Analysis of an argument tutorial

Last updated: 13 Oct 2008

One of the two essays that you will have to write for the GMAT is an analysis of an argument essay.

In analysis of an argument question you must either agree or disagree with the author's argument, supporting your argument logically and structuring the essay effectively.

In one sense this is more difficult than the issue essay, since you are given less freedom to write what you want to write. You have to deal with the author's argument, and that alone.

Here is an example of an analysis of an argument:

The Awesome Energy Riders have become an extremely popular toy line for the ACME Co. Management at Hollywood Pictures thinks that this success will translate to the silver screen, and have bought the rights of the Awesome Energy Riders to make four pictures.

Discuss how well reasoned you find the plan of Hollywood Pictures. In your discussion be sure to analyze the line of reasoning and the use of evidence in the argument. For example, you may need to consider what questionable assumptions underlie the thinking and what alternative explanations or counterexamples might weaken the conclusion. You can also discuss what sort of evidence would strengthen or refute the argument, what changes in the argument would make it more logically sound, and what, if anything, would help you better evaluate its conclusions.

In this tutorial we will show you a framework for writing analysis of an argument essays and take you through a step by step example of writing an essay using this framework.

Next page: Some general tips for the AWA