Assignment task: For each of these five items paragraph in which you identify the nature of the evidence, commonsense, numerical data, example or expert testimony, and comment on its effectiveness. If you think the evidence is not as effective as it should be, what is the problem and how would you make it more effective?
1. In 2003, a commuter plane crashed on takeoff from charlotte, NC, in part due to excess weight. We need to be able to require that a heavier passenger pay for and use two seats in order to keep the plane's total weight within acceptable limits for safe operation of the plane.
2. Our policy is not an attempt to increase revenues: if there is an available seat, we do not charge the heavier passenger for the second seat.
3. Every passenger pays more for a ticket because heavier passengers increase fuel consumption. It's only fair that heavier passengers pay extra for the increased fuel consumption.
4. According to a study by the NTSB, an overweight passenger squeezed into a coach seat might be a safety risk to another passenger or to him or herself if the plane must be evacuated quickly.
5. The average weight of a passenger climbed from 180 lbs in 1995 to 190 lbs in 2003. Estimates place the current average weight at 196 lbs.