- According to Archer, the value of a college degree has gone down because more people have them these days, and jobs have started viewing degrees not as accomplishments, but as requirements, the base minimum to work. Also, the amount of debt a graduating student racks up does not always get paid off easily with their career. In order for students to determine the financial payoff of their college degree, unfortunately it usually takes them working for a few years and seeing how their career progresses and helps them pay off their debt.
The rhetorical appeals in the article College Debt are reason, by the author using logic and facts to prove his point. Character, or personal appeal. He went to the college he uses as an example, so he has a personal connection to the argument.
I believe the aim of argument used in this essay is convincing. Most of his argument is based on facts and numbers, and then he uses reason to describe why those facts result in his opinion on the matter. He tries to convince you his viewpoint is the correct one. He speaks to a broad audience, and is formal with his essay. He’s using the essay to make a case.
Archer meets the four criteria of responsible reasoning. He is well informed, self critical and open to constructive criticism from others, he argues with his audience in mind, and he knows the context of his argument. He’s knowledgeable and it shows.
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