MCAT Writing Section

[Richter915]

I had a quick question in regards to the structure of the writing section. Kaplan breaks it down into three basic tasks...explanation of prompt + example, counterexample, and something else. It's this third task I'm having trouble understanding. Often times he'll tell us that the third task is the most important but he won't explain what it entails. So my question is just that, on any MCAT prompt, what is the third task asking of us. To make things a little easier, let's say the prompt is: "a candidate's personal life should not influence the way people vote for him or her" Thanks.

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[abyssinianson]

I had a quick question in regards to the structure of the writing section. Kaplan breaks it down into three basic tasks...explanation of prompt + example, counterexample, and something else. It's this third task I'm having trouble understanding. Often times he'll tell us that the third task is the most important but he won't explain what it entails. So my question is just that, on any MCAT prompt, what is the third task asking of us. To make things a little easier, let's say the prompt is: "a candidate's personal life should not influence the way people vote for him or her" Thanks.

the last part of the essay requirement wants you to state a set of conditions that would make the statement true. so, for example, your statement might be addressed the following way to fulfill the last task: a candidate's personal life should not influence the way people vote for him/ her when their progress and accomplishments as a public servant strongly emphasizes the best interests of the people. Provide one concrete example where this applies in real life. Use actual examples of events to serve as your examples and you should do fine. I have a typed set of steps that I used to tackle the writing sample and I can email that to you if it'll help. It is a basic case of plug 'n chug and I did pretty well on the writing sample using the systematic approach.

 

[SunshineNYC]

I had a quick question in regards to the structure of the writing section. Kaplan breaks it down into three basic tasks...explanation of prompt + example, counterexample, and something else. It's this third task I'm having trouble understanding. Often times he'll tell us that the third task is the most important but he won't explain what it entails. So my question is just that, on any MCAT prompt, what is the third task asking of us. To make things a little easier, let's say the prompt is: "a candidate's personal life should not influence the way people vote for him or her" Thanks.

Yeah, they are not totally clear. It is always phrased like, "What determines whether..." So unclear! Anyway, in task three just make sure to come up with some criteria. How are we measuring the truth of the statement? In your case maybe you would talk about how many votes are swayed by a recent personal scandal. Maybe you talked abou a scandal in task 2, and here is the time to address what the measureable results of that scandal are. How many votes changed from the poll before the scandal to the actual election. Then you can take it a level deeper for a perfect score and tie in how it could be dangerous if people vote this way because then they might miss more important issues (which maybe you already discussed in task 1 or 2), just make sure to tie everything together in task three while addressing task three and taking it one level deeper than just scratching the surface. Have it relate to your example, but then also on some sort of universal scale if possible.

Good luck.

 

[Richter915]

ah I see, you guys cleared it up. I guess my problem is that I explain my criteria in paragraphs I and II because it makes sense for me to do that naturally. I guess I should hold that off and let that be my third paragraph. Thanks for the help.

 

[poly800rock]

i think if you have a formal stylized writing, than you should just stick with that. Kaplan really teaches you to do this and that, but it really isn't the best way imo. I wrote about bodycount's "copkiller" song for the august test and did pretty well..."P"....so as long as your actual writing and grammar are good, your example/counterexamples could really be about anything as long as you write like you know what you're talking about...