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by Michael Sunderland  

Clear and EFFECTIVE Section II writing (the five C’s)

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June 29, 2021 in  GAMSAT Section 2

The Five C’s

Clear and effective GAMSAT Section II writing

by Michael John Sunderland, 90plusgamsat | 29.06.21

Gosh, it’s been a minute.

I’ve focussed the bulk of my attention on extraordinary Section II writing for around 18 months now, and as a result of my tutoring and marking essays in the 90+ Facebook group, I’ve had the benefit of not only learning what scores well for myself, but how most students’ essays depart from what I learned about how to score highly in Section II.

This knowledge is going to help you fix half of all errors I see in GAMSAT writing, and let your ideas shine through.

It is an essential component to scoring highly in the GAMSAT (and communicating effectively in the written mode in general).

So let’s get to it!

The Five C’s

Comprehension, coherence/cohesion.

In the context of the GAMSAT comprehension of the material provided to you (the prompts) is crucial. You can otherwise think of it as relevance .

“Pre-prepared responses and responses that do not relate to the topic will receive a low score” – ACER information booklet

Your response must be dynamically relevant to what is being said. As a function of this, it is essential that you have comprehended the prompts – which is to say, you have considered that they are individually, and as a set, an invitation to discuss something about the internal or external world around you .

Note: I say around you because this is what you can authoritatively talk about, versus “capitalism through history” for instance – which you can only have limited knowledge about due to the breadth of the topic and the fact that you can only see it from one vantage point. Capitalism on your street as a child, however, you could talk about. Perhaps little Jimmy used to charge the rest of you an entry fee before playing his new Xbox. This would be a perfectly acceptable lens to discuss capitalism through, and one that would have far less potential pitfalls. But I digress.

The key word here is invitation.

I will paraphrase from the content at this link to distinguish how you might approach distinguishing what is being invited by the prompts.

What is being said is but one subjective “take” on the subject matter. Therefore, not just what is being said but how the author/speaker portrays that subject matter (for example with tone, bias, or persuasive elements) contributes to it being a unique perspective. Not just what is says, but what it does by making that remark and lastly what that might mean about the person or worldview, are crucial considerations.

In combination, there are five “takes” (prompts) on a situation provided by ACER; each trying to “do” something, and in the attempt at doing, meaning something about the author, or perhaps the topic. If you consider the five prompts like a discussion between expert academics, you might see that the moment provided by the inclusion of these five perspectives invites you to have whatever opinion you might have in the domain provided by these other five perspectives. It is critical that your opinion, however, is in the domain of the five other opinions. By in the domain, I mean relevant to what they are saying. If you just came into the middle of a conversation where five people were talking deeply and passionately about communism in China, and then you start talking about capitalism in America, they may go with you, but it would be a little dissonant and weird.

So, you must understand the domain of what is being discussed so you can respond harmoniously to it. Before speaking, comprehend what is already being spoken about, and then feel free to have whatever opinion you like about it, so long as you can intelligently back it up with cogent, coherently, and with clarity .

A simple way to ensure you prevent some of the most common errors here is to imagine you are in a social setting with academic experts standing around in a circle and each of these experts says one of the quotes. Thinking of them as experts will force you to show some academic respect for what is said by the others, even if you disagree with it; it will force you to consider that each view arises out of a comprehensive set of experiences; it will ensure you don’t reduce what is being said by all five people to one word (a common GAMSAT error); and finally it will ensure that what you are replying to the circle is relevant.. otherwise, it would be weird if what you said didn’t flow from what they said.

If you would like to read more about quote interpretation in the GAMSAT I wrote a blog on it, here: How to ACE GAMSAT Section II Quote Interpretation: Task A

“The quality of being clear, logical, and convincing; lucidity.”

To be cogent is to be strong, eloquent, and effective . There are three precursors to cogent writing (according to Kavane and Cavender, 1998):

• All its premises are true.
• It considers all relevant information (it doesn’t present only the part of the case that suits).
• It is logically valid (the conclusions are plausible based on the premises).

To write cogently necessitates a certain rigorousness with the truth. You don’t argue just what is convenient, but you are instead genuinely involved in a process of exploring the truth and the limits to it, including of your own perspective.

Many people tend to imitate the way I close my essays (which, while I don’t mind at all – I just want you to score well – I would recommend you at a minimum word it your own way as ACER have updated their information book to indicate that responses are now compared against past responses) but it oftentimes comes across as conceited as they use the words but the spirit of it is absent from their writing. I tend to finish by touching on the extent to which my view may or may not be valid, and considering others’ views. I do not casually consider the objections, nor commit the “strawman fallacy” wherein I fail to address the most significant objections, or inaccurately portray them. I don’t feel personally obliged in a thirty minute essay to have to have a 100% researched and considered argument, nor to know all of the objections, nor to necessarily be accurate in conveying all of them and rebuffing them. Who knows, maybe even though I have made a logically valid argument, there may be things I innocently did not consider or understand due to ignorance, lack of experience, or just a biased perspective. I do genuinely try my best to understand and consider other views, though. It’s not an argument, or a debating championship. I can simply consider it without needing to go into all the reasons why it’s wrong. In fact, to talk in such objective terms under time pressure is to not acknowledge the very real limitations we are under when writing GAMSAT essays. Even if we weren’t in our early 20’s, and we were experts in the field that we were talking about, we are still under time, and psychological, pressure writing on an unprompted topic, with no faculties of outside research. This is bound to introduce errors into our arguments, so we really have no place saying that someone else’s perspective is wrong in objective terms.

You must write in a way that is careful. As if it were a discussion with an expert in the field. Instead of imagining yourself standing facing the opposing view, both pushing your ideas on each other, position yourself instead to the side. View both views objectively weighing up the validity of both as write from this perspective. This doesn’t mean you have to write a paragraph dealing with the ‘counter-argument.’ I find this approach devolves into a suite of psychometric errors (e.g lacking fallibilism, which the idea that ‘I think I’m right, but I could be wrong; and I think you’re wrong but you could be right’; or appreciation of situadedness, which is an appreciation of how your personal bias and experiences colour your view of things in such a way that you cannot ever see a situation perfectly, limiting the extend to which you can claim what you say is objectively true). It simply means you write from altitude.

Some of the best GAMSAT essays, or at least Task B essays, don’t arrive at a position that is labelled as the truth, or correct. But simply explore the issue, arriving at a conclusion that is logically valid, and perhaps even strong, but never stating that it is the final word, and attempting throughout to ask questions that indicate not someone who is forcing an idea down your throat, but someone who is trying to work things out for themselves. You don’t need to be a know-it-all, but you should be objective and logical.

For more on how to structure your GAMSAT arguments logically, see my blog The Ontology of Task A Structure – Logic .

• The quality of being logical and consistent.
• The quality of forming a united whole (also: cohesive)

We have addressed logic above in cogency, so the emphasis here is on consistency, and how the ideas not only linearly progress in a way that is valid, but that the various elements of essay cohere together on a macroscopic (intro, body paragraphs, conclusion) and microscopic (intra-paragraph) level.

On a macroscopic level, each paragraph or unit should be designed to forward a central idea or argument and should be ordered around achieving that end. What that doesn’t necessarily mean is having a pre-conceived structure that you write because you think that’s just how it should be done. If you write a narrative at the start of your Task B’s because I do it, but you don’t understand why I did it, it can’t be effective. What it does mean is coming up with your own approach of how to write effectively, considering mine if you wish, and if you use mine exactly as I did, knowing why I did it, or at least how it helps you achieve your goal. There are no points for doing things the way I designed them, but there are for what my design helped me achieve (which, in essence, was having a strong idea, displaying the psychometric features I often talk about, and respecting the five C’s so that that idea could be effectively and clearly communicated).

I think of my essays like a skeleton. Imagine one in the anatomy department. The central idea and premises that support it form the backbone. Each premise (topic sentence) linearly supports the frame of the argument – like vertebrae stacked on top of each other. They aren’t ‘kind of in the same domain’ as the contention, which I often see and which leads to an almost impressionistic approach to addressing the topic, with broad brush strokes each covering an idea but not relating to each other linearly and directly. They are purposefully conceived to illustrate the plausibility of a single strong opinion (contention/thesis, or key insight) that you have about a dimension of the broader theme. When you know what you want to say, and why you believe what you want to say, the structure simply facilitates you conveying it effectively and in a way that can be received by the marker.

Let me give you an example, as I often talk about balancing abstract ideas with concrete examples to facilitate clarity (coming next). Imagine your mum/dad/someone you care about and know well asked you ‘what do you think is the best form of transport’ at the dinner table (random chat but, hey, who knows). Here is what many students would reply in a GAMSAT essay:

‘Trams can be good because they are economical, people have often used cars and they are quite popular despite being terrible for the environment, bikes are best because they have no carbon footprint aside from their production. Some people would say cars are the best because they are the most popular, but this fails to acknowledge the destruction to the environment.’

It is five or so ideas loosely related thematically, but no linear development of the ideas, or conclusion that forms naturally from viable premises. I might say

‘Best is a subjective judgement, based on one’s personal beliefs and prior experiences. In order to address the topic there must be criterion for what is designated ‘good’ and ‘bad’ (which are still opinion-based judgements on inherently neutral factors) which can loosely be achieved by which, at their extreme, would benefit humanity and objectives that ‘most’ human’s desire. While this is a ‘positive’ utilitarian approach and not necessarily correct in objective terms, for the purposes of framing a considered response it is the approach that will be used. Transport is, in many respects, the vehicle for the economy, which directly affects the lives of most people;  however longer-term environmental considerations are also an essential consideration as there is a ceiling value of economic output in order that that output remain sustainable for future humans. Therefore, there is a case for saying that the best form of transport is that which greatest facilitates the economic (or personal) objectives of humanity. It seems reasonable to conclude that each person’s use of transport allows them to fulfil their economic personal objectives, and there is no reason, in most cases, that people would utilise transport if not for the fulfilment of their personal or economic objectives. As this is different for each person, the mode of transport that fulfils that person’s economic and personal objectives is, initially, the best. Loosely, we can take whichever is the most popular. Of course, not all people are environmentally conscious, so the most popular forms must be indexed against the environmental impact of the use of that mode of transport. I imagine, then, that the answer would be walking, followed by cycling, public transport, bikes, cars, and finally planes.’

There is something distinct from this response compared to the rest. In this response, each idea follows on from the rest in a linear, daisy-chain-like fashion. No point can stand without the existence of the others. There are also many points where there is reference to an earlier idea. It’s like there’s glues, or stiches pulling together the many elements of the paragraph into a unified whole. Note also that there isn’t an idea at the outside that is forwarded directly. I don’t need to know it all. I show how I arrived at my thinking, and am questioning myself as I write. There is an introspective and reflective element to thinking about the prompts where you ask yourself what you believe, and then prod why you believe that. What basis do you have for that belief, and who would agree or disagree with you. Sorting through the prompts mentally and imagining how each argument would go, which you have the best supports for, which are the least contentious, which you have good examples or evidence for, and which you are passionate about, and then choosing one, is a skill in and of itself. There’s a certain judicious pragmatism that goes into selecting which path to go down, before you even begin.

