Example for Grade 8: Argumentative – Penny - ID: 4208

for this response.

Penny

  • Purpose: Argumentative
  • Grade: 8
  • ID No. 4208

Student Response

Scoring & Annotations

Abolishing the Penny

Are you tired of having to pay that 2 or even 3 cents extra at the cash registure? Well then join me in abolishing the penny. The penny today no longer serves a purpose. It does not need to be preserved any longer. Let me inform you on some things you should know about the penny: how much it cost to make it, if it would even effect the economy if we got rid of it, and if whether or they are a great time waster.

First off, I would like to say that it cost more to make the penny than it’s worth. Just this year the U. S. churned more than 4.3 billion pennies. That’s more than twice the annual output than all other coins combined. Because of this the Treasury actually looses over $100 million a year.

Next, I would like to tell you if it would effect the economy or not Abolishing the penny would actually help the economy. Even if buisness owners rounded their cents against the customer, customer would only loose 2 1/2 cents every tansaction. If the average person made two transactions every day they would be loosing $18.25 a year. Now compare that to someone who is preserving the penny, at an average wage, the person would be loosing $50 a year. Not even including what the Treasury looses every year just to make the penny, which is $100 million.

Finally, is the penny a great waste of time. The anwser is yes, the penny has become a great waste of time. The time an average person spends counting pennies in stores, giving them back, and putiing them in jars is about 2-4 hours every year. They have little good effect on the economy. They aren’t evern worth the effort of picking up off the street any more.

Now that I’ve told you my reasons for abolishing the penny, I hope you understand how much money and energy it will save. The penny is just no longer needed. It’ s just not worth the effort any more.