argument140 大家来拍哈

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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."
WORDS: 470          TIME: 上午 12:30:00          DATE: 2006-7-12
1、关于教授受欢迎受到质疑，教授为什么受欢迎？？可能是她的课是必修课，或者她的课上的时间少，或者说她是个TOO KIND的老师，她的课比较容易或者得高分

2、关于她申请到的研究经费，跟她自己的工资比是站不住脚的，应该和其他人的经费做比较，另外就提供了两年的经费资料，其他十五年的能，很有可能是因为少了，所以故意没有提起

3、就算教授的课确实受欢迎，她的经费确实值得称赞，但是也不能说她就适合做主任，教书教的好，并不代表管理一个系的能力也好，很有可能她并不适合呢。就算她能做好，当了主任之后她的事情多了，可能教学的水平反而下降了。

4、作者没有提出为什么教授会去别的学校，可能教授觉得自己在这个学校已经很好了，考虑到她在这个学校这个受欢迎，而且她为这个学校做了17年，并且拿到了研究经费，不可能做实验到一半就走人的，而且人家要是真的要走，当当是给多钱和让她当主任不一定留的住人，可能人家学校提供好的实验室，或者人家学校在国际上的名气更大呢？？


In this argument, the author concludes that in order to let Professor Thomas keep staying Elm City University, they should raise her salary to 10,000 dollars and promote her as Department Chairperson.  Then, the author employs various evidence to bolster his conclusion. Nevertheless, this argument is specious in several aspects.

To begin with, the mere fact that her classes are among the largest at the university is insufficient to support her population among students. There is a good chance that his class is compulsory in this university, at least, many majors have to take this course. Or perhaps, she is too kind a teacher, her course is easy to get a high score, or her course has fewer lessons than others. Any scenario, if true, would undermine the author's conclusion.

In the second place, the fact that the money she has brought outweighed her salary in each of the last two years accomplishes little to support the author's conclusion. Since the argument contains no information about other professor's contribution to the university, chances are, her contribution is relatively minor when compared with other professor. What is more, we are informed only two years information, how about other fifteen years, and whether this trend would be driven to the future, until the author can provide answers of there two question, we remain unconvinced his conclusion.

In the third place, even assuming that arguer can prove that Pro. Thomas is really popular and his performance is good, his suggestion of promoting Pro. Thomas is unreasonable. The good performance as a professor does not mean that she will be a good Chairperson as well. Since the nature of work between professor and chairperson is not similar in many respects, the latter have to handle many management affairs, which may draw her attention from teaching, eventually is harmful for her career.

Final and not least, the author is begging question that Pro. Thomas would leave if they do not raise her salary and promote her position, while the argument contains no evidence to justify it. Consider that she has been working here for 17 years, and her popularity by students, she might already have emotion for this university. It is entirely possible that although other universities offer more beneficial conditions, she still determine to stay here. One the other hand, if she does not care the position and salary, a good lab is most important for her, raising salary and promoting position would change her mind to leave to another university who offer to give her a good lab.

In sum, this argument is not well-reasoned as it stands. To better support the conclusion, the arguer should provide more credible evidence that Professor Thomas would leave if we do not raise her salary and promote her position. We also need to know that she is really worth these benefits.