The Task A essay can, for most students, appear to be the most daunting component of the GAMSAT. "How on earth do I write 500+ words about politics and economics in 30 minutes?" Task A is often referred to as the "argumentative essay" and in this article, we'll uncover why exactly that is, and how to approach it head to toe.
What's Task A All About?
It's crucial to understand the essence of Task A and why it exists. Section 2 of the GAMSAT, in general, is a written communication exam designed to test your ability to discuss perspectives and opinions held on a variety of social, political, and personal topics. You'll get four quotes and be asked to respond in whatever way you'd like. But how do you respond? ACER doesn't really tell you. This guide will cover it.
Deconstructing the Prompt: The Dinner Party Method
The first step in crafting a compelling Task A essay is to deconstruct the prompts methodically. I teach a Dinner Party method for breaking down the prompts. In short, pretend you're at a dinner party where a number of conversations are going on. Each "prompt" represents each "conversation." Naturally you'll gravitate towards one conversation and participate in that one. That's the quote you'll focus on for the essay.
Building a Contention
Now that you've chosen your quote, the next step is to break it down and extract the outline of your essay. We'll analyse the quote, paying close attention to its underlying themes, implications, and potential interpretations. From there, create a contention: your overarching argument or perspective on the issue provided.
For example, for the quote "The faults of the burglar are the qualities of the financier", a corresponding contention might read:
"Where once the liberal justice system upheld the inherent rights of the impoverished, it is today at the mercy of a society-wide fixation on meritocracy, wealth accumulation and consumerism. It thus appears to me that the Western legal system has learned to accommodate unethical and illegal activity so long as it is within the overarching pursuit of unbridled capitalism."
Here, the contention argues that, in the context of Western democracy, the influence of consumerism is overwhelming traditional values and structures.
Structuring the Essay
Once you have your contention, it's time to decide how to structure the rest of the essay. You'll want to come up with two topic sentences which will form the catalyst for your two body paragraphs. The easiest way to do this is to split your contention in half.
Using the contention above, the first paragraph's topic sentence might read:
"Departing from traditional notions of liberal justice, contemporary society's fixation with wealth and consumerism is devolving our legal system."
This captures the first part of the contention. It then allows for the second paragraph, which would cover:
"Taking this recent evolution of the legal system into account, it's important to consider how our acceptance of illegal and unethical behaviour is reflective of the shifting of the Overton window due to unbridled capitalism."
Supporting Arguments with Evidence
Evidence plays a crucial role in substantiating your arguments in Task A essays. Draw upon a diverse range of sources, including current affairs, academic literature, empirical data, and real-world examples. Ensure that your evidence is relevant, credible, and effectively reinforces your argument rather than straying off course. Ideally draw on evidence you are personally familiar with, something you can extrapolate on.
A small but important note: in Task A, avoid anecdotal evidence or unsupported assertions, and prioritise quality over quantity in selecting your supporting material. Anecdotes will be crucial for Task B, but not here.
Engaging with Counterarguments
A hallmark of a sophisticated Task A essay is the ability to engage with counterarguments thoughtfully. This is incredibly important as it helps you demonstrate engagement with some critical qualities of a healthcare professional: compassion to others, openness to being wrong, and empathy for alternative perspectives.
Your essay's discussion should anticipate potential objections to your thesis and address them proactively. Not in a separate chunk, not just one sentence in the conclusion. Proactively, woven into your argument. Acknowledge the validity of opposing perspectives, but demonstrate why your argument ultimately prevails. Engaging with counterarguments demonstrates intellectual rigour and strengthens the overall persuasiveness of your essay.
The Conclusion
Crafting a stellar Task A essay ultimately requires you to leave the marker with a positive impression. At this point, you've done the hard work. Encapsulate what you've said and provide any final points you feel relevant and important.
The Task A essay is a multifaceted endeavour that demands strategic planning, critical analysis, and proficient writing skills. By deconstructing the prompt, formulating a strong contention, structuring the essay effectively, supporting arguments with evidence, and engaging with counterarguments, you'll be able to enhance your performance significantly. Before long, you'll be writing Task A essays with confidence and finesse.
Unsure what an exemplar S2 essay looks like? Check out the Expert Essay Collection: 25 top-percentile essays so you can model ideas, structure and evidence.
