2.

Sample 1

The article by Dr. Katherine W. Philips from Columbia Business School discusses benefits of

cultural diversity. The text is based on extensive research from a variety of academic disciplines, the

findings of which agreeably suggest that different cultural backgrounds within a work or study environment

facilitate a better information flow in group-based tasks, stimulate innovative/creative thinking, and prompt

the state of readiness to invest extra effort in effective cooperation. The article concludes that refreshing

developmental change at both micro and macro levels of society demands our openness to cultural diversity.

The biggest strengths of the article are its relevance and credibility. The three empirical studies from 2004

and 2006 provide solid evidence on how ethnical differences can improve the performance of group

members and sensitize them to the otherness. The results successfully support an argument that we all gain

from cultural diversity. At the same time, the perspective presented by Katherine W. Philips is rather one-

sided. The article does not cite research that investigates potentially negative outcomes of cultural mix in

organizations. Still, the flow of ideas and the language of the text make it a student-friendly source, which

I can effectively use in my argumentative paper, especially the huge misconception that the same

background guarantees that we think and know the same.

Sample 2

The article by Pilita Clark, editor and business columnist at the Financial Times, discusses a

growing trend in work environments across the world towards extending the weekend span. The text is

based on extensive research, the findings of which point at a real probability that all future economies will

follow the new pattern of business running. The main reason is that while current managements remain

rather cautious about the concept, the young generation of bosses is strongly in favor of working less. We

still have little knowledge of whether limited working time translates to productivity rates, yet, according

to Clark, progress is jeopardized if we continue exhausting high-paced technology-driven lifestyle. The

biggest strengths of the article are its relevance and credibility. The cited studies are as recent as 2022, and

they provide solid statistical evidence on how (un)enthusiastically smaller and larger companies in the UK

have been responding to the novelty. These results can successfully support an argument that launching the

four-day working week incorporates risks not everybody is ready to take. Unfortunately, the research

presented by Pilita Clark is narrowed to the UK only, so the big picture remains unclear despite a few

international organizations mentioned at the start. Still, the flow of ideas and the language of the text make

it a student-friendly source, which I can effectively use in my argumentative paper, especially to

demonstrate the differences in perceptions between the young and old business executives.

Sample 3

The article by Erika Edwards, a health and medical news writer for NBC, discusses neurological,

cognitive and social benefits of learning in old age. The text is based on research from 2019, the findings

of which demonstrate that the brain functions in elderly people who keep themselves busy studying for a

few weeks regain high effectiveness and resemble those decades younger. Engagement in unfamiliar and/or

challenging activities like painting or photography brings positive learning outcomes as it rests upon the

ability to think, which we never lose. Also, interaction with other people has an important stimulating role

to play. The article concludes that learning is the key to preventing aging processes in the human brain. The

biggest strengths of the article are its relevance and credibility. Although the cited study examined less than

fifty participants, its contribution has been recognized and endorsed by world-class experts in geriatrics.

The results support an argument that old people can be surprisingly successful learners. Unfortunately, the

perspective presented by Erica Edwards is rather one-sided. The article does not address difficulties which

aged students are likely to encounter, nor does it offer strategies they can adopt to cope with potential failure

or self-disappointment. Still, the flow of ideas and the language of the text make it a student-friendly source,

which I can effectively use in my argumentative paper, especially the implication that the age of the brain

can be to some extent controlled.