The Graduate Record Examinations®

Analytical Writing 1
ANALYZE AN ISSUE
30 minutes

You will have 30 minutes to plan and compose a response that presents your perspective on a topic you
select. A response on any topic other that then one you select will receive a score of zero. You are free to
accept, reject, or qualify the claim made in the topic, as long as the ideas you present are clearly relevant to
the topic you select. Support your views with reasons and examples drawn from such areas as your reading,
experience, observations, or academic studies.
Before you make your choice, read the topic carefully. GRE readers who are college and university faculty
will read your response and evaluate its overall quality, based on how well you
 consider the complexities and implications of the issue
 organize, develop, and express your ideas about the issue
 support your ideas with relevant reasons and examples
 control the elements of standard written English
You may want to take a few minutes to think about the issue and to plan a response before you begin
writing. Be sure to develop your ideas fully and organize them coherently, but leave time to read what you
have written and make any revisions that you think are necessary.
ISSUE TOPIC:
"A nation should require all of its students to study the same national curriculum until they enter college."
Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the recommendation above and explain your
reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, describe specific
circumstances in which adopting the recommendation would or would not be advantageous and explain
how those examples shape your position.

Analytical Writing 2
ANALYZE AN ARGUMENT
30 minutes

You will have 30 minutes to plan and write a critique of an argument presented in the form of a short
passage. A critique of any other argument will receive a score of zero.
GRE readers who are college and university faculty will read your critique and evaluate its overall quality,
based on how well you
 identify and analyze important features of the argument
 organize, develop, and express your critique of the argument
 support you critique with relevant reasons and examples
 control the elements of standard written English
Before you begin writing, you may want to take a few minutes to evaluate the argument and to plan a
response. Be sure to develop your ideas fully and organize them coherently, but leave time to read what you
have written and make any revisions that you think are necessary.

ARGUMENT TOPIC:

The following is a memorandum from the business manager of a television station.
“Over the past year, our late-night news program has devoted increased time to national news and less
time to weather and local news. During this time period, most of the complaints received from viewers
were concerned with our station’s coverage of weather and local news. In addition, local businesses that
used to advertise during our late-night news program have just canceled their advertising contracts with
us. Therefore, in order to attract more viewers to the program and to avoid losing any further advertising
revenues, we should restore the time devoted to weather and local news to its former level.”
Write a response in which you:
 discuss what specific evidence would needed in order to evaluate the argument
and
 explain how the evidence would weaken or strengthen the argument.