When you have a framework for what you want to argue, or a skeleton, the rest becomes just laying flesh on top. But you must have a skeleton that can stand and that is logically valid and consistent, before doing that, lest you just write aimlessly. Furthermore, when your writing is ordered around a central idea, and the decisions that are made of what to write and how to write are made to facilitate that idea, your writing is naturally more coherent and cohesive.

On a microscopic level, it is also advisable to foreshadow in the introduction some of what is going to be said, and have a clear single strong contention/thesis that will be developed or explained in the essay at the end of the introduction. It is necessary that the topic sentences make the thesis and conclusion plausible. And advisable at the end of each paragraph to use a link . The link, at a minimum, must summarise what the reader was supposed to take away from the paragraph and make it explicit how that ties into the conclusion. If you can manage it, linking backward to the contention, as well as forward, via a segue, to the next paragraph is ideal. This can be achieved by using some of the words of the following topic sentence. This is like running a stich back to the intro to stich the intro and end of paragraph one together, and then another stitch tying paragraph one and two together.

Here’s an example of an essay of mine where I do just this. The prompts were about Globalisation and social responsibility.

This was my thesis (I have put in brackets what I referred to in place of the word ‘this’. As it stands beow it would be too long as a contention):

“…(the influence of Silicon Valley giants such as Facebook’s ability to monitor and influence human behaviour on a meta level) implies an urgent need for the reconsideration of the structural checks which were once imposed only on governments, to be laterally applied to these companies in order to ensure they are regulated to operate in socially responsible ways.”

And this is the end of body paragraph one, and the topic sentence of body paragraph two. I have boldened the cohesive elements.

“…The danger to democracy, civil, and social life clearly necessitates novel and comprehensive regulation in order to meet these challenges, if the poltico-economic ideals which are the foundations for contemporary Western societies are to be upheld.   The dangerousness implied in power necessitates regulation in order to champion socially responsible behaviour and ensure the delivery and preponderance of liberal and democratic political ideals, which characterise the politico-ontological frameworks of today’s Western societies …”

Note that there are terms linking the paragraph’s content explicitly to the contention, and terms foreshadowing the content of the next paragraph.

“The quality of being coherent and intelligible; clear”

Imagine you wrote the best ever GAMSAT essay possible. Imagine I was there in your seat acting through you, and not only that I was on fire that day. And then imagine when you finish the essay you put it in a glass box to hand to the marker to read. But the box was muddy and cloudy and the marker couldn’t make out a lot of what you and I had come up with together. Now inside the box is a 90+ essay. Maybe even a 95. We killed it! But the marker can’t quite access our ideas, or what we said. So in the end we fell short of what we could have.

I see this in SO many essays. So often there are good ideas, or in a tutorial I’ll ask what the student meant to say and they can tell me but what they tell me isn’t evident from the essay, and of course the marker doesn’t have the benefit of having you there to clarify. Essentially what is being marked is the ‘quality of thoughts and ideas’ and ‘how they are integrated into a meaningful response’ (that’s from the ACER info book). But the quality of your thoughts and ideas is delivered via the five C’s. The five C’s polish that glass box so it’s like it isn’t even there. Any impediment to the marker knowing what you mean is removed. They can see what you were thinking in a way that is crystal clear. But if you lack the five C’s, that box is all cloudy, the thoughts and ideas, no matter how good they are, can’t be seen and you will struggle to score well.

So, how can you make your writing more clear?

Firstly , through being clear on what you want to say, and planning effectively such that your ideas (skeleton) is logical and ordered. When you are clear internally, what you say will come out more clearly.

Secondly , when you are clear on what you want to say, be cautious about your word selection and the degree to which it enables you to be effective in your communication.  Oftentimes students use big words to sound academic and fancy. The issue is, more often than not, what they are saying is simple and not academically rigorous (due to time pressure), so it looks like a pig in lipstick. Pigs are actually cute, I don’t know why that’s the example that came to mind, but it’ll stay with you now 😉

In short, many people are exploring simple thoughts and ideas in complex terms , and what you want to be doing is exploring complex thoughts and ideas in simple terms.

A good rule of thumb I came up with is to ask ‘is there a simpler term that could communicate this?’ and if so I selected the simpler term. I would also ask myself, ‘does the inclusion of this more complex word enhance or diminish the effectiveness and clarity?’ Sometimes there’s no other word that will do as nicely as the one you use.. for example ‘precipitously’ .. sometimes there’s just a time for saying ‘a precipitous increase.’ In this case you could say ‘a large increase’ but it doesn’t have quite the same impact or meaning. They’re not quite the same. So I would go for ‘precipitous’ (assuming I hadn’t already used many complex words previously in that paragraph. If the average 13-14 year old can’t easily understand what you are saying, it’s not written simply enough. Remember, ACER say in the info book that ‘language and structure is only marked insofar as it contributes to the thoughts and ideas, not in isolation’. (I added the underline FYI).

Annd, finally..

‘Briefness, or brevity; to be concise’

Concision is using the fewest words possible to communicate an idea effectively. Anything more is too-much and will detract momentum and pace from the development of your writing. You want to write generously to the marker and in such a way that they can move through what you say easily and enjoyably. If they enjoy your writing, they will like you, and if they like you, you will incur their positive bias, which, if it doesn’t help, can’t hurt; and avoid their negative bias, which if it doesn’t hurt you, might have.

Writing that is not concise can feel overwhelming, confusing, or boring. When you are not generous to the marker in the way that you write, they feel that marking your essay is work. GAMSAT markers might have ten minutes at best per essay, and they are reading essay after essay of drivel. You want to be the shining light that stands out, and simplifies their night. The essay that makes it feel for a moment like it isn’t work to mark. The essay that gives them relief of the burden of trying to figure out what people mean. Trust me, I’ve marked enough essays, it’s not the easiest or most fun work. But when you get one that flows it’s like “AHA! YES! Thank you!!” And that feeling of elation is a very good lens through which a marker might assess your ability to be a doctor.

Anything less that concise creates work, and this incurs grumpiness. You don’t want a grumpy marker deciding your Section II score, do you?

How to be concise?

• Reduce unnecessary words, phrases, or sentences that do not directly forward your central argument. I have, at the last minute, cut out whole sentences (multiple of them) ruthlessly. I hack like a madman at the end of my essays. Anything that is not utterly necessary can go.
• Eliminate filler phrases such as ‘needless to say.’
• Write in the active (versus passive) voice. In the active voice the subject does the verb. In the passive voice the subject is done by the verb. Basically, active is punchy, passive is long winded and takes more words and ruins momentum.

Example (passive): “Lesser men were slayed by the dragon queen” (Borrrrinnnnng.) Example (active): “The dragon queen slayed lesser men.” (Yas queen. Slay gurl.)

If you would like some help learning where you are lacking concision or clarity I recommend copy-pasting your writing into the Hemingway App online. It will break down for you where you are using the passive voice, where you are using too many complex words, and which sentences are hard to read.

Wow, nearly 4k words. I hope you find this useful, it took me all morning. If so feel free to pop your email in below to receive hard-hitting 90+ advice and tips, blog updates, and special offers and I’ll hit you up with the goods as they come.

Feel also free to join the 90+ community on Facebook where we can help you practice and apply what you read here to track yourself towards a killer Section II.

Sorry it’s been so long since my last blog, I missed writing for you all <3

About the author 

Michael Sunderland

My name's Michael, I achieved 91 in Section II, and 82 overall, in the September '20 sitting. I'm here to show you how I did it. Let's get to work :)

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GAMSAT SECTION 2

The Ultimate Guide to GAMSAT UK Section 2

Written by: Matt Amalfitano-Stroud

Section 2 of the GAMSAT (Written Communication) is the most unique part of the test, as it’s a writing task instead of a multiple-choice test. It’s also the shortest segment – with two tasks to analyse and complete in such a short amount of time, you’re going to need to be well-prepared to succeed in this part of the exam. This guide will explain what you should expect from Section 2 and how you can ensure you’re ready for anything it throws at you; let’s get started!

THE BASICS OF GAMSAT SECTION 2

Let’s start off by looking at the basic format and requirements for Section 2 of the GAMSAT.

Section 2 of the Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT) is a test of written communication and interpretation . Throughout 2 tasks, you must be able to analyse a variety of quotations, determine a common theme and write a short piece to explain and justify your decision . 

How does GAMSAT Section 2 Work?

As mentioned before, Section 2 consists of two separate tasks which each take the same format and have the same requirements. In each task, you will be given a selection of four – five quotes/statements from a variety of contexts. These quotes share a broad, common theme that links them together. Other than these quotes, you are not given any additional information to support your writing. 

Your job is to decipher this theme and explain what it is and why you believe it to be the correct answer. There’s no set word count or limit for each of the two tasks, so it will be down to you to decide how many words will be required to effectively explain your case.

You’ll have 65 minutes in total to complete this section. Five minutes of this is dedicated to reading while the rest of the time can be spent planning and writing. 

GAMSAT Section 2 Scoring

Section 2 of the GAMSAT is unique in many ways compared to the other Section 1 and Section 3 , and the marking system is no different. While the other sections can be marked automatically as they are Multiple-Choice quizzes, written pieces must be assessed by human markers in order to accurately assign a score based on the quality of your work. 

There are conflicting reports on how your answers are marked here, but your essay will be marked by 2 – 3 different markers (and potentially a computer system), who will assess your writing on two key factors:

Quality of Thinking/Discussion of Topic

How well you have been able to explain your interpretation of the common theme and your justification for this answer. 

Quality of Language Used

How well you have been able to utilise written language to present your argument, via language and structure.

Using these factors, each marker will assign your two pieces with a combined score between 0 and 100 . The scores from each marker will be reviewed and a final score will be assigned on the same scale (learn more about this in our GAMSAT Scoring Guide ). 

As with the other sections, your Section 2 result is used to calculate an overall GAMSAT Score using the equation below. 

Overall Score = (1 × Section I + 1 × Section II + 2 × Section III) ÷ 4

Below is a quick summary of the whole GAMSAT format, including Section 2:

Exams.Ninja Tip 

Note that you will not receive any marks on your work if you don’t correctly interpret the common theme among the provided quotes. The themes covered are generally very broad so it’s difficult to completely misinterpret the quotes. However, it’s still important that you take time to fully consider the correct answer before writing. 

Get the best support for Section 2 with GAMSAT.Ninja

With our GAMSAT Preparation Platform, you’ll be supported by our comprehensive Section 2 tutorials , a full collection of practice questions and 6 Mock Exams . Create your free account now to start your prep straight away!

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM GAMSAT SECTION 2

Section 2 questions don’t give you that much to work with, so it’s vital that you understand what you’ll be faced with and how you can use the prompts given to create a fantastic piece of writing!

We know the basic format of Section 2 now, but there’s a lot more that you need to know than just what’s on the paper. You’re going to need to learn how to interpret the quotes you’re given, plan out your writing and effectively express all of your thoughts within the limited timeframe – and you have to do all this twice!

