Mastering the GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment: Tips for Success

The analytical writing assessment section in the GMAT may seem intriguing for test-takers. What is it all about? Does it even assume importance in the larger scheme of things, i.e., scoring and results? There are several questions that you may ask about the GMAT analytical writing assessment section. 

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Here’s looking at the core details of the same: 

• Format- One essay of 30 minutes revolving around analyzing an argument. 
• The test measures the candidate’s critical thinking, argumentative analysis, and overall communication abilities. Specific knowledge is not required for the topic of the essay; the analytical writing abilities are only examined. 
• Score Range- Average scores range between 0 and 6 with intervals of half points. The scores are separately computed from the multiple-choice section scores. They do not impact the Verbal, Quantitative, Integrated Reasoning, or overall GMAT scores. 
• Scoring Method- A combination of professional human raters and machine-based algorithms with an electronic scoring system for essays. It will analyze the linguistic and structural aspects, including syntactic variety, idea organization, and topical analysis. 
• Percentile Ranking- The GMAT analytical writing percentile rankings depend on the last three years’ GMAT examinations taken. 

How important are the analytical writing assessment scores? 

The AWA score has its own importance for test-takers. It may be used by admissions committees at leading institutions and universities for choosing applicants while working as a means of evaluating writing abilities. The AWA is only one indicator of academic capabilities, and essays come with two independent ratings, one by an automated essay scoring engine and one by an expert reader. University admissions committees will consider aspects like the quality of the argument, idea organization, development, and expression, supporting examples and reasons, and control over standard written English while scrutinizing the AWA score. 

At the same time, a student’s AWA score also convinces admissions committees about the genuineness of the statements of purpose and other admission essays. This means that you have done it by yourself and minus any external help. 

How to Score High in GMAT AWA?

Getting a high GMAT analytical writing score is not rocket science; with the right strategies, candidates can certainly crack the section. Here are a few tips worth noting in this regard: 

• Before writing the essay, take some time out to analyze the given argument and plan your responses. Structuring your thoughts is the key thereafter. 
• Time management is essential; you should pace yourself smartly throughout the examination, keeping the 30-minute limit in mind. It is also vital to leave some time in the end for reading the response and revising some portions if required. 
• You should follow a basic strategy while organizing the responses. This involves asking questions about any assumptions behind the argument that may be questionable, any counterexamples that could be brought up, any supporting material for rejecting/boosting the argument, and whether the response seems like a discussion with sentences and structural elements. 
• The final responses seem more like a discussion, with proper sentences, transitions, and examples or illustrations. They have to be developed instead of being listed. 
• While reviewing answers, you should refrain from looking for more points to add. Read carefully, making grammatical, syntax, and spelling corrections while also checking for transition words. 
• Adopting a formal tone of writing is helpful, without the usage of ornamental or flowery phrases. Informal or casual language is avoidable, along with excessive usage of fancy words. 
• Writing around 550-600 words is ideal, and evaluating your typing speed is essential in this context. Regular practice is vital for aspirants.

GMAT AWA Sample 

Here is a GMAT AWA sample for practice purposes. There are several other kinds of samples available for candidates. 

Question/Topic: 

Most companies agree that as the risk of physical injury occurring on the job increases, the wages paid to employees should also increase. Hence it makes financial sense for employers to make the workplace safer: they could thus reduce their payroll expenses and save money. 

Sample: 

Introduction: 

The argument states that employers will find it financially prudent to enhance workplace safety since lower wages could then be disbursed to their employees. The conclusion is based on the assumption that with increasing risks of physical injuries to employees, their wages should witness a corresponding increase accordingly. Yet, this argument has numerous assumptions that are unsupported by relevant facts. For instance, the argument automatically assumes that the costs related to workplace safety do not outstrip the higher payroll costs on account of conditions that can be termed as hazardous or unsafe. 

Paragraph 1: 

The core aspect being tackled is whether higher costs of labor serve as a justification for sizable capital expenditure to enhance the professional environment. A safer workplace would cost at least $200 million as compared to extra payroll costs of just $50,000 annually. Hence, it would make sense for any organization to pay just the higher wages. Putting this into perspective, I believe companies should undertake cost-benefit evaluation in such scenarios, but it may not be the only determinant in relation to moral, social, and ethical parameters.

Paragraph 2: 

At the same time, not every work environment can be transformed into a safer one. To illustrate, with regard to mining coal, companies have limitations in ensuring safer workplace environments. Some entities can implement a few safety measures without being able to offer all necessary safety regulations. Mining companies will have restricted capabilities with regard to controlling overall air quality within coal mines and hence will be unable to control respiratory risks fully. The job profile will always be hazardous, despite the company’s best intentions. 

Conclusion:

To conclude, while it may initially seem prudent to enhance work environment safety, it may not always be a sound decision. Companies may not always have financial prudence as their core issue. Other evaluations are required, including the ethical and social ramifications of a work environment with limited safety and the ability of companies to ignore such environments and implement a few measures in their control. Prior to any final decision, all these elements should be taken into consideration, and not only lower payroll costs. 

Cracking the GMAT analytical writing section is not hard, provided you emphasize regular practice and argumentative flair. Reading the topic/question is essential before you start writing, along with organizing your ideas beforehand.