Writing Ability Test (WAT) – All about it!

Writing Ability Test or WAT, as it is popularly known today, has replaced the Group Discussions (GDs) in most of the B-schools’ selection procedure. In 11 of 13 IIMs (6 new IIMs are to start from 2015), WAT has replaced GD.

What is WAT?

WAT is essentially a test of the writing abilities of a candidate. WAT assumes importance because a candidate has to communicate in the written form, most of the times, in his/her professional life. So having a good writing ability comes as an advantage. To add to this, the knowledge of a candidate is also checked in his/ her writing. The more the knowledge, the better the writing.

WAT is mostly asked in two formats viz.

• Essay writing
• Summary writing

Important points:

While WAT appears to be an easy task at the first instance, it definitely requires a lot of attention and meticulous execution. We need to remember that we are WRITING. It can check our creativity, knowledge, logic and language, all in one go!

We suggest the candidates to take care of the following points while attempting WAT:

-          Clarity of thought

 
This is one of the most important things to take care of in WAT. Think a little before you start writing. Remember, it is not a test of scribbling. You need to be sure of what you are writing.

-         Structure

It is quite important to maintain a proper structure while writing. Normally, the flow should be

Idea – Body Text – Conclusion

One normally should start with the idea(s) which one wants to elaborate upon. It should be followed by the content which supports the main idea(s) discussed initially and then finally one should conclude. It is quite obvious that the conclusion should be in line with the idea(s) with which one had started.

-          Flow (Smooth and Logical)

The flow of the article/essay/ summary one writes should be smooth and quite logical. We suggest that one decides the flow in advance i.e. before one starts writing. If done successfully, it will ensure a proper flow and message will come out clearly.

-          Language

It goes without saying one has to take care of the grammar, punctuations, spelling, and other such things while writing. An incorrect language would definitely leave a bad impression on the evaluator and will result into a poor understanding and hence the score too. One also has to ensure that the length of the sentences is not too long.

-          Clear and simple writing

The writing should be legible and enough space should be left between the words. One should also take care that the words used are not very difficult to understand. Usage of simple words and clear handwriting is advisable.

-          Knowledge

Nothing can undermine the importance of this point. Knowledge is the thing which can make a candidate stand apart from others. A good reading habit will definitely come handy while writing.

Keeping these points in mind, one should practice writing on a few topics before attempting WAT as a part of the selection procedure. The more one practices, the more one will be benefited.

A few WAT topics:

-          Essential services like water and electricity should not be privatized.

-          Politics is a money-game, the more you garner the better are your chances of winning.

-          Difficulty shapes a man, as does labour to body.

-          Grass is always greener on the other side.

-          Terrorism is the biggest challenge of this century.

Paridhi Trivedi Parikh | Hardik K. Parikh

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Disclaimer: The views mentioned above are based on the authors' opinion and experiences. We do not take responsibility for any decision that might be taken, based on these views/ information.