Should Voting Be Mandatory in Democratic Societies - TOEFL Writing Practice Test (Academic Discussion)

The TOEFL Writing section is designed to measure your ability to write essays at an academic level. It features two types of tasks: Integrated Writing and Academic Discussion.

For the Academic Discussion, you’ll listen to a professor’s lecture, process the information, and contribute meaningfully by sharing your views. Providing relevant evidence to support your statements is essential.

Preparing with sample tests based on the Academic Discussion format is a highly effective way to boost your skills. Let's begin your practice with our TOEFL Academic Discussion sample test on 'Should Voting Be Mandatory in Democratic Societies'.

Writing Instructions:

• You will read a discussion related to an academic topic in class where your classmates have written their opinions on the said topic.
• You have 10 minutes to prepare and write your personal opinion on the academic topic.
• Try to answer the question based on the discussion. You can also take ideas from the opinions posted by your classmates.
• There is no maximum word limit. However, an effective response should be a minimum of 100 words.
• Your response will be judged on the quality and clarity of your writing with well-supported reasons.

Instructions: Your professor is teaching a class on environmental science. Write a post responding to the professor's question. In your response, you should -

1. express and support your personal opinion,
2. make a contribution to the discussion in your own words.

An effective response will contain at least 100 words.

Professor: Today we're going to discuss whether voting should be mandatory in democratic societies. Some argue that mandatory voting ensures higher voter turnout and a more representative government, while others believe it violates individual freedom and may lead to uninformed voting. What do you think? Should voting be mandatory in democratic societies? Why or why not?

Emily: I believe voting should be mandatory. In a democracy, it is crucial that the government represents the will of the people. Mandatory voting ensures higher voter turnout. When more people vote, the elected officials are more likely to reflect the different views of the population. Also, mandatory voting can encourage citizens to become more informed about political issues, leading to a more involved and educated group of voters.

Michael: But I understand Emily's point, I think mandatory voting violates individual freedom. People should have the right to choose whether or not they want to participate in the voting process. Forcing people to vote might lead to uninformed or uninterested individuals casting ballots. This could distort election results. Rather, we should focus on making voting more accessible and educating citizens about the importance of their vote.

Learn what a good TOEFL score is before you check out the sample answer to the Academic Discussion Writing task!

Sample Response for the Academic Discussion Writing Task on - Should Voting Be Mandatory in Democratic Societies

We’ve included two sample responses for the Writing Academic Discussion Task—one demonstrating a high-level response and the other a mid-level response. Reviewing these examples will help you understand the scoring criteria for each level and enhance your writing skills as a result.

High-level Response

While Emily makes a compelling argument for mandatory voting, I find myself agreeing more with Michael's perspective. Mandatory voting does indeed ensure higher voter turnout, but it also infringes on individual freedom. In a democratic society, the right to choose includes the right not to participate. Forcing people to vote could lead to uninformed or apathetic individuals casting ballots, which may distort election results and undermine the quality of democratic decision-making.

Instead of making voting mandatory, we should focus on making the voting process more accessible and educating citizens about the importance of their vote. By removing barriers to voting, such as long lines and complicated registration processes, and by providing comprehensive civic education, we can encourage higher voter turnout organically. This approach respects individual freedom while promoting a more informed and engaged electorate. In essence, the goal should be to create an environment where people choose to vote because they understand its significance, not because they are compelled to do so.

Rater’s Comment

This response merits a high score due to its clear and well-structured argument. The student effectively counters Emily's point by emphasizing the importance of individual freedom and the potential drawbacks of mandatory voting. The response is logically organized, with each paragraph focusing on a specific aspect of the discussion. The first paragraph aligns with Michael's concerns about individual freedom and the risks of uninformed voting, while the second paragraph suggests practical solutions for increasing voter turnout without mandating it. The language is formal and appropriate for an academic discussion, and the response is free from grammatical errors. Overall, the student demonstrates a nuanced understanding of the topic and contributes meaningfully to the discussion.

Mid-level Response

I think voting should not be mandatory in democratic societies. Like Michael said, it violates individual freedom. People should have the right to choose whether they want to vote or not. Forcing people to vote leads to uninformed voting, which can distort election results.

However, I also see Emily's point about higher voter turnout. Instead of making voting mandatory, we should focus on making it easier and educating people about its importance. This way, more people might choose to vote on their own. By removing barriers and providing better education, we can have a more informed and engaged electorate.

Rater’s Comment

This response is adequate but lacks the depth and clarity of a higher-scoring response. The student addresses both the drawbacks of mandatory voting and the benefits of higher voter turnout, aligning with points made by Michael and Emily. However, the argument is not as well-developed or nuanced. The response contains some grammatical errors. Additionally, the language is somewhat informal for an academic discussion, with phrases like "more people might choose to vote on their own." While the student makes a valid contribution to the discussion, the response could benefit from more detailed reasoning and a more formal tone.

Strategies for Taking the Academic Discussion Writing Task on - Should Voting Be Mandatory in Democratic Societies

Let's explore the strategies devised by our experts and diligently apply them during practice sessions with TOEFL Writing sample tests!

• Start your preparation by reading opinion articles from newspapers or online platforms, and actively respond to them by expressing your agreement or disagreement.
• To improve your skills, create multiple reasons to support your stance on a topic, backing them up with detailed points and examples.
• While practicing, identify common grammatical mistakes and focus on correcting them.
• Strengthen your ability to fix errors, and reserve time at the end of your writing sessions to review and apply these corrections.

Feeling confident after exploring the sample response and writing strategies? Put your knowledge into practice!

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