Let’s take this one step at a time, starting with the interpretation stage:

Interpreting GAMSAT Section 2 Prompts

During the five-minute reading phase of the test, you’ll need to analyse each of the quotes you’re given in each of the tasks – that’s 10 quotes to analyse. It helps to take this stage one task at a time so as not to get confused or mix up quotes between questions. 

To start, you may find it beneficial to take a look at each quote quickly to get a sense of what you’re working with. You may pick up on some obvious themes quickly, some of which may be shared between multiple quotes . From there, you will need to take a look at each quote individually and take the time to assess what each one actually means. 

As you progress, you may find a common theme fairly quickly, at which point you’ll be looking to identify how that theme matches the remaining quotes rather than finding the theme within them. If you have any quotes that don’t seem to fit, it may help to re-evaluate your common theme or re-read the quotes to find what you’re missing . 

The themes will be fairly broad in the GAMSAT, but that doesn’t make them shallow or uncomplicated . Each quote may feature a different stance on the same theme or could be more subtle than others, which are all factors that you will need to discuss in your writing to get the highest marks.

Your interpretation doesn’t need to be perfect or one-to-one with what ACER (the GAMSAT operators) have specified. Misinterpreting elements of quotes isn’t going to cost you the question as long as you have identified the main theme correctly and provided sufficient reasoning for your views. Some elements of the task will be subjective, so just write what you believe it means .  

One important thing to note is that each task will deal with a different type of theme . Task 1 tends to deal with socio-cultural issues while Task 2 uses Personal/Social issues .  Here are some examples of what can be covered in Section 2:

GAMSAT Section 2 Common Themes

Task 1: socio-cultural issues, task 2: social/personal issues.

Our Example Question at the end of this guide offers an accurate example of what you should expect from the quotes you will be given in Section 2. 

Don’t rush to finalise your decision before you have fully analysed all of the quotes . While it’s easy to believe that you have the answer from looking at 4/5 of the quotes, you always need to ensure that everything in the task lines up with your answer . You may miss something that will change your whole perspective on the task, which could cost you all of the marks for the task. 

Planning GAMSAT Section 2 Writing

After your five minutes are up (or potentially during, depending on how fast you have interpreted the themes in each task), it will be time to start planning your writing . This isn’t going to be an identical process to other essay writing tasks you may have completed in the past for several reasons: 

Section 2 isn’t technically an essay writing task because you don’t have to write an essay . Applicants have to option to write in any format they see fit, including more creative and unconventional formats, as long as the writing reflects everything that is required for the question.  More on this in a bit!

2. Essay Length

We mentioned before that there is no set word count for these tasks. That isn’t really to benefit those who want to write long pieces but more so because you aren’t expected to write that much in this section. With the restricted time and requirement of two pieces, you’ll need to prioritise efficiency when it comes to your essay structure.

Time is the biggest restriction for this section , so it’s going to impact the planning phase just as much as the writing phase. You’ll have a digital whiteboard to use, but you shouldn’t spend more than 10 minutes finalising your plans for both tasks – and that’s only if you’re a fast typer!

So this planning phase may be more challenging or fairly simple depending on where your skills lie. However, the basic principles of essay planning still apply here – albeit in a more condensed form. 

Creating a basic structure for your work with set discussion points is essential to avoid unfocused writing and repeated statements . Efficiency will be your greatest asset, so simple but effective language should be the aim. Most test-takers will take on quotes one at a time, often finding connections between them to allow for natural flow, and this should all be determined in your plan. 

However, before that, you’ll need to decide on the form your writing will take. As mentioned before, you have an open approach to how you wish to write your work, be it conventional essays or more creative forms of writing. Some examples of less conventional writing formats include: 

You most likely have never seen an opportunity to write academic work in the form of a script or blog post before (especially in medicine), but all of these options and more are available to you should you wish to deviate from the standard essay format .  

With that being said though, most applicants still choose to write in a simple format. The GAMSAT markers aren’t awarding points based on the creativity of your work , so writing in these formats will only benefit you if you feel you can express your points more effectively and efficiently in this way. What’s important is that your work is well-written and offers valid arguments for your answer. 

Remember, you’re time is extremely limited so you shouldn’t fixate on the perfect form or structure for your work. Once you have your key points organised in a manner that makes sense, it’s time to start writing! 

How to Write for GAMSAT Section 2

Writing should take up the bulk of your time as you don’t want to rush through either of the tasks. With an effective plan in place , your priority now is to get the words down in a manner that is well-structured, makes sense and explains everything you need to cover . 

To manage your time effectively, understand that your work can be as short as it needs to be. A typical GAMSAT Section 2 essay is 400 – 500 words , but these are not set requirements. If you feel you can cover all of your points effectively in less or if you think you will need more to properly make your point, the choice is yours.  

The length is not important, but rather the following two elements of writing . These are the two factors that the markers will be assessing your work on, so ensure that your work is written with this in mind: 

This relates to the content of your writing . Essentially, the markers expect your work to clearly explain why you believe the provided quotes have a common theme between them. This is the whole point of the piece, so you need to ensure that the reader can fully understand how each quote fits the theme – at least from your perspective. 

Clear explanations will earn you points, but the highest-scoring essays will feature the following elements: 

• A clear thesis that summarises your thoughts on the overall theme within the task.
• Unique, thought-provoking and generally well-explored discussions of the themes and quotes at play.
• Backing with additional evidence where appropriate (though this doesn't need to be too in-depth).
• Displays of empathy, logic and other qualities of medical professionals.

Markers are looking for good-quality writing in GAMSAT Section 2 submissions. This doesn’t mean that they are looking for masterful uses of vocabulary and creative structure, but they do require work to be clear, concise and well-structured . Fluency in English also isn’t the primary concern in the GAMSAT, so minor mistakes will not cost you too many points as long as the intention behind the writing is still clear. 

In most cases, simpler writing will actually be favourable , as these are some of the key elements markers look out for: 

• A logical, well planned structure that offers a clear flow from point-to-point with good connectivity.
• Efficiency in writing, avoiding overlong and irrelevant discussion.
• An appropriate use of language and tone when considering the topic being discussed (primarily for more creative works).
• Generally easy to read and understand, making each point clear.

By focussing on these key areas – and ensuring you have correctly interpreted the task – you should find yourself performing well in this section. It’s the most open-ended task in the exam and that freedom can be either liberating or terrifying! However, effective preparation and practice will help you learn the best GAMSAT writing techniques that work for you. Let’s see what you can do to get yourself ready!

As with any essay task, you should aim to leave yourself time the end to review your work . You’re writing will be much shorter than you’re used to, so yo shouldn’t need more than 5 minutes to properly review both of the tasks. However, it’s still important to check that you covered everything as effectively as possible and correct any simple mistakes you may spot. 

HOW TO PREPARE FOR GAMSAT SECTION 2

Preparing for Section 2 can be challenging and time-consuming, but once you’ve perfected your own writing techniques, you’ll find the actual exam much less stressful! 

Throughout your time in higher-education, you’ve likely had a lot of experience with academic writing and have been able to hone in on your specific writing style. This will act as a great starting point for your GAMSAT prep, but you’re going to have to approach things a little bit differently in order to get top marks. Here are some ways to prepare yourself:

1. Write, Write, Write!

Writing is the most effective way to prepare for Section 2 of the GAMSAT – or any writing task for that matter! GAMSAT prep is convenient in some ways as you’ll only be writing short pieces under 1,000 words, meaning you can get through multiple pieces in a single study session. 

Initially, your writing doesn’t need to involve answering traditional GAMSAT questions but rather it can be about anything. In these early stages, the goal should be to perfect your writing style to match the needs of the GAMSAT . 

For many of you, this may mean you need to practice your efficiency . Good academic essays can be 4,000+ words long and cover dozens of points, but that just isn’t going to work in the GAMSAT. You need to be able to present the same quality of writing in a fraction of the space , so learn to cut out the fat while writing to prevent bloat in your work. 

2. Start Off Big & Learn To Edit

Following on from the first point, it may not be simple to edit your work while you’re writing. Therefore, you may find it easier to start off writing in your typical style and review your work afterwards to try and reduce the amount of fluff. 

As you continue this process, you may discover some bad habits that are padding out your writing or making it unnecessarily complicated to read . Once you’ve identified the issue, you can take the steps to stamp them out before the testing date so that you’re left writing highly efficient, easy-to-understand texts that will earn you top marks. 

If you’re struggling to do this yourself, perhaps give it to someone you trust , telling them that it needs to be simple and short . Chances are they’ll have some feedback on how to make it fit that description better. 

3. Use Practice Resources

While developing your writing skills is important, remember that you also need to be able to answer the question that the test will present you with. As the testing date gets closer, you will need to begin practising with actual GAMSAT-styled tasks , which isn’t always easy to do.

GAMSAT past papers aren’t released to the public , while ACER tends to charge for the majority of its official practice materials. Therefore free options are limited. Investing in GAMSAT materials is usually a good idea, especially if you are able to access materials for all three sections as you can do with GAMSAT.Ninja (which also provides free access to certain features including practice questions).

The difficulty with GAMSAT prep is that half the challenge comes from interpreting the quotes , which means you can’t really set the practice tasks yourself without help from a trusted family member or peer. If you can do this, however, it will provide you with a very effective preparation strategy!

4. Utilise Exam Conditions

By the end of your preparation, you should be able to confidently complete two separate tasks within the 65-minute window you’ll be given in the test. It’s important to be strict with yourself while practising for an exam, so you should aim to set aside at least an hour each week to do a full Section 2 simulation, complete with realistic marking . 

As well as this, you should aim to complete at least one full mock GAMSAT before the testing date in order to see how well you’ll cope with the gauntlet of testing that’s ahead of you. It’s exhausting and pretty inconvenient to set up, but if you can do it once, you should be able to do it again for real!

There’s plenty more to learn about GAMSAT prep in our GAMSAT Preparation Tips Guide , but for now, let’s take a look at an example of a GAMSAT Section 2 task:

Perfect your writing skills for the GAMSAT with GAMSAT.Ninja

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GAMSAT SECTION 2 EXAMPLE QUESTION

GAMSAT Section 2 tasks are simultaneously very simple and very deep, so let’s take a look at an example of one and how it could be approached!  

GAMSAT Section 2 Example Task 1

1. Some believe that the government is most effective at determining how public money is spent. Others believe it is the public themselves. 2. The founding principle of modern government is to redistribute wealth. 3. When the rich support the vulnerable, everyone prospers. 4. Redistributing the wealth of the nation is a complicated process that prompts many important questions about how to do it in a fair and reasonable way.

The common theme among these quotes is  Redistributing Wealth  – how money can be given back to society by the government or by the rich and what impact it can have. 

GAMSAT Section 2 Example Task 2

1. There are three certainties in life; taxes, death and change. 2. Some say life is nothing but change. 3. It’s not about the fact that things change; it is how you deal with change that matters. 4. Wisdom is dealing with chaos in a calm manner.

The common theme among these quotes is  Change – how change is perceived and dealt with. 

That covers everything. you need to know to start your GAMSAT Section 2 preparation! It’s not an easy task to get used to but with consistent practice, you should find this to be one of the easier portions of the whole test. If you want to go back to the GAMSAT Basics, check out our Definitive GAMSAT Guide , or if you’re to begin your preparation, sign up to GAMSAT.Ninja for free now!

