Ethical Standards and Pre-set Rules

 Identifying Parts of an Ethical Argument

Ethical Standards and Pre-set Rules

ENGL101, Essay 2

See the other handouts about Ethics for additional understanding.

When you are working on an Ethical argument, you need to first identify the ‘standard’ for which you will be pulling ethical beliefs from so that you can address specific ethical beliefs from that standard in relation to your ethical issue.

For example, if your topic is the controversial issue of fertility clinics, you need to first identify the ethical standard…let’s say Christianity.

Then, you need to go through the belief system for Christianity and locate concepts relating to fertility, childbirth, and human creation.

From there, you can then create an argument thesis to address fertility clinics through the lens of Christian ethics:

Fertility clinics are ethical/not ethical for Christians based on X, Y, and Z.

While this thesis is rather simplistic in its layout, the concepts addressed in the essay map (x, y, and z) create the clear argument as to why Christians should or should not view fertility clinics as ethical.

Ethical Arguments

Remember that this style of writing is focused on the ETHICAL ARGUMENT for the topic based on an ethical standard.  

What will be your 'standard for judgment' in your thesis?  As you craft your thesis, your ethical standard needs to be very clear in the sentence:

Fertility clinics are ethical/not ethical for Christians based on X, Y, and Z.

 Body-paragraph Construction

After you have created a clear thesis with the ethical standard identified and the view as to whether the topic is ethical or not, you will add to your body paragraphs the ethical standard that you will be using when arguing at least 3 main points to support your argument as to whether Christians believe fertility clinics are ethical or not.

Please remain focused on the ethical standard that you will be using when arguing about this topic.

Make sure that all of the body-paragraphs are arguing your ethical point.  Do not simply present research on the topic of fertility clinics; argue a viewpoint from an ethical standard on the subject.

Keep in mind that you are not giving a report. 

You are not providing an overview for the reader. 

You are arguing an ethical view system based on pre-set beliefs within that ethical standard. 

In the end, your assignment is to argue an ethical standard as being the determining factor as to whether fertility clinics are ethical or not.

Remain focused on those ethical standards throughout. 

Only choose sources for your side that explain ethical support, not the who, what, when, where, and why of fertility clinics in general. 

You need to focus on the who, what, when, where, and why of the Christian ethics surrounding fertility clinics, and argue your ethical standard is the measurement that this topic should be gauged by for proper determination of personal views.

Reminders about body-paragraph construction 

A topic sentence must introduce the next point relating directly to the THESIS.   The sentences that follow the TOPIC Sentence need to utilize the Source Sandwich system, and then the paragraph ends with a CLOSING Sentence that directly reflects back to that paragraph’s TOPIC Sentence and wraps up the point being proven (argued) within that paragraph.

Source materials are used to support the argument, not to ‘be’ the argument.  This means that 80% of the paper is your voice, while about 20% can be source content strengthening the argument.  Be sure to see THIS link to help you with source usage, and see THIS link to help with paragraph flow.

 © 2018 Jeanette L. H. Dick

Identifying Parts of an Ethical Argument