I have been asked by my instructor to write an essay on controversial issue. It should be a minimum of twelve pages. The topic is 'Death Penalty'. The first assignment is, to provide a thesis statement (Question) and make an out line. My outline should have three points and each point need to have another three sub points. Here is my thesis statement and outline. I didn't think sub point for my third point. Please help me to edit my out line and give me comments. Do you think I can have enough information for my essay? Do you have any idea how I begin my essay? Any idea you think helpful is very welcome. Thank you.
Solomon
Why many people think death penalty is unfair and unacceptable?
I. Due to religion
A. Death penalty is against religion.
1. They think this is the same as murder.
2. It doesn't teach the person who already made a crime.
B. Human beings don't have a right to take someone's life.
1. It seems like to take over the power of God.
2. It is a legalized murder by another name.
C. All human beings have the right to live.
II. Death penalty is not enough punishment.
A. It is the easy way out for criminals.
B. It is less punishment than others who sentenced for life.
1. Less suffer.
C.
1.
2.
III. Unfair justice
A. Innocent people can executed.
1. People made many errors in judgment.
2. It doesn't give chance for defendants to prove their innocence.
B. People can set up by others to do crime.
1. By forcing them.
2.
C. The Death Penalty can not be applied fairly to all people.
Good afternoon.
What supporting facts/details/examples do you plan on using for your first topic, section C?
II.
1. What do you mean by less suffering? For the condemned individual? If so, that would probably go into your A. point in this section. As to the second point here, why is it less punishment than life sentences?
C. What about the financial burdens placed on the institution carrying out the sentence?
III.
2. Isn't the trial process enough of a chance to prove their innocence?
B.
2. What about DNA?
C. Why not?
1. An example of why it wouldn't be fair to one person
2. An example of why it wouldn't be fair to another person in another situation.
Once you begin doing your research, I'm sure you'll have enough to make your paper long enough. You'll probably discover other points you want to discuss along the way.
In regards to starting it, I would worry about gathering all of your research first. Find the data and get your outline filled in and draw up a rough conclusion before you do your introduction. I always like to do the introduction last; after all, how can you introduce a paper you haven't written yet?
I hope this helps.
Regards,
Gloria
Moderator, EssayForum.com
Hello Gloria,
Thank you for your quick response. I just got home from work, that's the reason why I was late to reply for your questions. Let me start from your first question:
"What supporting facts/details/examples do you plan on using for your first topic, section C?"
How knowledgeable person you are Gloria?
Do you know how this question saved me from a big mistake?
When I was read some researches about 'death penalty' many people wrote, some religions protest killing of human beings because it is written in their holly books. So, when I make the first section in my outline I thought I can get enough supporting facts/details/ examples from those books, but when I checked some of them after I read your questions, I found 100% opposite information. This is what I got in Bible, "Anyone who takes another person's life must be put to death." Leviticus 24:17. Further more, Muslims believe all human beings right to live with exception "...it is prohibited to take away life except for a shari'ah prescribed reason..." So, I think I am screwed up. So, I have to replace everything in the first section by other idea. I hope you can help me with that.
Your second question was "What do you mean by less suffering? For the condemned individual?" No, it wasn't. It was for criminals who sentenced to death. I was trying to compare the suffering between the people executed and the people who staying their life time in prison until death. Both will die but the people executed die with out suffering. So, which one of them are beneficiary from this? This is what I was trying to say.
This is how I corrected my outline regarding your comments, but I left blank the first section. I will try to find something and I will post it as soon as I find one, but in the mean time, if you have some idea please let me know. Thank you.
Solomon
Why many people think death penalty is unfair and unacceptable?
I.
A.
1.
2.
B.
1.
2.
C.
II. Why is it less punishment than life sentences?
A. It is the easy way out for criminals.
B. It is less punishment than others who sentenced for life.
1. Less suffering.
C. What about the financial burdens placed on the institution carrying out the sentence?
1.
2.
III. Unfair justice
A. Innocent people can executed.
1. People made many errors in judgment.
2. Isn't the trial process enough of a chance to prove their innocence?
B. People can set up by others to do crime.
1. By forcing them.
2. What about DNA?
C. The Death Penalty can not be applied fairly to all people.
1. An example of why it wouldn't be fair to one person.
2. An example of why it wouldn't be fair to another person in another situation.
:) Research is funny like that, isn't it? Just so you know, I'm not up on my religious texts, but isn't there one that says something like, "An eye for an eye?" :) Just a thought. But, this raises an issue for you; do you want to switch your essay to be something like the death penalty is just and right, and then use the information you are finding now to support that assertion? You might be surprised how surprised others might be with the research you are finding. Also, given that, I think you'd have enough research and examples to fill your required pages. Just another thought :)
Or, can you include both sides of this argument in the essay? By this, I mean, would it fulfill the assignment requirements if you provided both sides of this issue, or are you to pick a side?
OK, moving on. I think the details you provided to answer my questions should be included in your outline, so that not only can someone looking at your outline tell what you mean, but you will also be able to find your place when you are actually writing the paper. This can be very easily done (surprisingly) when you begin writing.
Your outline looks much better! Keep me posted!
Regards,
Gloria
Moderator, EssayForum.com