GAMSAT UK Scores – Your Definitive Guide To GAMSAT Scoring and Results

Gamsat preparation: how to prepare for the gamsat uk, the definitive guide to gamsat uk section 3, your ultimate guide to gamsat uk section 2, the ultimate guide to gamsat uk section 1, gamsat: the definitive gamsat starter guide for 2024.

Create the perfect GAMSAT preparation strategy with GAMSAT.Ninja

Our GAMSAT Preparation Platform  features everything you need to prepare for GAMSAT success, all condensed into three amazing components. 

Training Temple-  Access GAMSAT tutorials that cover every section and every technique that will help you get a fantastic overall score.

Practice Dojo-  Utilise 1,000+ GAMSAT questions covering all three sections. Review worked solutions for each and every question to ensure you learn from each study session. 

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A Comprehensive Guide To Gamsat Written Communication

Table of contents.

• GAMSAT Written Communication
• GAMSAT Study Guide
• GAMSAT Reasoning in Humanities and Social Sciences
• GAMSAT Reasoning in Biological and Physical Sciences
• GAMSAT Exam Compared
• Australia Nurse Career
• Australia Medical Field Salary
• Australia Medical Career

Helen L. Fisher

Did you know that the Written Communication section of the GAMSAT accounts for 20% of your overall score? That’s right, this section holds significant weight in determining your success in the exam.

So, it’s crucial to equip yourself with the necessary skills and strategies to excel in this section. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through everything you need to know about the GAMSAT Written Communication, from understanding its structure to developing effective essay writing skills.

You will learn how to analyze and interpret prompts, manage your time effectively during the exam, and even gain inspiration from sample essays. Additionally, we will provide you with invaluable tips for revising and editing your work, ensuring that your written communication is concise, clear, and accurate.

This guide will be your go-to resource to master the Written Communication section and boost your chances of achieving a high GAMSAT score.

Key Takeaways

• Importance of skills and strategies to excel in the GAMSAT Written Communication section
• Solid strategy for organizing ideas and developing effective essay writing skills
• Enhancing coherence and cohesion through the use of linking words and phrases
• Analyzing and interpreting prompts, and incorporating examples and evidence to support claims

Understanding the Structure of the Written Communication Section

Get ready to dive into the structure of the Written Communication section and discover how to conquer it like a pro!

When it comes to this section, one of the most important things to remember is the importance of brainstorming before writing. Taking the time to gather your thoughts and ideas before you start writing can make a big difference in the clarity and coherence of your essay.

Additionally, having a solid strategy for organizing your ideas is key. This can include creating an outline, using paragraphs to separate different points, and ensuring a logical flow throughout your essay.

By mastering these skills, you’ll be well on your way to acing the Written Communication section.

Now, let’s move on to developing effective essay writing skills.

Developing Effective Essay Writing Skills

Mastering the art of essay writing is like embarking on a captivating journey, where you skillfully navigate the waters of effective communication to leave a lasting impact. To enhance your essay writing skills, focus on improving coherence and cohesion. This involves organizing your ideas logically and ensuring smooth transitions between paragraphs. Use linking words and phrases such as ‘however’ and ‘therefore’ to connect your thoughts and maintain a flow. Additionally, work on enhancing critical thinking in your writing. Analyze different perspectives, evaluate evidence, and present a balanced argument. Incorporate examples, facts, and statistics to support your claims and strengthen your position. By developing these skills, you will be able to produce well-structured and persuasive essays. Transitioning to the subsequent section about ‘analyzing and interpreting prompts,’ remember to carefully examine the given prompts to effectively respond to them.

Analyzing and Interpreting Prompts

To truly excel in essay writing, it’s crucial to analyze and interpret prompts with precision and insight. Prompt analysis involves carefully understanding the question and identifying key elements such as the main theme, the scope of the question, and any specific requirements.

Critical thinking strategies play a vital role in this process, as they enable you to evaluate the prompt from different perspectives and develop a well-rounded response. By analyzing the prompt thoroughly, you can ensure that your essay addresses all the necessary points and demonstrates your ability to think critically.

Moving forward, effective time management strategies for the exam will further enhance your performance. Prioritizing tasks, setting realistic goals, and allocating sufficient time to each section will help you maximize your productivity and achieve success in the GAMSAT.

Time Management Strategies for the Exam

Efficiently managing your time during the exam is like orchestrating a well-choreographed dance, where each step is deliberate and precise. To ensure you allocate your time wisely, it’s essential to have a solid plan in place.

Start by dividing the available time equally between reading the prompt, brainstorming ideas, and writing your essay. This will help you avoid spending too much time on one section and neglecting the others.

When brainstorming, use techniques such as mind mapping or listing to quickly generate ideas and organize your thoughts. Remember to stay focused and avoid getting stuck on one point for too long.

By practicing these time management strategies, you’ll be able to effectively utilize the allocated time and produce a well-structured essay.

Transitioning into the next section, reviewing sample essays for inspiration can further enhance your writing skills.

Reviewing Sample Essays for Inspiration

You can gain valuable insights and inspiration for your own writing by reviewing sample essays, don’t you think?

Analyzing examples of well-written essays can help you understand the structure, organization, and language used in successful pieces. By examining how others have approached the task, you can learn from their strengths and apply similar strategies in your own writing.

Look for essays that demonstrate effective use of evidence, logical reasoning, and a clear thesis statement. Pay attention to how the writer introduces and develops their ideas, as well as how they conclude their essay.

Finding inspiration from these examples can spark creativity and guide your own approach to the written communication section of the GAMSAT.

Now, let’s move on to some tips for revising and editing your work.

Tips for Revising and Editing Your Work

Revising and editing your work is essential for improving the quality of your essay and enhancing its impact on readers. To ensure your writing is clear and concise, it’s important to employ effective revising techniques and proofreading tips. When revising, focus on the structure and coherence of your essay. Check if your ideas flow logically and if each paragraph supports your main argument. Use the table below to guide you through the revision process:

By following these tips and dedicating time to revision and editing, you can enhance the clarity and impact of your essay.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the recommended word count for essays in the gamsat written communication section.

For the GAMSAT written communication section, it’s recommended to aim for an essay word count of around 500-600 words. This allows you to effectively manage your time and cover all the necessary points.

To achieve this, use time management strategies like planning and allocating specific time for each section. Additionally, focus on an effective essay structure with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. This will ensure your essay is concise, clear, and accurate.

Are there any specific formatting guidelines to follow for the essays?

To effectively structure your essays in GAMSAT, begin with an interesting statistic that adds depth. For example, did you know that 90% of top-scoring essays incorporate personal examples? This statistic adds complexity and grabs the reader’s attention.

When crafting your paragraphs, ensure they’re concise, clear, and accurate. Use personal examples to support your points, making your writing more relatable and engaging.

By following these guidelines, you’ll excel in GAMSAT written communication.

How are the essays in the Written Communication section graded?

To effectively structure your argument and achieve a high score in GAMSAT essay writing, it’s crucial to prioritize brainstorming. This process helps you generate ideas and organize your thoughts before writing.

Additionally, structuring your argument effectively is key. Start with a clear introduction, present your main points with supporting evidence, and conclude with a strong summary.

By following these steps, you can write concise, clear, and accurate essays that impress the graders.

Can I bring a dictionary or any other reference materials during the exam?

During the exam, you won’t be able to bring a dictionary or any reference materials, but don’t fret! Practicing timed essay writing has its benefits. It hones your ability to think quickly and express your ideas concisely.

To improve essay coherence and structure, start with an introduction that sets the stage. Then, use clear topic sentences for each paragraph and connect your ideas with transitions.

Remember, practice makes perfect, so keep writing and refining your skills!

Are there any penalties for spelling or grammatical errors in the essays?

Spelling and grammatical errors can have a negative impact on your essay scores in the GAMSAT. To minimize these errors, focus on proofreading your essays carefully.

Pay attention to grammar rules and spelling conventions. It’s also helpful to practice writing essays under timed conditions to improve your speed and accuracy.

Additionally, using spell check tools can help catch any errors you may have missed.

So there you have it, you’ve reached the end of this comprehensive guide to GAMSAT written communication.

Now armed with a deeper understanding of the section’s structure, effective essay writing skills, prompt analysis, time management strategies, and the importance of revision and editing, you’re ready to tackle this challenging exam.

Like a skilled artist with a palette of words, you can paint vivid and captivating essays that’ll leave a lasting impression.

So go forth, confident and prepared, and conquer the GAMSAT written communication section!

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Gamsat Notes

June 28, 2017, gamsat notes in essay examples , exam preperation | june 28, 2017, essay example rundown – how to write essays for the gamsat.

This post will run through how to write essays for the GAMSAT. It will detail how tackle the structure, and reduce the chances of getting writers block. Time is of the essence during the GAMSAT exam and your essays are a way to show that you can handle pressure and produce the goods.

Here are a few points to consider when writing your essays.

You will be given a list of quotes to start, and asked to produce an essay on one or many of the quotes, referencing them where necessary. It is entirely OK to use only one of the quotes, and as I have done in a number (if not all) of my essays – not actually make a direct reference to it.

The quotes may be old, new, contemporary, abstract; a mixture of all or other types, or none of those mentioned here – who knows. Don’t let this throw you off. Find a quote that you can make some connection of context with and run with it.

Essay Title

You should produce an essay title . No it is not required. Why come up with a title? It makes your life much easier when it comes to writing the actual content for your essay. If you lose your train of thought, or need to remember what you are even writing about – all you have to do is look at the title. Without coming up with a title and writing it down, you are already putting yourself in a risky situation.

Use Emotion

You are writing quickly, and in order to do so effectively; you should write from the heart. Do not mask your opinions when writing as this will effect the flow for the reader. Do not try to please everybody when writing. You write what and how you feel as you go and have no time for other peoples feelings at the time.

Structure – Most Important Point

Having a structure in your head before your enter the exam is the best way to tackle the essay section. Here is a structure to help you formulate your essays:

• Reference the title stating your opinion on the matter (e.g. controversial, one-sided, high media presence… etc.)
• On one hand
• On the other hand
• Take a side (usually the first side proposed, but not necessarily)
• Thirdly… etc.
• In conclusion/Ultimately/In the end, I feel…
• I’d suggest to counter your argument slightly here again to show you are empathetic and have at least an ounce of humility
• Then back up your favoured argument and conclude your essay

GAMSAT Notes Examples:

The following is the first essay I wrote (1 of 16 in total). See the bolded text depecting where the structuring described above has been used. The other example essays will also have the structure bolded throughout to help show where and how it is used. The title of the post will be the quote used to formulate the essay (except for this description post).

“The Best Argument Against Democracy is a Five Minute Conversation with the Average Voter”

Essay Title: Is democracy providing society with their wants and needs?

The question of whether society appreciates the role of government in providing them with their wants and needs is a controversial one.

On the one hand , government provides a wide range of benefits, such as; child benefits, government issued health cards – providing low cost/free heath care, pensions, among many more. These are clearly very beneficial for society as a whole.

