Mar 3, 2023 · Ethics Essay Thesis Statement. An ethics paper must contain a thesis statement in the first paragraph. Learning how to write a thesis statement for an ethics paper is necessary as readers often look at it to gauge whether the essay is worth their time. When you deviate away from the thesis, your whole paper loses meaning. ... Aug 4, 2024 · When writing the body of an ethics paper or essay, students should use a thesis statement as a reference point. In other words, they should use a thesis statement to come up with several ideas or arguments in defense of their stand on an assigned ethical or moral issue identified in the introduction part (Deaton, 2019). ... May 16, 2023 · To write an ethics paper, start by researching the issue you want to write about and evaluating your sources for potential bias and trustworthiness. Next, develop a thesis statement that takes a specific stand on the issue and create an outline that includes the key arguments. ... 1. Addressing counterarguments strengthens your thesis. Unlike in math or logic, in most humanistic and social science writing it is impossible to prove cat-egorically the truth of a thesis — the data or texts are usually too complex or un-even to allow for such proof. Instead, your thesis will be successful if it is the most ... May 17, 2024 · How to Write an Ethics Essay Step by Step. So far, you have seen what this type of assignment comprises. But how do you write great papers on ethics? This section sheds insights on how to start an ethics paper. Keep reading to sharpen your writing skills. Choose a Relevant Topic First, you should spot a relevant topic that you can debate. ... Aug 17, 2021 · Since ethics is connected to moral concepts and choices, a student needs to have a fair knowledge of philosophy and get ready to answer questions related to relationships, justice, professional and social duties, the origin of good and evil, etc., to write a quality paper. Also, writing an ethics paper implies that a student should process a ... ... ">

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How to Write an Ethics Paper: Guide & Ethical Essay Examples

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An ethics essay is a type of academic writing that explores ethical issues and dilemmas. Students should evaluates them in terms of moral principles and values. The purpose of an ethics essay is to examine the moral implications of a particular issue, and provide a reasoned argument in support of an ethical perspective.

Writing an essay about ethics is a tough task for most students. The process involves creating an outline to guide your arguments about a topic and planning your ideas to convince the reader of your feelings about a difficult issue. If you still need assistance putting together your thoughts in composing a good paper, you have come to the right place. We have provided a series of steps and tips to show how you can achieve success in writing. This guide will tell you how to write an ethics paper using ethical essay examples to understand every step it takes to be proficient. In case you don’t have time for writing, get in touch with our professional essay writers for hire . Our experts work hard to supply students with excellent essays.

What Is an Ethics Essay?

An ethics essay uses moral theories to build arguments on an issue. You describe a controversial problem and examine it to determine how it affects individuals or society. Ethics papers analyze arguments on both sides of a possible dilemma, focusing on right and wrong. The analysis gained can be used to solve real-life cases. Before embarking on writing an ethical essay, keep in mind that most individuals follow moral principles. From a social context perspective, these rules define how a human behaves or acts towards another. Therefore, your theme essay on ethics needs to demonstrate how a person feels about these moral principles. More specifically, your task is to show how significant that issue is and discuss if you value or discredit it.

Purpose of an Essay on Ethics

The primary purpose of an ethics essay is to initiate an argument on a moral issue using reasoning and critical evidence. Instead of providing general information about a problem, you present solid arguments about how you view the moral concern and how it affects you or society. When writing an ethical paper, you demonstrate philosophical competence, using appropriate moral perspectives and principles.

Things to Write an Essay About Ethics On

Before you start to write ethics essays, consider a topic you can easily address. In most cases, an ethical issues essay analyzes right and wrong. This includes discussing ethics and morals and how they contribute to the right behaviors. You can also talk about work ethic, code of conduct, and how employees promote or disregard the need for change. However, you can explore other areas by asking yourself what ethics mean to you. Think about how a recent game you watched with friends started a controversial argument. Or maybe a newspaper that highlighted a story you felt was misunderstood or blown out of proportion. This way, you can come up with an excellent topic that resonates with your personal ethics and beliefs.

