytical Writing

A sample Issue task

Or you may take issue with the topic and argue that technologyfacilitates and improves our thinking skills, arguing that:

• developing, implementing and using technology requiresproblem solving

• technology frees us from mundane problem solving (e.g.,calculations) and allows us to engage in more complex thinking

• technology provides access to information otherwiseunavailable

• technology connects people at a distance and allows them toshare ideas

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Analytical Writing

A sample Issue task

• On the other hand, you could decide to explore the middleground in the debate and point out that while technology maydiminish some mental skill sets, it enables other (perhaps moreimportant) types of thinking to thrive.

• Such a response might distinguish between complex problemsolving and simple "data maintenance" (i.e., performingcalculations and organizing information).

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Analytical Writing

A sample Issue task

• Other approaches could involve taking a historical,philosophical or sociological stance or, with equal effectiveness,using personal experience to illustrate a position.

• One could argue that the value or detriment of relying ontechnology is determined by the individual (or society) using itor that only those who develop technology (i.e., technicalspecialists) are maintaining their problem-solving skills, whilethe rest of us are losing them.

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Analytical Writing

Commenting the Samples

• Score the samples (6-4 points)

• Using rubric to comment on the samples

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Analytical Writing

A sample Argument task

• In surveys Mason City residents rank water sports (swimming,boating and fishing) among their favorite recreational activities.The Mason River flowing through the city is rarely used for thesepursuits, however, and the city park department devotes little ofits budget to maintaining riverside recreational facilities. Foryears there have been complaints from residents about thequality of the river's water and the river's smell. In response, thestate has recently announced plans to clean up Mason River. Useof the river for water sports is therefore sure to increase. The citygovernment should for that reason devote more money in thisyear's budget to riverside recreational facilities.

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Analytical Writing


• Write a response in which you examine the stated and/orunstated assumptions of the argument. Be sure to explain howthe argument depends on the assumptions and what theimplications are if the assumptions prove unwarranted.

• How will you address this topic？

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Analytical Writing


• This argument cites a survey to support the prediction that theuse of the Mason River is sure to increase and thus recommendsthat the city government should devote more money in thisyear's budget to the riverside recreational facilities.

• In developing your evaluation, you are asked to examine theargument's stated and/or unstated assumptions and discusswhat the implications are if the assumptions prove unwarranted.A successful response must discuss both the argument'sassumptions AND the implications of these assumptions for theargument. A response that does not fully address the task maynot receive a 5 or 6.

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Analytical Writing

Assumption 1

• The assumption that people who rank water sports "amongtheir favorite recreational activities" are actually likely toparticipate in them. (It is possible that they just like to watchthem.)

• This assumption underlies the claim that use of the river forwater sports is sure to increase after the state cleans up theMason River and that the city should for that reason devotemore money to riverside recreational facilities.

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Analytical Writing

Assumption 2

• The assumption that what residents say in surveys can be takenat face value. (It is possible that survey results exaggerate theinterest in water sports.)


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Analytical Writing

Assumption 3

• The assumption that Mason City residents would actually wantto do water sports in the Mason River. (As recreational activities,it is possible that water sports are regarded as pursuits forvacations and weekends away from the city.)


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Analytical Writing

Assumption 4

• The assumption that the park department's devoting little of itsbudget to maintaining riverside recreational facilities meansthat these facilities are inadequately maintained.

• This assumption underlies the claim that the city should devotemore money in this year's budget to riverside recreationalfacilities. If current facilities are adequately maintained, thenincreased funding might not be needed even if recreational useof the river does increase.

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Analytical Writing

Assumption 5

• The assumption that the riverside recreational facilities arefacilities designed for people who participate in water sportsand not some other recreational pursuit.

• This assumption underlies the claim that the city should devotemore money in this year's budget to riverside recreationalfacilities.

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Analytical Writing

Assumption 5

Should any of the above assumptions prove unwarranted, theimplications are:

• that the logic of the argument falls apart or is invalid or isunsound

• that the state and city are spending their funds unnecessarily

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Analytical Writing

Commenting the Samples

• Score the samples (6-4 points)

• Using rubric to comment on the samples

gre writing - shandong university

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