Davis Technologies, a computer-chip maker, could solve its problem of declining sales by dropping its prices. This would make Davis better able to compete in the highly competitive computer chip market. The sales of chips would increase and this would substantially boost Davis' market share.
Describe how well reasoned you find this argument. In the 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 argument\'s conclusion. You may also address possible changes in the argument that would make it more logically sound, and what, if anything, would help you better evaluate its conclusion.
Though the author"s recommendation may well have its merit, he presents a poorly reasoned argument. It fails to be convincing since it is based on a number of questionable assumptions and unsubstantiated facts.
The first major flaw in the argument is with regards to its unsubstantiated premises. Though the author tells us that the sale of the company is declining, it stops short of telling us as to why the sales dropped. We are not given any data regarding the general market trend for computer chips. If all the computer chips companies experienced a loss over the same period, then dropping the price would neither increase the sales of chips nor would it boost the market share for the company.
Secondly, the argument makes a number of unwarranted assumptions. The author makes an unsupported assumption that the decline in sales is solely due to the price of the computer chips. He gives us no data concerning the current pricing of the computer chips. For example, if the product is already reasonably priced, then the reason for the decrease in sales lies elsewhere. Similarly, the general demand for computer chips might also be decreasing.
Finally, based on his unsubstantiated facts and weak premises, he makes his claim that if the company drops the price of the computer chips, it will make it better capable of competing in a highly competitive computer chip market. He makes an unwarranted assumption that, if the price drops, the sale of the chips will increase. Further, he claims that this will substantially boost the market share. The author seems to be completely in the dark about the nuances of consumer economics and the working of a marketplace. For example, there is no guarantee or any evidence in the argument that makes us believe that the reduction in price must result in an increase in sale. There are several factors like quality of the product, brand image, advertising, customer service etc that determine how well a product sells. Unless the author can prove that the company satisfies all of the above factors at a level equal to or better than its competitors, his argument is flawed. Further, he gives us no evidence about the current market scenario. There are several cases where the market is already saturated and plateaued and there is no further chance for a new player to increase its market share. By providing us with no data to underscore or refute such possibilities, he makes a rather weak claim.
In conclusion, since the author's claim is based on questionable premises and unsubstantiated facts, that are solely based on the evidence from the author, we cannot accept his line of reasoning as valid.
Comments
Essay evaluation report
argument 1 -- OK
argument 2 -- OK
argument 3 -- OK
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Attribute Value Ideal
Final score: 4.5 out of 6
Category: Good Excellent
No. of Grammatical Errors: 0 2
No. of Spelling Errors: 0 2
No. of Sentences: 22 15
No. of Words: 449 350
No. of Characters: 2161 1500
No. of Different Words: 200 200
Fourth Root of Number of Words: 4.603 4.7
Average Word Length: 4.813 4.6
Word Length SD: 2.728 2.4
No. of Words greater than 5 chars: 146 100
No. of Words greater than 6 chars: 109 80
No. of Words greater than 7 chars: 74 40
No. of Words greater than 8 chars: 43 20
Use of Passive Voice (%): 0 0
Avg. Sentence Length: 20.409 21.0
Sentence Length SD: 8.117 7.5
Use of Discourse Markers (%): 0.591 0.12
Sentence-Text Coherence: 0.315 0.35
Sentence-Para Coherence: 0.49 0.50
Sentence-Sentence Coherence: 0.152 0.07
Number of Paragraphs: 5 5
Grammar and spelling errors:
Line 4, column 873, Rule ID: ALL_OF_THE[1]
Message: Simply use 'all the'.
Suggestion: all the
...or can prove that the company satisfies all of the above factors at a level equal to or be...
^^^^^^^^^^
Transition Words or Phrases used:
also, finally, first, if, may, regarding, second, secondly, similarly, so, then, well, as to, for example, in conclusion
Attributes: Values AverageValues Percentages(Values/AverageValues)% => Comments
Performance on Part of Speech:
To be verbs : 17.0 19.6327345309 87% => OK
Auxiliary verbs: 10.0 12.9520958084 77% => OK
Conjunction : 10.0 11.1786427146 89% => OK
Relative clauses : 11.0 13.6137724551 81% => OK
Pronoun: 40.0 28.8173652695 139% => Less pronouns wanted
Preposition: 51.0 55.5748502994 92% => OK
Nominalization: 12.0 16.3942115768 73% => OK
Performance on vocabulary words:
No of characters: 2219.0 2260.96107784 98% => OK
No of words: 448.0 441.139720559 102% => OK
Chars per words: 4.953125 5.12650576532 97% => OK
Fourth root words length: 4.60065326758 4.56307096286 101% => OK
Word Length SD: 2.84460751116 2.78398813304 102% => OK
Unique words: 210.0 204.123752495 103% => OK
Unique words percentage: 0.46875 0.468620217663 100% => OK
syllable_count: 703.8 705.55239521 100% => OK
avg_syllables_per_word: 1.6 1.59920159681 100% => OK
A sentence (or a clause, phrase) starts by:
Pronoun: 14.0 4.96107784431 282% => Less pronouns wanted as sentence beginning.
Article: 6.0 8.76447105788 68% => OK
Subordination: 7.0 2.70958083832 258% => Less adverbial clause wanted.
Conjunction: 0.0 1.67365269461 0% => OK
Preposition: 3.0 4.22255489022 71% => OK
Performance on sentences:
How many sentences: 22.0 19.7664670659 111% => OK
Sentence length: 20.0 22.8473053892 88% => OK
Sentence length SD: 45.2812377908 57.8364921388 78% => OK
Chars per sentence: 100.863636364 119.503703932 84% => OK
Words per sentence: 20.3636363636 23.324526521 87% => OK
Discourse Markers: 5.45454545455 5.70786347227 96% => OK
Paragraphs: 5.0 5.15768463074 97% => OK
Language errors: 1.0 5.25449101796 19% => OK
Sentences with positive sentiment : 7.0 8.20758483034 85% => OK
Sentences with negative sentiment : 13.0 6.88822355289 189% => OK
Sentences with neutral sentiment: 2.0 4.67664670659 43% => OK
What are sentences with positive/Negative/neutral sentiment?
Coherence and Cohesion:
Essay topic to essay body coherence: 0.258218355549 0.218282227539 118% => OK
Sentence topic coherence: 0.0724148694553 0.0743258471296 97% => OK
Sentence topic coherence SD: 0.0772200375381 0.0701772020484 110% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence: 0.129646653825 0.128457276422 101% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence SD: 0.10283989669 0.0628817314937 164% => OK
Essay readability:
automated_readability_index: 12.1 14.3799401198 84% => Automated_readability_index is low.
flesch_reading_ease: 51.18 48.3550499002 106% => OK
smog_index: 8.8 7.1628742515 123% => OK
flesch_kincaid_grade: 11.1 12.197005988 91% => OK
coleman_liau_index: 11.43 12.5979740519 91% => OK
dale_chall_readability_score: 7.94 8.32208582834 95% => OK
difficult_words: 94.0 98.500998004 95% => OK
linsear_write_formula: 8.5 12.3882235529 69% => OK
gunning_fog: 10.0 11.1389221557 90% => OK
text_standard: 9.0 11.9071856287 76% => OK
What are above readability scores?
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Rates: 50.0 out of 100
Scores by essay e-grader: 3.0 Out of 6
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Note: the e-grader does NOT examine the meaning of words and ideas. VIP users will receive further evaluations by advanced module of e-grader and human graders.