📋 Written Ability Test (WAT)/Essay Analysis Guide: Is Fracking More Harmful Than Beneficial for Energy Needs?
🌟 Understanding the Topic’s Importance
Fracking intersects with energy policy, economic growth, and environmental sustainability—key areas for B-school discussions on strategy, operations, and ethics. It provides a platform to analyze the balance between innovation and responsibility in resource management.
⏳ Effective Planning and Writing
- 🕒 Time Allocation:
- Planning: 5 minutes
- Writing: 20 minutes
- Review: 5 minutes
- 📚 Preparation Tips: Focus on balancing economic and environmental aspects. Highlight recent statistics and international comparisons to add depth to your arguments.
✍️ Introduction Techniques for Essays
- 🔀 Contrast Approach: “Fracking has unlocked vast energy reserves but has also unleashed environmental concerns, creating a polarizing global debate.”
- 💡 Solution-Based Approach: “Advancing sustainable fracking technologies offers a path to balance energy needs with environmental preservation.”
- 📜 Timeline Approach: “Since its adoption in the 2000s, fracking has transformed global energy landscapes, sparking heated debates on its sustainability.”
📂 Structuring the Essay Body
- 🏆 Achievements:
- 💰 Economic Benefits: $300 billion annual impact in the U.S.
- 🌏 Energy Independence: Reduced imports by 50%.
- 🔄 Transition Fuel: Natural gas burns 50% cleaner than coal.
- ⚠️ Challenges with Comparative Analysis:
- 🌱 Methane Emissions: A key contributor to climate change.
- 💧 Water Scarcity: Millions of gallons required per well.
- 🌍 Earthquake Risks: UK’s ban due to seismic concerns.
- 🔮 Future Outlook:
- ⚙️ Technological innovations for eco-friendly fracking.
- 💡 Investment in renewables as a long-term solution.
📝 Concluding Effectively
- ⚖️ Balanced Perspective: “Fracking’s benefits are undeniable, but prioritizing environmental safeguards is imperative for sustainable energy production.”
- 🌍 Global Comparison Approach: “As nations grapple with energy demands, fracking offers lessons in balancing economic gains with environmental stewardship.”
🔍 Analyzing Successes and Shortcomings
- 🌟 Key Achievements: Energy security, reduced coal dependency, job creation.
- ⚠️ Ongoing Challenges: Environmental degradation, community health risks, seismic activity.
- 🌏 Global Context: U.S. success vs. European caution.
💡 Recommendations for Sustainable Progress
- 🔧 Develop and adopt green fracking technologies.
- 🏛️ Strengthen regulatory frameworks to mitigate environmental risks.
- ⚡ Increase investment in renewable energy alternatives.
✍️ Sample Short Essays
- ⚖️ Balanced Perspective: “Fracking has provided an economic lifeline for many nations but comes with significant environmental challenges. Sustainable practices are non-negotiable for its continuation.”
- 💡 Solution-Oriented: “Fracking’s environmental impact necessitates investment in green technologies to ensure energy security without compromising the planet.”
- 🌍 Global Comparison: “The U.S. thrives on fracking’s economic benefits, but European bans highlight the environmental costs—a lesson in cautious progress.”

