MBAUniverse.com presents an article by Career Launcher on how to prepare for a unique testing area of XAT: Essay Writing.
Last year's paper had 120 questions in total, split into three sections: Data Interpretation & Quantitative Ability (DI/ QA), Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning (VA/ LR) and Analytical Reasoning & Decision Making (AR/ DM). While DI/VA had 44 questions, other two sections had 38 questions each. In addition, there was an essay topic that aspirants had to attempt.
Essay Writing for XAT
By Career Launcher
What is looked for?
• Subject knowledge
• Clarity of thought
• Flow of ideas
• Examples
• Facts
• Correct usage of grammar
• Correct usage of words
• A neat hand-writing
How should you write?
• Always write in paragraphs
• It's not a natural but learned skill
• Different paragraphs express different ideas that contribute to the main idea
• A paragraph should ideally contain :
(i) Topic Sentence: it is the 1st sentence expressing the main idea of the paragraph- Say what you are going to say
(ii) Supporting Sentences: they expand the main idea expressed in the topic sentence- Say it
(iii) Concluding Sentence: rounding off what has been said or a logical conclusion of the idea in the topic sentence- Say it again!!!
How should you write?
• Follow a flow of paragraphs
• Always let the first paragraph be an introduction to the subject matter
• Expansion/ support/ refutation of the idea must follow in subsequent paragraphs
• The last paragraph must have a conclusion of the main idea
• There could be two forms of writing- Deductive and Inductive
• You should have good knowledge of the topic to write about
• Read the directions carefully
• Recognize action words- discuss, evaluate, argue, comment etc.
• Focus on the issue rather than peripheries
• Choose words with precise meanings; avoid ambiguity
• Do not use Jargon
• Do not use Slang
• Do not use Cliché
• Do not use Abbreviations
• Do not use Quotations without acknowledgments
• Make tentative statements; avoid definitive statements- it leaves a scope for further discussion
How to prepare?
• Regular reading of:-
(i) Newspaper editorials
(ii) News papers
(iii) News websites
(iv) Non-fiction
• Discussions with friends and family
• Informational thinking
XAT Essay Topics from past 5 years
• Gender Imbalance would lead to Third World War- XAT 2008
• Economic growth without environmental damage – a mirage or a reality. –XAT 2007
• 'India has one of the largest pools of talented manpower, but few innovations and patented products.' –XAT 2006
• More than one billion Indians: A gigantic problem or a sea of opportunities –XAT 2005
• Asked at the age of 83, as to which of his project would he choose as his master piece, Frank Lloyd Wright, the architect answered, "The next one" –XAT 2004
• To give real service, one needs to add something that cannot be bought or measured, like sincerity and integrity. –XAT 2003
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