The following appeared in a memorandum from the manager of WWAC radio station.
"To reverse a decline in listener numbers, our owners have decided that WWAC must change from its current rock-music format. The decline has occurred despite population growth in our listening area, but that growth has resulted mainly from people moving here after their retirement. We must make listeners of these new residents. We could switch to a music format tailored to their tastes, but a continuing decline in local sales of recorded music suggests limited interest in music. Instead we should change to a news and talk format, a form of radio that is increasingly popular in our area."
Write a response in which you discuss what specific evidence is needed to evaluate the argument and explain how the evidence would weaken or strengthen the argument.
WWAC radio station is apprehensive about declining listener numbers, and the manager has recommended changing the format of the station from playing rock-music to broadcasting news and talk shows. Although this argument seems cogent enough on the surface, more evidence is needed to convince the receivers of this memorandum that this option is the most optimal choice.
First of all, changing the radio station to operate in a news and talk format does not automatically guarantee a rise in listener numbers. The fact that this form of radio is growing in popularity in the radio station's target area implies that there already are other radio stations using this format. One can assume that because these other competitors already have the upper hand in the market with more experience and skills, WWAC radio station would not fare as well as the owners hope it would. Adverting from playing rock-music to transmitting news and talk shows is a not simple genre-change; it is close to a revolutionary upheaval of the whole managing system for the radio station. Therefore, it is highly unlikely that the station will bring in more customers with a change in format.
Another point to consider regarding the memorandum is that the manager makes a reckless assumption in that due to a decline in local sales of records, the residents of the area seem to be less interested in music than before. The sales figures of recorded music is not an adequate indicator for measuring interest in music, because there are many different ways to enjoy music today. It is rather cumbersome to carry around a CD player for people who want to listen to music when they are walking on the streets, so many prefer to stream music online or download mp3 files on their mobile phones. The advancement of the online music industry has attenuated the need for recorded music, which is presumably the reason for the decline in local sales. Based on this possibility, the evidence given in the memorandum does not accurately assess whether interest in music is limited. Therefore, switching to music tailored to the tastes of new residents in the area can still be a viable option. It would still be meaningful for the station to survey the people living in the area on whether they like to listen to music, and if they do, what genres they prefer.
It could also be possible that the root cause of the decline in listener numbers is not because that the station focuses on rock-music, but because of other problems in the broadcasting. Perhaps it keeps on playing music that is outdated that doesn't appeal to today's listeners anymore. Or perhaps the DJs of the shows are not performing well enough to appeal to listeners. Perhaps people are boycotting the companies that endorse the radio programs of the stations. As such, there are many other factors that could be causing the decrease in popularity. Unless the station does its due diligence in finding out what all the elements that can play a role in the situation and statistics that can support the evidence, the station should not be rash in jumping to conclusions.
In conclusion, on the outset, the managers suggestion in the memorandum seem to be legitimate, but there are many unanswered questions that need to be addressed first. The station should first prudently deliberate on whether changing the format will actually help gain more audience, and also whether interest in listening to music has actually decreased with the general public of the area. Last of all, it should go over all other possibilities that could have led to this situation other than the rock-music format.
Comments
Essay evaluation report
flaws:
forget to argue this:
The decline has occurred despite population growth in our listening area, but that growth has resulted mainly from people moving here after their retirement. We must make listeners of these new residents.
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Attribute Value Ideal
Final score: 4.0 out of 6
Category: Good Excellent
No. of Grammatical Errors: 0 2
No. of Spelling Errors: 0 2
No. of Sentences: 23 15
No. of Words: 613 350
No. of Characters: 2962 1500
No. of Different Words: 263 200
Fourth Root of Number of Words: 4.976 4.7
Average Word Length: 4.832 4.6
Word Length SD: 2.567 2.4
No. of Words greater than 5 chars: 212 100
No. of Words greater than 6 chars: 159 80
No. of Words greater than 7 chars: 103 40
No. of Words greater than 8 chars: 65 20
Use of Passive Voice (%): 0 0
Avg. Sentence Length: 26.652 21.0
Sentence Length SD: 7.888 7.5
Use of Discourse Markers (%): 0.478 0.12
Sentence-Text Coherence: 0.313 0.35
Sentence-Para Coherence: 0.515 0.50
Sentence-Sentence Coherence: 0.081 0.07
Number of Paragraphs: 5 5
Grammar and spelling errors:
Line 5, column 343, Rule ID: NUMEROUS_DIFFERENT[1]
Message: Use simply 'many'.
Suggestion: many
...ng interest in music, because there are many different ways to enjoy music today. It is rather...
