GRE作文：ISSUE寫作策略

Analysis of Issue

In the Analysis of Issue question you discuss your opinion toward an issue.

You write a well-balanced analysis of the issue the test presents to you.

These are the most common topics:

The most common topics relate to general business and public policy issues.

Business issues generally relate to business ethics, marketing and labor.

Government issues will generally relate to regulatory issues and social

welfare issues.

Here is an example of an Analysis of Issue question:

Following the Colorado massacre of schoolchildren, many lawmakers have

proposed that an international body regulate the internet so that sites

which provide information to terrorists should be eliminated.

Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the above opinion.

Support your opinion with reasons and examples.

The people who grade the Analysis of Issue expect the following:

i) A well-developed essay that is logical and coherent;

ii) An essay that demonstrates critical thinking skills;

iii) An essay which uses varied sentence structure and vocabulary;

iv) An essay that uses the language of standard written English;

v) An essay that is free of mechanical errors in spelling, punctuation,

capitalization; and

vi) An essay that follows the conventions of standard written English.

a. Analysis of Issue: Content

How do I write a well-balanced essay?

You should always acknowledge both sides of an issue. Among the sample

essays there is not one irrefutable essay, yet you must pick a side. The

trick to doing this is to persuade the reader that, despite the counter-

arguments, your position is the strongest one overall.

Try to "straddle the fence" between both sides of the issue by making

limited use of qualifiers. This will allow you to acknowledge the opposing

view and appear scholarly. (Note that overuse of qualifiers will make the

essay appear too vague and dilute an argument you are making.)

In general, take a politically correct opinion or an opinion that a

majority of top scorers might take. However, if you do not think you can

write an effective politically-correct essay, adjust your content to fit

what you can comfortably express. In general, though, stay uncontroversial

and balanced. Do not use it as a forum to be an ideologue. Writing a highly

charged essay might evoke a bias from the reader (if he disagrees with you)

and it also may confuse the E-rater, since you essay will not resemble any

essays it has stored in its database. Try to approach each issue in a

dispassionate and balanced manner.

Nevertheless, you must be sure to take a stand. You must pick a side that

will "win out" in the conclusion/introduction. The test instructions

specifically tell you to pick a side. Make sure to disagree or agree with

the question's statement.

Note: Do not write an unsubstantiated opinion, write an argument that

consists of your thesis and logical arguments to support it.

How in-depth should the essays be?

Your essay is short (you have only 45 minutes), so you won't be able to

cover every possible argument, rebuttal and example. When you start the

test set aside a few minutes to set up the points and examples. You do not

have to cover every idea/concept. Most essay students do not have time to

cover everything they would like to cover. Choose the most persuasive

relevant points and examples to use. The essay graders do not expect you to

go in-depth on every topic.

The most important concern here is that you do not go off of the main

subject. Stay focused on the topic. Do not either go off on tangential

arguments or excessively focus on one example.

Where should I get examples?

The instructions (with only a few exceptions) allow you to draw upon your

personal experiences in developing your answer to each essay question. This

practice is acceptable, but don't overdo it. You should generally rely more

on academic knowledge than personal experiences.

Your examples and knowledge can be impressive, but you shouldn't go too

far. Don't try to impress the grader with your expertise in a narrow area.

The AWA tests analytical writing, not specific subject knowledge.

Where do I get essay issue ideas?

These questions generally favor students who have taken government policy

analysis courses. This section favors the student who flips to the

editorial page of the Wall St. Journal before the Marketplace section.

to get an idea about public policy issues, try Policy Review, the Wall

Street Journal editorial page or the Economist.

International Students: Read these American magazines as much as possible

to see how Americans structure their writing and to stay updated on issues.

Write with your grader in mind

When you write your Issue essay, remember that you are fundamentally

writing your essay to please your grader.

Keep it concise

Put yourself in the position of a grader. They grade essays all day.

Wouldn't you favor a concise and effective essay with 5 paragraphs of 4

sentences each more than a 4 paragraph rambling essay with 10 sentences in

each paragraph? The bottom line: keep the essays crisp, concise, and

written in a manner appealing to the grader. This is particularly important

on the Analysis of Issue question, where you essay expresses personal

opinions.

b. Analysis of Issue: Structure

Structure is the most important part of your essay. Your essay must be

written in a standard format with the standard logical transitions. The E-

rater will scan your essay to identify if it has a standard structure.

Introduction/Conclusion- These elements will provide the structure for your

essay and keep you on track.

Number of Paragraphs. To satisfy the E-rater, your essay should be 4 to 5

paragraphs: an introduction, a conclusion, and three "body" paragraphs.

Each paragraph should have 2 to 5 sentences (total essay about 300-400

words).

Note: You should skip a line between paragraphs since the TAB key does not

function in the essay section.

Essay Template

The template is just a guideline. You do not have to adhere to it. Often

you will have to make changes to suit your argument.

The numbers of sentences indicated for each paragraph is a guideline that

varies depending on how much content you have.

The transitional phrases we use in the Template are intentionally

simplistic. This is not a simple approach where you can "fill-in-the-

blanks." Flesh out the template somewhat and use it as a guideline to write

a disciplined and focused essay.

Template

1) Introductory Paragraph (2-4 sentences)

Make sure to keep your introductory paragraph concise, strong and effective.

What the introductory paragraph should accomplish:

Explain the issue (briefly).

Show that you understand the full complexities of the issue (for example,

by recognizing competing interests or various factors).

State your position on the issue (without the details yet).

Sample template for introductory paragraph (2 sentences):

a) Whether ________________________ depends on _____________________.

b) (insert your opinion), __________________________.

2) First Body Paragraph (3-5 sentences)

Begin to develop your position with your most important reason. Use one or

two examples to back up your main point:

a) The chief reason for my view is ___________________________________.

b) For example, __

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