On the other hand, the media will quickly have us believe that our government is a greedy, corporation like institution, where we must select the lesser of evil candidates to take office and run our country. It appears ever too often that we hear of shady government deals with large multinational corporations; costing many of the countries taxpayers, and benefiting only a select few of those closely related to the deal.

Ultimately, I believe society benefits more from our government than caveats. Firstly, our education system is highly desirable, especially when compared to that of the United States (tuition fees related). Although this is a popular topic of debate in the past number of years and should be watched closely. Secondly, society also benefits from our government being pro-disability focused. Regulations in building and construction require features such as wheelchair access as standard to ensure all able, and disable bodied people can gain access to any building. This flows generously into that of fire standards and fire safety. Our government has strict safety regulations that we almost unconsciously benefit from.

Finally, Ireland has an attractive corporate tax rate; which helps vastly in attaining corporations to set up their European headquarters (Google, Facebook, etc.); providing jobs, increasing pay standards, and overall improving the quality of life.

In conclusion, Democracy; at least in Ireland, is benefiting society as a whole in my opinion. A lot of work is needed to ensure improvements can be made in the future. Democracy does benefit society in comparison to other systems of government, but this does not mean it is the most appropriate either. Government systems evolve over time along with everything else. I believe Democracy is a step in the right direction; but we are not there yet in terms of the perfect solution (which there may not be one).

Recommended Reading for Section 1

Related Notes:

• Essay Example: “The Liberty of the Individual Must be thus far Limited; He must not Make Himself a Nuisance to Other People”
• Essay Example: “The Best Argument Against Democracy is a Five Minute Conversation with the Average Voter”
• Section III Preperation
• Section I Preperation

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Guides & Info

The Ultimate Guide to GAMSAT Section 2

Please note that GAMSAT ‘Section II: Written Communication’ has been renamed to ‘Written Communication Section’. To ensure this article is easy to follow, we’ll refer to this section as ‘Section 2’ throughout. Read about the latest changes to the GAMSAT .

In our GAMSAT Section 2 guide, we’ll walk you through what to expect in Section 2 and how best to prepare for it. We’ll also go through a free example Section 2 task with expert guidance on how to structure this essay.

Just starting GAMSAT revision? We recommend building your GAMSAT knowledge by going through GAMSAT preparation material, such as:

• GAMSAT FAQ – view 30+ GAMSAT questions, including which dental/medical schools require the GAMSAT
• GAMSAT preparation tips – find out how to get the most from your revision
• GAMSAT preparation mistakes – explore common pitfalls to avoid while preparing
• GAMSAT timing – learn how to overcome GAMSAT time pressure

Once you’ve finished going through this article, we recommend reading the ultimate guide to GAMSAT Section 3 , to give you a comprehensive overview of the entire GAMSAT exam. If you missed the first article in this series, make sure you check out our ultimate guide to GAMSAT Section 1 too.

Table of contents

Gamsat section 2 structure, what does gamsat section 2 test, how should i approach preparation for gamsat section 2, free example task for gamsat section 2.

GAMSAT section

Number of GAMSAT questions

Section time

Time per question

Written Communication

Approximately 30 minutes

For GAMSAT 2024 testing, Section 2 will now be delivered via remote proctoring and will take place approximately two weeks before Section 1 and 3 (these sections will take place at a test centre as normal). Remote proctoring is a form of online remote test delivery which includes being supervised by a remote proctor via screen sharing and webcam monitoring. Learn more about how remote proctoring will work including top tips for ensuring it goes smoothly.

The purpose of GAMSAT Section 2 is to test your ability to effectively and logically express your thoughts. Essays marked will be judged on quality of thinking and how well you articulate this thinking through written language. In order to do this, you must identify the common theme running through the presented comments, and plan and structure your essay before you begin writing.

This section is split into two writing tasks: Task A and Task B. In each GAMSAT Section 2 task, you will read four or five comments on a common theme and must write an essay that responds to one or more of them.

• Task A tends to focus on socio-cultural issues, such as law, religion and economic narratives. It’s best suited to an argumentative essay style. 
• Task B tends to focus more on personal and social issues, such as emotions, feelings and the lived experience. Therefore, a creative or reflective essay could be the best option if you feel comfortable writing in this style.

For those with a pure science background, Section 2 can be the most daunting part of the GAMSAT exam. Not only this, the digital exam format means you’ll need to type out your responses (with no automatic spelling and grammar checks). If this is something you struggle with, we advise improving your typing speed and accuracy before sitting the GAMSAT.

For GAMSAT Section 2 preparation, we recommend that you break down the steps and timing for each task as follows:

• Assess the task (2 minutes)
• Brainstorm your response (4 minutes)
• Outline your essay (4 minutes)
• Write your essay (17–18 minutes)
• Review your essay (2–3 minutes)

As you can see, you should spend just over a third of the time limit planning and reviewing your essay, and allocate the rest to writing time.

According to the ACER GAMSAT Information Booklet , you’ll be assessed on ‘the quality of the thinking about a topic’ and ‘the way in which ideas are integrated into a thoughtful response to the task’. This means you should concentrate more on the depth and organisation of ideas, rather than breadth. A sensible guideline to follow for a non-creative essay is an introduction, a few body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

To perform well in this section, it’s critical that you demonstrate that you have correctly understood the theme, thought through different angles on the issue or topic, and taken a clear stance in relation to it. This can be achieved through analysing the task and brainstorming carefully.

In GAMSAT Section 2 essays, it’s a good idea to write about a few concepts that you understand, and communicate these in a logical and coherent way, rather than to present too many ideas in an unstructured manner. Also, some students can focus too heavily on individual quotes and end up missing the overall theme, or fixate too much on the theme and neglect the variety of opinions on a topic. Success in GAMSAT Section 2 requires a careful balance between the two.

Task A example essay question

Consider the following comments and develop a piece of writing in response to one or more of them.

Your writing will be judged on the quality of your response to the theme, how well you organise and present your point of view, and how effectively you express yourself.

Comment 1 The internet is an elite organisation. Most of the population of the world has never even made a phone call. Noam Chomsky

Comment 2 The internet is forever demanding that the real world be redefined to suit its whims. Terry Pratchett

Comment 3 The Web is a tremendous grassroots revolution. Tim Berners-Lee

Comment 4 The internet’s primary function is to allow people to hear what they want to hear.

Task A example essay guidance

Here’s a step-by-step process of how to approach this task:

Step 1: Assess the task (2 minutes)

1. First, assess the task by reading through all the comments and identifying the overarching theme. In this initial stage, your focus should be on determining which comments you can thoughtfully explore in relation to the theme. This will guide the subsequent decisions you make when planning and writing your essay. As we know that Task A will generally be on a socio-cultural theme, this can help with the first step of identifying the theme in the task. 

Step 2: Brainstorm your response (4 minutes)

2. After identifying the core theme and comments you wish to use, you should think about some pros and cons, as well as your own opinion. In this brainstorming phase, you should reflect on both sides of the topic and note down a few succinct examples for each side. Try to pursue ideas that you find interesting or exciting, as this sense of authenticity can develop your ideas and improve your writing. 

You can use any method to capture your thoughts in response to the task, such as a spider diagram or a table with arguments ‘for’ and ‘against’ the statement. By the end of this step, you should have comprehensive notes on many relevant ideas and examples, ready for organising.

Step 3: Outline your essay (4 minutes)

3. Now it’s time to decide how you would like to present all of this thinking to the reader. You should carefully select ideas that will strengthen your essay, and disregard anything that doesn’t contribute to the overall argument. Make sure you decide on your conclusion before organising your chosen ideas into a logical and coherent structure as follows:

• Introduction: Identify the theme and define the key concepts (use relevant brainstorming notes).
• Two body paragraphs: Explore one side of the issue in the first paragraph and explore the other side of the issue in the second paragraph. Provide examples in both paragraphs and arrange all your notes on comments, pros and cons, and examples.
• Conclusion: This is where you should state your own opinion. A strong conclusion accounts for everything that has gone before it (both pros and cons), and makes a logical deduction from that.

Step 4: Write your essay (17–18 minutes)

4. After assessing and planning your essay, it’s time to start writing! 

• Introduction: The purpose of the introductory paragraph is to provide a clear indication of what’s to come. Identify the core theme, briefly define any key concepts within this theme, and then finish by indicating the other side of the theme.
• First body paragraph: Present the first side of the argument as clearly and convincingly as you can, and include one or two points with supporting examples which connect to one of the comments.
• Second body paragraph: Present the other side of the argument as clearly and convincingly as you can, and include one or two points with supporting examples which connect to one of the comments. The key difference between this and the first body paragraph is that you’ll need to show an awareness of the previous paragraph, such as through terminology like ‘however’. 
• Conclusion: In the final paragraph, you should assert your own opinion – this means you need to pick a side. You could start by directly stating your opinion, and then give reasons as to why you come down on that side. Alternatively, you could briefly summarise both sides, then move swiftly to your opinion. Whatever approach you take, try to end on a strong note to show that you’re in control of the logic presented in the essay.

Note that you can easily adapt this structure to write an essay with a different number of paragraphs. For example, if you want to write one paragraph for all three comments in a task, you would simply plan for three body paragraphs instead of two.

Step 5: Review your essay (2–3 minutes)

5. If you’ve successfully carried out the first four steps, then this step shouldn’t take too long. You can use this time to proofread your essay, which includes checking the grammar, spelling and punctuation. If you have time, you could even add a sentence or two throughout to strengthen the essay if needed. However, by this point, your essay should be close to perfect. This time would be best spent reviewing your work rather than making any major changes.

Succeed in the GAMSAT with Medify

Applying to graduate entry medicine or dentistry can be challenging. Throughout your admissions journey, you’ll need to show dental or medical schools why you deserve your spot. At Medify, we’re committed to making this journey a little easier.

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• A robust Question Bank with 2,800 original GAMSAT-style questions
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• 50+ in-depth tutorials with guidance from GAMSAT experts
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Don’t forget to check out our ultimate guide to GAMSAT Section 1 and GAMSAT Section 3 if you haven’t already!

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GAMSAT English Tutor

Specialist S1 and S2 | Australia

GAMSAT for English as a Second Language (ESL) Students

• 1 Introduction
• 2 Learning English
• 3 GAMSAT Section 1 – Critical Reasoning in the Humanities and Social Sciences
• 4.1 Essay Writing
• 4.2 Essay Structure
• 5 It is possible to study for the GAMSAT if you have English as a second language
• 6 Conclusion

Introduction

The Graduate Australian Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT) is a challenging test to prepare for and if you have English as a second language, it can be even more challenging. Section 2 of the GAMSAT—which tests Written Communication skills—is especially difficult for ESL students. However, with enough practice and study, it’s possible to get a good score on this portion of the exam. In this article we’ll go over some tips on how to work your way up to passing the GAMSAT if you’re an ESL student.

Learning English

This is the most important part to focus on if you know that English is not your forte. Some tips to improve your English:

• Read widely and as much as you can. Be curious to read things that you might be afraid and be critical about the way in which phrases are constructed.
• Expand your vocabulary – learn around 5-10 new words every day and practice writing and speaking using them
• Familiarise yourself with the GAMSAT format and the type of language/words that are used in GAMSAT Section 1 and 2.

