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nikheel
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Can you please rate the following AWA essays. Thanks a bunch.
Analysis of argument
The following appeared in the editorial section of a local newspaper:
"The inflow of immigrant workers into our community has put a downward pressure on wages. In fact, the average compensation of unskilled labor in our city has declined by nearly 10% over the past 5 years. Therefore, to protect our local economy, it is essential to impose a moratorium on further immigration."
Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument. Point out flaws in the argument's logic and analyze the argument's underlying assumptions. In addition, evaluate how supporting evidence is used and what evidence might counter the argument's conclusion. You may also discuss what additional evidence could be used to strengthen the argument or what changes would make the argument more logically sound.
The argument presented here assumes that influx of immigrant workers has lowered the average wages for unskilled labor in the community. This assumption is made based on the observation of just two factors: The reduction in average compensation and an unquantified inflow of immigrant workers. There are other factors that need to be considered in validating such a statement, which haven't been taken into account here.
No mention has been made about the existing numbers of unskilled labor available in the community other that immigrant labor. The average compensation mentioned here could have been high because of a lack of basic labor. In a classic demand-supply scenario, it is possible that a previous lack of unskilled labor among the native population of the community might have pushed the wages up. With the inflow of immigrant workers, this paucity of demand might have eased and brought down the average compensation to a more reasonable number. The average national compensation for unskilled labor needs to be known in order to confirm this assumption. The past and present demand to supply ratios need to be known as well in order to validate this factor.
The argument states the inflow of immigrant labor as the only reason for reduction of average compensation. This is flawed in terms of not considering other factors that might have attributed to this fall. Factors such as need for unskilled labor, standard of living in the community and a general state of economy can attribute to a reduction in wages across all job categories. These factors need to be taken in account as well and numbers associated to them need to be analyzed to understand the reasons for the fall in average compensation over the past five years. One must also understand whether local labor has moved from the community in question to other places causing fall in the availability of labor.
Another important question that needs to be answered before reaching a conclusion that a moratorium be imposed on further immigration is, whether immigration helps or hurts the local economy in the community. It is quite possible that the native workers who were previously unskilled, might have gained skills through education or training and have moved up to higher, more important jobs. This leaves a paucity in the unskilled segment which needs to be filled in. Basic level labor is needed for fledgling industries, from something as small as a restaurant to a large supermarket for the economy to grow. If there is no available labor, it hurts the local economy's growth. Having immigrant labor at lower wages helps these new businesses which can otherwise not grow due to a lack of available labor. These questions need to be answered before a conclusion like banning immigration into the community is reached.
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Analysis of Issue
"Parents should not shoulder the full burden of their children's college tuition. If university students are required to pay for at least a portion of their education, they will take their studies more seriously and, ultimately, benefit more from their college experience."
Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the position stated above. Support your viewpoint using reasons and examples from your own experience, observations, or reading.
College is the time when the young ones finally leave the nest and start off in the world as individuals. Parents often hold this opinion when their kids finish high school and leave for college. Then why continue supporting them, keeping them dependent on home through tuition and fees? It is understandable that cutting off children altogether by not paying for their fees might leave the children all at sea in the first few days while at college. This needs to be taken slow, but I agree that it needs to be done in a quick phased manner.
A college education is very important in an individual's life. But it is also the starting point for life's lessons. Going further in life, one has to face challenges such as balancing work-life pressures, paying bills, paying for a mortgage and other such pressures while they work. Studying at college with the fact at the back of your mind that you need to pay for your tuition is as close to a learning ground to real life as it can get. Children are in much safer environment and there is always a backup of falling back on parents for support if things go real bad. This situation is analogous to when a baby starts to eat food on its own. After a stage, parents let the baby eat by itself instead of spoon-feeding it forever. The earlier this weening off takes place, the faster the baby learns to live by itself. This phenomenon is observed even in the animal kingdom.
If the student is responsible for his college tuition, there is always that zeal to work hard, get the best of grades and eventually earn scholarships. Students paying their own fees are much more responsible in terms of not spending too much money on frivolous activities. Students who are all provided for by their parents tend to deviate in this aspect. Keeping in mind that you need to payoff student loans by yourself, students also tend to take majors that can land them high paying jobs. They work hard towards landing good internships while in summer breaks. This helps the student to get the best out of college in terms of education and gaining life skills. At a very early stage, important aspects of life like knowing the value of money and the amount of hardwork that you need to put in for that are leaned.
It may however be tough for a student to bear the entire cost of tuition by himself, especially in private colleges. Parents help at the start of college atleast in part will help them ease into this aspect of paying for themselves. This need for earning money while they study also aides students in taking part in extra-curricular activities and taking up part-time jobs to help pay their fees. This introduces them to an important aspect of work-life balance which will help them succeed in managing time effectively. Skills that will help them later in life. Overall, they tend not to waste their time and gain the most from the college experience.
