For many students, the most intimidating component of the Graduate Management Admissions Test is the Analytical Writing Assessment. Anxiety about the GMAT AWA can be allayed by getting familiar with the format of the section. The AWA consists of two exercises: the Analysis of an Issue and the Analysis of an Argument. You will receive thirty minutes for each of these exercises. The Analysis of an Issue presents you with a short paragraph describing a controversial topic. You are then asked to argue a position on the issue, using relevant facts and examples to support your case. You can use information drawn from your personal life or reading, so long as they are appropriate to the argument you are making. Also, it is important that you acknowledge the basic counterarguments and make brief refutations for each. It is not necessary for you to agree with the position you take; in fact, many students find that they are able to make more convincing cases for positions with which they disagree. Remember that you are to be judged on the quality rather than the correctness of your argument. For the Analysis of an Argument exercise, you will be required to consider a preexisting argument. This exercise will present you with a paragraph-length argument, which you will then be asked to critique. You will need to consider the validity and appropriateness of the premises, assumptions, reasoning, evidence, and conclusions of the given argument. Again, it does not matter whether you agree or disagree with the given argument; you are being judged on your ability to identify errors of reasoning and argumentation. You should also be able to identify some pieces of information that, if introduced to the discussion, would significantly strengthen or weaken the given argument.

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