CHAPTER 3

The Analytical Writing

Measure

Study this chapter to learn about:

■ How analytical writing is scored

■ How to approach the Analyze an Issue task
■ How to approach the Analyze an Argument task

T he first two sections of the GRE consist of two separately timed

30-minute writing tasks: Analyze an Issue and Analyze an Argument.
The Analyze an Issue task will present you with an opinion and
ask you to articulate your perspective on the opinion expressed. To do
so, you are expected to draw on personal experiences and knowledge to support
your point. There is no correct answer to these questions, and you should not
feel compelled to take a stance that you agree with. Instead, you should focus on
crafting an argument for which you have the most evidence to reinforce your point.
The Analyze an Argument is complementary to the Analyze an Issue task.
Whereas, the Analyze an Issue task expects you to bring in outside information to
support your point, the Analyze an Argument task provides you with an argument
and asks you to address its cogency. To do so, your focus should be on identifying
assumptions within the argument and evidence that would be necessary to
strengthen or weaken the argument. The argument provided will always have
logical flaws in it, and your task is to critically analyze the argument, identify these
flaws, and identify ways to eliminate these flaws.

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 84 PART 2 ■ GRE ANALYTICAL WRITING AND VERBAL REASONING

Scoring Analytical Writing

Two graders will score each essay, with each grader assigning a score from 0 to 6.
The average of these two scores will determine your score for each writing task. The
score for each writing task will then be averaged to yield your overall Analytical
Writing score.
For example, if one grader gives you a score of 5 on your first essay and the
second grader gives you a score of 6, your score for the first essay is 5.5. If one
grader gives you a score of 4 for your second essay and the second grader gives you
a 5, then your score for the second essay is 4.5. Your overall score will then be the
average of 5.5 and 4.5, which is 5.

What Are the Graders Looking For?

Essays that receive high scores tend to have several consistent features: fluid
writing, complex sentence structure, organization, and sound reasoning.

Fluid Writing
To achieve fluid writing, you must create smooth and logical transitions among the
different components of your essay. Doing so requires the use of rhetorical devices
that link components of the essay together. Words such as indeed, furthermore,
however, despite, nonetheless, since, and due to create internal logic among the
different parts of the essay. They facilitate the reader’s ability to understand the
information that you present and the point you are trying to make with this
information. When you are writing, you should be concerned with making sure
that you use the appropriate words or phrases to create a logical and smooth flow
among the different parts of your essay.

Complex Sentence Structure

If you tend to write in short, choppy sentences, you will need to revise your writing
to incorporate sentences that convey multiple thoughts at once. Though it’s not
necessarily true, most readers tend to interpret short sentences as representative
of shallow thinking and will grade your essays accordingly. One way to create
more complex sentences is to introduce subordinate clauses into your writing. For
example, a choppy writer might write the following:
The above argument is wrong. It makes a lot of assumptions. We need to
know a few things to make the argument stronger.
Writing with more complex sentence structures would rephrase the preceding into
the following sentence:
Due to its several unfounded assumptions, the above argument is flawed. To
strengthen the argument, several facts need to be addressed, otherwise the
argument of the logic is porous.

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 CHAPTER 3 ■ THE ANALYTICAL WRITING MEASURE 85

Organization
You can have a groundbreaking idea, but if you don’t present the idea in a clear and
logical way, then the reader will never grasp the point you are trying to make. As
will be discussed later, organizing your thoughts into discrete paragraphs will be
an essential component of achieving a good score on the essays.

Sound Reasoning
Remember: these are analytical tasks. To do well, you need to think critically
about the information presented to you and provide arguments and insights that
would not be obvious to someone who only superficially analyzes the information.
As explained later, a large component of your essay-writing process will be the
development of clear and logical arguments.

Simplified Scoring Rubrics

Here is a simplified version of the rubric used by the graders to score responses to
the Analyze an Issue task:

Analyze an Issue: Scoring

SCORE FOCUS ORGANIZATION CONVENTIONS

0 Does not address the Incomprehensible. May Illegible. Nonverbal.

prompt. Off topic. merely copy the prompt Serious errors make the
without development. paper unreadable. May be
in a foreign language.

1 Mostly irrelevant to the Little or no development Pervasive errors in

prompt. of ideas. No evidence of grammar, mechanics, and
analysis or organization. spelling.

2 Unclear connection to the Unfocused and Frequent errors in

prompt. disorganized. sentence structure,
mechanics, and spelling.

3 Limited connection to the Rough organization with Occasional major errors

prompt. weak examples or reasons. and frequent minor errors
in conventions of written
English.

4 Competent connection to Relevant examples or Occasional minor errors

the prompt. reasons develop a logical in conventions of written
position. English.

5 Clear, focused connection Thoughtful, appropriate Very few errors. Sentence

to the prompt. examples or reasons structure is varied and
develop a consistent, vocabulary is advanced.
coherent position.
Connectors are ably used
to mark transitions.

6 Insightful, clever Compelling, convincing Very few errors. Sentence

connection to the prompt. examples or reasons structure is varied and
develop a consistent, vocabulary is precise, well
coherent position. chosen, and effective.
The argument flows
effortlessly and
persuasively.

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 86 PART 2 ■ GRE ANALYTICAL WRITING AND VERBAL REASONING

Here is a simplified version of the rubric the graders use to score responses to
the Analyze an Argument task:

Analyze an Argument: Scoring

SCORE FOCUS ORGANIZATION CONVENTIONS

0 Does not address the Incomprehensible. May Illegible. Nonverbal.

prompt. Off topic. merely copy the prompt Serious errors make the
without development. paper unreadable. May be
in a foreign language.

1 Little or no analysis of the Little or no development Pervasive errors in

argument. May indicate of ideas. No evidence of grammar, mechanics, and
misunderstanding of the analysis or organization. spelling.
prompt.

2 Little analysis. May instead Disorganized and illogical. Frequent errors in

present opinions and sentence structure,
unrelated thoughts. mechanics, and spelling.

3 Some analysis of the Rough organization with Occasional major errors

prompt, but some major irrelevant support or and frequent minor errors
flaws may be omitted. unclear transitions. in conventions of written
English.

4 Important flaws in the Ideas are sound but may Occasional minor errors
argument are touched not flow logically or in conventions of written
upon. clearly. English.

5 Perceptive analysis of Logical examples and Very few errors. Sentence

the major flaws in the
argument.
support develop a structure is varied and
consistent, coherent vocabulary is advanced.
critique. Connectors
are ably used to mark
transitions.

6 Insightful, clever analysis Compelling, convincing Very few errors. Sentence

of the argument’s flaws
and fallacies.
examples and support
develop a consistent,
coherent critique. The
analysis flows effortlessly
and persuasively.
structure is varied and
vocabulary is precise, well
chosen, and effective.

How to Approach the “Analyze an Issue” Task

The Analyze an Issue task will present you with a one- or two-sentence claim and
ask you to evaluate that claim by using outside evidence. The essay will be graded
on your ability to:

■ Understand the implications of the statement

■ Develop a well-reasoned and organized line of thought
■ Use relevant examples to support your point
■ Present your ideas clearly and intelligibly

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