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The following appeared as part of an article reviewing summer camps for children.

Parents, if you need a summer camp for your children look no further than Federville Farms. In a recent survey, Federville Farms ranked first in both overall camper satisfaction and in food quality, and second in the variety of outdoor activities. Federville Farms has been family owned and operated for over forty years, so you have nothing to worry about when it comes to your child's safety, and it employs more Red Cross certified lifeguards than any other camp in the state. If you seek the best camp experience for your children, Federville Farms is the best choice you can make.

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 strengthen 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 argument claims that the parent should send their children to the Federville Farms. A recent survey shows that the Federvill Farms is ranked number one in both overall satisfaction and in food quality, and also second in the variety of outdoor activities. The article, therefore, concludes that this summer camp is the best choice by taking the results on account and also that the camp is family owned and that employs the most Red Cross certified lifeguards than any other camp in the state. Stated in this way, the argument is flawed and does not take other factors in account.

First, the argument is based primarily on the ranking number of one recent survey. Although the survey shows that the camp is the first in two categories and second in an other one, it could include more categories than only three. For example, we could have the level of infrastructure or the quality of the personal employed by the camp. The article could simply not mention that the Federville Farms is ranked lower in this categories and therefore it biases that view of the reader. In addition, the survey may be biased if the respondent were mainly visitor of this camp or even the person working there.

Secondly, the argument stated that the Federville Farms is family owned and operated for over 40 years. Does it mean that the parents have nothing to worry for their children? We cannot assume that the son or the grandson of the first owner could perform in the same way than their parents or grand-parents. Furthermore, the article does not talk about the family and therefore we know nothing about the family. They could be very bad with the children and therefore does a family operated since forty years could be safe for the children?

Finally, the article concludes that the Federville Farms is the best choice if the parent seek the best camp experience for you children. Does every children experience the same than the others? The answer is No. For example, some children could prefer to play sports such as soccer or tennis during their summer camp and some others would prefer to make excursions because no one has the same interests. In addition, the survey stated that the Federville Farms is ranked second in the variety of outdoor activities, but it means that an another camp could have more variety of activities. The other camps could have other activities that the Federville Farms could not have and therefore it could satisfy other children.

In summary, the article is flawed by the arguments mentioned above. The author could strengthen his arguments by providing more information about the camp and not only assumes that is the best only based on the ranking from one survey.