As you read these student papers from past semesters, consider a few aspects of how
they are written:

How thoroughly each student writer has treated the sources as an ongoing
conversation that he/she enters and adds to. Is the writer making the topic her
own? Is he using the sources as support and as ideas to respond to, rather than
being controlled by them?

How focused on a general audience each paper is. As someone who has not
read the same articles (probably), how included in the audience, or excluded
from it, do you feel?
Note that these examples use APA style for citing sources, as you will be expected to
do in your argument. The student example in Practical Argument (pages 274-79) is a
good example for organization and integrating sources, but be aware that it uses MLA
style in its citations.
Sample argument paper 1
English 202
College, It’s Worth It
It goes without saying that everyone places great emphasis on education these
days. Being a college student myself, I have noticed the pressure placed on students to
get a bachelor’s degree. From an early age students are taught that to get a good job,
going to college is a must. Employers at businesses almost always look for candidates
who have a bachelor’s degree. Some people would argue that putting a heavy
emphasis on having a bachelor’s degree is wrong, in that even if some people have a
degree it doesn’t necessarily make them more qualified for a job than someone who
doesn’t. The truth of the matter is that education should be a main priority in hiring
because having a bachelor’s degree shows dedication to education which is a good
determining factor of responsible and dependable employees. Along with getting a job,
having a bachelor’s degree also gives people a major advantage in society.
Some people, like Charles Murray, may argue that a college education doesn’t
make you prepared or even qualified for a job in some aspects. He thinks that instead
of having employers look at whether or not an applicant for a job has a college degree,
they should have a certification test as a substitute (Murray, 2008/2010, p. 984).
Although Charles Murray’s motives are for the best by trying to make the job market
equal and fair, it is not a reasonable solution. The reason why businesses place such
high standards in education is that while in college, not only do students get the
academic support they need; they also get useful problem-solving skills. It is also a
proven fact that people with a higher education level have better cognitive skills and
engage more in extracurricular, cultural, athletic, and religious activities, which make
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them well-rounded individuals (Baum & Ma, 2007/2010, p. 998). These skills are crucial
for many jobs because almost all jobs deal with getting along with people, so
communication skills are a must. In most professions, critical thinking skills are needed
to deal with logical thinking problems that can occur. So, that being said, a multiple
choice test could not be a good determination over four years of rigorous and
challenging school work.
Another reason why getting a bachelor’s degree is worth the money and time is
the obvious salary difference it brings. Figures derived from the Current Population
Survey figured out that high school graduates made $604 a week, as opposed to $987
for those with a bachelor’s degree and $1,497 for people with a doctoral degree (as
cited in Shatkin, 2010, p. 988). So just by having a bachelor’s degree, a person can
make up to $1528 more in a month. That number is a significant amount if added up
over a year. In addition, with the increase in money in a month, a person with a
bachelor’s degree also is more likely to have benefits such as health insurance and
pension benefits (Baum & Ma, 2007/2010, p. 992).
One problem people may face when trying to get a college education is the
amount of money it costs. Most people assume they cannot afford college because
they think they cannot afford it right away. The truth of the matter is that the earnings
one gets just from having a bachelor’s degree makes it easy enough to pay off the debt
of college in a short amount of time (Baum & Ma, 2007/2010, p. 993). That being said,
there are many loans and financial aid options for people who don’t think they can afford
college. College is still not cheap by any means, and it should be made affordable to all
people. Unfortunately, it is not, and that is why there are things readily available to
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students like scholarships and grants that will help get students who are determined
enough into college.
Overall, college is great investment in one’s future. People who try to undermine
its value are simply unwilling to admit the importance of rigorous school work and the
dedication it takes for students to compete a bachelor’s degree. A quote by Benjamin
Franklin sums up the importance of a college education: “An investment in knowledge
always pays the best interest.” So, if one wants to have a good job, learn important life
values and have an overall high-quality life, then they should greatly consider going to
college.
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References
Baum, S., & Ma, J. (2010). Education pays: The benefits of higher education for
individuals and society. In A. A. Lunsford, J. J. Ruszkiewicz, & K. Walters,
Everything’s an argument (5th ed., pp. 991-1006). Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s.
(Reprinted from College Board, 2007).
Murray, C. (2010). Should the Obama generation drop out? In A. A. Lunsford, J. J.
Ruszkiewicz, & K. Walters, Everything’s an argument (5th ed., pp. 982-84).
Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s. (Reprinted from New York Times 2008, December
28, p. 9).
Shatkin, L. (2010). Education pays, but perhaps less than you thought. In A. A.
Lunsford, J. J. Ruszkiewicz, & K. Walters, Everything’s an argument (5th ed., pp.
988-90). Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s. (Reprinted from fastcompany.com, n.d.).
