1. 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.

1. Kamenetz’s proposal is very controversial. There are a lot of people, especially students who believe something must be done to fix the student debt crisis, and stopping the modern generation from getting into college without realizing what the cost really is. It’s controversial because as students lose money, others gain money. Universities and credit card companies live to suck these students bank accounts dry, and they won’t let students start finding a solution without a fight.
2. Students, mostly, are the people that will agree with the proposal. They understand they’re in a financial crisis, and want change. Unfortunately not much is done from student protests.
3. Those who would not agree with the proposal are those gaining money from the students. The universities are the main one. They give out free T-shirts and keychains, and lure students in without letting them know the real financial promise they’re signing. Credit card companies may also not agree. Many college students get credit cards without knowing any better, and soon rack up credit card debt alongside school debt because they needed something to pay for things.

1. I do not believe her proposed solution is very controversial. Her argument is sound and it makes sense. I am someone with a lot of knowledge about college sports, but I still know people who do not. I do not think many would argue with Sally’s claim that college sports can be treated like a tumor instead of a career for aspiring athletes. Anyone who is a fan of sports would almost for sure agree with her. Those who would not agree are most likely those with highly respected medical or law degrees, who might feel insulted that someone playing a sport can earn more than them, and if college sports was valued for the multi-billion dollar industry it is, they may feel left out or underappreciated.

Claim: College athletics are undervalued, and student athletes should have the option to fully pursue an athletic career

Reason: Practicing and studying sports is no different than theatre, art or music, but not given its own major

Evidence: Not every theater and music student is going to land the big successful job they hope for, its an art they are studying in hopes to make a career out of it, college athletes are no different

Reason: College athletes can go off to have a rich, successful athletic career, yet have no major options in college

Evidence: College athletes go off to make millions in a sporting career, yet in college they were almost encouraged to put that desire to the side in favor of their academic major

1. According to his argument, the value of a college degree had gone down because the rising of the cost, and the new alternative options to a college degree are challenging the traditional value. GED students are becoming successful with hard work, even those without degrees. The competitiveness of the job market leaves some college students with degrees jobless. Today you can find those with a degree and a bunch of debt working right next to someone with no degree and no debt. The extent that college students can determine the financial payoff is first, their salary and how quick they can pay off their debt, and second, are the people they work with of a similar degree. If they are working with people with no degrees, their degree and financial payment may not have been worth it.

Claim: Going into college because it’s “necessary” isn’t worth the money and experience it once was

Reason: Compared to one decade ago, college prices have gone up 104%, and the reward for completing that college degree isn’t as much as it used to be.

Evidence: Some students with Masters degrees can be found working with people that have their GED. Going to an expensive college and getting a degree is not a guarantee of success, and those who aren’t rewarded with well paying jobs are stuck with a heap of debt and not enough income to repay it easily.

Reason: College degrees used to be a prestigious honor that was the screening test as to whether you can be successful, but now trade schools are emerging as a smart thing to do.

Evidence: Trade schools are often much cheaper than 4-year degrees, and the promise of a job after trade school is higher than college. There are some trade schools that even guarantee employment after graduation.

Additional Reasons: Many college students go into college or even come out with no idea on what they want to do. The money they pay for that is not worth it, when many grads have a heap of debt and no plan for the future.

1. In this clip, the aim of argument that should have been deployed is arguing to convince.

2. They violated this aim of argument because most of it was satire rather than trying to make valid points towards their viewpoints.

3. The ways these speakers violate each criteria of being a reasonable reasoner are:

• Their responsible reasoning was not well informed. They didn’t seem to actually be very knowledgeable about the subject, and the debate was not very well informed.
• They were both not at all open to constructive criticism from each other. They were both right no matter what and not open to being persuaded at all or listening to other opinions.
• They did not consider the audience. They both argued for their personal examples and not the scenarios of others, and began to have a 1 on 1 conversation.
• They did not understand the argument’s context. They were focused on one example and not the overall issue regarding the death tax.

4. I believe both the Stevens disregard for sticking to an aim or using the criteria for responsible reasoning led to the clip being a bit of a satire mess that was hard to understand or follow.

These new criteria, aims, and note taking examples will help me with assignment one by giving me an outline on how to structure my analysis in my essay. I know to know my audience, how to get my point across, and how to take notes before i write my essay to structure my thoughts.

Everything that makes me eager to talk in class:

• Caring about the subject being discussed in class
• If it’s a class that encourages speaking up
• If I know I’m succeeding in class

Everything that makes me reticent to talk in class:

• If it’s a class where most people do not speak up
• If the professor is harsh on opposing opinions

1. The point Johnson is trying to get his readers to accept is schools are not trying to teach children content as much as they are teaching them how to learn and process things for life
2. His reasoning is when kids leave classes 99% will never use the class material ever again
3. He gives his reasoning with a chess example, and uses scenarios for his point
4. I find his argument convincing because myself I have not used most of the things I went to class for but now I understand how to learn things

• I am attending UCBA to get a couple years of cheaper tuition before going to main campus

• I chose this class because I prefer morning classes

• I am from Mason, OH

• I was born in Western Hills, and moved to Mason when i was little

• My major is Political Science

• That’s my major because I plan to go to Law School

• Outside of School I am a big MLB fan, I’m on UC’s boxing team, taking care of unusual or less common pets, and I go hiking all the time

• I am very good with tools, and have worked landscaping, finishing basements, and roofing/shingles – soft skills: public speaking

• For a brochure or social media I am a very good photographer, and I woulb excellent at picking out photos or choosing images

Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.

— Oscar Wilde.

This is the first post on my new blog. I’m just getting this new blog going, so stay tuned for more. Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates.

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.

Why do this?

• Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
• Because it will help you focus you own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.

The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.

To help you get started, here are a few questions:

• Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
• What topics do you think you’ll write about?
• Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
• If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?

You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.

Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.

When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.