【【超越自我小组】】第二次作业-argumet110--马马马

yinhezhixinUID: 2318361

TOPIC: ARGUMENT110 - The following appeared in a memo from the Principal of Sherwood Junior High School.

"It appears that the lighting in Sherwood High's classrooms, which have large windows but minimal overhead light sources, is impairing student academic performance and teacher morale. Records show that during December and January, the two months with the fewest hours of daylight, attendance rates fall, average daily class participation drops, and grades decline. Teacher resignations are also highest during these months. According to a study of Tundra Vocational School, which experiences entire seasons with little daylight, students' grade point averages increased when Day Glow light bulbs, which mimic sunlight, were installed in classrooms. This study suggests that Sherwood can improve students' academic performance and teachers' morale by using Day Glow light bulbs in winter."
WORDS: 354          TIME: 00:30:00          DATE: 2008-8-6 21:11:51

The memo indicates that the lighting in Sherwood High school attributes to the poor performance of their students and teachers, while Tundra Vocational school which use Day Glow light views the increased students' grade according to a study. So the speaker suggests that they should use Day Glow light views to improve their students' performance. However, this suggestion is based on several unsubstantial assumptions, rending it unpersuasive as it stands.

First of all, students poor performance during December and January doesn't necessary indicates that the lighting in Sherwood High school account for this phenomenon. It is entirely possible that in these two months, temperature is very low and students don't want to get up early to attend school. Or perhaps the traffic is very bad because of storm which results in low attendance of students and teachers. Without eliminating these possibilities, the speaker can not convince me that it is the lighting in Sherwood High school induces to the poor performance of their students and teachers.

Secondly, the condition of two schools might be different, thus the experience might not applicable for the speaker's school.  The fact that students grade increased when use Day Glow light, is doesn't indicates a causal relationship between them. Perhaps Tundra Vocational school takes other measures to help improve the grades of students. Without giving evidences that Day Glow light make student devote more to their studies, the suggestion doesn't make sense at all.

Thirdly, even if the Day Glow light helps a lot in improving students score. There might no need for the speakers' school to use the same like. The condition of light in both schools are every different according to the sites of speaker. Light in S is much better than T, the light is not fit for S, maybe other kind of light is more suitable for S.

In sum, the suggestion is unpersuasive for its unsubstantial assumptions. To change the situation in S, the author has to point out other possibilities that cause the poor performance of their students and faculty. And before making any decision about adopting the same light, the author also have to provide the evidence that such light are needed for their school.

[ 本帖最后由 yinhezhixin 于 2008-8-6 22:17 编辑 ]