argument140 加州阳光第八次作业，谢谢指教！

timboyUID: 193944

TOPIC: ARGUMENT140 - The following appeared in a report of the Committee on Faculty Promotions and Salaries at Elm City University.

"During her seventeen years as a professor of botany, Professor Thomas has proved herself to be well worth her annual salary of $50,000. Her classes are among the largest at the university, demonstrating her popularity among students. Moreover, the money she has brought to the university in research grants has exceeded her salary in each of the last two years. Therefore, in consideration of Professor Thomas' demonstrated teaching and research abilities, we recommend that she receive a $10,000 raise and a promotion to Department Chairperson; without such a raise and promotion, we fear that Professor Thomas will leave Elm City University for another college."
1 教学能力证明（证据不够）
2 研究能力证明（证据不够）
3 担任主任能力证明（证据不够）
4 T教授愿望（未提及）
The argument is well- presented but not thoroughly well-supported. By considering the teaching and researching ability of Professor Thomas (PT), the report recommends a pay raise and a promotion to Department Chairperson in order to prevent her from going to another college. The argument has some defects in several aspects.

The chief flaw of argument is that the author unfairly assumes that PT wants to leave and the pay rise and promotion to Department Chairperson can prevent PT from leaving. Lacking evidence to confirm this assumption, it is entirely possible that the leave is just an imagination rather than the intention of PT. Even if PT wants to leave, no confirmation indicates that the recommendation can prevent her from leaving. Maybe the reason to leave is the bad condition of the labs or offices but not the problem of salary and promotion.

Additionally, the evidence concerning the popularity of classes is not reliable to prove the good teaching ability of PT. First, the information that PT's classes are among the largest at the university cannot necessarily indicate that her popularity among students. Perhaps the largest amount of attendance was due to the requirement this subject which was chosen by many students in this university. Second, the popularity among students may not due to the good teaching ability. The popularity may results from little homework rather than the attraction of teaching ability. To make the evidence more compelling, the evidence that the most popular class because of the excellent teaching is the class taught by PT.

Furthermore, the evidence to affirm the good research ability of PT is insufficient. Without comparison of money brought to university in research between other teachers and PT, the research ability of PT is doubted. Although the money PT brought exceeded her salary last two years, it is entirely possible the money is much less than that from other teachers in the same kind of research. If so, then the money mentioned cannot prove the research ability of PT.  Without evidence that the money brought from PT is the highest in the same kind of research among all the teachers in each of the last two years, the research capability of PT is unpersuasive.

Finally, the Committee fails to consider other possible job candidates. Even if the teaching and research abilities of PT has been proved to be excellent, only the ability cannot verify that PT rather than others teachers can be a good Department Chairperson. The chairperson should be social and have enough leading ability. Without comparison of these virtues owned by a chairperson between PT and other teachers to judge who is the best candidates, the hasty recommendation may not only bring discontent to PT (she may not suitable to the job) but also result in the dissatisfaction of other teachers to the Committee.

In conclusion, the argument is unpersuasive as it stands. To convince me that the recommendation is right, the author should first provide enough proof to demonstrate that teaching ability and research ability of PT are both excellent. In addition, the Committee should ensure that PT really wants to leave and the reason to leave is that she cannot own higher salary and Promotion of Department Chairperson. Finally, the author should confirm that PT is the most suitable candidate among all the teachers in the department.

[ 本帖最后由 timboy 于 2006-7-8 14:12 编辑 ]