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Line 7, column 244, Rule ID: EN_CONTRACTION_SPELLING
Message: Possible spelling mistake found
Suggestion: doesn't
... on playing music that is outdated that doesnt appeal to todays listeners anymore. Or ...
^^^^^^
Line 9, column 35, Rule ID: POSSESIVE_APOSTROPHE[1]
Message: Possible typo: apostrophe is missing. Did you mean 'managers'' or 'manager's'?
Suggestion: managers'; manager's
.... In conclusion, on the outset, the managers suggestion in the memorandum seem to be...
^^^^^^^^
Line 9, column 365, Rule ID: GENERAL_XX[1]
Message: Use simply 'public'.
Suggestion: public
...o music has actually decreased with the general public of the area. Last of all, it should go ...
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Transition Words or Phrases used:
actually, also, but, first, if, regarding, so, still, therefore, well, in conclusion, as well as, first of all
Attributes: Values AverageValues Percentages(Values/AverageValues)% => Comments
Performance on Part of Speech:
To be verbs : 29.0 19.6327345309 148% => OK
Auxiliary verbs: 17.0 12.9520958084 131% => OK
Conjunction : 12.0 11.1786427146 107% => OK
Relative clauses : 20.0 13.6137724551 147% => OK
Pronoun: 39.0 28.8173652695 135% => Less pronouns wanted
Preposition: 88.0 55.5748502994 158% => OK
Nominalization: 23.0 16.3942115768 140% => OK
Performance on vocabulary words:
No of characters: 3021.0 2260.96107784 134% => OK
No of words: 612.0 441.139720559 139% => Less content wanted.
Chars per words: 4.9362745098 5.12650576532 96% => OK
Fourth root words length: 4.97379470361 4.56307096286 109% => OK
Word Length SD: 2.63214703657 2.78398813304 95% => OK
Unique words: 273.0 204.123752495 134% => OK
Unique words percentage: 0.446078431373 0.468620217663 95% => OK
syllable_count: 949.5 705.55239521 135% => OK
avg_syllables_per_word: 1.6 1.59920159681 100% => OK
A sentence (or a clause, phrase) starts by:
Pronoun: 6.0 4.96107784431 121% => OK
Article: 8.0 8.76447105788 91% => OK
Subordination: 4.0 2.70958083832 148% => OK
Conjunction: 6.0 1.67365269461 358% => Less conjunction wanted as sentence beginning.
Preposition: 2.0 4.22255489022 47% => More preposition wanted as sentence beginning.
Performance on sentences:
How many sentences: 23.0 19.7664670659 116% => OK
Sentence length: 26.0 22.8473053892 114% => OK
Sentence length SD: 44.909781438 57.8364921388 78% => OK
Chars per sentence: 131.347826087 119.503703932 110% => OK
Words per sentence: 26.6086956522 23.324526521 114% => OK
Discourse Markers: 4.78260869565 5.70786347227 84% => OK
Paragraphs: 5.0 5.15768463074 97% => OK
Language errors: 4.0 5.25449101796 76% => OK
Sentences with positive sentiment : 13.0 8.20758483034 158% => OK
Sentences with negative sentiment : 5.0 6.88822355289 73% => OK
Sentences with neutral sentiment: 5.0 4.67664670659 107% => OK
What are sentences with positive/Negative/neutral sentiment?
Coherence and Cohesion:
Essay topic to essay body coherence: 0.269935025472 0.218282227539 124% => OK
Sentence topic coherence: 0.0805454523393 0.0743258471296 108% => OK
Sentence topic coherence SD: 0.077391586105 0.0701772020484 110% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence: 0.166216416393 0.128457276422 129% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence SD: 0.067222587701 0.0628817314937 107% => OK
Essay readability:
automated_readability_index: 15.1 14.3799401198 105% => OK
flesch_reading_ease: 45.09 48.3550499002 93% => OK
smog_index: 8.8 7.1628742515 123% => OK
flesch_kincaid_grade: 13.4 12.197005988 110% => OK
coleman_liau_index: 11.67 12.5979740519 93% => OK
dale_chall_readability_score: 8.67 8.32208582834 104% => OK
difficult_words: 145.0 98.500998004 147% => OK
linsear_write_formula: 14.0 12.3882235529 113% => OK
gunning_fog: 12.4 11.1389221557 111% => OK
text_standard: 9.0 11.9071856287 76% => OK
What are above readability scores?
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Write the essay in 30 minutes.
Rates: 66.67 out of 100
Scores by essay e-grader: 4.0 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.