ARGUMENT140 飞跃小组disyoo 作业 字数下降了

disyooUID: 2223964

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: 401          TIME: 0:29:27          DATE: 2007-3-1

The conclusion of this argument that Professor Thomas (PT) will leave Elm City University (ECU) for another college if we do not raise and promote her seems logical by giving the evidence that she has teaching and research ability and some other analyses. However, the argument relies on a series of unsubstantiated assumptions.

First, the author presents that PT's classes are among the largest at the university, but that does little indicate that she is popular among students. Perhaps, she is the only teacher of the subject she is teaching, and thus it is reasonable that the amount of students is the most in the university. Or perhaps, the students who take her class by the reason that the university order them to do, may be the course she teaches is an important one. So it is possible that the students come for the class for other reasons but well teach she do

Second, the author also points out that the money that PT brought to the university in research grants has exceeded her salary in each of the last two years, but it lacks some evidence that claims the course-and-effect relationship to PT's research ability. First the author means nothing about the researching background of PT, perhaps this is the first research she does during her college life. So it is less creditable that she has demonstrated research ability only by the reason that the money PT brought to the university.

At last but not least the author concludes that in order to stop PT's leaving for another college, we should raise the salary of PT and a promotion to Department Chairperson. However, it is entirely impossible that some other suggestion that will achieve the desired result. First, perhaps, PT has no plan of leaving, and thus the conclusion is less meaningful. Or, even if PT will leave ECU for another college, perhaps because she dislike the environment of the ECU, and it will do less if we raise the salary and the promotion. So the conclusion will do no use on the problem in the argument in many case.

Son in sum, the argument is based on unbelievable assumptions that make the conclusion less creditable as it stands. To strengthen it, the author should show more evidence that the PT has a demonstrated teaching and research. The author should also present more information that why PT is leaving.