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Writing sample
Posted: Sat Oct 19, 2013 3:20 am
by jmjm
So since it's been a while since I wrote an essay for a test and even though the essay isn't probably the most important part of the lsat test, I wrote a sample response to an lsac writing prompt today. It raised a couple of questions for me about the nature of writing expected in such a sample. It'd be useful for me if someone critiqued the sample.
If an LS student or someone who's good at lsat or such writing is reading this and can critique my sample, could you please pm. Thanks.
Re: Writing sample
Posted: Sat Oct 19, 2013 11:31 am
by JWP1022
jmjm wrote:So since it's been a while since I wrote an essay for a test and even though the essay isn't probably the most important part of the lsat test, I wrote a sample response to an lsac writing prompt today. It raised a couple of questions for me about the nature of writing expected in such a sample. It'd be useful for me if someone critiqued the sample.
If an LS student or someone who's good at lsat or such writing is reading this and can critique my sample, could you please pm. Thanks.
Sure, PM it to me. You're probably fine. If it's at least relatively coherent you'll be ok.
Re: Writing sample
Posted: Sat Oct 19, 2013 9:08 pm
by jmjm
JWP1022 wrote:
Sure, PM it to me. You're probably fine. If it's at least relatively coherent you'll be ok.
PM'd
Re: Writing sample
Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2013 1:15 pm
by bp shinners
P1
2 sentences - State which option you're going with, and assert that it will help reach the two goals.
P2
4 sentences - State that the option you picked will help with the first goal, and give reasons why. State why the option you didn't pick won't help with the first goal, and give reasons why.
P3
4 sentences - Same as P2, only with the second goal.
P3
1-2 sentences - Reassert that the option you picked will better achieve both goals.
Shouldn't be more than 12 sentences; shouldn't take more than 10 minutes.
Re: Writing sample
Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2013 8:10 pm
by mx23250
bp shinners wrote:P1
2 sentences - State which option you're going with, and assert that it will help reach the two goals.
P2
4 sentences - State that the option you picked will help with the first goal, and give reasons why. State why the option you didn't pick won't help with the first goal, and give reasons why.
P3
4 sentences - Same as P2, only with the second goal.
P3
1-2 sentences - Reassert that the option you picked will better achieve both goals.
Shouldn't be more than 12 sentences; shouldn't take more than 10 minutes.
I second this. It's essentially the exact format I went with on the October LSAT and I was done within 15min.
Re: Writing sample
Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2013 10:03 pm
by BFlanagan
This makes sense to me.
Re: Writing sample
Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2013 4:54 am
by jmjm
All writing prompts seem to have the following form. And, usually one of the options is better on one criterion and slightly worse on another criterion than the other option. How formal could one go in these essays? Can it involve raising potential objections synthesized using provided facts about an option (say opt-1) when choosing it for a criterion over another option, say opt-2, using 'some critics may say' or some language of that form?
Prompt
Opt-1
Opt-2
Criterion-1
Criterion-2
Opt-1 information: Fact1_a fact1_b fact1_c…
Opt-2 information: Fact2_a fact2_b fact2_c…
Re: Writing sample
Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2013 11:42 am
by wtrc
jmjm wrote:So since it's been a while since I wrote an essay for a test and even though the essay isn't probably the most important part of the lsat test, I wrote a sample response to an lsac writing prompt today. It raised a couple of questions for me about the nature of writing expected in such a sample. It'd be useful for me if someone critiqued the sample.
If an LS student or someone who's good at lsat or such writing is reading this and can critique my sample, could you please pm. Thanks.
Understatement of the forum.