An argumentative essay is a chance to hone your reasoning and research skills. While debates with friends and family over ethics can be emotionally charged, an academic essay should be a logical, well-reasoned presentation of an issue. It should emphasize why your approach makes more sense than another point of view. Because ethics is a broad and complex topic, it's wise to craft a very specific thesis and ensure that your paper addresses a single specific issue that can be exhaustively covered in a few pages.
Explanation:
Pre-Writing
Before you begin writing your paper, you'll need to research the topic you've chosen. You'll likely have to draw on several authoritative sources to support your arguments, and you should be familiar with what other people have said about the issue. Sketch an outline of your paper, focusing on supporting your main idea and how you'll develop each part of your argument. List all sources and references you find for each argument or sub-topic. Your outline can help you avoid adding unnecessary information and makes it easier to craft a paper with a strong, logical structure.
