Eng 112-59 Practical Argument

Class Assignment 1, January 26, 2015

Group B, Pages 38-48 (one Question at
each At Issue)
By Happiness Nwauwa
Question 1: (Page 38)

Topic:
College is a waste of Time: By
Dale Stephens
Question: At Issue #4: List the evidence that
Stephen used to support his position. Do you think
this essay needs more supporting evidence? If so,
what kind?
Answer: The evidence Stephen used to support his position
is:
i)
College does not focus on what is important like
creativity, innovation and curiosity.
ii)
In colleges, Failure is punished instead of seeing as a
learning opportunity.
iii) College is expensive
iv) People who never attended college or complete college
education do better.
I think this essay needs more supporting evidence in the
area of Pathos that is appeal to the emotion of the audience.
He should have showed us the statistics of people going to
college, percentage that graduates, percentage that do not
graduate. What percentage get job or create one, and what
percentage do not get jobs.
On the other hands, he should have compared it also with
the percentage of youths who did not attend college. What
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percentage of them got jobs or created one? What

percentage of them is still struggling in life to survive?
With the above he would have been able to convince his
readers that college education is a waste of time if statistics
has proved it.

Question 2:

(page 40)

Topic: what does College education

really worth? By Naomi Schaefer
Riley
At Issue #2: What is the College transaction
(paragraph 6-9)? What is Rileys opinion of this
transaction?
Answer:
College transaction here means paying for college and
what you get in return.
Rileys opinion of this transaction is that, those paying for
the transaction (that is students and their parents, even the
governments) do not have a solid understanding of what
those offering the transaction (i.e. the University professors
and Administrators) are willing to give.
It is like the students and their parents believe that they are
buying a bottle of soda while the Colleges Authorities belief
they are offering just a solid bottle for the
colleges belief that their job is just to prepare the students
either to get a job or to create one after graduation.
Riley feels that there is no clear understanding of between
the parents and the school of what students to fill it with any
kind of liquid he/she wants.
Students and their parents think they are getting job by
attaining a college education, while the they are buying and
what is available.
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Question 3: (page 44)

Topic: EDUCATION IMPACTS WORK-LIFE EARNINGS
FIVE TIMES MORE THAN OTHER DEMOGRAPHIC
FACTORS, CENSUS BUREAU REPORTS.
By Census.org
At Issue #2: A Strong Concluding Statement for the Media
Release:
In conclusion, whether you are a white male or female, black
or white, Hispanic or non-Hispanic, naturalized citizen or not,
English speaking or not, as long as you put much effort in your
education, you will stand a better chance of getting a good job
that will pay you five times more than your counterparts who did
not attain up to college education.

Question 4: (page 46)

Topic: IS COLLEGE DEGREE WORTH THE MONEY? By The
Wall Street Journal
At Issue #2: The graph does not include information about
college costs. Do you think this missing information
weakens the graphs argument? Why or why not?
Answer:
The graph clearly does not include college costs. Yes this missing
information weakens the argument because,

i)

ii)

We can only decide if college education worth the money

if we can compare the amount put in education and what
one gets out of it. Appeal to pathos (emotion).
We have to also compare what one has to forgo in order to
attain the additional degree to what he got at the end in
order to compare strongly.
Hence the missing information weakens the argument.

Eng. 112-59- Practical Argument

Class Assignment 2,

February 2, 2015

Group B Pages 49 (Ex. 1.2 and 1.4)

By Happiness Nwauwa
Exercise 1.2
A one-paragraph argument taking position on the topic,
A college education is a good investment
template)

(using a

A College Education Is A Good

Investment
Whether or not college education is worth the money is a
controversial issue. Some people believe that education
transforms the familys history for good.
Others challenge this position claiming that they spend too
much money to attain college education than the salary they get
after education.
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However, that may be true if you do not know that college

education give you greater opportunity in life.
Although both sides of the issue have merit, it seems clear
that a college education is a worthwhile investment because
you have been prepared to survive in the real world. You always
have the options of getting a better job or creating one.

Exercise 1.4 (page 49)

Write an essay on the topic: Is college education worth
the money? Cite the reading on pages 28-48, and be sure
to document your sources and include a work-cited page.

