The Analytical Writing section of the GRE exam consists of two writing tasks – an Analysis of an Issue essay and an Analysis of an Argument essay. The Analysis of an Argument essay, commonly known as the argument essay, requires test takers to critically evaluate a given argument according to specific instructions. The ability to analyze and evaluate arguments is an important skill for graduate-level study, so the GRE uses this task to assess analytical writing skills. While an argument essay involves critique rather than agreement, successful essays follow a logical structure and support the analysis with clear examples and evidence. Here are some strong GRE argument essay writing examples to help demonstrate the elements of a high-scoring response.
The Argument Essay Instructions and Structure
For the argument essay, test takers are given a short passage describing someone’s argument as well as the instructions and scoring rubric. The instructions may ask the student to discuss how well reasoned the argument is, the extent to which important evidence is taken into account, and what assumptions underlie the line of reasoning in the argument. Successful essays will have an introductory paragraph clearly outlining the argument to be analyzed and three body paragraphs each examining one part of the analysis as instructed, such as reasoning, evidence, or assumptions. A conclusion paragraph should then wrap up the overall assessment of the argument. Maintaining a clear, consistent structure is important for achieving a high score.
Example 1: Reasoning
The first body paragraph of a well-written argument essay analyzes the strength of the reasoning used to support the argument’s conclusion. Here is a sample introduction and first body paragraph:
“The given argument claims that the construction of a new amusement park on the outskirts of town will boost the local economy. This argument does not adequately support its conclusion through logical reasoning. The first flaw in the reasoning is the assumption that increased tourism alone will significantly improve economic indicators. While certain businesses may see a short-term increase in customers, there is not strong evidence that this will directly translate to measurable economic growth over the long run.”
This paragraph clearly examines one aspect of the reasoning as instructed – the logic connecting increased tourism to economic growth. It introduces a flaw or limitation in the reasoning to strengthen the analysis.
Example 2: Evidence
The second body paragraph should focus on examining how well evidence supports the argument. Here is an example:
“In addition to weaknesses in its reasoning, the argument also falls short by citing little concrete evidence to substantiate its key claims. While mentioning ‘studies’ that found amusement parks ‘often’ improve economies, the argument provides no details about these studies such as who conducted them, where the research was done, or how extensive the observed economic benefits were. Without access to specific data about increased tax revenue or job creation from past amusement park projects similar to the proposed development, it is difficult to reliably say this project itself will definitely have the positive effects predicted.”
This paragraph analyzes the use of evidence by pointing out a lack of relevant facts or statistics to truly back up the argument’s position as required in the prompt.
Example 3: Assumptions
The final body paragraph delves into assumptions underlying the reasoning:
“A large assumption coloring the argument is that community support and desires were fully considered in the decision to build the amusement park. The text provides no discussion of resident or business surveys to measure local enthusiasm. There is an implicit assumption the project will be widely embraced, but history suggests some opposition is likely given concerns over issues such as traffic, noise, and changes to small town character. Before initiating such an expensive, long-term project, more conclusive research on community perspectives would strengthen this argument by addressing some its assumptions.”
This effectively evaluates one of the implicit assumptions noted in the argument as directed.
Example Conclusion
To wrap up the response cohesively, the conclusion paragraph would restate the overall appraisal:
“While the construction of an amusement park could perhaps bring benefits, this argument does not logically or thoroughly prove its central claim that such a project will significantly boost the local economy. The reasoning jumps to an unwarranted conclusion, evidence cited is vague and non-specific, and important questions remain around underlying assumptions. A more well-rounded analysis considering additional factors would be necessary to more convincingly argue this ambitious development plan is worthwhile.”
This conclusion clearly restates the main evaluation of the argument’s reasoning, use of evidence, and assumptions as explored in the body paragraphs to complete the overall response.
Skills Demonstrated in Strong Examples
These argument essay examples demonstrate several qualities that often produce high scores. They maintain a clear structure with an introductory paragraph setting up the argument and three body paragraphs examining it per the assigned task. Each body paragraph focuses on just one component of the argument for a cohesive analysis. Examples and details are provided to support points instead of broad generalizations. Logical reasoning is used to critically evaluate strengths and weaknesses. The response also ties well-developed ideas together in the conclusion paragraph to summarize the overall assessment. Incorporating this type of structure, examples, and detail can help writers achieve one of the higher score levels on the GRE argument essay. Mastering the ability to analyze and critique arguments systematically and thoroughly is crucial preparation for success on this important GRE test section.
Andrew Stroud