Out of the two GRE essays – Issue and Argument – the former tends to be more difficult for the test takers. If you do not respond well in these 30 minutes allocated for the issue-based essay, it might affect your performance in the entire exam. The GRE issue essay expects you to take a position on a statement and support it with credible examples.
Like we mentioned in the article on GRE Argument essay, you should aim towards writing atleast 2-3 issue-based essays before the actual exam.
During the exam, you should employ the following top strategies for GRE Issue Essay :
1. Pick one side of the issue – Do not try to pick the safe way out by talking on both sides of the issue. Pick one side, even if you don’t agree with it, and build a convincing argument around it. A middle approach will not sound very compelling for the reader.
What else you can do inside qs leap ?
2. Relate the issue to your own knowledge and experiences – When you start writing the essay, think about it in terms of your own knowledge and experiences. You should be able to develop convincing examples to support your stand.
3. Organize the essay well– You should make sure that you organize the essay well. A well-organized essay follows a neat structure. Just like the argument essay, you can follow a typical five-paragraph structure. Your first paragraph can introduce the topic. The body paragraphs will support and develop your thesis with examples. The concluding paragraph should be a reinforcement of your position taken throughout the essay.
4. Offer good examples – Relevant examples make the essay more engaging to the reader. Make sure that you spruce up the essay with some good, real-world examples. Obviously, your example should support your thesis.
5. Bring the opposing view in – You can reinforce your thesis in the concluding paragraph by bringing in the opposite viewpoint. You should counter the opposite view through a couple of statements.
6. Proof read the essay – You should never submit any essay without proof reading it. You will often spot errors when you read the essay again. Check for spelling and grammatical mistakes. You do not want to lose out on a good score due to a couple of silly errors.
7. Read more – To develop a convincing position, you need to spend time on reading. Reading quality articles from magazines such as The Economist help you to learn the skills of writing effectively. You also be able to offer a lot of real-world examples if you are well connected with the happenings of the world. A generous sprinkling of global affairs in the essay will surely impress the guys who evaluate the essay.
