malathi wrote:
The following appeared as part of an article in the education section of a Waymarsh city newspaper: “Throughout the last two decades, those who earned graduate degrees found it very difficult to get jobs teaching their cademic specialties at the college level. Those with graduate degrees from Waymarsh University had an especially hard time finding such jobs. But better times are coming in the next decade for all academic job seekers, including those from Waymarsh. Demographic trends indicate that an increasing number of people will be reaching college age over the next 10 years; consequently, we can expect that the job market will improve dramatically for people seeking college-level teaching positions in their fields.”
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.
In the above argument, the author claims that people who earned graduate degrees find it is very difficult to get jobs teaching their academic specialties. The author also emphasizes that people with graduate degrees from the Waymarsh University faced an especially hard time finding such jobs. But, the author claims that this scenario is likely to change. The author’s line of reasoning is that since the demographic trends indicate that an increasing number of people will be reaching college age over the next 10 years, the job market will improve for people seeking college-level teaching positions. At the first glance the argument seems somewhat appealing but through close examination reveals that it is problematic of two fallacies made.
Firstly, the author graciously assumes that since the demographic trends indicate that an increasing number of people will be reaching college age over the next 10 years the job market will improve in the teaching industry. But, this may not be true if a number of students who reach the college age prefer pursuing their college abroad. In such a case, even if number of students increase it will not have any subsequent effect on the teaching jobs. For example, if the number of students reaching college age increase by 100 and out of these 100 students 90 decide to go to another country to pursue their further studies, then this increase will not effect the job scenario.
Secondly, if a large number of people who are looking for jobs in teaching colleges are specialized in a particular academic specialty and the students seeking admissions in colleges want to pursue a different specialty, then the people who are looking for jobs in teaching a certain specialty will still remain jobless. For example, if a large number of people looking for jobs are specialized in Science and students want to pursue. Literature, then this will not improve the job market.
On the other hand, the argument can be strengthened by incorporating more information about the number of students who like to pursue their higher education in a different place. In addition, the author must check if the students want to pursue the same specialization of subject in which there are people looking for a job.
In conclusion, the argument is not persuasive as it stands. The author must not infer that the job scenario in the teaching industry will improve just because a number of people will reach the college age.
4
Good job with your organization, and you have some good ideas when it comes to flaws. But your second paragraph's example seems very unrealistic, so it doesn't help your case. Additionally, your third paragraph's point is lost due to ambiguous language--you clearly intended to be arguing that the job market wouldn't necessarily apply to
all graduate degree holders, but it sounded like you were saying the market wouldn't improve for
any of them.
I hope this helps!