GRE-GMAT Preparation – The ARGUMENT Essay
Getting started:
Read the topic and determine what the author’s conclusion is. The conclusion will
sound like an opinion, and will be supported by one or more premises. To ensure you have
identified the conclusion correctly, you should be able to state the conclusion, add the word
“because,” and then read any premise. If it doesn’t make sense, it is likely incorrect.
Write down the premises. In a moment, you’ll be referring to these as you brainstorm for
ways to strengthen the conclusion.
Brainstorm! Take 4-5 minutes to brainstorm the assumptions that the author used to
connect the premises to his conclusion. Assumptions are unspoken pieces of evidence
that, had the author included them, would have provided a logic bridge to the conclusion. A
premise may have more than one associated assumption.
Prioritize the assumptions that you’ll talk about. You’ll want your strongest point first in
the essay, followed by the second strongest, and so on.
Determine what would have strengthened each assumption. Sometimes this answer
may mirror the assumption itself.
Set up your outline. As with the Issue Essay, you’ll have customized an outline style, so
this is as simple as writing out your guide points and filling in the blanks.
Write a strong opening sentence and paragraph. By nature, this format forces you to
assume that multiple items in the essay are not logically-sound, and could be strengthened.
As a result, your first paragraph can usually follow a simple pattern of:
“The argument is not convincing, as it omits several critical
assumptions.”
Write the essay, following your outline. Vary your sentence structure, and choose your
words to convey an unequivocal message.
Review your essay. Edit for grammar and spelling, and strengthen sentences.
Key things to remember:
This isn’t an issue essay, so even if you disagree with the author’s opinion, your task
remains to critique the logic and to offer means to strengthen his argument.
Make sure that you’re addressing the task before you. See above. In an issue essay,
you get to share your opinion and offer your own evidence. This essay isn’t about you or
your opinion, but rather only your ability to critique someone else’s logic.
Budget your time. Make sure that you have allowed time up front for organization and
time at the end to go back through your essay to review grammar and spelling.
GRE-GMAT Preparation – The ARGUMENT Essay
What is the author’s conclusion?
Premise #1
Rank Assumption Strengthening Statement
Premise #2
Rank Assumption Strengthening Statement
Premise #3
Rank Assumption Strengthening Statement
Outlining (these are concepts – you’ll find one of your own):
¶# Concept 1 Concept 2 Concept 3
“The argument is not convincing,
1 as it omits several critical assumptions.”
First Assumption / Flaw /
2 First Assumption List the assumptions
Strengthening Statement
Second Assumption / Flaw
3 Second Assumption Discuss the flaws
/ Strengthening Statement
Third Assumption / Flaw / Discuss how the flaws could Discuss how the flaws could
4 Strengthening Statement be strengthened be strengthened
5 Conclusion: “In conclusion, for the reasons stated above, the argument is unconvincing…”
Review!
Is my argument clear, and does it flow from paragraph-to-paragraph?
Sentence structure, grammar, and spelling.