How well can you get your thoughts across on paper?
The writing sample is the second and final piece of the LSAT.
It will be administered separately from the multiple-choice portion
and offers you the chance to demonstrate your ability to construct
a credible argument given a set of facts and conditions.
If the Logical Reasoning is the most important section on which people will spend the most time practicing and preparing, preparing for, the Writing Sample might be the section you might spend little or no time practicing and preparing for because it is not graded and will not affect your overall score in any way.
That would be a mistake.
Although it is not factored into the overall LSAT score, the writing sample is sent directly to law schools as part of your application report. Law schools will evaluate your writing sample as a part of your application because it shows admissions officers how well you can organize your writing into a logical and easy-to-follow argument.
Law School Admissions Council surveys indicate that essays are important to law school admissions committees and helpful to the screening process. Many law schools list strong writing skills (such as those reflected in the LSAT Writing sample) among their admission requirements. Some law schools have even created Writing sample scoring systems of their own.
It is likely that the increased evaluation and focus on the writing sample is helped and related to the introduction of the digital LSAT in 2019, as essays are now typed and therefore easier for admissions officers to read. This makes it much more likely that your writing sample will receive close scrutiny.
It is in your best interests to prepare for the LSAT Writing assessment and make every effort to write the best possible essay.
What is the structure of the Writing Sample Section?
To complete the writing sample, you will download a secure proctoring software on your computer. You will have access to this portion of the exam eight days before your scheduled multiple-choice exam and it may be completed anytime between your official test day and one year later.
The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) will not send incomplete reports to law schools so you will have to complete the writing sample section to make your report complete. You should also keep in mind that LSAC can take up to three weeks processing Writing samples, which might be relevant in relation to application deadlines.
Once you begin, you will have 35 minutes to respond to a writing prompt. The prompt will ask you to choose between two mutually exclusive alternatives. You will then argue one alternative over the other.
Essay prompts are about 350 words long, and they have a consistent structure. First, a situation is briefly described in a short paragraph, and two accompanying conditions are then listed in bullet-point format. The two possible positions on the situation described are then presented as separate paragraphs.
Students must write essays that advocate for one of these positions and explain why they have made their choice. Strong essays are typically well-structured, presenting clear viewpoints and arguing both for the chosen position and against the other option.
Even though you are allowed to use your own computers to complete the LSAT Writing sample remotely, the process is still secure and accountable as a result of the following features:
Your computer must be approved in advance, and it must be able to accommodate the proctoring technology.
The technology allows proctors to see your computer screen, monitor you via the computer's webcam and microphone, and observe your written work through a secure word processor. This is to ensure students aren’t receiving outside help or cheating in any way.
All of the interactions are recorded and preserved in case there is a need for later investigation, but these recordings are kept secure and will not be shared with third parties.
The proctoring technology automatically disables all other applications on student computers and any outside web browsing pages will automatically be closed.
Proctors remotely scan workspaces before the assessment to ensure that there are no other persons or materials present and all of the information that was recorded is also reviewed by the proctors after the assessment.
Before starting the test you must show the webcam a government-issued ID, your workspace, and both sides of any papers you are using to take notes and outline your essay.
LSAC takes the Writing Sample section very seriously and so should you.
How you can approach the Writing Sample Section and some strategies for success.
Law schools aren’t looking for big vocabulary words or a fully-polished essay.
Law schools aren’t looking to see if you come up with the right or wrong answer.
Law schools are looking to see how well you write and organize your argument to come to a convincing conclusion.
Law schools are looking to see how well you can support your decision and reject the opposing view.
Make sure you follow an approach and have a strategy that will help you to write a great essay.
Read the topic and directions carefully, more than once.
▪ To write a good essay, you first need to understand the prompt fully. If you skim over the situation and criteria/facts, chances are you’ll miss an important piece of information and end up writing an essay that doesn’t make sense.
▪ Take notes as you read and write down any questions or ideas that come into your head while reading.
▪ Remember to go back and skim the prompt quickly as you’re writing. This will keep the information fresh in your mind and allow you to keep track of your argument points.
There is no “right” or “wrong” choice: a reasonable argument can be made for either.
▪ The issue in the prompt will be set out so that a reasonable argument can be made for either side. This means that you don’t need to spend time worrying about which side you argue for.
▪ Instead, read the prompt and choose whichever side is initially more attractive or seems stronger to you. Then you can focus on developing a strong argument for that side.
Make an outline before you start writing.
▪ Take a few minutes to plan your essay before you start writing. This will help you organize your ideas into a logical order and make your writing much easier and faster.
▪ Your outline might start with the decisions you have to choose between and the criteria for each.
▪ Your outline can also include two or three pros and cons for each decision.
▪ Once you feel comfortable with the facts, make a decision and organize your points.
Follow the ‘rules’ given and stay on topic.
▪ You will be asked to argue either one side or the other of an issue or scenarios or to weigh two options on the basis of given criteria. Do what you’re asked to do.
▪ Even if you know of another answer or option that might be a better “real world” answer,
that’s not what you’re being asked and that’s not the answer you should give. Keep your argument on-topic and stick to the task you’ve been asked to car-ry out.
Don’t forget the other side of the argument.
▪ Remember that you are also rejecting the opposing side. You will have to provide arguments as to why the other side is wrong and explain why you rejected it so that you show how well you can discredit the opposition.
▪ The other side of the argument also means that you should mention your position’s weaknesses and the opposing side’s strengths. This may seem counterintuitive but it’s important. Law schools want to see your reasoning skills. Recognizing strengths while admitting weaknesses shows just that.
A Basic Essay Structure might help you start to organise your ideas.
This simple essay template can help you to organise your ideas as long as you don’t let yourself get boxed in by that template.
▪ Opening section:
State your decision and present a summary of your argument.
Mention the strengths of your argument and acknowledge it weaknesses.
▪ Second section:
Outline and detailed discussion of the strengths of your decision.
▪ Third section:
Address the weaknesses of your side or decision while explaining why they are not significant or important. Emphasize the weaknesses of the other side and downplay its strengths.
▪ Concluding section:
Restate your position and tie all parts of your argument to show the support that position.
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