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Sample argument paper 2
English 202
The Value of College Argument Paper
The majority of these articles that discuss the value of college include the words
“Education Pays” in their title. According to Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, education
is the result that is produced on an individual by instruction, training, or study and is a
key characteristic in the development of society. In the articles “Should the Obama
Generation Drop Out,” “Education Pays, but Perhaps Less Than You Thought,” and
“Education Pays: The Benefits of Higher Education for Individuals and Society,” the
authors discuss their opinions pertaining to the value of education. After reading and
analyzing each article I formed my opinion which supports the articles’ titles by agreeing
with the fact that in the long run education really does pay off.
Murray (2008/2010) thinks Barack Obama’s message should be “It’s what you
can do that should count when you apply for a job, not where you learned to do it” (p.
982). The skills that one possesses are crucial in careers because they are essential
for success. Where one gains their skills isn’t as important except when considering the
difference between college and high school education. In Murray’s quote he gives the
audience the illusion that skill is the most important feature in careers and implies that
there is no significant difference between one’s level of education and their skills. In my
opinion high school education is not as qualifying as a college no matter what major is
achieved. A college graduate is more well-rounded and knowledgeable in general than
one who didn’t further their education. Experiences gained through upper level
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education such as personal and intellectual growth cannot be replaced with immediately
entering the workforce.
“Education Pays, but Perhaps Less Than You Thought” agrees with my opinion
by suggesting that unemployment rates generally decrease with higher education levels
while weekly wage earning increases with further education. “Education Pays, but
Perhaps Less Than You Thought” discussed the uneven rates of taxation and housing
costs among the higher education. Generally speaking this article over emphasizes that
fact because it is mainly focused on the college graduates that decide to live in the city
where housing costs and living expenses are more costly. “Moretti found that half of the
college wage advantage disappears when one accounts for the difference in housing
costs” (Shatkin, 2010, p. 989). When considering this tragic fact, this article doesn’t
mention the other possible options available. Rather than making high payments one
could instead live in a rural area where housing costs are cheaper and commute to their
career in the city. Even though residing in high cost cities are tendencies for college
graduates to make, they always have the option of starting at a smaller location and
incrementally working their way up in the workforce through time. College graduates
are highly taxed but still receive a higher income than they would with only possessing a
high school diploma. Therefore they make more money and in general have more
money to spend freely than if they were working a low wage lob on a strict budget.
“Education Pays: The Benefits of Higher Education for Individuals and Society”
focuses on lifelong, personal, and financial benefits that can be attained through higher
education. Individual benefits that students receive are endless whether they pursue a
career in their intended field or not. According to “Education Pays: The Benefits of
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Higher Education for Individuals and Society” graduates obtain higher salaries, receive
better health insurance and pension benefits, and encounter greater opportunities
throughout their lifetime than those without further education. They also tend to live
more healthful lifestyles both physically and psychologically. “Likewise, taxpayers and
society as a whole derive a multitude of direct and indirect benefits when citizens have
access to postsecondary education” (Baum & Ma, 2007/2010, p. 991). The higher
educated citizens positively affect others whether it’s regarding education, the
workforce, or their family. Baum and Ma also say that graduates are less likely to
depend on social safety net programs, therefore leaving the funds available for those in
need of assistance. The society also benefits from graduates’ higher levels of civic
participation whether they are donating blood, voting, or giving an educated opinion. All
of these actions are positive and have the potential to impact others to perform
beneficial contributions involving their live and society.
The benefits of college education are irreplaceable and endless. All of the
articles included in my argument include advantages of schooling whether they believe
that either skill or education has the most power in the workforce. Perhaps this fact
reflects on how many benefits actually exist and how many people they help, either
directly or indirectly. Person, financial, and lifelong aspects can be improved without
further education but are more common to occur with the addition of it. If you take the
opportunity to enrich intellectually you will also gain irreplaceable experiences that will
help define who you are as a person. If that opportunity of higher education is available
for you to pursue why decline it? In the end education pays off in more than one way.
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References
Baum, S., & Ma, J. (2010). Education pays: The benefits of higher education for
individuals and society. In A. A. Lunsford, J. J. Ruszkiewicz, & K. Walters,
Everything’s an argument (5th ed., pp. 991-1006). Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s.
(Reprinted from College Board, 2007).
Murray, C. (2010). Should the Obama generation drop out? In A. A. Lunsford, J. J.
Ruszkiewicz, & K. Walters, Everything’s an argument (5th ed., pp. 982-84).
Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s. (Reprinted from New York Times 2008, December
28, p. 9).
Shatkin, L. (2010). Education pays, but perhaps less than you thought. In A. A.
Lunsford, J. J. Ruszkiewicz, & K. Walters, Everything’s an argument (5th ed., pp.
988-90). Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s. (Reprinted from fastcompany.com, n.d.).
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