Abstract:

These sets of blogs are to describe a variety of topics. Each inquiry blog summarizes, evaluates,
and reflects on the type of text. In all six blog posts, three are based on the topic of college
education, one on birth control access, another on death penalty regarding mental illnesses, and
another on health insurance for the homeless. Each blog goes in depth on what the type of text is
trying to tell, and what it means.
 Is a College Education W

Is a College Education Worth It? Education Worth It?

Summary:
In this article about college education, the pros & cons of a college education are listed.
There has been a vast amount of debates disputing whether a college education is worth it or not.
Today, there are over 20.2 college students in the United States alone, growing the amount of
debt. Although there are many positive reasons for achieving a college degree, there is the
equivalent of negative reasons. This article is informational in giving several pros & cons of a
college educational career after high school.

Evaluation:
The article states facts about both the positive and negative side to a college education. It
continues by putting side to side the pro and con of a fact. An example of this side to side of a
fact is when the article states more and more jobs require college degrees, but student loan debt
often forces college graduates to live with their parents and delay marriage, financial
independence, and other adult milestones. Although there is a good side to obtaining a college
degree in order to get a job, the debts leave the graduate unable to succeed outside of aid. This
makes it harder for the student to become independent and free of debt, even after obtaining a
college degree.

Reflection:
Although the article states the positive and negative sides to a college education, it does
not take sides. This is mainly to show just what a college student struggles and succeeds with.
This can be helpful to students struggling to remain in school, or people attempting to seek a
further education. As a college student, I agree that there are both positive and negative
outcomes that come from attending college, but in the long run, there is a better life from
graduating from college, than not graduating and being left in debt.

Citation:
Is a College Education Worth it? (2017, August 01). Retrieved October 08, 2017, from
here
 Is Higher Education Still Worth It?
Summary:
In this article, Professor William
Zumeta discusses a postsecondary education
and why people feel strongly about it.
Although several people attend universities
or colleges, debt and unemployment is still
at very high rates. This calls for people to
question the value of a college educational
career. Although most people are aware
obtaining a degree gives a higher earning, the return of investment is roughly only ten percent.
Examples are given on how other countries are using new methods to help students in not being
caught into so much debt, and continuing their college education.

Evaluation:
Pursuing a higher education usually results in a higher pay, as data shows in the past.
Zumeta refers to older data to show that today a higher education does not give the same results
as it did in the past. Today often people can even be successful without obtaining a college
degree. Even though that is true, some jobs require some post secondary training and can Zumeta
states that small postsecondary education programs can help acquire that training, not necessarily
needing to become involved in so much debt. In addition, Zumeta speaks about how other
countires are dealing with financial issues due to higher education. This is placed in the article in
hopes of generating new ideas on how to continue a higher education, without the stress of
finances until after receiving the degree desired.

Reflection:
Examples given in this article are given to suggest new ways to help a postsecondary
education. Zumetas examples from other countries can help generate ideas on how to continue
pursuing an education without feeling the burden of paying it all so soon. If one cannot afford a
full college career, some jobs only require small program traning, and can be cheaper. College
for all is not necessarily true. Not only can this article be helpful to an audience of struggling
college students, it can be helpful for college administrators as well.

Citation:
Zumeta, W. (2015, October 19). Is Higher Education Still Worth It? Retrieved October 17, 2017,
here
 Better Birth Control Access

Summary:
This article gives various reasons on
why birth control is becoming better to
access. Although there are several forms of
birth control, it has previously been
difficult to access due to high costs.
Although it is only a minimum amount of
facts, the facts are very effective in
providing information on how one can get
birth control and what the benefits are of
getting birth control today. Making birth
control easier to access today has been proven to reduce the rate of unwanted pregnancy and
saved thousands on unplanned pregnancy.

Evaluation:
Throughout the article, the facts given are further described to help readers better
understand why birth control has been more effective lately. Making birth control more
affordable and easier to access helps prevent the risks that come with unplanned pregnancy. For
example, women that receive an unplanned pregnancy are less likely to have prenatal care early
in their pregnancies and their children are more likely to be exposed to harmful stuff like
tobacco, alcohol, or caffeine in utero. As goes for abortion, the article states that easy access to
birth control has reduced the rate of abortion significantly.

Reflection:
Although birth control may not always be effective, it has been easier to access
throughout the years. This easy access has been due to decrease in prices throughout the years.
Not only does it contribute to the better health of women, it also is good for taxpayers. Acts such
as the Affordable Care Act has have made it smoother for women in helping make the price of
the more effective forms of birth control, smaller. This is an article effective for the women who
are looking for reasons to go on birth control without struggling to receive it due to financial or
other kinds of reasons.

