Please rate my Essay!!!

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Please rate my Essay!!!

by Pfreise1 » Wed Sep 02, 2009 1:52 pm
Analysis of an Argument

The following appeared in a memo from the president of Classy Steakhouse, a chain of restaurants.

"We should proceed with our plan to open a new Classy Steakhouse restaurant in the busy Downtown Centre mail in the central business district of Hopeville. Although two restaurants in that location have closed in the past year (one a burger joint, the other a Chinese restaurant), their failure does not mean that Downtown Centre is an unsuitable location for our restaurant. After all, The Centre Cade has been in business at that location for twenty-five years. Furthermore, national reports from the restaurant industry show that business executives are eating out more frequently than ever. It is therefore likely that we will be very successful at that location"

Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument. In your discussion be sure to analyze the line of reasoning and the use of evidence in the argument. For example, you may need to consider what questionable assumptions underlie the thinking and what alternative explanations or counterexamples might weaken the conclusion. You can also discuss what sort of evidence would strength or refute the argument, what changes in the argument would make it more logically sound, and what, if anything, would help you better evaluate its conclusion




The president of Classy Steakhouse concludes that the plans to construct a new Classy Steakhouse restaurant in the central business district of Hopeville should not be disregarded due to the failure of two other restaurants in that area in the past year. I do not feel that the president makes a strong enough argument, and based on the information given the establishment of this restaurant should be questioned and perhaps abandoned.
The fact that a hamburger restaurant and a Chinese restaurant have shut down in the past year does not sway the president's decision to open one of his steakhouses because a Café has been in business for 25 years. This logic should immediately be questioned. Without further knowledge of the business district of Hopeville, it seems to me that local patrons are not looking for a place to sit down and have a meal. Instead, they seem to be interested in a quick snack and/or coffee, as shown by the success of a café and the failure of the other restaurants. A steakhouse would be unable to find its niche and would likely fail in this setting. It is questionable to assume that the other restaurants failed due to any other problem than lack of public interest. This argument would be more convincing if there was evidence that the burger joint and Chinese restaurant only failed because of internal problems.
The president also points out that national reports from the restaurant industry show that business executives are eating out more frequently than ever. While this is useful, it should not be the sole reason to open up a restaurant. Even if more businessmen than usual become frequenters of the Classy Steakhouse, it would be difficult to attract other demographics if it was located in a business district. It is very questionable to assume that the businessman demographic will be strong enough to greatly support this restaurant. If more information was as to the exact proportions expected of businessmen patrons versus nonbusinessmen patrons, and exactly how more frequent businessmen are eating out according to these national reports, the evidence would be much stronger.
I do not think that a steakhouse should be erected in this area based on the given information. More information should be ascertained about the reason for the previous restaurants downfalls. Also, more information about the national reports should be researched, specifically how frequent is "more frequent".

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by kanha81 » Sat Sep 12, 2009 9:04 am
Hey,

1) You have indeed made good counter-arguments- flawed reasoning, assumptions, etc., but usually any analysis requires at least 4 coherent paragraphs- First para. the gist of the argument; the second para. the assumptions, gap analysis; the third para. how the argument can be made stronger; and the the fourth para. conclusion.

2) Avoid giving the evaluator the opportunity to label you biased in your argument. What I mean is "Analysis of Argument" avoid giving arguments your personal touch "remove I," and avoid labeling any living entity- eg: President as "he/she," unless explicitly listed in the argument.

3) You can certainly give your personal opinion in Analysis of Issue Essay, where you are asked to pick a side.

Cheers,
kanha81
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Always do what you're afraid to do. Whoooop GMAT

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by shadowsjc » Sat Sep 12, 2009 12:25 pm
Hi,

Although well written, you have mixed up the point of the question at the end; this question is asking you to analyze the argument, not the issue. in your last paragraph, you are actually analyzing the issue ('i do not think a steakhouse should be erected in this area')

the best way to think of the analysis of an argument essay is like one big critical reasoning question. first find the conclusion, then list the premises that support this conclusion. finally, if you think the argument is weak, think of each paragraph as the answer to the question "which of these, if true, most seriously undermine the argument".

the way i structured my essay is:

1. intro - 'the given argument is weak. it includes faulty logic and incorrect assumptions. the following essay will expand on this'

2. para 1 - pick ONE assumption that would weaken the argument. for example, the first part of your essay covers this (about the steakhouse etc). make your 2nd paragraph entirely about this ONE topic.

3. para 2 - pick ANOTHER example to go against the point, and do the same thing. it's important to only pick one example per paragraph to make the message clear.

4. (optional) para 3 - if you have time, pick a third separate topic that undermines the argument. i didn't include a 3rd topic on either of my essays, so if you can't think of one, that's ok.

5. conclusion - summarize and reiterate that you think the argument is weak.

also don't feel like you have to write a lot.. they don't care, as long as it makes sense and sticks to the format. i only wrote 4 paragraphs total (intro, para 1, para 2, conclusion), and had like 3 sentences per paragraph max, and i got a 6.0 on both essays.

other than the wording in the conclusion and the intro (don't say 'i feel'), i think you had the right idea. also, it was a good idea to include how you would improve the argument in the conclusion like you did.
my GMAT debrief: https://www.beatthegmat.com/came-through ... 44327.html

You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.
A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right, but it will not come near you.

- Psalm 91: 5-7