Questions for Discussion:

1. According to Archer, the value of college degrees has gone down because the market is being flooded with degrees. A degree in a certain subject or field used to be a determining factor to employers. The degree made prospective employees stand out but now EVERYONE has a degree. When the market is that saturated, does the degree really matter? In order to compete and make your degree meaningful, you have to gets the best grades, get into the best school, you have to join the best clubs, etc. Students can determine the financial payoff of their college education by determining what they are going for, and by looking at the job market, pay etc. of the field they choose to go to school for. For example, would it be better to get a degree in engineering to be a construction supervisor OR go to vocational school for much less, work construction and work your way up with little debt to begin with.

The Four Forms of Appeal – Reason, Character, Emotion, Style

Reason – In paragraph two and three Archer pointed out that the college degree is not worth anything anymore because it became more common, and it was no longer enough. This is basically his entire case, he goes on later in the article with information to supports this reason, like the the high income/debt ratio, job prospects, and the fact that there are alternative options like trade school.

Persuading – He was sort of persuading them to weigh their options when it came to what they wanted an education for. Go to college, or trade school. He was trying to persuade college students to consider ditching college for alternative education options.

Convincing – He was trying to convince the audience that the college degree is no longer worth the investment.

I don’t believe that he is a responsible reasoner because he is not self criticial.