If you find this too hard to do yourself, I would recommend getting an English tutor (doesn’t have to be a GAMSAT-specific one) to focus on learning the basics. Grammar, punctuation and sentence expression is not the be all and end all, but certainly important in creating a cohesive and well-rounded essay!

GAMSAT Section 1 – Critical Reasoning in the Humanities and Social Sciences

If you are an ESL student and are preparing for GAMSAT, there is a good chance that your reading comprehension skills are not as developed as those of native speakers. This can be especially true if it has been some time since you have read extensively in English. In order to improve your reading comprehension skills, we recommend that ESL students begin by reading articles that are easier for them to understand. As they become more confident with their comprehension abilities, they can then move onto articles that are more difficult to understand. By challenging themselves in this way, ESL students will be better prepared when they take the GAMSAT exam!

Another strategy that ESL students can use is looking up words when they don’t know what they mean — even if doing so takes away from valuable study time! This approach may seem counterintuitive at first because you want to learn new vocabulary rather than relying on a dictionary or Google search bar; however, once again it comes down to confidence: knowing whether or not you comprehended something is just as important as understanding what it means on paper!

GAMSAT Section 1 Resources

GAMSAT Section 1 Tips for Analysing Prose, Cartoons and Poetry

GAMSAT Section 1 How to Analyse Cartoons

GAMSAT Section 1 How to Analyse Poetry

GAMSAT Section 2 Written Communication

GAMSAT Section 2 is the essay writing section. You will be given a topic and you need to write a response within 60 minutes, with no word limit. The topics are usually current events or social issues relevant in Australia’s society today. For example, “In politics, the most popular course of action is usually the correct course of action’ or “Only those politicians who have learned the art of  compromise  can achieve their political goals”.

ACER GAMSAT has supplied 16 task themes in total; 8 pertaining to Task A and 8 pertaining to Task B from GAMSAT September 2020.  

Essay Writing

Writing an essay is a skill that can be learned. You need to have good grammar and an understanding of how essays are structured before you can write one confidently.

Essays in GAMSAT are normally around 500-600 words, but this isn’t something you should worry about at this stage. The key thing is to understand some basic principles about writing an essay for the GAMSAT exam and then use those principles to write your own essay. I do not believe in memorised essay templates as this only sets you up for disaster if there is a complete curveball question!

The most important thing when it comes to writing a good essay for the GAMSAT is planning and organisation. The best way to do this is by starting with a plan or outline which clearly sets out what parts of each question you want to include in your answer – and then ensuring that you have an argument in every body paragraph.

A more comprehensive guide is outlined here: how to write essays for the GAMSAT

GAMSAT Essay Quote Generator – 100+ quotes selectively curated by me and including past GAMSAT topics to help you prepare

Essay Structure

The structure of your essay will be the foundation for everything else you write. If your essay doesn’t have a clear introduction, body and conclusion, then there’s a chance that the reader will not understand what you’re trying to say.

The first step in creating a good structure is planning it out before writing. You might already know what type of essay you want to write: an argumentative one or a reflective one. If not, here are some questions that can help guide you:

• What is my opinion of the topic? E.g. on globalisation, democracy, collectivisation, leadership
• What evidence can I provide to help support my thesis statement?
• How does each paragraph build on the previous one?
• What solutions can I provide for the issues I raised previously?

Click here for example essay structures for politics , one of the most dreaded topics in the GAMSAT

It is possible to study for the GAMSAT if you have English as a second language

Studying for GAMSAT can be challenging if you have English as a second language, but it is possible. The following are some tips for ESL students who are planning to take the test.

• Get familiar with the structure of the exam. The Graduate Australian Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT) is a standardized examination that tests your ability in four areas: reading comprehension, writing skills, critical reasoning, and scientific knowledge. You’ll need to prepare extensively in each of these areas before taking the exam.
• Take practice tests or private lessons prior to sitting down with an official paper copy of an actual test booklet and pencils. Taking practice tests early on in your preparation process (in timed conditions!) will help ensure that you feel confident when taking the real thing!

We can all agree that GAMSAT preparation is hard, but it is especially difficult for those who are trying to learn English as a second language. If you are an ESL student and you feel like you don’t have the communication tools to tackle this test, we have good news: there are many ways to improve your English skills, and they won’t break the bank either. It’s just a matter of finding out what works best for you!

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Gamsat Review Blog

Everything you need to know about GAMSAT by Dr Peter Griffiths

GAMSAT Example Essays Section 2

Below you can find one of our Gamsat example essays for section 2 which was sent in for marking and detailed feedback as part of our Gamsat Essay Marking service.

The essay has been annotated by the marker.

Students who sign up for the Gamsat Review Home Study Course get a full 100 marked example essays for section 2 like the sample below as a standard part of the course.

Included are essays set on ten different sets of quotes and we show examples of both high scoring and low scoring essays to allow students to see what makes up a good essay and what a bad essay looks like.

Students who wish to get their own essays marked can then also sign up to the Gamsat Essay Course.

If you'd like to get a full 100 marked essays like the one above please sign up to the Griffiths GAMSAT Review Home Study course.

Included in the Section 2 BLUEPRINT you also get a plan which shows you step by step how to produce a high scoring essay from any possible set of quotes.

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Past GAMSAT Essay Topics

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Gamsat section 2: written communication, discover our gamsat preparation courses today, hesitant about gamsat.

Section 2 of the GAMSAT is one-of-a-kind and stands in stark contrast to its counterparts!

Unlike GAMSAT Section 1 and Section 3 , the written communication section requires you to create a response to a quote set rather than answer specific questions. In the previous article in this series, we discussed the nature and purpose of Section 1 , stating that in order to achieve a high score in Section 1 of the GAMSAT, it is important to understand its purpose.

Specifically, the article mentioned that Section 1 tests a candidate’s ability to listen and comprehend a patient’s perspective. In this article about Section 2 preparation , we will continue to develop this analogy, commenting on the purpose of Section 2, and what this means for GAMSAT Section 2 essay preparation. 

What is GAMSAT Section 2?

The Written Communication segment assesses an individual's capacity to create and elaborate on ideas through writing. This segment comprises two 30-minute writing assignments. Each task presents four statements centered around a shared topic.

How is section 2 essay marked?

ACER in its booklets says that the Section 2 essays will be evaluated on the basis of:

•   Thought and Content (the quality of what is said) 
•  What is made of and developed from the task 
• The kinds of thoughts offered in response to the task 
• Organisation and Expression (the quality of the structure developed and language used) 
• The shape and form of the piece 
• The effectiveness and fluency of the language

What To Expect From GAMSAT Section 2?

As of the 2023 GAMSAT, Section 2 comprises two distinct writing tasks: Task A and Task B. Each of these tasks presents you with a set of four short quotes that revolve around a shared theme. Interestingly, the authors of these quotes are not disclosed, leaving you to grapple with the essence of the quotes without the influence of the author's reputation or background.

When considering how to distribute your time effectively, a frequently offered suggestion is as follows:

• Allocate 5 minutes for planning
• Dedicate 25 minutes for writing
• Reserve 5 minutes for reviewing

This time allocation is designed to align with the 65-minute total duration for Section 2. The remaining 5 minutes serve as a buffer, giving you some wiggle room should any of these tasks take longer than expected.

Planning is a critical element for achieving a high score, and while we generally recommend dedicating 5 minutes to it, this isn't a one-size-fits-all rule. If you find Task A more challenging than Task B, or vice versa, you might consider using some of your buffer time to extend your planning or writing phase for that particular task.

However, be cautious; time in this section is highly limited. Writing an essay in approximately 25 minutes is a significant challenge for most GAMSAT candidates and requires a focused, efficient approach.

What Is The Purpose Of GAMSAT Section 2?

In the previous article in this series, we mentioned that the medical journey begins at the patient’s bedside, where you listen to the story of their lifestyle and disease to draw critical diagnostic conclusions about their circumstances. We further mentioned that this is the skillset emulated, and tested by Section 1 of the GAMSAT exam .

Communication in Medical Practice:

Moving on to Section 2 - once you have listened to the patient’s concerns, the next step is communication. In the medical field, communication is everything! 

Often the situation that the patients find themselves in is complex and multifactorial - it is the medical staff’s job to empathise, and explain the technicalities of the illness, as well as the treatment, to the patient. This is a difficult task as doctors often have to reach a precarious compromise between the interests of various specialists, as well as respecting the patient’s lifestyle priorities.

GAMSAT Section 2 Essay Perspective:

This is exactly what Section 2 Task A and Task B are attempting to re-create. GAMSAT essays for Section 2 are written in response to Section 2 quote sets . These quotes represent various perspectives on a given theme. This will be the case in your future medical practice, where you must aim to consider all the opinions presented by the quote set, and reconcile them within the time limit, with as much clarity as possible. And this will be the case in your future medical practice, the choice of style and formatting, is left largely up to you. Having said this, however, here is a brief guide to Section 2 preparation .

How to Prepare for GAMSAT Section 2

Establishing a strong foundation.

Begin your GAMSAT Section 2 preparation by diving headfirst into essay practice. The sooner you start, the more strategic advantage you'll gain. 

Instead of sticking to what you already know, broaden your intellectual horizons by exploring a diverse range of subjects. This will not only enrich your perspective but also ignite a creative spark that will prove invaluable for generating unique and compelling essay ideas.

Enhancing the Writing Process and Feedback Loop

Once you've laid a strong foundation, the next step is to optimize your writing process. Create a systematic approach that ensures each essay is well-structured and coherently developed. 

But don't stop there—actively seek out feedback from those around you, be it peers, family, or even professionals in the field. Take constructive criticism to heart; it's an invaluable tool for refining your skills and producing essays that not only meet but exceed the GAMSAT Section 2 requirements.

To give you a practical sense of what high-scoring essays look like, we've gathered a collection of sample essays with scores ranging from 50 to 80+ .

Practical Simulation for Exam Success

As the exam date approaches, practice under timed conditions to replicate real testing scenarios. This is a pivotal element for achieving success and should not be overlooked.

For those looking for a more structured approach to preparing for Section 2, including tips on theme identification, research, and writing style, check out our comprehensive resource: GAMSAT Section 2 Study | Where & How to Begin .

What Are The Common GAMSAT Section 2 Themes?

ACER has explicitly stated that both Task A and Task B in GAMSAT Section 2 revolve around overarching themes. According to Fraser’s GAMSAT analysis, Task A mainly zeroes in on socio-cultural issues, often navigating the 'inter-personal' realm—this includes laws, religions, economics, and social narratives. Conversely, Task B skews more towards the 'intra-personal,' emphasizing individual aspects like emotions, cognitive states, and the lived experience.

Balancing Quotes and Themes

Many GAMSAT candidates tunnel-vision on the individual quotes, neglecting the overarching theme, or vice versa. Striking a balance between these two aspects is crucial, as GAMSAT Section 2 marking rewards essays that describe the complexity expressed by the individual quotes, within the context of the overall theme.

