1. For a variety of reasons, ¹[private colleges are in trouble.] First, ²[private colleges have repeatedly increased tuition well beyond the rate of inflation.] And ³[any business that increases prices in such a fashion is likely to run into trouble.] Second, ⁴[many people are beginning to question the value of higher education] since ⁵[a college degree no longer guarantees an attractive salary.] Third, rightly or wrongly, ⁶[the American public believes that colleges have not practiced good financial management,] and hence ⁷[the public thinks that tuition dollars often subsidize inefficiency.]

Answer questions 'a' to 'e' below from the passage immediately above.

1. Identify two (2) excess verbiages from the passage above.

1. How do these excess verbiages affect the argument?

1. What is a well-crafted version of this argument?

1. Construct an argument diagram of the argument above.

1. Look at this argument and make a case either for validity or invalidity. Draw on methods or principles from at least one (1) unit from this module.

1. Use both a truth table and a counterexample to test the validity of the form: If D then M. Not D. So, M.

1. Use at least two (2) examples to help in making a distinction between formal and informal fallacies.

1. Take the word 'pencil' and construct two (2) definitions of it. The first should be too wide while the other should be too narrow.

1. With the aid of at least two (2) examples, what is the distinction between deductive and inductive arguments?