Argument 62 范文

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Argument 62/121/122/124
Arg 62supply UltraClean at all hand-washing stations

62) The following appeared in a memo from the director of a large group of hospitals.

In a laboratory study of liquid antibacterial hand soaps, a concentrated solution of UltraClean produced a 40 percent greater reduction in the bacteria population than did the liquid hand soaps currently used in our hospitals. During a subsequent test of UltraClean at our hospital in Workby, that hospital reported significantly fewer cases of patient infection than did any of the other hospitals in our group. Therefore, to prevent serious patient infections, we should supply UltraClean at all hand-washing stations throughout our hospital system.

Write a response in which you examine the stated and/or unstated assumptions of the argument. Be sure to explain how the argument depends on these assumptions and what the implications are for the argument if the assumptions prove unwarranted.

121) The following appeared in a memo from the director of a large group of hospitals.

In a controlled laboratory study of liquid hand soaps, a concentrated solution of extra strength UltraClean hand soap produced a 40 percent greater reduction in harmful bacteria than did the liquid hand soaps currently used in our hospitals. During our recent test of regular-strength UltraClean with doctors, nurses, and visitors at our hospital in Worktown, the hospital reported significantly fewer cases of patient infection (a 20 percent reduction) than did any of the other hospitals in our group. Therefore, to prevent serious patient infections, we should supply UltraClean at all hand-washing stations, including those used by visitors, throughout our hospital system.

Write a response in which you examine the stated and/or unstated assumptions of the argument. Be sure to explain how the argument depends on these assumptions and what the implications are for the argument if the assumptions prove unwarranted.

122) The following appeared in a memo from the director of a large group of hospitals.

In a controlled laboratory study of liquid hand soaps, a concentrated solution of extra strength UltraClean hand soap produced a 40 percent greater reduction in harmful bacteria than did the liquid hand soaps currently used in our hospitals. During our recent test of regular-strength UltraClean with doctors, nurses, and visitors at our hospital in Worktown, the hospital reported significantly fewer cases of patient infection (a 20 percent reduction) than did any of the other hospitals in our group. The explanation for the 20 percent reduction in patient infections is the use of UltraClean soap.

Write a response in which you discuss one or more alternative explanations that could rival the proposed explanation and explain how your explanation(s) can plausibly account for the facts presented in the argument.

124) The following appeared in a memo from the director of a large group of hospitals.

In a controlled laboratory study of liquid hand soaps, a concentrated solution of extra strength UltraClean hand soap produced a 40 percent greater reduction in harmful bacteria than did the liquid hand soaps currently used in our hospitals. During our recent test of regular-strength UltraClean with doctors, nurses, and visitors at our hospital in Worktown, the hospital reported significantly fewer cases of patient infection (a 20 percent reduction) than did any of the other hospitals in our group. Therefore, to prevent serious patient infections, we should supply UltraClean at all hand-washing stations, including those used by visitors, throughout our hospital system.

Write a response in which you discuss what specific evidence is needed to evaluate the argument and explain how the evidence would weaken or strengthen the argument.



G1: In a laboratory study of liquid antibacterial hand soaps, a concentrated solution of UltraClean produced a 40 percent greater reduction in the bacteria population than did the liquid hand soaps currently used in our hospitals.

G2: During a subsequent test of UltraClean at our hospital in Workby, that hospital reported significantly fewer cases of patient infection than did any of the other hospitals in our group.

C1: Therefore, to prevent serious patient infections, we should supply UltraClean at all hand-washing stations throughout our hospital system.


A1(G1, C1): The lab resultsaccurately reflects the performance of the hand soap in bacteria reduction in the hospitals.

A2 (G2, C1):the reduction of infection cases in the hospital in Workby was really a result of using UltraClean.

A3 (G1, C1): further reduction in bacteria via hand washing will necessarily reduce the number of serious infection cases.


According to the director of the hospital group, the hand soap UltraClean should be supplied in order to reduce cases of serious patient infections. Citing the lab report and the test results in some hospitals, the director argues that doing so can produce the desired results. A number of assumptions have been made in the argument about the lab results, the hospital and the patient infection. These assumptions need to be scrutinized critically to assess the strength of the argument.


To begin with, it is assumed that the lab results of the UltraClean solution accurately reflects the performance of the hand soap in bacteria reduction in the hospitals. While the UltraClean solution was superior in reducing bacteria in the lab, it does not follow that the UltraClean hand soap would necessarily outperform the hand soap currently used in the hospitals. Maybe the concentration of the active ingredient is higher in the lab samples but the UltraClean hand soap may become less effective when being used when washing hands. If the UltraClean is not effective in reducing the bacteria population, the recommendation may not be helpful.

In addition, we also need to check the assumption that the reduction of infection cases in the hospital in Workby was really a result of using UltraClean. Maybe the hospital has recently launched a campaign to teach hospital staff and patients to wash hands thoroughly which has helped reduce infection. Or perhaps the hospital has admitted fewer patients who are vulnerable to infection. If other factors have contributed to the reduction of infection cases, it may not matter which brands of hand soap would be used to wash hands.

Another important assumption is that further reduction in bacteria via hand washing will necessarily reduce the number of serious infection cases. As we all know, there are a great amount of bacteria in our hands and it is not possible to wash away all of them. Whether or not the extra 40% bacteria reduction would actually make a difference in infection control remains an open question. Since the director is specifically concerned with serious infection cases, we need to know the real causes of the serious infection cases in the past. We cannot simply assume that these cases were due to bacteria in hands. Maybe the hand soap currently used has already kept the amount of bacteria at a level for which infection is unlikely.

In conclusion, it is difficult to confirm that UltraClean would effectively reduce the cases of serious infection in the hospitals. The assumptions discussed above have to be critically examined by taking into account more relevant information on issues such as the importance of washing hand to infection control, the similarity between UltraClean sample in the lab and the hand soap and the situation of Workby relative to other members of the hospital group.





Argument范文与提纲目录(tesolchina)
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MissSallyChenUID：4076565

老师，如果是explanation题型要怎么写呀？