Gamma GAMSAT Essay Writing

Section II

Gamma GAMSAT Essay Writing Free Introduction

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ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGE

This free document contains an introductory sample of the techniques and methods that will be taught in Gamma GAMSAT’s Humanities Workshops. All rights reserved. This document or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of Gamma Education. © 2014 GAMMA Education ABN 839 468 77 535

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Section II

LOGISTICS OF THE EXAM LO: Students will be given a general context and logistics for the exam. Section II Written Communication is designed to test much more than just whether you can write clearly and intelligibly. The essay writing section is carefully designed and topics are meticulously selected to measure candidates’ critical thinking, social awareness, emotional intelligence, time management, organizational and writing skills—under pressure. Candidates are required to write 2 essays on two different sets of essay prompts (quotes) within one hour—including reading time

Candidates will take their exam in a general exam hall where they write both essays by hand without taking a break. This is worth mentioning in that in today’s technology-driven age most of us are not accustomed to writing nonstop for an hour. (Candidates are advised to practice non-stop writing for an hour at a time simply to develop the muscle control and hand stamina to keep writing for 60 minutes!)

Candidates with unique needs including visual, hearing, physical or learning challenges can make arrangements for special accommodations when they register to sit the GAMSAT. Candidates with documented learning constraints such as dysgraphia may be allowed to use a word processor to write their essays. Non-native speakers are now allowed to use a written (NOT electronic) translation-only dictionary during the exam. Electronic devices including calculators and translators are not permitted in any section of the test. You may bring a bottle of drinking water into the test center, but all other materials, notes, lunch bags, rulers, calculators, etc., are not permitted.

WHAT DOES THE GAMSAT SECTION II TEST? LO: Students will understand the pre-med skills and qualities the exam assesses. Candidates have almost no time to plan or edit their writing; thus Section II reveals their fundamental critical thinking, writing and time management skills. Time constraints also serve to reveal the core candidate; students have 3

ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGE

very little time to edit and pretty-up fundamental beliefs and background knowledge. Section II topics also afford students the opportunity to showcase key qualities of a good doctor including, but not limited to, ingenuity, social and self awareness, commitment and ability to hold up under pressure. The best way to prepare for this aspect of the exam is practice, practice, practice.

Competencies and qualities GAMSAT markers may look for: Critical thinking • Understanding the topic.

• Understanding the two sides of the topic • Taking a logical position.

• Defending that position with relevant explanation and examples.

Organizational & Writing Skills

• Essay structure esp. Argumentation and Persuasion • Sentence structure and clarity

• Logical sequence of main ideas

• Devices for unity and coherence • Relevant support of main ideas.

Social and Self Awareness

• Relevance of examples used

• Awareness of historical and current events

• Awareness of social issues and social justice/injustice • Awareness of self in the social context



Characteristics of a good Doctor • Realistic

• Organized

• Empathetic

• Inclusionary • Committed

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Section II

ASSESSMENT AND GRADES LO: Students will gain a general understanding of marking and grading Section II. Section II constitutes 25% of candidates’ over-all GAMSAT score. Essays are each marked by three (3) different markers, and a fourth marker is brought in when/if there is a discrepancy of more than 5 points (out of 10 points total) between any two (2) scores given by the original markers. The use of multiple markers helps to eliminate any possible bias or guesswork in determining candidates’ scores.

It is important to bear in mind that essay markers read and score between ten (10) and fifteen (15) essays an hour—meaning that they read, evaluate, and score an essay every 4 to 6 minutes. They would not, in that case, have time to reread complicated passages or to reconstruct the writer’s train of thought. In short, students have one shot to present a cogent and well organized essay.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA LO: Students will understand the assessment criteria used to grade their essays. GAMSAT Section II essays are assessed on two criteria:

1 THOUGHT & CONTENT: Here markers will assess the quality of your thinking: How effective you are at identifying the theme, seeing the two sides of the controversy behind the theme, taking a position on the controversy, and developing a sound argument.

2 ORGANIZATION & EXPRESSION: Here markers look for a lucid and logical argument that is easy to follow. Grammar and usage are not marked in isolation, but markers will certainly evaluate control of language, unity and coherence insofar as they contribute the flow and effectiveness of the essay on a whole.

