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downtownblue
- Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Fri Feb 20, 2009 12:46 pm
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Howdy mad GMAT studiers.
I got my scores back and I happily got a 6. While everyone has their own style of writing, I wanted to share mine as it proved successful for me. Its foundation came from my days in Political Science and proved to be successful for me in those classes as well. I also think the mechanics of my outline helps to strengthen your argument/point of view presented. Others have gotten 6s using their own structure; I simply wish to add mine into that milieu.
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The first paragraph is like any one else's as it is the introduction. I first begin by building the context of my argument rather than jumping straight into my case. Why might one actually consider the issue or argument at hand? Broadly and briefly this provides the canvas for the next half of the paragraph as I present my thesis.
With examples, I aim for two supporting points. I think this part is self-explanatory and I think many writers on this forum tend to do a good job in arguing their cases. Remember to choose examples that directly support your thesis. If you can't change or reframe your thesis. Much like the introduction paragraph, I talk about the context of the argument to reinforce why my supporting point is relevant.
It is important to note that when I participate in the polls for the essays posted on this forum, I automatically dock points for beginning paragraphs with "Firstly", "Secondly", "Thirdly" as it shows me that the author is being overly mechanical. Chances are you did not write your application essays in such a format for a reason. Keep those terms internalized; use other narrative devices to bridge your paragraphs. If I recall, I used phrases like "One can also consider..." or "Another consideration...". Keep a list "in your back pocket" or steal from the Wall Street Journal. There are many great narrative devices used that would likely appeal to an evaluator.
The third "example" or fourth paragraph is the part that I think sets my essay apart from many others. I consider the second strongest thesis I can think of--one that is NOT my thesis and I cite it. In this paragraph, I refute the second-best argument in support of my own. I keep this paragraph as brief as my previous two as this paragraph supports my argument, not taking it over.
The fifth paragraph is the conclusion. In addition to restating the thesis, I briefly state why anyone would care about the argument or essay. Again, I do not start with "In conclusion".
I do want to note that many guides recommend staying on a formula as it helps the evaluator through your essay. My overall structure is the same as many others but uses different devices to make the case.
I allocate my time differently than most as I, perhaps, think differently. I spend no more than 4 minutes doing my outline but I write the outline directly into the text window. This way, those words can be quickly woven into the first couple sentences of each paragraph. This also helped when I hit writers block in one paragraph as it allowed me to continue on and then return later. I spend a larger amount of time at the end to reread and fix bridges between sentences and ideas.
--
I hope this helps you in your preparation. I really hope that it helps you to create your own voice in writing which I think helps you more in the end. It may even help with essays in class once you get into your dream school!
Cheers and good luck.
I got my scores back and I happily got a 6. While everyone has their own style of writing, I wanted to share mine as it proved successful for me. Its foundation came from my days in Political Science and proved to be successful for me in those classes as well. I also think the mechanics of my outline helps to strengthen your argument/point of view presented. Others have gotten 6s using their own structure; I simply wish to add mine into that milieu.
--
The first paragraph is like any one else's as it is the introduction. I first begin by building the context of my argument rather than jumping straight into my case. Why might one actually consider the issue or argument at hand? Broadly and briefly this provides the canvas for the next half of the paragraph as I present my thesis.
With examples, I aim for two supporting points. I think this part is self-explanatory and I think many writers on this forum tend to do a good job in arguing their cases. Remember to choose examples that directly support your thesis. If you can't change or reframe your thesis. Much like the introduction paragraph, I talk about the context of the argument to reinforce why my supporting point is relevant.
It is important to note that when I participate in the polls for the essays posted on this forum, I automatically dock points for beginning paragraphs with "Firstly", "Secondly", "Thirdly" as it shows me that the author is being overly mechanical. Chances are you did not write your application essays in such a format for a reason. Keep those terms internalized; use other narrative devices to bridge your paragraphs. If I recall, I used phrases like "One can also consider..." or "Another consideration...". Keep a list "in your back pocket" or steal from the Wall Street Journal. There are many great narrative devices used that would likely appeal to an evaluator.
The third "example" or fourth paragraph is the part that I think sets my essay apart from many others. I consider the second strongest thesis I can think of--one that is NOT my thesis and I cite it. In this paragraph, I refute the second-best argument in support of my own. I keep this paragraph as brief as my previous two as this paragraph supports my argument, not taking it over.
The fifth paragraph is the conclusion. In addition to restating the thesis, I briefly state why anyone would care about the argument or essay. Again, I do not start with "In conclusion".
I do want to note that many guides recommend staying on a formula as it helps the evaluator through your essay. My overall structure is the same as many others but uses different devices to make the case.
I allocate my time differently than most as I, perhaps, think differently. I spend no more than 4 minutes doing my outline but I write the outline directly into the text window. This way, those words can be quickly woven into the first couple sentences of each paragraph. This also helped when I hit writers block in one paragraph as it allowed me to continue on and then return later. I spend a larger amount of time at the end to reread and fix bridges between sentences and ideas.
--
I hope this helps you in your preparation. I really hope that it helps you to create your own voice in writing which I think helps you more in the end. It may even help with essays in class once you get into your dream school!
Cheers and good luck.