Is College Education Worth The

Money?
Before we will be able to address the above issue, we have to
answer the following questions so that our neutral audience will
know exactly what we are talking about and what we want to
accomplish. Now, what is college education anyway? What is it
meant to accomplish? How far is it getting the goal accomplished?
College education is any education after high school education.
After the students can read and write, It is remains to educate
them to have a wider view of the world around them, to enable
them to identify the opportunities available, and also be prepared
to use what they have to get what they need. This is what the
college education is all about. Hence when a student is prepared
in this manner, the sky supposes to be his limit. Parents and even
the governments spend a lot of money to ensure that their
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children and the

skill/knowledge.

future

leaders

are

endowed

with

this

Now the issue is whether colleges are actually preparing the

students for this important life skill and whether the money they
spend in acquiring this skill is worth it or not. From my point of
view, whatever amount one spends acquiring college
education, if he truly knows what he went there for, he
should appreciate it.
In the first place, statistics has proved that the higher you
climb the academic ladder, the more opportunities you
have to get a job. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics,
(BLS) FOR 2010, (Rodney Smith page 30): the unemployment
market is populated more by people with lesser education.

14.9% of those without high school diploma

10.3% of those with high school education
7% of those with Associate degree
5.4% of those with bachelors degree
2.4% of those with a professional degree
1.9% of those with high doctorate degree

This shows that the more education one attains, the less likely he
will be on the unemployment list.
Secondly, those with less educational qualifications earn
less money per week according to BLS also.

$444 for those without high school diploma

$626 for those with high school education
$767 for those with Associate degree
$1,038 for those with bachelors degree
$1,550 for those with high doctorate degree

Thirdly, assuming you were not able to get a job after

graduation, college education opens doors even in tough
economic times. Using the knowledge you have acquired in
college, it is easier for you to use what you have to create what
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you need. You can transform your environment using little or

nothing. This is a rare commodity among those who did not attain
college education. Moreover, when you look at the developed
nations and the under developed nations, which I have the
privilege to have lived in each of them, what do you think that
makes the difference? I believe it is:
I)
II)
III)

The difference between their quality of education,

The long generations of quality educated minds in
developed nations,
Less selfish, more relaxed and compassionate spirit
having being transformed, through college education,
they now know what is important in life and how to
approach them. Such you can hardly see in
underdeveloped society.

Finally, College Education gives some invaluable benefits.

It gives a special kind of enlightenment which those without it, no
matter the amount of money they make, they would still want to
have it. College education according to Rodney Smith (page 30)
says, transformed his family history by the sacrifice his
grandparents made long time ago. Now even his own children are
aspiring higher in education.
Also, according to Rodney (page 30), college education is an
investment, stewardship and a great treasure. Education adds
richness to your life. It lifts you to a greater standard in life. Your
quality, values, reasoning, creativity and compassion increases
with the attainment of college education. This is because, you will
see the world and understand it in a better way more than your
mates who did not go to college. Therefore, trying to equalize
college education by the amount of money you are receiving as a
salary after graduation is being myopic. That is a great signal that
you do not know why you went to college to begin with.
On the other hand, I will not be surprised if you challenge
this position claiming that after years in college, one
should be able to put food on the table, pay bills, and
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handle some financial issues around him. That is definitely

true. After being trained in college, who do you expect to create
job for you? You have been placed in a position of authority and
all eyes are on you. You have the duty to give hope to the people
around you and make a way where there seems to be no way.
Look inward and appreciate the gift that has been bestowed upon
you. Then use what you have to create what you need and be a
blessing to others too.
Also, I understand that you have to pay for the student
loans and all the rest. The government is so good that you do
not have to pay for the students loan until you get something
doing. Take advantage of that and bring the best out of yourself,
relax and pay for your loan.
Again, some of your mates who did not attend college
education are well established now while you are still
answering a student. You are right. But how many of them are
millionaires, and how many of them are wasting on the street?
Besides it is not all about money. It is about transforming your
mind to know what is important in life, and using what you have
to get it.
In concussion, college education is worth whatever you
put in and whatever sacrifice you have to make to obtain
it. It is invaluable. Be sure you know why you are there and you
will get the best out of every penny you paid. Do not forget,
college Education is not the end; rather it is a means to an end.