The death penalty
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Persuasive Essay: Outline Worksheet
Review “How Do I Organize My Brainstorm into an Outline?” in “The Writing Process” Media piece.
Assignment Directions:
Use the Persuasive Essay Outline on the next page to outline your persuasive essay by completing the following:
1) Use the feedback you received from your instructor to revise your thesis statement.
a) Write your thesis as a complete sentence (as you would in your essay) in the “Thesis Sentence” section under the Introductory Paragraph heading in the outline below.
2) Create a topic sentence for each of the three paragraphs that comprise the body of your essay.
a) Record the topic sentences in each of the “Topic Sentence” sections under the “Support for Thesis” headings in the outline below.
b) Your topic sentences should support your thesis and provide transitions between the paragraphs.
3) Write at least three details for each topic sentence.
a) These details should provide support for the topic sentence. (Review the example outline below)
4) Write a concluding sentence under the “Conclusion” heading in the outline below.
a) Your concluding sentence should be your thesis restated in different words.
Example
Introductory Paragraph
Thesis Sentence: Earning a degree online is great for working adults because it is convenient, economical, and allows them to learn with other working adults around the world.
Support for Thesis 1
Topic Sentence: Online learning is convenient.
- A. Detail A: You can study and learn from home.
- B. Detail B: It is easier to balance work-life obligations.
- C. Detail C: You can attend class any time you would like.
Persuasive Essay Outline
Introductory Paragraph
Thesis Sentence: The death penalty is a justification of punishment; it provides justice to the victim’s and their families, as well as upholding the biblical verses supporting that cause.
Support for Thesis 1
Topic Sentence: The death penalty is a justification of punishment
Detail A: utilize the deterrence theory as psychological benefit
Detail B:
Detail C:
Support for Thesis 2
Topic Sentence: The death penalty provides justice to the victim’s and their families
Detail A: Justice should be served to fit the crime committed
Detail B: Execution brings closure for the victim's family, while providing the ultimate punishment to the murderer(s)
Detail C: The execution provides the victims’ families with front row retribution access
Support for Thesis 3
Topic Sentence: The death penalty is justified in biblical versus
Detail A: Genesis 9:6; “If anyone takes a human life, that person’s life will also be taken by human hands.”
Detail B: Revelation 13:10; “Anyone who is destined for prison will be taken to prison. Anyone destined to die by the sword will die by the sword.”
Detail C: Deuteronomy 19:11-13; “But suppose someone is hostile toward a neighbor and deliberately ambushes and murders him and then flees to one of the cities of refuge. In that case, the elders of the murderer’s hometown must send agents to the city of refuge to bring him back and hand him over to the dead person’s avenger to be put to death. Do not feel sorry for that murderer! Purge from Israel the guilt of murdering innocent people; then all will go well with you.”
Conclusion
Thesis Sentence (restated in different words):
The death penalty needs to remain legal to continue to provide civility to society. The death penalty saves lives, it will provide justice to victims and their families, and honor the verses in the bible pertaining to the death penalty.
Grading Criteria
Consider the following criteria when developing the outline for your essay. These criteria will be applied when this assignment is graded.
1) Outline contains a thesis statement.
2) Outline contains a topic sentence for each of the three paragraphs of the body of the essay.
3) Transitions between paragraphs are evident and appropriate.
4) Contains three details for each topic sentence; details provide support of the related topic sentence.
5) Outline contains concluding sentence, which restates the thesis in different words.
Name
Course
Instructor
Date
Outline
Thesis Sentence: The death penalty is a justification for punishment, as it provides justice to victims, their families and is consistent with Biblical verses.
Topic Sentence: The death penalty is a justification of punishment
The deterrence theory influences behavioral change and result to crime reduction.
It reduces rates of crimes and hence justifiable.
It is punishment for violating the social contract.
Topic Sentence: The death penalty provides justice to the victim’s and their families
Justice should be served according to severity of crime
Execution brings closure for the victim's family and provides ultimate punishment to the murderer(s).
The execution provides the victims’ families with front row retribution access.
Topic Sentence: The death penalty is justified in biblical versus
Genesis 9:6; “If anyone takes a human life, that person’s life will also be taken by human hands.”
Revelation 13:10; “Anyone who is destined for prison will be taken to prison. Anyone destined to die by the sword will die by the sword.”
Deuteronomy 19:11-13; “But suppose someone is hostile toward a neighbor and deliberately ambushes and murders him and then flees to one of the cities of refuge. In that case, the elders of the murderer’s hometown must send agents to the city of refuge to bring him back and hand him over to the dead person’s avenger to be put to death. Do not feel sorry for that murderer! Purge from Israel the guilt of murdering innocent people; then all will go well with you.”
Conclusion
The death penalty should continue to be a legal option as it is a justifiable punishment that reduces the crime rate, it provides justice to victims, their families and is firmly grounded in the Bible.
People commit crimes out of free will, and since no one is compelled to violate the law, offenders receive punishment for their criminal activities. The debate on the death penalty divides opinion among proponents and opponents of the death penalty sentence. Nonetheless, offenders ought to receive punishment according to severity of crimes committed, and sentencing addresses victim’s families concerns. Thus, the death penalty is justified as it provides justice to the victim’s family. There are also Biblical indications that the death penalty is justified in cases of capital offences, and hence should be considered rather than being abolished from the criminal justice system. This essay argues in favor of the death penalty as a justification for punishment, as it provides justice to victims, their families and is consistent with Biblical verses.
Deterrence is one of the main reasons why the death penalty should be considered in the criminal justice system. People alter their behaviors if there is a strong deterrent to committing crime, and since the death penalty will instill fear of punishment fewer people are likely violate the law. According to Liptak (2007), studies show that imposing the death penalty stops 3 to 18 murders. There is a social contract and breaching the contract through committin...