Recommended Steps for Preparation

A good first step in your Section 2 preparation is to have a look at Fraser’s GAMSAT Section 2: Frequently Asked Questions . This article focuses on clearing the air of confusion for a lot of students who are sitting the GAMSAT and additionally, comprises a range of useful tips to approach the GAMSAT Section 2 Essay. We also strongly recommend you to take a look at our Section 2 quote generator as a resource for GAMSAT Section 2 practice questions - that is, attempt to interpret the quote sets prior to clicking to reveal the theme.

Following your interpretation, set the timer and write a GAMSAT essay style guide for GAMSAT Section 2 . Make sure to review your work with your fellow exam candidates after you have completed the piece - the review process is the most important step in improving your essay!

Choosing the Right Writing Style for GAMSAT Section 2

Ultimately, it is up to the candidate as to how to format their GAMSAT Section 2 essay . It is important to bear in mind that the marking criteria and purpose of a GAMSAT Section 2 essay remain consistent regardless of the style of writing a candidate chooses to pursue. Returning once more to our medical analogue - as a medical student, you would not try to communicate with a patient through the medium of a poem, or a creative story.

This is why we advocate for an argumentative/analytical/expository style of writing, which is the safest and most reliable method of Section 2 communication. 

An argumentative essay consists of contention, two to three body paragraphs (each with individual arguments) and a conclusion that directs the reader to the ultimate implication of your written work. This isn’t to say that writing an argumentative-style essay is gospel and thus gives you a high GAMSAT score . Instead, this format is for everyone to have experience writing. Ultimately, it is important to explore and write about ideas that you understand, in a communication style with which you have confidence.

The Dangers of Misaligned Style and Content

It is very obvious to a GAMSAT essay marker when a student attempts to discuss a theme they do not fully comprehend or replicate a prescribed style they have not mastered. This category of GAMSAT students is heavily penalised. 

Nevertheless, it is not impossible to achieve top marks with written pieces exploring unorthodox formats. If you have extensive experience in the creative writing field, try experimenting with monologues, narratives or even poetry (ensuring that you complement it with a thorough discussion of your point or argument – not to be confused with an analysis of the poem you wrote ) .

If any of these styles permit a clear, and sophisticated discussion of themes and perspectives, then Section 2 essay marking will reward you with a high GAMSAT score . 

Importance of Projecting Positive Values in your Essay

Regardless of which writing style you employ, you should endeavour to explore positive values (such as fairness, equality or hopefulness) of the future, especially if you’re discussing the bleaker aspects of humanity. Essentially, having polarity within your argument conveys a worldly perspective and in some ways adds depth and character to your essay.

To this end, Matt Keyter, a lead GAMSAT humanities tutor at Fraser’s advises that “Being bleak about the human species and misanthropic about the future doesn’t bode well in any essay rhetoric.” After all, the GAMSAT essay markers are selecting the next generation of doctors, so consider which values you wish to convey to your audience!

In order for candidates to get a better understanding of the style, and substance of GAMSAT Section 2, Fraser’s GAMSAT has put together a set of GAMSAT Section 2 example essays , demonstrating the standard of writing to achieve a range of Section 2 scores. 

Where To From Here? 

If you are interested in further improving section 2, check out these free resources, how to structure a section 2 essay.

Perfecting a Section 2 Essay Introduction

Section 2 Essay - Style Guide

Section 2 FAQ

Check out the next articles in this series!

GAMSAT Section 1 Vocabulary Tool

GAMSAT Section 3 Question Log

For general GAMSAT news and updates, check out the articles below!

What is the GAMSAT?

How Hard is the GAMSAT?

See a Future In Medicine?

Start preparing for the journey today, related resources.

Ready To Prep? Get In Touch

GAMSAT Essay Examples

From: Matthew Re: GAMSAT Essay Examples

Below is one of our GAMSAT essay examples. Below is a student’s essay who received an estimated GAMSAT mark of 61/100 for this particular essay.

Before you read over this sample essay, click the yellow button below to download your free series of GAMSAT Practice quotes.

FREE GAMSAT ESSAY QUESTIONS

Published by acegamsat.com

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From NPR President and CEO Katherine Maher: Thoughts on our mission and our work

The message below was sent by NPR's President and CEO to all staff:

This has been a long week. I'll apologize in advance for the length of this note, and for it being the first way so many of you hear from me on more substantive issues. Thanks for bearing with me, as there's a lot that should be said.

I joined this organization because public media is essential for an informed public. At its best, our work can help shape and illuminate the very sense of what it means to have a shared public identity as fellow Americans in this sprawling and enduringly complex nation.

NPR's service to this aspirational mission was called in question this week, in two distinct ways. The first was a critique of the quality of our editorial process and the integrity of our journalists. The second was a criticism of our people on the basis of who we are.

Asking a question about whether we're living up to our mission should always be fair game: after all, journalism is nothing if not hard questions. Questioning whether our people are serving our mission with integrity, based on little more than the recognition of their identity, is profoundly disrespectful, hurtful, and demeaning.

It is deeply simplistic to assert that the diversity of America can be reduced to any particular set of beliefs, and faulty reasoning to infer that identity is determinative of one's thoughts or political leanings. Each of our colleagues are here because they are excellent, accomplished professionals with an intense commitment to our work: we are stronger because of the work we do together, and we owe each other our utmost respect. We fulfill our mission best when we look and sound like the country we serve.

NPR has some of the finest reporters, editors, and producers in journalism. Our reporting and programming is not only consistently recognized and rewarded for its quality, depth, and nuance; but at its best, it makes a profound difference in people's lives. Parents, patients, veterans, students, and so many more have directly benefited from the impact of our journalism. People come to work here because they want to report, and report deeply, in service to an informed public, and to do work that makes a difference.

This is the work of our people, and our people represent America, our irreducibly complex nation. Given the very real challenges of covering the myriad perspectives, motivations, and interests of a nation of more than 330 million very different people, we succeed through our diversity. This is a bedrock institutional commitment, hard-won, and hard-protected.

We recognize that this work is a public trust, one established by Congress more than 50 years ago with the creation of the public broadcasting system. In order to hold that trust, we owe it our continued, rigorous accountability. When we are asked questions about who we serve and how that influences our editorial choices, we should be prepared to respond. It takes great strength to be comfortable with turning the eye of journalistic accountability inwards, but we are a news organization built on a foundation of robust editorial standards and practices, well-constructed to withstand the hardest of gazes.

It is true that our audiences have unquestionably changed over the course of the past two decades. There is much to be proud of here: through difficult, focused work, we have earned new trust from younger, more diverse audiences, particularly in our digital experiences. These audiences constitute new generations of listeners, are more representative of America, and our changing patterns of listening, viewing, and reading.

At the same time, we've seen some concerning changes: the diffusion of drivetime, an audience skewing further away in age from the general population, and significant changes in political affiliations have all been reflected in the changing composition of our broadcast radio audiences. Of course, some of these changes are representative of trends outside our control — but we owe it to our mission and public interest mandate to ask, what levers do we hold?

A common quality of exceptional organizations is humility and the ability to learn. We owe it to our public interest mandate to ask ourselves: could we serve more people, from broader audiences across America? Years ago we began asking this question as part of our North Star work to earn the trust of new audiences. And more recently, this is why the organization has taken up the call of audience data, awareness, and research: so we can better understand who we are serving, and who we are not.

Our initial research has shown that curiosity is the unifying throughline for people who enjoy NPR's journalism and programming. Curiosity to know more, to learn, to experience, to change. This is a compelling insight, as curiosity only further expands the universe of who we might serve. It's a cross-cutting trait, pretty universal to all people, and found in just about every demographic in every part of the nation.

As an organization, we must invest in the resources that will allow us to be as curious as the audiences we serve, and expand our efforts to understand how to serve our nation better. We recently completed in-depth qualitative research with a wide range of listeners across the country, learning in detail what they think about NPR and how they view our journalism. Over the next two years we plan to conduct audience research across our entire portfolio of programming, in order to give ourselves the insight we need to extend the depth and breadth of our service to the American public.

It is also essential that we listen closely to the insights and experiences of our colleagues at our 248 Member organizations. Their presence across America is foundational to our mission: serving and engaging audiences that are as diverse as our nation: urban and rural, liberal and conservative, rich and poor, often together in one community.

We will begin by implementing an idea that has been proposed for some time: establishing quarterly NPR Network-wide editorial planning and review meetings, as a complement to our other channels for Member station engagement. These will serve as a venue for NPR newsroom leadership to hear directly from Member organization editorial leaders on how our journalism serves the needs of audiences in their communities, and a coordination mechanism for Network-wide editorial planning and newsgathering. We're starting right away: next week we plan to invite Members to join us for an initial scoping conversation.

And in the spirit of learning from our own work, we will introduce regular opportunities to connect what our research is telling us about our audiences to the practical application of how we're serving them. As part of the ongoing unification of our Content division, Interim Chief Content Officer, Edith Chapin, will establish a broad-based, rotating group that will meet monthly to review our coverage across all platforms. Some professions call this a retro, a braintrust, a 'crit,' or tuning session — this is an opportunity to take a break from the relentless pressure of the clock in order to reflect on how we're meeting our mandate, what we're catching and what we're missing, and learn from our colleagues in a climate of respectful, open-minded discussion.

The spirit of our founding newsroom and network was one of experimentation, creativity, and direct connection with our listeners across America. Our values are a direct outgrowth of this moment: the independence of a public trust, the responsibility to capture the voice and spirit of a nation, a willingness to push boundaries to tell the stories that matter. We're no strangers to change, continuously evolving as our network has grown, our programming has expanded, and our audiences have diversified — and as we look to a strategy that captures these values and opportunities, the future holds more change yet.

Two final thoughts on our mission:

I once heard missions like ours described as asymptotic — we can see our destination and we strive for it, but may never fully meet it. The value is in the continued effort: the challenge stretches on toward infinity and we follow, ever closer. Some people might find that exhausting. I suspect they don't work here. I suspect that you do because you find that challenge a means to constantly renew your work, and to reinfuse our mission with meaning as our audiences and world continues to change.

The strongest, most effective, and enduring missions are those that are owned far beyond the walls of their institution. Our staff, our Member stations, our donors, our listeners and readers, our ardent fans, even our loyal opposition all have a part to play: each of us come to the work because we believe in it, even as we each may have different perspectives on how we succeed. Every person I have met so far in my three weeks here has shown me how they live our mission every day, in their work and in their contributions to the community.

Continuing to uphold our excellence with confidence, having inclusive conversations that bridge perspectives, and learning more about the audiences we serve in order to continue to grow and thrive, adding more light to the illumination of who we are as a shared body public: I look forward to how we will do this work together.

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Guest Essay

A Few Words About Nests

By Margaret Renkl

Ms. Renkl is a contributing Opinion writer who covers flora, fauna, politics and culture in the American South.

Spring is proceeding apace in this yard, despite my worst fears. For 28 of the 29 years that my husband and I have lived in this house, the elderly widow next door mostly shared our commitment to a natural yard. And because her house backed up to a little patch of woods, too, between us we managed to create a miniature wildlife sanctuary. I could sit outside in springtime and hold very still while a tufted titmouse pulled hairs from my head and carried them to her nest in the yard next door.

