Book 5 Academic Writing Test 1 · Task 2
Original planning guidance for the supplied practice prompt. The example is illustrative; it is not a full model answer or a rated response.
This opinion task asks whether universities should accept equal numbers of male and female students in every subject. Address the word every: a policy for each course is different from a general commitment to fair access across a university.
Practice target: 250+ words, about 40 minutes.
How to approach this task
- Choose a clear position on equal numerical intake in each subject. You can support fair opportunity while questioning rigid quotas, but explain that distinction rather than giving two unrelated opinions.
- Develop one paragraph on access and representation. Explain how barriers, encouragement or financial support could affect who applies; connect any example to admission policy.
- Use another paragraph to examine selection criteria and differences in applicant demand. Explain the consequence of your preferred approach for a course with unequal numbers of qualified applicants.
- Keep the conclusion consistent with the introduction. If you favour a qualified policy, state its conditions instead of switching to an absolute position in the final sentence.
Planning example
A possible thesis is: Universities should remove barriers to participation, but requiring a fixed fifty-fifty intake in every subject is too rigid. This gives you two connected ideas to develop: fair access and the limits of numerical quotas.
Common mistake to avoid
Avoid stereotypes about what men or women can study. The argument concerns admissions policy, and examples should explain a mechanism rather than assume a group's abilities.
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