{"id":4160,"date":"2017-01-11T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-01-12T01:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/blog\/?p=4160"},"modified":"2019-03-16T11:31:28","modified_gmt":"2019-03-16T18:31:28","slug":"write-death-penalty-essay-smart-way","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/write-death-penalty-essay-smart-way\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Write a Death Penalty Essay the Smart Way"},"content":{"rendered":"

For those of you who aren\u2019t exactly fans of essay writing, standing in front of a firing squad might seem like a better option than having to write another essay about the death penalty.<\/p>\n

I hear ya. This is a long-debated topic and one that can be challenging to write about because it can seem like there\u2019s nothing new to say.<\/p>\n

But if you do<\/strong> decide to write about the death penalty, or if your professor has already decided that for you, here\u2019s how to write a death penalty essay the smart way.<\/p>\n

But First … The Not-So-Smart Way<\/i> of Writing a Death Penalty Essay<\/h2>\n

Avoid these ineffective<\/i> writing strategies that will waste your time and likely earn you a poor grade.<\/p>\n

Cliches<\/h3>\n

Cliches are tired, old expressions<\/a> that are overused and don\u2019t add anything new or original to your writing.<\/p>\n

For example, if you\u2019re arguing in favor<\/i> of the death penalty, don\u2019t simply state that someone should be executed because that person took a life. In other words, don\u2019t argue \u201can eye for an eye.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re arguing against <\/i>the death penalty, on the other hand, don\u2019t say \u201ctwo wrongs don\u2019t make a right\u201d or \u201cyou can\u2019t stop violence with more violence.\u201d<\/p>\n

These expressions aren\u2019t actual evidence. They just take up space and weaken your credibility because readers will think you don\u2019t have any specific evidence to support your arguments.<\/p>\n\t

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Stuck on Your Death Penalty Essay?<\/div>\n\t\t\t
Check Out These Example Death Penalty Essays<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tYes! Show Me Examples. <\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n

Arguments based solely on religion<\/h3>\n

Unless you\u2019re in a religious studies course or you\u2019re specifically assigned to write about the death penalty from a religious point of view, you should generally steer clear of faith-based arguments.<\/p>\n

Most professors want to see statistical, research-based evidence from scholarly sources rather than evidence from religious texts.<\/p>\n

Biased language<\/h3>\n

The death penalty is an emotionally charged topic, and we all have our own opinions about whether it should be legal. Your goal is not<\/i> to present an angry rant about the legalities of capital punishment.<\/p>\n

Remember, you\u2019re writing an academic essay. Pay attention to the tone of your writing<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Okay, so that\u2019s what you shouldn\u2019t <\/i>do. Time to move on to what you should<\/i> do.<\/p>\n

How to Write a Death Penalty Essay the Smart Way<\/h2>\n

Step #1: Know the basics about your assignment<\/h3>\n

Before you begin, make sure you understand your assignment<\/a>. Are you supposed to write an opinion essay, an argument essay<\/a>, a pros and cons essay<\/a>, or some other type of paper?<\/p>\n

Do you need to use sources, and if so, what types of sources are acceptable? Can you use Wikipedia, or do you have to use peer-reviewed journal articles?<\/p>\n

If you need sources, what type of citation style is required? Should you use MLA<\/a> citations or APA<\/a> citations?<\/p>\n

These are all basic components, but they\u2019re important. Getting one of them wrong could turn your A paper into a D paper.<\/p>\n

Think about it. If you\u2019re supposed to write a research-based argument essay using only scholarly sources and you turn in a pros and cons paper citing only websites like Wikipedia, what do you think your grade will be?<\/p>\n

(I\u2019m sure it won\u2019t be the A you were hoping for.)<\/p>\n

Step #2: Decide your focus and thesis<\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re writing about the death penalty, your first thought is probably to write an argument essay about why the death penalty should or should not be legal. This is certainly an appropriate topic and focus (especially if that\u2019s what you have<\/i> to write about). But if you have some leeway, why not choose a more original focus?<\/p>\n

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Liven up your death penalty essay with a more original focus–for example, the appeals process.<\/a><\/div>\n

Click To Tweet<\/a><\/p>\n

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Here are a few suggestions:<\/b><\/p>\n

Informative Death Penalty Essay Ideas <\/b><\/p>\n