After my neighbor’s death last year, a backhoe demolished the house and nearly all the old trees along with it. I worried about what would happen to the birds now that so many nesting sites were gone.

In most ways, it’s been a glorious spring anyway, despite the ceaseless hammering next door. The spring beauties and woodland violets are nearly bloomed out now, but already other flowers have taken their place. It will be this way till frost.

And yet, all spring, our yard has been bereft of nests. By mid-April we would normally have bluebirds in the nest box in the front yard , chickadees in at least one of the boxes in the side yards , and Carolina wrens in the pots hanging from the eaves out back (or, last year, in the bag where I keep my clothespin s). There’s almost always a robin nest in the cherry tree, a mockingbird nest in the holly beside the driveway, and a cardinal nest in one of the foundation plants.

One year a pair of cardinals nested in a shrub so close to the house it brushed our bedroom window. I left the curtains closed to keep from bothering the birds, but every now and then I would poke the lens of my camera through the crack where the curtains came together. In that way I watched the female sit patiently on her eggs through cold nights and spring rains. I was watching, too, when both babies took their first flight.

Most songbird nests are miracles of architecture and engineering. A mourning dove is a sloppy engineer, but nearly everybody else goes to great lengths to create the perfect nursery. Bluebirds weave pine straw into a shallow cup so perfect you would swear opposable thumbs were involved. Carolina wrens build elaborate domed nest s embellished with skeletonized leaves.

My favorite backyard nest-builder may be the tufted titmouse, who braves the wrath of all manner of mammals to pluck out their fur for nest-lining. Can you imagine a titmouse, weighing less than an ounce, daring to gather nest materials from the living bodies of raccoons, opossums, dogs, squirrels, groundhogs and essayists? And yet they do. For the sake of the young they hope to raise safely, they do.

This year there were no nests, at least no obvious ones. I saw a pair of house finches chasing a cowbird out of the yard once, which may mean there’s a house finch nest nearby, though I haven’t noticed it. And back in mid-February, a pair of bluebirds seemed to be making plans to move into the front-yard box but ultimately decided against it. I finally checked the box last week and found it inhabited by an ant colony. They were house ants, who pose no risk to baby birds, but perhaps bluebirds can’t tell the difference between native house ants and invasive fire ants, which are widespread in the South. Whatever the reason, no ant-occupied nest box in this yard has ever been chosen by house-hunting birds.

Fortunately, it’s easy to get ants to move their own nest. I opened the box, let the light in, and left them alone long enough to move their eggs to a new site. In this place where developers keep mowing down trees, and tree services keep ruthlessly pruning deadwood, cavity-nesters have little to work with. I figured the birds would be back within days.

So far, no luck, but I was happy that the Carolina chickadees were also nowhere to be found. Chickadees, who live here year-round, get a head start on nest building, but house wrens, who spend the winter much farther south, will destroy any chickadee nest they find in territory they’ve claimed for their own. And in recent years they have claimed this yard. To persuade the chickadees to nest somewhere else, I never cleaned last year’s wren nests out of the boxes.

I thought my plan was working. House wrens construct their nests from sticks, and all three of our chickadee boxes still had sticks poking out the bottom. Once, I did see a chickadee emerging from the nest box hanging in the rose arbor, but the sticks told me all was well. Chickadees in this yard have always built their nests out of moss.

Then, last week, I heard the unmistakable courtship song of a house wren. I can’t help rooting for the chickadees, it’s true, but I also can’t bear the thought of house wrens trying to raise their young in a dirty box colonized by ants or mites. It was time to remove the old nests.

The first box held only the sticks from last year’s nest. The second box held an old house wren nest and also a house ant nest. The third box, the one high in the rose arbor, held a mossy chickadee nest, carefully built on top of last year’s house wren nest. When I opened the box, the brooding female shot out the door. I peeked inside. A tiny bald nestling raised its head and gaped at me .

Installing a nest box comes with certain responsibilities. A natural cavity is part of a natural system, but a nest box is a human contrivance, one that sticks out like a sore thumb in a world of soft borders and dappled light. A human being who installs a nest box is obliged to make every effort to keep it safe. During nesting season, I check my boxes every few days to be sure they haven’t been taken over by wasps or mites, or to remove any dead chicks. It’s even possible to install a wren guard on certain styles of nest boxes, though ours are not among them. I might need to replace all my chickadee boxes next year, and move them to new places in the yard, too.

I have not heard the house wren singing since the day he arrived. He may have kept flying north. Even so, I won’t be checking the chickadee nest again. Right now it is somewhat camouflaged by leafy rose canes, and I don’t want curious wren eyes to follow me and my ladder right to where it is hidden. I won’t know how those baby birds are faring unless I see the remnants of a mossy nest caught in the rose thorns.

That uncertainty, the knowing of a very few things in the context of all the things I cannot know, is inevitably the way of things in this yard, and nearly everywhere else, too. Are my nest boxes compensating for the loss of natural tree cavities in a city in the grip of convulsive growth? Or are they merely luring defenseless birds to nest in dangerous places?

I don’t know the answer to this question, and I may never know it. All I know is that there are baby birds in my yard again at last. And, God help me, I will never cease rejoicing.

Margaret Renkl , a contributing Opinion writer, is the author of the books “ The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year, ” “ Graceland, at Last ” and “ Late Migrations .”

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

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GAMSAT Sections: A Breakdown

by Kayley Crebbin , 29 November, 2022 Read 4683 times

GAMSAT is one of the major hurdles for students aspiring for a place in a postgraduate medical school . If this is you, you’re probably wondering about the different GAMSAT sections and what exactly this exam entails, and why so many people dread it. I, too, was intimidated by this exam, until I bit the bullet, paid my registration fee, and didn’t look back!

GAMSAT is a marathon of an exam: three sections, totalling 5 hours and 15 minutes of examination time, all on the same day. During this time, you’ll have to answer 137 multiple-choice questions, and write two essays. The questions are unlike anything you will have encountered in your undergraduate study: they are less reliant on knowledge, and more reliant on your ability to reason through problems. So, what are these sections, and how to prepare for GAMSAT exam ?

GAMSAT Section 1: Reasoning in Humanities and Social Sciences

Total time: 8 min reading time / 92 min writing time

Time per question: ≈ 1 min 30 sec

Section 1 is very much like a reading comprehension type test, though the questions aren’t straight comprehension. Often, you’ll be asked more abstract questions, such as about the tone of the piece. Be prepared to come up against uncommon words. A good vocabulary will help you here! Never fear, non-native speakers: you will be allowed to bring a bilingual dictionary with definitions of English words in your native tongue (but you are not allowed to bring a dictionary with definitions of English words in English).

Many candidates find themselves spooked at the range of text types in GAMSAT Section 1. Not only will you come up against prose, but you will also come up against poetry, plays, and even diagrams and flowcharts. Familiarising yourself with as many text types as possible will help you to be more comfortable on the day. Be sure to arm yourself with strategies that are broadly applicable to a range of text types so that you won’t be blindsided!

How to prepare for GAMSAT Section 1 ?

Brush up on your vocabulary

Familiarise yourself with a range of text types

Practice questions

GAMSAT Section 2: Written Communication

Number of questions: 2

Total time: 5 min reading time / 60 min writing time

Time per question: 30 min

Section 2 is the essay writing section, though as I’ll explain, you don’t have to write essays. For each question, or “task,” you will be given four statements or quotes that are based around a common theme. Task A is usually related to socio-cultural issues, such as democracy or globalism, and Task B is usually related to more personal and social issues, such as friendship or childhood. The tasks are usually quite broad so that virtually everyone should have something that they are able to say about them.

The instructions for GAMSAT Section 2 are quite broad, requesting that you simply write a response to the given quotes. A “response” can be anything: it can be a traditional essay, or you could write a story, poem, dialogue, etc. Typically, people tend to save their more creative responses for Task B, as the Task B topics tend to lend themselves better to a creative response, but there is nothing stopping you from writing a poem for Task A, for example. Alternatively, if you prefer essays, you could write an essay for both Task A and Task B. If you’re not sure what constitutes a good essay, make sure to check out our GAMSAT Example Essays . 

Another important point is that you’re not required to include any of the quotes; they are there to stimulate your thinking. Many people do include quotes, and that’s totally fine too, as long as the inclusion of the quote doesn’t interrupt the flow of what you’re writing, and as long as the quote isn’t “shoehorned” in.

As per the 2023 GAMSAT Info Booklet , Section 2 is marked based on thought and content (the quality of what is said), and organisation and expression (the quality of the structure developed and language used). Candidates are not assessed on the attitudes that they display, so feel free to be controversial, as long as you write about it well. Each piece of writing is assessed by three independent raters to reduce risk of bias.

How to prepare for GAMSAT Section 2 ?

Engage with topical issues (news sources)

Practice writing essays

Practice writing other types of texts (prose, poetry, etc.)

GAMSAT Section 3: Reasoning in Biological and Physical Sciences

Number of questions: 75

Total time: 8 min reading time / 142 min writing time

Time per question: ≈ 1 min 53 sec

Section 3 is arguably the “meatiest” section of the GAMSAT, and the section that many candidates dread. It consists of 75 questions, with roughly 40% (30 questions) being chemistry-related, roughly 40% (30) being biology-related, and roughly 20% (15 questions) being physics-related. In reality, some questions will contain a mixture of concepts from different disciplines. It’s also important to have a solid foundation in GAMSAT maths as many questions will require you to manipulate and rearrange equations.

Many candidates, particularly those tackling GAMSAT preparation from non-science backgrounds , are intimidated by what seems to be a large amount of content to be learned. The official 2023 GAMSAT info booklet says that candidates should aim for first-year undergraduate level biology and chemistry, and year 12 level physics. While this seems like a lot, rest assured that not all of that needs to be memorised. Learning the concepts well is usually sufficient, as GAMSAT Section 3 questions contain a lot of information in the stem. In fact, Section 3 questions have less of an emphasis on memorisation, and more of an emphasis on how you can take the new information that they have given you and apply it to novel situations.

Students with a science background shouldn’t become complacent either, as Section 3 questions are likely to be very different to questions that they have encountered in undergraduate science coursework. In recent years, ACER has deliberately chosen esoteric topics that undergraduate students are unlikely to have encountered, so that candidates are forced to use their problem solving and reasoning skills (along with their knowledge of foundational science concepts) to answer the questions. As such, it is important to do lots of practice questions for Section 3 to familiarise yourself with the question style, especially since many universities still weigh Section 3 more heavily in calculation of the overall GAMSAT score .

How to prepare for GAMSAT Section 3 ?

Learn the foundational concepts in GAMSAT chemistry , GAMSAT physics , and GAMSAT biology

Practice reading unusual graphs and diagraphs

Practice questions, practice questions, and more practice questions!

I hope that this blog post has given you an idea of what to expect and how to prepare for all three sections of GAMSAT. GAMSAT is a marathon of an exam, but it’s definitely not insurmountable. So many of us have been there and conquered it! 

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