GRE Argument Essay is the second part of the GRE AWA. Through the GRE Argument essay candidates abilities in understanding, analysing and evaluating the given argument in a paragraph is assessed. GRE Argument essay requires candidates to critique the given paragraph-length argument. Candidates need to determine if the given argument is logical and further evaluate the argument. Candidates do not need to provide their own views or perspectives in the essay. Candidates in the argument essay of GRE AWA need to comment on the flaws of the given argument and elucidate the same.

In order to write the GRE Argument essay, candidates need to follow definite structure which can be explained as follows:

Introduction: The introductory paragraph for the essay would identify the author’s opinion, restate it and summarise the facts and proposals provided in the argument. This is to be followed by stating the final sentence of the candidates’ thesis setting that the argument is flawed.
Body Paragraph 1: Candidates need to explore and identify assumptions that lack evidence to support the argument. Using a primary assumption in the given argument and examples as evidence, candidates can argue that the author’s conclusion is unlikely to be true.
Body Paragraph 2: Candidates need to identify another assumption and find evidence to support that argument. It needs to state the reasoning of the author is flawed and provide supporting evidence for the same.
Body Paragraph 3 (optional): Candidates need to consider a transitional phase by attacking the author’s use of terminologies like “most”, “many”, etc. It also requires stating unsupported evidence of the author for the argument. Candidates should only include this paragraph if they have time to spare.
Body Paragraph 4: Candidates can strengthen their argument by finding certain arguments of the author to be defensible. Hence, but can reinforce some of the meritorious arguments stated by the author. With the help of the evidence, candidates can make assumptions of the author’s argument to be likely true hence, also supporting the conclusion.
Conclusion: The conclusion should be short and should include the candidate's thesis statement about the given argument. It should state the argument being flawed and the fact that more evidence to support the argument is needed.

Considering the GRE Analyse an Argument Essay, the following strategies should be used. The given topic is Children in Tertia Were Reared by an Entire Village Rather Than Their Own Biological Parents GRE Argument Essay.

• Candidates, unlike the GRE Analyse an Issue Essay where they endured analytical thinking, need to look for false generalisations. It needs to find inadequate evidence and misleading statistics presented in the argument.
• Candidates need to discuss two or three assumptions made by the author
• Candidates should not use first person for writing the essay but should definitely use third person terms for openly referring to the author or his/her argument
• Candidates should make use of words with conviction and express confidence through their argument while finding flaws.

Read More GRE Issue Samples

Topic: The following appeared in an article written by Dr. Karp, an anthropologist.

"Twenty years ago, Dr. Field, a noted anthropologist, visited the island of Tertia and concluded from his observations that children in Tertia were reared by an entire village rather than by their own biological parents. However, my recent interviews with children living in the group of islands that includes Tertia show that these children spend much more time talking about their biological parents than about other adults in the village. This research of mine proves that Dr. Field's conclusion about Tertian village culture is invalid and thus that the observation-centred approach to studying cultures is invalid as well. The interview-centred method that my team of graduate students is currently using in Tertia will establish a much more accurate understanding of child-rearing traditions there and in other island cultures."

Write a response in which you examine the stated and/or unstated assumptions of the argument. Be sure to explain how the argument depends on these assumptions and what the implications are for the argument if the assumptions prove unwarranted.

Model Answer

The argument presented by the survey twenty years ago conducted by Dr Field and the recent survey conducted by Dr Karp. The observation states that children in Tertia who are found to have been reared by an entire village rather than by their own biological parents. DR Karp has been able to state that Dr Field’s research is absolutely invalid stating that the children spent time mainly talking about their biological parents. Dr Karp refutes the conclusion presented by Dr Field for an observation centred approach to studying cultures. However, Dr Karp’s study does not include any specific evidence that proves Dr Field’s conclusions to be invalid. His assumption that observation centred approach is invalid is also a flawed statement without any plausible evidence.

To state that the conclusions drawn against Dr Field’s research by Dr Karp is flawed because of the former’s research done twenty years ago. Over the course of twenty years, there have been dynamic changes across the world and Tertia must have also experienced these changes drastically. There is a high possibility that the lifestyle of people in Tertia twenty years back are not the same today thereby affecting children’s behaviour differently. Children may not have proper contact with the entire village today as they used to have twenty years back.

Another important evidence that shows that Dr Karp’s research conclusions lack clarity is from the absence of any details about the interview questions. There is a high possibility that Dr Karp and his team of undergraduate students may have asked questions based on their biological parents. Even if it is considered that questions involving residents of the village were included in the interview, the number of questions on them must have been less.

Interview conclusions generally provide statistical based information and data to deduce an argument. However, Dr Karp has not been able to provide any insight regarding the number of surveys conducted or the percentage of children in the village etc. If the ratio of total number of children surveyed to total number of children in the village is less, the observations made by Dr Karp cannot be considered valid.

It is, however, possible to believe that one of the arguments of Dr Karp might be true. Dr Karp considers that Dr Field had undertaken his research study based on observation centred approach compared to an interview-centred approach of Dr Karp. The argument states that the method is being utilised currently to prove the traditions of child rearing in Tertia. However, with the help of adequate evidence in statistical and numerical analysis, Dr Karp’s conclusions can be considered to be true. While Dr Karp’s study might be able to present numerical data, observational study by Dr Field and his conclusions does not show any evidence as such.

It can be concluded that the given argument lacks definite evidence in supporting claims about Dr Field’s research on child rearing in tertia to be flawed. Hence, the argument stands to be flawed. Dr Karp needs to provide valid data and insights to support his argument on the issue.