Ethics Paper Outline

Sometimes, you will be asked to submit an outline before writing an ethics paper. Creating an outline for an ethics paper is an essential step in creating a good essay. You can use it to arrange your points and supporting evidence before writing. It also helps organize your thoughts, enabling you to fill any gaps in your ideas. The outline for an essay should contain short and numbered sentences to cover the format and outline. Each section is structured to enable you to plan your work and include all sources in writing an ethics paper. An ethics essay outline is as follows:

  • Background information
  • Thesis statement
  • Restate thesis statement
  • Summarize key points
  • Final thoughts on the topic

Using this outline will improve clarity and focus throughout your writing process.

Ethical Essay Structure

Ethics essays are similar to other essays based on their format, outline, and structure. An ethical essay should have a well-defined introduction, body, and conclusion section as its structure. When planning your ideas, make sure that the introduction and conclusion are around 20 percent of the paper, leaving the rest to the body. We will take a detailed look at what each part entails and give examples that are going to help you understand them better.  Refer to our essay structure examples to find a fitting way of organizing your writing.

Ethics Paper Introduction

An ethics essay introduction gives a synopsis of your main argument. One step on how to write an introduction for an ethics paper is telling about the topic and describing its background information. This paragraph should be brief and straight to the point. It informs readers what your position is on that issue. Start with an essay hook to generate interest from your audience. It can be a question you will address or a misunderstanding that leads up to your main argument. You can also add more perspectives to be discussed; this will inform readers on what to expect in the paper.

Ethics Essay Introduction Example

You can find many ethics essay introduction examples on the internet. In this guide, we have written an excellent extract to demonstrate how it should be structured. As you read, examine how it begins with a hook and then provides background information on an issue. 

Imagine living in a world where people only lie, and honesty is becoming a scarce commodity. Indeed, modern society is facing this reality as truth and deception can no longer be separated. Technology has facilitated a quick transmission of voluminous information, whereas it's hard separating facts from opinions.

In this example, the first sentence of the introduction makes a claim or uses a question to hook the reader.

Ethics Essay Thesis Statement

An ethics paper must contain a thesis statement in the first paragraph. Learning how to write a thesis statement for an ethics paper is necessary as readers often look at it to gauge whether the essay is worth their time.

When you deviate away from the thesis, your whole paper loses meaning. In ethics essays, your thesis statement is a roadmap in writing, stressing your position on the problem and giving reasons for taking that stance. It should focus on a specific element of the issue being discussed. When writing a thesis statement, ensure that you can easily make arguments for or against its stance.

Ethical Paper Thesis Example

Look at this example of an ethics paper thesis statement and examine how well it has been written to state a position and provide reasons for doing so:

The moral implications of dishonesty are far-reaching as they undermine trust, integrity, and other foundations of society, damaging personal and professional relationships. 

The above thesis statement example is clear and concise, indicating that this paper will highlight the effects of dishonesty in society. Moreover, it focuses on aspects of personal and professional relationships.

Ethics Essay Body

The body section is the heart of an ethics paper as it presents the author's main points. In an ethical essay, each body paragraph has several elements that should explain your main idea. These include:

  • A topic sentence that is precise and reiterates your stance on the issue.
  • Evidence supporting it.
  • Examples that illustrate your argument.
  • A thorough analysis showing how the evidence and examples relate to that issue.
  • A transition sentence that connects one paragraph to another with the help of essay transitions .

When you write an ethics essay, adding relevant examples strengthens your main point and makes it easy for others to understand and comprehend your argument. 

Body Paragraph for Ethics Paper Example

A good body paragraph must have a well-defined topic sentence that makes a claim and includes evidence and examples to support it. Look at part of an example of ethics essay body paragraph below and see how its idea has been developed:

Honesty is an essential component of professional integrity. In many fields, trust and credibility are crucial for professionals to build relationships and success. For example, a doctor who is dishonest about a potential side effect of a medication is not only acting unethically but also putting the health and well-being of their patients at risk. Similarly, a dishonest businessman could achieve short-term benefits but will lose their client’s trust.

Ethics Essay Conclusion

A concluding paragraph shares the summary and overview of the author's main arguments. Many students need clarification on what should be included in the essay conclusion and how best to get a reader's attention. When writing an ethics paper conclusion, consider the following:

  • Restate the thesis statement to emphasize your position.
  • Summarize its main points and evidence.
  • Final thoughts on the issue and any other considerations.

