The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) includes the Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) to measure a test-taker’s ability to analyze arguments and express their critique in writing. Unlike other sections of the GMAT, the AWA does not test specific knowledge but focuses on the logical structure of arguments and the clarity of written responses.
Key Components of the GMAT AWA
The AWA section is designed to assess critical thinking and writing skills. Test-takers are given 30 minutes to complete one essay task. The format involves analyzing a brief passage presenting an argument and writing an essay that critiques its strengths and weaknesses.
- Purpose: The AWA evaluates the ability to analyze the logical structure of an argument and communicate the analysis clearly and persuasively.
- Task: Test-takers must evaluate the reasoning of the argument, identify weaknesses, and write a well-structured essay that provides a coherent critique.
- Time: The AWA section is timed at 30 minutes.
- Format: The section consists of one essay task based on a brief passage presenting an argument.
Scoring and Importance
AWA essays are scored by both human graders and a computer program, with scores ranging from 0 to 6 in half-point increments. The final score is the average of the human grader’s score and the computer program’s score.
- Scoring: Each essay is given a score on a scale of 0 to 6, with half-point increments. The scores from the human grader and the computer program are averaged to determine the final AWA score.
- Importance: Although the AWA section is not as heavily weighted as the quantitative and verbal sections, it is still an important part of the overall GMAT score. Business schools consider AWA scores when evaluating applicants, making strong performance essential for a competitive application.