This is an excerpt of a youtube video about how to write a GRE argument essay. The author of this guide is Greg Mat.

Question

The following appeared in an editorial in a local newspaper.

“Commuters complain that increased rush-hour traffice on Blue Highway between the suburbs adn the city center has doubled their commuting time. The favored proposal of the motorists’ lobby is to widen the highway, adding an additional lane of traffice. Opponents note that last year’s addition of a lane to the nearby Green Highway was followed by a worsening of traffice jams on it. Their suggested alternative proposal is adding a bicycle lane to Blue Highway. Many area residents are keen bicyclists. A bicycle lane would encourage them to use bicycles to commute, it is argued, thereby reducing rush-hour traffice.”

Write a response in which you discuss what questions would need to be answered in order to decide whether the recommendation and the argument on which it is based are reasonable. Be sure to explain how the answers to these questions would help to evaluate the recommendation.

Main Conclusion, Assertion or Prodiction

Opponents have proposed to add a bicycle lane to Blue Highway rather than adopt the motorist’ lobby proposal to widen the highway with an additional lane.

Evidence to Support the Conclusion

  • Last year, the city widened Green Highway, but it led to a worsening of traffic jams on it.
  • Many area residents are keen bicyclists. a bicycle lane would encourage them to use bicycles to commute, thereby reducing rush-hour traffice.

Analyze (unstated assumptions)

  • The author is assuming that last year’s issues of traffic jam on Green Highway still exists today.
  • Green Highway and Blue Highway are roughly comparable.
  • If you enjoy bicycling as a hobby, then you are likely to use that mode of transportation to commute to work.
  • these working locations are actualy within biking distance.
  • this added bicycle lane will not result in any accidents that actually cuase MORE traffice delays than the current set up.

There are more assumptions, BUT you only need 2-3 of them!

Template Organization

Introduction

  1. Rephrase main conclustion from argument
  2. Identify author’s evidence and/or premises
  3. Thesis (to actually follow the specific task instructions)

Body Paragrapsh (2-3 of them)

  1. First supporting idea (making sure to follow specific task instructions)
  2. Example 1
  3. Example 2
  4. Effect on author’s conclustion if examples prove true

Conclusion

  1. Statement that arguments, as it stands out, is flawed
  2. Request for more evidence
  3. Statement of how evidence will help evaluate the argument more effectively

Model Essay

in the editorial from the local newspaper, it is stated that opponents of the motorists’ lobby’s plan to add another lane to Blue Highway have instead advocated that a bicycle lane be constructed in order to alleviate the highway’s traffcie issues. The opponents have come to this conclustion based on issued faced by Green Highway last year as well as the keen interest in bicycling of the area’s local residents. However, before the recommendation can be properly evaluated, three questions must be answered.

First of all, are Green Highway and Blue Highway roughly comparable? In other words, can circumstances from on highway be used to make generalizations and predictions about the other? It is possible that Green Highway and Blue Highway are not similar at all - perhaps Green Highway runs through residential neighborhoods, whereas Blue Highway is located mostly in rural, unpopulated sections of the city. Further, there is a possibility that the quality of the highways is markedly different, with Green Highway’s roads falling apart and Blue Highway’s in pristine condiction. If either of these scenarios has merit, then conclusion drawn in the original argument is significantly weakened.

Secondly, do a majority of the area residents interested in biking live within biking distance of their places of employment? The opponents in the argument prematurely assume that many of the residents in the town will bike to work in the morning rather than drive their cares. However, this might not be the case. Perhaps the average distance from home to work is over 15 miles, and that’s why many of the residents are essentially obligated to take the highway - even if they don’t want to. In an ideal world, they might choose to bike to work, but if the reality is such that they cannot do so due to the logistics of their situations, then only one form of transportation (the care via the highway) is possible. If the above tis true, then the argument does not hold water.

In conclusion, the argument, as it stands out, is considerabley flawed due to its reliance on several unwarranted assumptions. It the author is able to answer the two questions above and offer more evidence (perhaps in the form of a systematic research study), then it will be possible to fully evaluate the viability of the proposed recommendation to add a bike lane to Blue Highway.

Main Takeaways

  1. When you read the argument, you are needed to identity the following:

    • the main conclusion, main asserttion, or main prediction.
    • the premises, the evidence, or the “facts” that led the author to this conclusion

  2. With the correct identification of the conclusion and the evidence, you have to do something very important: reason the unstated assumptions out.

    • this is where the bulk of your writing grade for the argument essay comes from. The graders are looking for your ability to deconstruct an argument in an analytical fashion. They are asking you to think.

  3. Structures, templates, and “one way” to write this essay are not essential.

  4. Three body paragraphs are roughly the same thing within different content.
  5. Make sure you follow the prompt’s instructions.
  6. 30 minutes limit!