Extended Response Stimulus Materials:
Source Material # 1
Blog Post
“An Entrepreneur’s Life”
“I’ve always dreamed of opening my own business.” That used to be me talking. Three years ago, I made the dream a reality when I became an entrepreneur. Being an entrepreneur is so much better than working a 9 to 5 job.
The biggest thing I love about an entrepreneur’s life is the freedom. I decide what hours I work each day. Not being a morning person, I can sleep later and begin work when I am at my best. I never have to miss important events in my kids’ lives because I can schedule work around it. I can take a vacation whenever I want and never have to ask permission.
I also love not having a boss. I am the boss! I get to make all the decisions instead of having to do things just because my supervisor says so. How many of us have worked for a boss who never appreciated them or took credit for their ideas? Most of the stress I experienced working a 9 to 5 job came not from the work itself but from dealing with bad bosses.
In many 9 to 5 jobs, employees focus on doing only one or just a few things. This is boring. As an entrepreneur, I get to do all parts of my business. Keeping up with marketing, bookkeeping, and planning means there is never a dull moment. There is always enough variety to keep my interest.
The absolute best thing about working as an entrepreneur is the money. My income is twice what it was when I worked 9 to 5. The harder I work the more money I make. A recent study from American Express found that the average entrepreneur earned about $68,000 per year. The most successful entrepreneurs earn many times more than that. This allows them to do things they have always wanted to do like travel or retire early.
Source Material # 2
Blog Post
“9 to 5, I’m Lovin’ It!”
While some people love the challenge of being an entrepreneur, this life is not for me. I strongly prefer working a 9 to 5 job because there are so many advantages to it.
Working a 9 to 5 job gives more work/life balance. I have a good friend who is an entrepreneur. She likes to say, “I’m my own boss, so I can work whatever 14 hours a day I choose to.” It is common for her to work 60 to 70 hours per week, taking away precious time from her family. Working my 9 to 5 job, I can head home and enjoy my family time without worry. Entrepreneurs may also have a hard time seeing where their workday ends. There is always more to do and their smart phones allow them to work anywhere all the time.
Being in a traditional job also means a regular paycheck and benefits. I can make plans for the future because I know my check will be there at the end of the month. My company also provides health care, a benefit worth several thousand dollars each year. My 9 to 5 employer also pays half my FICA tax, another excellent benefit. Paid holidays and sick leave also means more money in my pocket. Entrepreneurs must fund their own health insurance, FICA, and sick time. When their business slows, their paycheck shrinks.
Working a 9 to 5 job also means being around other people. Some of the best friends I ever made were from work. I know several people who met their future husband or wife while at work. I love working with a team where each person contributes to the success of our group. Being in an office with others gives many opportunities to build lifelong friendships while being an entrepreneur can mean only having yourself for company.
Instead of working 24/7 as an entrepreneur, give me that 9 to 5 any day!
Extended Response Prompt:
Analyze the arguments presented in the two blog posts.In your response, develop an argument in which you explain how one position is better
supported than the other. Incorporate relevant and specific evidence from both sources
to support your argument.
Remember, the better-argued position is not necessarily the position with which you
agree. This task should take approximately 45 minutes to complete
Answer Guidelines
Source Material 1: Blog Post “An Entrepreneur’s Life”Argument: Being an entrepreneur is better than working a 9 to 5 job (Paragraph 1)
Reason 1: An entrepreneur has more freedom (Paragraph 2)
Evidence
- Gives examples of how having a flexible schedule allows entrepreneurs to sleep later, attend family events, and vacation / Counterevidence
- 9 to 5 jobs may also offer flexible scheduling
Reason 2: An entrepreneur is their own boss (Paragraph 3)
Evidence
- An entrepreneur is their own boss
- The entrepreneur gets to make all the decisions
- Bad bosses do not appreciate employees, take unfair credit, and create stress / Counterevidence
- Having to make all the decisions can be very stressful
- Not every boss is a bad boss, there are many examples of good bosses
Reason 3: An entrepreneur has more job variety (Paragraph 4)
Evidence
- Having job variety keeps employees interested in their work / Counterevidence
- It can be very challenging to have to do all parts of a business and one may not be good at all the tasks
Reason 4: An entrepreneur makes more money (Paragraph 5)
Evidence
- A personal example showing how this entrepreneur made more money
- Hard work is rewarded by more money
- The American Express study showing that entrepreneurs average $68,000
- The most successful entrepreneurs make more than $68,000 / Counterevidence
- The author does not point out that about 80% of entrepreneurs’ businesses fail
- Just because someone works harder is no guarantee they will earn more money
- In the American Express study, since entrepreneurs average $68,000 that means many earn less than that
Source Material # 2 Blog Post “9 to 5, I’m Lovin’ It!”
Argument: It is better to work a 9 to 5 job than be an entrepreneur (Paragraph 1)
Reason 1: A 9 to 5 jobs gives better work/life balance (Paragraph 2)
Evidence
- Entrepreneurs need to work many hours to keep their businesses running
- Smart phones extend entrepreneurs’ workdays / Counterevidence
- Many 9 to 5 employees work more than 40 hours per week
- Smart phones also extend the work days of 9 to 5 employees
Reason 2: A 9 to 5 job has regular pay checks and benefits (Paragraph 3)
Evidence
- Employees are paid a regular salary in a 9 to 5 job
- Some 9 to 5 jobs have benefits like health care, paid sick leave and vacation, and FICA payments / Counterevidence
- There are no guarantees that 9 to 5 employees will always have jobs
- Not all 9 to 5 jobs have benefits like health care and paid sick leave and vacation
Reason 3: A 9 to 5 job provides opportunities to socialize (Paragraph 4)
Evidence
- Personal examples of making friends and meeting a spouse at work
- Working with a team can be rewarding / Counterevidence
- Sometimes co-workers are not always pleasant and office romances can be dangerous