Citation:
No controversy: 5 fantastic arguments for better birth control access. (2016, October 31).
Retrieved October 17, 2017, from here
 Homeless, Poor Covered Under Affordable
Care Act, But Many Dont Know It

Summary: This article speaks about how

the homeless have several other worries,
making their health the last one. Often, the
homeless do not realize there are programs
to cover their health insurance and are
unaware of it due to other worries. The
goal of this article is to inform the public
that there is people out there willing to
help the homeless, or simply the uninsured, get the insurance they need, at an affordable
rate.

Evaluation:
In areas like Los Angeles, there is a vast population of homeless, and even
uninsured. What these people dont know or arent informed on is that there is help for
them through the Affordable Care Act. There is actually people in these counties looking
for people in areas such as homeless shelters and the streets of the city that can qualify
for the aid they need. The homeless often worry about seeking shelter, and do not worry
about their own health because they cannot afford it. Success rates have made it effective
for the rate of the uninsured to decrease by two-thirds. Often people also forget about
renewal of health insurance coverage, or do not complete applications. Staff members of
health service programs have been set the task of contacting these people to make sure
the insurance coverage forms are filled out and can qualify. What people used to be lieve
was that there was no way for the homeless to qualify for health aid. As it turns out, is
that they usually fail to make the attempt in applying for a health aid program.

Reflection:
This article is effective in giving the public information on a common issue that
people often misinterpret. In counties that have a large amount of the population
uninsured, arent due to these people not qualifying, its often due to these people not
being informed. In addition, this helps people become aware of programs that are
available to help, and can even result in people seeking a job to want to help these people
even further.

Citation:
Abram, S. (2013, May 31). Homeless, Poor Covered Under Affordable Care Act, But Many
Dont Know It. Retrieved October 17, 2017, from here
 Is college worth the cost?

Summary: This interview serves to

discuss the college career and its value in
the long run. A researcher on this topic
mentions how the big colleges and
universities cant assure a job straight
after college, or even a couple years after
a college education. Colleges will report
that the job rate is high after graduation,
but that doesnt necessarily prove that
the job obtained will last a life time. This
makes people looking into college
reconsider the actual value of a postsecondary education.

Evaluation: To some extent, this interview is stating that a college education is not worth it.
Researcher Melissa Korn states that college graduates struggle to find a secure job due to the vast
amount of requirements for a position. It makes it harder for a graduate because often the
graduate was not in school full time for four years, rather going part time, or even took some
time off. Even adults struggle to look for jobs despite going back to school after such a while.
When a degree obtained from college doesnt result in the job desired, most graduates refer to
teaching jobs or smaller jobs. Even then, these jobs are not well paying and do not relieve them
from all the money and time invested in school.

Reflection:
After listing several negative sides to a college education, one can conclude from
watching this interview that a college education may not be worth it in the long run. Most people
invest so much time into school and do not end up with the job desired. Job requirements have
made it hard for students to find a secure job straight after college. Job requirements such as
going to school full time and never transferring limits a certain amount of people for a job, and
leaves people with no choice but to seek the low paying jobs.

Citation:
Is college worth the cost? (2017, April 19). Retrieved October 17, 2017, from here
 Should states ban the death penalty for
people with severe mental illness?

Summary: Despite being diagnosed with a

mental illness; the law does not count that as
an excuse when determining the death
penalty. Several murderers with mental
illnesses have been put on the death penalty.
There is a penalty to those who are faced
with this charge, and that is the laws
definition of insanity, If one is considered
as mentally insane, they are not considered
for the death penalty. Still, the definition of insanity to most lawmakers is very minimal, as the
article states.

Evaluation: Although there are minor mental illnesses that cannot excuse the act of murder, some
are very severe and should not be sentenced to death if the suspect was not in their right mind.
What this article brings to light is that it is very difficult to try to defend what is a minor mental
illness and what is a severe mental illness to the law. Because of this, most mentally ill patients
are still sentenced to death. Some cases try to excuse the cause of the crime to a previously
mental disability, which to lawmakers is still not acceptable, because the disability was not
occurring during the time of the crime, and therefore, cannot be an excuse for murder. An
example given is that a schizophrenic person cannot be excused for murder if they are still aware
of their actions and the illegalness of them. This can be described as a minor mental disability.

Reflection: This article serves to show that not all mentally ill people can be excused for the
murder or crime committed. Although most mental illnesses are viewed minor, there is a
difference between being mentally ill and being mentally insane. When the suspect is diagnosed
as mentally insane, is when the charge upon them could be reconsidered. For now, this article is
informational in providing that mentally ill people are not safe from the death penalty in the case
of a crime charge.

Citation:

Beitsch, R. (2017, April 17). Should states ban the death penalty for people with severe mental
illness? Retrieved October 17, 17, from here