Outlining an Ethical Argument

For help with idea progression and development in a Proposal Argument, Ethical Argument, or Cause and Effect Argument assignment, please see these outline examples from “Chapter 11” of The Well-Crafted Argument.

• ProposalArgument

• Ethical Argument

• Cause and Effect Argument

Textbook Reading: Week 4

Chapter 11: 6a

Outlining an Ethical Argument

Many students avoid writing an outline for various reasons; however, the benefits of writing a complete and well-organized outline are significant. Reluctant students should remember that outlines can be revised during the actual drafting of the essay. In addition, time spent on a quality outline will be saved exponentially when drafting the essay itself.

                I.    Introduction

                                                       I.            Hook your audience. (Relate it to the topic and thesis.)

                                                     II.            Identify the principle. (Give background/ context to help your audience. understand clearly the principle that will be used.)

                                                  III.            State your thesis. (Makes a clear ethical argument that is debatable.)

             II.    Several Body Paragraphs (Many prefer for opposing viewpoints to be final body paragraph before the conclusion; however, it can be included in any order in the body of the essay.)

                                                       I.            Topic Sentence: Directly supports the thesis argument and clearly identifies the topic of each individual body paragraph.

                                                     II.            Argument Development: Establish the belief system of the topic being argued in the paragraph.  Focus is on clearly detailing the argument point(s) and then following the writer’s argument with the evidence and then analysis sentences.

                                                  III.            Evidence: Opinions, example(s), fact(s) from correctly cited quotes, paraphrases, and/or summaries that support your main point of the topic sentence. (Must be in terms of the principle that you are using.)

                                                  IV.            Analysis: Your explanation of how the evidence supports the topic sentence/thesis statement. (Avoid using first and second person pronouns in your academic writing.)

                                                     V.            Summative Sentence: Restates the topic sentence in a new way and transitions your ideas from one paragraph to the next. (Use appropriate transitional words and sentences throughout your essay to help you essay flow well for your reader.)

          III.    One or More Body Paragraphs to Discuss Opposing Viewpoints

                                                       I.            Topic Sentence: Introduces opposing viewpoint(s).

                                                     II.            Refutation: Explanation of why you disagree. (Avoid first and second person pronouns.)

                                                  III.            Development: of why you disagree and why your position is better than the opposition.

                                                  IV.            Facts, examples, to support your disagreement—if applicable—of the opposition.

                                                     V.            Summative Sentence: Wraps up the paragraph and refutation of the opposing viewpoint and includes a transition into the conclusion paragraph.

           IV.    Conclusion Paragraph

                                                       I.            Restates your thesis claim in a new way.

                                                     II.            Summarizes main points of your body paragraphs.

                                                  III.            Leaves reader with final thought and/or call to action.

The outline above has been modified from the content in “Chapter 11: The Elements of Argument (Section 11-6: Ethical Argument)” of LUC: White & Billings, The Well-Crafted Argument (2018). 

Additional information for the clearest outline and essay possible has been added to the original outline sample from that textbook.  Please follow the outline layout above for the Ethical Argument Outline assignment in this ENGL101 course.

© J. Lynn H. Dick, 2019 For Educational Purposes Only JDick13@liberty.edu