How to Score Well on Section II

Normal, everyday writing skills, however good they are, will NOT equip you for the very structured task of writing 2 essays in a specific format with 5

ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGE

very little time for planning, execution, or editing. To go from a set of rather abstract prompts (quotations around a central theme) to a finished essay in thirty minutes, writers need a plan and lots of practice. They will also have to discard traditional attitudes about essay writing as they have no time to revise and edit their work. The step-by-step method described here will provide students with a strategic and comprehensive essay writing plan that starts with reading and analyzing the prompts and concludes after the conclusion—with the title of the essay.

The Topics

LO: Students will understand the GAMSAT Section II task and general TASK A and TASK B topics. LO: Students will see a summary of actual GAMSAT topics. LO: Students will be introduced to the quotations. LO: Students will learn the basic difference between TASK A and TASK B essays. Candidates are required to write two (2) essays in one (1) hour. That translates to thirty (30) minutes per essay. The average candidate can plan and write between 350 and 400 words on a focused topic in half an hour. The bulk of time and effort should be invested in the body of the argument as this is the most important aspect of the essay and the way you showcase your reasoning and maximize your Thought and Content marks. Topics are provided for each essay in the form of 5 quotations on a general topic. In the first of these, called the TASK A essay, the writer takes a position on a controversial issue that is generally social in nature. Typically TASK A topics tend to be argumentative; they appeal to logic and can be supported by fact or factual examples taken largely from society—past, present or future.

In the TASK B essay the writer responds to a topic of a more introspective and personal nature. The TASK B essay is where candidates have their best chance to demonstrate the intrinsic qualities that make a good doctor-empathy, inclusion, flexibility, dedication, etc. Though no hard, fast rules apply, Task B essays tend to be more persuasive than argumentative in nature. They appeal more to common values and to our emotions and can be supported by personal or hypothetical examples1. 1

Markers will grade the RELEVANCE not the ACCURACY of your facts or examples. So long they are realistic and consistent with common knowledge, the candidate has a great deal of flexibility and can even make up examples for either essay.

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Section II

A summary of topics from previous years gives students an idea of the general types of topics they may encounter when they sit the GAMSAT:

Task A Topics

Task B Topics

►fairness

►happiness

vs. unfairness of affirmative action

►censorship ►past

vs. freedom of speech

vs. success

►confidence

vs. arrogance

►originality

vs. acceptance

vs. future ►knowledge vs. wisdom

►respect ►nature

for age vs. pursuit of youth

vs. nurture ►pain vs. benefit

►patriotism

►technology

vs. bullying ►appearance vs. substance vs. humanity



►hope

– helpful or hurtful

The type of quotations used on the GAMSAT can be found on any famous quotation website. Those who want additional practice with topics can peruse quotations on a wide variety of social and personal issues on sites such as Brainy Quote or Quote Garden. Look for quotations that are inherently controversial. Consider the quotes on happiness below as examples of “controversial” quotes: “Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be.” Abraham Lincoln

“Happiness doesn’t depend on any external conditions; it is governed by our mental attitude.” Dale Carnegie

Both of these statements are inherently controversial in that they assume happiness is something we can manufacture regardless of our circumstances or body chemistry. Their controversy lies in the fact that both statements are inherently simplistic. It is hard to imagine displaced, disenfranchised, starving refugees are going to be able to surmount their difficulties with a “positive attitude”. The quotes fail to recognize those who are in dire medical straits, the victims of violent crime, the clinically depressed, etc. Hence we can say that the quotes are controversial because they are an oversimplification of a complex issue. This is frequently the case with GAMSAT quotes. They sound reasonable on the surface but deeper thinking shows that, they oversimplify complex issues. The challenge for candidates is to take a single position on the topic “happiness is a choice” and defend that without falling into clichés and oversimplifications themselves. 7

ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGE

Maximize your GAMSAT Section II Grade WRITE THE RIGHT ESSAY LO: Students will learn to write to the assignment and topic The GAMSAT assignment is very clear and very specific. You are to write an ARGUMENTATION AND/OR PERSUASIVE ESSAY in which you take a clear stand on a controversial topic as presented in the quotes.

The step-by-step method developed by Gamma, taught in our workshops described here will provide students with a strategic and comprehensive essay writing plan that starts with reading and analyzing the prompts and concludes after the conclusion—with the title of the essay.

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