Analytical Writing Assessment Format

The GMAT begins with the Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA), which consists of two essays that are scored separately from the rest of the multiple-choice test. The two essays — Analysis of an Issue and Analysis of an Argument — can appear in either order and have a time limit of 30 minutes each.

Essay scores are based upon several factors:

  1. Analytical reasoning, including the ability to establish a thesis (take a position on the issue at hand) and develop your position with relevant examples and reasons
  2. Presentation of your ideas, including appropriate organization of the information (an introduction, body paragraphs with clear main points, a conclusion) and appropriate word choice to convey your ideas in a clear and crisp manner
  3. Command of the English language, including grammar, spelling, punctuation, and vocabulary (note: some accommodation is given to examinees whose first language is not English)

The Analysis of an Issue Essay Type

The Issue essay provides a one or two sentence “prompt” in the form of a quote. You are asked to take a position on the given prompt, based upon your own opinions, life experiences, and knowledge. For example, an Issue prompt might say:

“In a company, it is preferable to have one person who is responsible for making the final decision on a matter rather than a committee that must reach a consensus in order to make a final decision.”

In an essay, you would be expected to establish a thesis, stating whether you agree or disagree with the prompt, and explain why you believe this is the case, using relevant, real-world examples (events that have actually taken place) to support and further explain your reasoning. You are also expected to acknowledge the complexity of the given issue; there is no one position that is always right. For instance, a test-taker might write, “While it is sometimes necessary to have one person responsible for making the final decision, in my experience, it is often better to use a consensus approach because the entire team will be more likely to support the final decision fully.” The test-taker might then provide a specific instance of consensus decision making from his or her work history, along with the positive outcome that was achieved as a result.

The Analysis of an Argument Essay Type

The Argument essay provides a one paragraph prompt in the form of an argument, with a conclusion and some premises intended to support that conclusion. The argument prompt is often very similar to the Critical Reasoning arguments that appear on the Verbal portion of the exam. You are asked to indicate whether the argument is well-constructed (and it will not be well-constructed or there wouldn’t be much of an essay to write!) and expected to describe and discuss flaws as well as suggest fixes.

For the Argument essay, you are not asked to provide your opinion as to the “right” conclusion or the best way to achieve the given conclusion. For example, if the argument says that a company plans to increase its profitability by firing half of its workers to reduce the amount it pays out in salaries, your task is not to say that this is a terrible plan to increase profitability, or that the company should do something else to improve profitability. Your task is simply to show that the author of the argument has not provided sufficient evidence to support the claim that action A (firing half of the workers) will actually lead to conclusion B (increased profitability). It will always be the case that the evidence provided is not fully sufficient; otherwise, it would be a very short essay.

For instance, the author has not discussed the potential risks of such a plan. The test-taker might write: “The author assumes that there are not significant negative consequences to the plan, consequences that could hinder the goal to improve profitability. Can the company still be as productive after losing half of the workers? Will the remaining workers demand higher salaries to compensate for the extra work they have to do, or simply quit? In order to solidify the argument, the author needs to address concerns about the potential risks that are tied directly to the plan.”

Optional Break #1

Test-takers are offered two optional 8-minute breaks. The first occurs between the AWA and Quantitative sections. If you would like to take the break, raise your hand, and a proctor will escort you out of the testing room (you cannot stay in the testing room during the break). If you do not want to take the break, select the option on the screen to skip it.

It is strongly recommended that you take advantage of this time. If nothing else, it is important to have a small mental break from the stresses of the exam. This also gives you an opportunity to have something to eat or drink, to stretch, and to refresh yourself before beginning the next section.