argument 169 要考试了 有拍必回哈

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有拍必回，谢谢啦~~

TOPIC: ARGUMENT169 - The following appeared in a letter from a department chairperson to the president of Pierce University.

"Some studies conducted by Bronston College, which is also located in a small town, reveal that both male and female professors are happier living in small towns when their spouses are also employed in the same geographic area. Therefore, in the interest of attracting the most gifted teachers and researchers to our faculty and improving the morale of our entire staff, we at Pierce University should offer employment to the spouse of each new faculty member we hire. Although we cannot expect all offers to be accepted or to be viewed as an ideal job offer, the money invested in this effort will clearly be well spent because, if their spouses have a chance of employment, new professors will be more likely to accept our offers."
WORDS: 420          TIME: 00:30:00          DATE: 2010/3/3 20:52:18

In this argument, the author concludes that if their spouses are given the chances of employment, new exceptional professors will be more likely to accept the offers of Piece University, and therefore the investment in the effort will absolutely be well spent. To support his conclusion, the author cites some studies conducted by Bronston College, which shows that professors will be happier living in small towns when their spouses are in the same geographic area. To be honest, the argument seems to be logical enough at the first glance, however, careful examination of the evidences provided reveals that they lend little credible support to the author's conclusion.

  A threshold problem involves the validity of the studies. As we all know, studies should be statistically reliable. Unfortunately, we find little sign of such procedures of sampling in the process of the studies after close scrutiny of them, thus doubting whether there is a sufficient large size of sample in the studies. If they had just studied only 50 professors out of the total population of 500, then any of the evidences obtained from it is dubious because of the lack of representativeness. Because the argument offers no such procedures to rule out these interpretations, the author's conclusion is insufficient.

  Secondly, Even assuming the studies are valid enough as what have cited, the author fails to notice that the couples studied only work in the same town, if we offer them the positions in the same university, whether they will be as happy as it used to be remains unknown. Maybe they are unwilling to work in the same school, but only in the same town is acceptable.

  Furthermore, to assess a job, it isn't only influenced by his or her spouse. Other factors, such as the salaries, the environment around and the relationship with the local people are also of the same significance. To have a more convincing conclusion, the author should provide more details about other factors that influenced the respondent.

  Last but not the least, the author's conclusion is based on a hasty generalization. Even if the professors in Bronston College are in favor of this kind of job offer, it doesn't mean that the most gifted teachers and researchers will be attracted to Piece University. Maybe the professors in Bronston College are just average persons who are far from exceptional. So morale may not be improved and the value of this investment is unconvincing.

  On all accounts, the argument is unpersuasive as it stands. To bolster it, the author should cite more details to ensure the validity of the studies. Also to better assess the argument, we would need other factors that may influence their choices of jobs. Finally, more information about the faculty involved in the Bronston College should be taken into consideration so that we can determine the relevance to Piece.