The GRE samples for argument task - Radio Station WCQP in Rockville is an argumentative essay that talks about the increase in the number of call-in advice programs and also WCQP's recent success with call-in advice programming. GRE analyze an argument task assesses your ability to understand, scan and evaluate the given arguments. To improve your writing skills, practicing different topics from the GRE AWA practice papers is required.

Radio Station WCQP in Rockville-GRE Sample Essays for Argument Task

Topic

Two years ago, radio station WCQP in Rockville decided to increase the number of call-in advice programs that it broadcast; since that time, its share of the radio audience in the Rockville listening area has increased significantly. Given WCQP's recent success with call-in advice programming, and citing a nationwide survey indicating that many radio listeners are quite interested in such programs, the station manager of KICK in Medway recommends that KICK include more call-in advice programs in an attempt to gain a larger audience share in its listening area.

Write a response in which you discuss what questions would need to be answered in order to decide whether the recommendation is likely to have the predicted result. Be sure to explain how the answers to these questions would help to evaluate the recommendation.

Answer:

The proposal given in this argument bears out for the introduction of call-in advice programs in KICK radio stations. The ending is based on the premise that the same kind of programs have gained huge attention, when they were conducted by WCQP radio stations. A stand may be taken only after careful examination of the questions and then to be answered by the argument.

Firstly, the argument brings up that radio station WCQP in Rockville took a decision to conduct more call-in advice programs. The reason behind such a decision must be answered first. A number of reasons can be possible like: WCQP being a new station, the other programs being not so popular etc. Also, the author mentions that WCQP's radio audience skyrocketed in numbers after the suggestion to increase call-in advice programs has been put forward. Whether the programs were done successfully is not known. Moreover, the author considers call-in advice programs to be the only cause of increase in the share of WCQP's radio audience. It might be the case that the population has gone up in recent years or other programs gaining more popularity among the listeners etc. Hence, these questions regarding the actual status of WCQP radio stations must be answered.

Also check:

Secondly, the author provides incomplete data from the survey conducted as evidence to WCQP's success. The number of people considered for the survey and whether they comprise people from all age groups and cover all the areas in all the cities has to be ascertained. Moreover, the controller conducting the survey has to be mentioned. Since this survey is quoted as substantial evidence, more details regarding the same are necessary. Above all, the actual number of people interested in listening to the call-in advice programs and the total population as such must be mentioned in the argument to avoid ambiguity.

Thirdly, the author commits misbelief in analogy. He says that the method that worked out in WCQP will obviously work out in KICK station. In reality, there might be umpteen number of differences among the traditional listeners of these two radio stations.Thus, the author must answer several questions for the argument to be cogent and reasonable. He has to provide information regarding: the need for WCQP radio station to introduce call-in advice programs; the nationwide survey conducted and the team that conducted the survey; the notion of 'success' pertaining to WCQP; the listeners' age groups and their interests in both of WCQP and KICK radio stations; the applicability of WCQP's plan to KICK radio station.

This argument would have been more appealing if the author had answered the exact numbers for the number of listeners, population participating in the survey etc. Hence, the argument has scope for improvement and cannot be taken for implementation in the current state.