You can also reflect on the topic or acknowledge any possible challenges or questions that have not been answered. A closing statement should present a call to action on the problem based on your position.

Sample Ethics Paper Conclusion

The conclusion paragraph restates the thesis statement and summarizes the arguments presented in that paper. The sample conclusion for an ethical essay example below demonstrates how you should write a concluding statement.  

In conclusion, the implications of dishonesty and the importance of honesty in our lives cannot be overstated. Honesty builds solid relationships, effective communication, and better decision-making. This essay has explored how dishonesty impacts people and that we should value honesty. We hope this essay will help readers assess their behavior and work towards being more honest in their lives.

In the above extract, the writer gives final thoughts on the topic, urging readers to adopt honest behavior.

How to Write an Ethics Paper?

As you learn how to write an ethics essay, it is not advised to immediately choose a topic and begin writing. When you follow this method, you will get stuck or fail to present concrete ideas. A good writer understands the importance of planning. As a fact, you should organize your work and ensure it captures key elements that shed more light on your arguments. Hence, following the essay structure and creating an outline to guide your writing process is the best approach. In the following segment, we have highlighted step-by-step techniques on how to write a good ethics paper.

1. Pick a Topic

Before writing ethical papers, brainstorm to find ideal topics that can be easily debated. For starters, make a list, then select a title that presents a moral issue that may be explained and addressed from opposing sides. Make sure you choose one that interests you. Here are a few ideas to help you search for topics:

  • Review current trends affecting people.
  • Think about your personal experiences.
  • Study different moral theories and principles.
  • Examine classical moral dilemmas.

Once you find a suitable topic and are ready, start to write your ethics essay, conduct preliminary research, and ascertain that there are enough sources to support it.

2. Conduct In-Depth Research

Once you choose a topic for your essay, the next step is gathering sufficient information about it. Conducting in-depth research entails looking through scholarly journals to find credible material. Ensure you note down all sources you found helpful to assist you on how to write your ethics paper. Use the following steps to help you conduct your research:

  • Clearly state and define a problem you want to discuss.
  • This will guide your research process.
  • Develop keywords that match the topic.
  • Begin searching from a wide perspective. This will allow you to collect more information, then narrow it down by using the identified words above.

3. Develop an Ethics Essay Outline

An outline will ease up your writing process when developing an ethic essay. As you develop a paper on ethics, jot down factual ideas that will build your paragraphs for each section. Include the following steps in your process:

  • Review the topic and information gathered to write a thesis statement.
  • Identify the main arguments you want to discuss and include their evidence.
  • Group them into sections, each presenting a new idea that supports the thesis.
  • Write an outline.
  • Review and refine it.

Examples can also be included to support your main arguments. The structure should be sequential, coherent, and with a good flow from beginning to end. When you follow all steps, you can create an engaging and organized outline that will help you write a good essay.

4. Write an Ethics Essay

Once you have selected a topic, conducted research, and outlined your main points, you can begin writing an essay . Ensure you adhere to the ethics paper format you have chosen. Start an ethics paper with an overview of your topic to capture the readers' attention. Build upon your paper by avoiding ambiguous arguments and using the outline to help you write your essay on ethics. Finish the introduction paragraph with a thesis statement that explains your main position.  Expand on your thesis statement in all essay paragraphs. Each paragraph should start with a topic sentence and provide evidence plus an example to solidify your argument, strengthen the main point, and let readers see the reasoning behind your stance. Finally, conclude the essay by restating your thesis statement and summarizing all key ideas. Your conclusion should engage the reader, posing questions or urging them to reflect on the issue and how it will impact them.

5. Proofread Your Ethics Essay

Proofreading your essay is the last step as you countercheck any grammatical or structural errors in your essay. When writing your ethic paper, typical mistakes you could encounter include the following:

  • Spelling errors: e.g., there, they’re, their.
  • Homophone words: such as new vs. knew.
  • Inconsistencies: like mixing British and American words, e.g., color vs. color.
  • Formatting issues: e.g., double spacing, different font types.

While proofreading your ethical issue essay, read it aloud to detect lexical errors or ambiguous phrases that distort its meaning. Verify your information and ensure it is relevant and up-to-date. You can ask your fellow student to read the essay and give feedback on its structure and quality.