Analysis of argument
The following appeared in the editorial section of a local newspaper:
"The inflow of immigrant workers into our community has put a downward pressure on wages. In fact, the average compensation of unskilled labor in our city has declined by nearly 10% over the past 5 years. Therefore, to protect our local economy, it is essential to impose a moratorium on further immigration."
Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument. Point out flaws in the argument's logic and analyze the argument's underlying assumptions. In addition, evaluate how supporting evidence is used and what evidence might counter the argument's conclusion. You may also discuss what additional evidence could be used to strengthen the argument or what changes would make the argument more logically sound.
The argument presented here assumes that influx of immigrant workers has lowered the average wages for unskilled labor in the community. This assumption is made based on the observation of just two factors: The reduction in average compensation and an unquantified inflow of immigrant workers. There are other factors that need to be considered in validating such a statement, which haven't been taken into account here.
No mention has been made about the existing numbers of unskilled labor available in the community other that immigrant labor. The average compensation mentioned here could have been high because of a lack of basic labor. In a classic demand-supply scenario, it is possible that a previous lack of unskilled labor among the native population of the community might have pushed the wages up. With the inflow of immigrant workers, this paucity of demand might have eased and brought down the average compensation to a more reasonable number. The average national compensation for unskilled labor needs to be known in order to confirm this assumption. The past and present demand to supply ratios need to be known as well in order to validate this factor.
The argument states the inflow of immigrant labor as the only reason for reduction of average compensation. This is flawed in terms of not considering other factors that might have attributed to this fall. Factors such as need for unskilled labor, standard of living in the community and a general state of economy can attribute to a reduction in wages across all job categories. These factors need to be taken in account as well and numbers associated to them need to be analyzed to understand the reasons for the fall in average compensation over the past five years. One must also understand whether local labor has moved from the community in question to other places causing fall in the availability of labor.
Another important question that needs to be answered before reaching a conclusion that a moratorium be imposed on further immigration is, whether immigration helps or hurts the local economy in the community. It is quite possible that the native workers who were previously unskilled, might have gained skills through education or training and have moved up to higher, more important jobs. This leaves a paucity in the unskilled segment which needs to be filled in. Basic level labor is needed for fledgling industries, from something as small as a restaurant to a large supermarket for the economy to grow. If there is no available labor, it hurts the local economy's growth. Having immigrant labor at lower wages helps these new businesses which can otherwise not grow due to a lack of available labor. These questions need to be answered before a conclusion like banning immigration into the community is reached.
====
Analysis of Issue
"Parents should not shoulder the full burden of their children's college tuition. If university students are required to pay for at least a portion of their education, they will take their studies more seriously and, ultimately, benefit more from their college experience."
Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the position stated above. Support your viewpoint using reasons and examples from your own experience, observations, or reading.
College is the time when the young ones finally leave the nest and start off in the world as individuals. Parents often hold this opinion when their kids finish high school and leave for college. Then why continue supporting them, keeping them dependent on home through tuition and fees? It is understandable that cutting off children altogether by not paying for their fees might leave the children all at sea in the first few days while at college. This needs to be taken slow, but I agree that it needs to be done in a quick phased manner.
A college education is very important in an individual's life. But it is also the starting point for life's lessons. Going further in life, one has to face challenges such as balancing work-life pressures, paying bills, paying for a mortgage and other such pressures while they work. Studying at college with the fact at the back of your mind that you need to pay for your tuition is as close to a learning ground to real life as it can get. Children are in much safer environment and there is always a backup of falling back on parents for support if things go real bad. This situation is analogous to when a baby starts to eat food on its own. After a stage, parents let the baby eat by itself instead of spoon-feeding it forever. The earlier this weening off takes place, the faster the baby learns to live by itself. This phenomenon is observed even in the animal kingdom.
If the student is responsible for his college tuition, there is always that zeal to work hard, get the best of grades and eventually earn scholarships. Students paying their own fees are much more responsible in terms of not spending too much money on frivolous activities. Students who are all provided for by their parents tend to deviate in this aspect. Keeping in mind that you need to payoff student loans by yourself, students also tend to take majors that can land them high paying jobs. They work hard towards landing good internships while in summer breaks. This helps the student to get the best out of college in terms of education and gaining life skills. At a very early stage, important aspects of life like knowing the value of money and the amount of hardwork that you need to put in for that are leaned.
It may however be tough for a student to bear the entire cost of tuition by himself, especially in private colleges. Parents help at the start of college atleast in part will help them ease into this aspect of paying for themselves. This need for earning money while they study also aides students in taking part in extra-curricular activities and taking up part-time jobs to help pay their fees. This introduces them to an important aspect of work-life balance which will help them succeed in managing time effectively. Skills that will help them later in life. Overall, they tend not to waste their time and gain the most from the college experience.
