GMAT/GRE AWA: OK to defend both sides? Can we "take the middle road?"

[davvy]

Question: In the essay must we defend one side strongly? Can we "sit on the fence?" Take the middle road/middle path? Take both sides?

hello friends i have a confusion regarding perspective on issue question. i was told by a friend, who took gmat and did rather well in it, that one has to support one position strongly in these questions and not sit on the fence by evaluating both viewpoints. but after reading many essays in arco book and even analyzing myself i feel that on some topics i am more comfortable striking a balance rather than take position strongly in favour of one viewpoint. what do u guys suggest . can it hurt if we strike a balance? is it necessary to favour one side?

[Erin]

I've written about this a few times in these forums, and I always say the same thing--there are two schools of thought on this, and I am of the belief that one should discuss both sides of an issue.

In fact, I would say that most or all of the AWA Issue topics are written such that reasonable people would disagree about which stance to take. I believe that the test makers have carefully written the topics so that none of the answers are clearly one way or the other.

Whenever I have to write an essay on one of these topics, I take a 60/40 or 70/30 stance.

But again, there are two schools of thought. I think you can still get a 6.0 if you defend only one stance; I don't think anybody will tell you it's actually wrong to do so.

[anmolsethy]

Can in a issue esaay we comment things like author's issue is very vague and it is not well defined.

Should we also describe in what way we will be using certain term and how we will be limiting their scope, at the start.

And what is a prefered line to begin..............yr stand or a slight overview of terms.

And does taking the middle-path harm ur score.Coz i belive taking the middle path is the easiest way to write a esaay.And this also lenthens it.

PEOPLE ANY COMMENTS..............

[Erin]

You've got a lot of questions there. Let me point you in the right direction for one of them:

http://www.TestMagic.com/forum/topic...ce,middle,road,

I'll try my best to get back to the other ones if nobody else does.

Oh, one thing--all the essay topics are carefully researched, and I don't think it'd be a good idea to say that the idea is not well defined. In fact, I strongly believe that all the topics are in fact well defined, so if you have any questions about a certain topic, you can ask me.

[anmolsethy]

ERIN

Basically u say thats its left to u . But whatever satnce u take ..........explain it in details and with good examples.

But what i feel personally is writing a miidle path essay is much easier then lopsiding.So that might play in the scoree's mind that by taking middle path u r simplying ur job .

What i feel is these esaays are meant to test ur decisoin making capabilities.And they help in a way.

Many a times when i start writing a essay .i have some other view.But when i begin to write down point ,details and examples my view changes.

Thats all i want to say

Do try to answer other queries plz.(Though i think u must be among the busiest people on earth)

[anmolsethy]

Originally posted by Erin Billy

You've got a lot of questions there. Let me point you in the right direction for one of them:
Oh, one thing--all the essay topics are carefully researched, and I don't think it'd be a good idea to say that the idea is not well defined. In fact, I strongly believe that all the topics are in fact well defined, so if you have any questions about a certain topic, you can ask me.

Thin about this topic only :

The stability of a society depends on how it responds to the extremes of human behavior.

What is being meant by extremes .......negative/positive ?
Society....................a family or a country ?

Though i finally managed to integrate all of them together.I was feeling like its forced integration.

These terms like extremes,society depend on yr perception and view isnt it ?
(ok i accept maybe i shudnt write that the esay topic is stupid)
But maybe i can write the scopes inw hich i would be taking these terms. ?

Try to reply.........anyone

[Erin]

Originally posted by anmolsethy

But what i feel personally is writing a miidle path essay is much easier then lopsiding.So that might play in the scoree's mind that by taking middle path u r simplying ur job .

What i feel is these esaays are meant to test ur decisoin making capabilities.And they help in a way.

Many a times when i start writing a essay .i have some other view.But when i begin to write down point ,details and examples my view changes.

Yes, you've "hit the nail on the head." It's often difficult to take a stance, and the point of an essay is to persuade, not to present.

You may explain the pros and cons of each, but in the end, you must take a stance.

essay, by the way, comes from the French word essayer, which means to try. The point of an essay is to try to convince the reader of one's opinion.

[French essai, trial, attempt, from Old French, from essayer, to attempt, from Vulgar Latin *exagire, to weigh out, from Late Latin exagium, a weighing : Latin ex-, ex- + Latin agere, to drive; see ag- in Indo-European Roots. V., from Middle English assaien from Old French assaer, assaier, variant of essayer.]

[Erin]

Originally posted by anmolsethy

The stability of a society depends on how it responds to the extremes of human behavior.

What is being meant by extremes .......negative/positive ?

Society....................a family or a country ?

I think "extremes" has broader connotations and could be interpreted in different ways, so you're fairly safe there, I think. Extremes, by definition, however, could be either positive or negative, so that doesn't really matter.

And I think the meaning of "society" is fairly clear--"society" refers something (probably) larger than a family, perhaps as large as a country.

HTH

[xmen]

On issues like
"Employee should keep their private lives as seprate as possible from work"

can i take stand that it is though neccessary but should not interfere with job at workplace. And argure for balance b/w mixing private life ( like social activities involving families at work) and not ldoing excessice discussions on personal intrests.


Or do we need to take any one stand ( for or against) and reason that

please advise
thanxs

[Erin]

I think your stance seems perfectly reasonable.

Also, I was able to find a couple other discussions on this topic:

[topics merged into this thread]