Ethics Essay Examples

Writing an essay is challenging without the right steps. There are so many ethics paper examples on the internet, however, we have provided a list of free ethics essay examples below that are well-structured and have a solid argument to help you write your paper. Click on them and see how each writing step has been integrated. Ethics essay example 1

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Ethics essay example 2

Ethics essay example 3

Ethics essay example 4

College ethics essay example 5

Ethics Essay Writing Tips

When writing papers on ethics, here are several tips to help you complete an excellent essay:

  • Choose a narrow topic and avoid broad subjects, as it is easy to cover the topic in detail.
  • Ensure you have background information. A good understanding of a topic can make it easy to apply all necessary moral theories and principles in writing your paper.
  • State your position clearly. It is important to be sure about your stance as it will allow you to draft your arguments accordingly.
  • When writing ethics essays, be mindful of your audience. Provide arguments that they can understand.
  • Integrate solid examples into your essay. Morality can be hard to understand; therefore, using them will help a reader grasp these concepts.

Bottom Line on Writing an Ethics Paper

Creating this essay is a common exercise in academics that allows students to build critical skills. When you begin writing, state your stance on an issue and provide arguments to support your position. This guide gives information on how to write an ethics essay as well as examples of ethics papers. Remember to follow these points in your writing:

  • Create an outline highlighting your main points.
  • Write an effective introduction and provide background information on an issue.
  • Include a thesis statement.
  • Develop concrete arguments and their counterarguments, and use examples.
  • Sum up all your key points in your conclusion and restate your thesis statement.

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How to Write an Ethics Paper or Essay With Tips and Examples

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  • Icon Calendar 4 August 2024
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An ethics essay is one type of essays that students write to present their ideas about what is good or bad, right or wrong, white or black, and approved or prohibited in terms of various theories, approaches, techniques, practices, actions, behaviors, responsibilities, morals, results, obligations, virtues, and others, developing essential writing skills. When writing an ethics paper, students should understand that such an essay differs from other assignments, and it focuses on elaborating on issues with ethical or moral implications in philosophy. Basically, this elaboration entails writers arguing for a stand on an ethical or moral issue. Moreover, when writing such a composition, students should follow a basic essay structure: introduction-body-conclusion. In each of these sections, learners should capture critical elements, such as a thesis statement in the introduction part, topic sentences in body paragraphs, and a thesis restatement in the conclusion part. Hence, students need to learn how to write a good ethics paper or essay to demonstrate their knowledge of philosophy by using ethical and moral sides of an issue.

General Aspects

Academic writing is a broad discipline that exposes students to critical skills, including interpretation, explanation, reflection, and analysis of many essay topics. Basically, essay writing is one of the academic exercises that enable students to build these skills. One of the essay types that students write is a research paper on ethics. In this case, writers begin a research paper about ethics by introducing an assigned topic, explaining its significance, and presenting a clear thesis statement. When writing ethics essays in philosophy, students address issues related to morality, such as aspects of right and wrong or good and bad. Then, such concepts of ethics and morals underlie the importance of the right behaviors. In various settings, such as workplaces, humans establish codes of ethics and conduct to guide behavior. Therefore, when writing such compositions, a student’s focus is on how humans embrace or disregard good morals in society.

What Is an Ethics Paper and Its Purpose

According to its definition, an ethics paper is a written work that examines moral issues, ethical dilemmas, and contradicting cases, exploring questions of right and wrong. The primary purpose of writing an ethics paper is to examine and analyze various ethical theories, apply them to real-life situations, and present well-reasoned arguments to support a specific viewpoint on an author (Baron et al., 2014). Through this process, such a work aims to stimulate critical thinking and ethical reasoning analysis, helping people to understand different moral perspectives and refine their own beliefs. By examining the lens of ethical principles and their applications, such essays contribute to academic discourse, guide professional practices, and enhance moral awareness. At the individual level, people learn how to reflect on their values and the implications of their choices (Gorichanaz, 2023). Besides, an ethics paper typically includes an introduction with a thesis statement, a literature review, arguments and counterarguments, an analysis, and a conclusion. In terms of pages and words, the length of such a work can vary based on specific course requirements, topic’s complexity, guidelines provided by the instructor or institution, and academic levels:

High School

  • Pages: 2-5 pages
  • Words: 500-1250 words

College (Undergraduate)

  • Pages: 5-10 pages
  • Words: 1250-2500 words

University (Advanced Undergraduate or Honors)

  • Pages: 10-15 pages
  • Words: 2500-3750 words

Master’s

  • Pages: 20-30 pages
  • Words: 5000-7500 words
  • Pages: 30-50 pages or more
  • Words: 7500-12,500+ words

How to write an ethics paper or essay

1. Defining Features or Characteristics

Like all other types of papers , an ethics essay has unique features that define it as an academic text. Writing ethics involves explaining and evaluating moral principles, applying them to specific situations, and providing reasoned arguments supported by evidence (Stichler, 2014). To some extent, these features influence an essay structure of a paper. Basically, the first feature is proof of the importance of a topic. In this case, students show this importance by constructing essay topics as challenging issues facing society, hence talking about it. Then, the second characteristic is a thesis statement, and learners in philosophy formulate them to shed light on a topic. Further on, the third feature is arguments that support a thesis, and the fourth characteristic is possible counterarguments. Moreover, the fifth feature is a rebuttal, where writers insist on the strengths of their arguments while acknowledging possible or real counterarguments. In turn, the sixth characteristic is a sum-up of an ethics paper. Here, authors emphasize a thesis statement by justifying arguments in their favor that they provide in a written document. Therefore, to write a professional ethics paper, people clearly define a specific moral issue, use relevant ethical theories, provide reasoned arguments, and cite scholarly sources (Stichler, 2014). In turn, an argument can be considered as an ethical argument if this statement meets certain criteria that distinguish it from other types of claims. Here are key characteristics that make an argument an ethical argument:

  • Moral Principles: The argument is based on moral principles or ethical theories and involves considerations of right and wrong, justice, fairness, duty, virtue, or other good/bad concepts.
  • Normative Statements: Moral claims include normative statements, which prescribe how people ought to act rather than merely describing how they do act.
  • Reasoned Justifications: The statement provides reasoned justifications for its claims, relying on logical reasoning rather than emotional appeals or mere opinions.
  • Universalizability: Philosophical approaches often aim for universalizability, meaning the principles applied in the argument should be applicable to all similar situations, not just the specific case being discussed.
  • Consideration of Stakeholders: The argument takes into account the impact on all relevant stakeholders, considering how the actions or policies will affect different individuals or groups.
  • Ethical Theories and Principles: The claim often references established moral theories and principles, such as utilitarianism (maximizing overall happiness), deontology (duty-based ethics), virtue ethics (focusing on character), or rights-based approaches.
  • Consistency: Strong arguments strive for consistency, ensuring moral principles applied are coherent and do not lead to contradictory conclusions in different situations.
  • Moral Language: The sentence uses moral language, such as “right,” “wrong,” “ought,” “duty,” “rights,” “justice,” “virtue,” and others, to articulate its points.
  • Impartiality: It often requires impartiality, and key decisions should not be biased by personal interests but should consider the perspective of others affected.
  • Ethical Reflection: The claim involves ethical reflection, encouraging critical examination of moral beliefs and assumptions to arrive at a well-reasoned conclusion.

2. How Does an Ethics Paper Differ From Other Essays

There are many types of essays that students write under a discipline of philosophy. Basically, each essay type has unique characteristics, and they distinguish it from other papers. For an ethics essay, these characteristics include addressing a moral issue, using an ethical lens to make arguments regarding a controversial matter, or explaining a dilemma (Jansen & Ellerton, 2018). Ideally, this type of paper focuses on elaborating on ethics and morality. In contrast, a narrative essay focuses on telling the writer’s story, while an informative essay focuses on educating the audience concerning a topic. Moreover, while some papers, like narrative or college application essays, utilize the first-person language, an ethics essay takes a formal approach to a third-person language. As a result, a good ethics paper clearly defines a particular moral problem, applies relevant ethical theories, presents balanced arguments, and provides well-reasoned conclusions.

3. How to Know if Students Need to Write an Ethics Paper or Essay

Generally, before students write some types of papers, they first consider the department or tutor’s requirements. Basically, these requirements can provide direct instructions, including a research topic, an essay outline, or a grading rubric (Baron et al., 2014). In this case, the latter helps students to understand the basic expectations of educational departments or tutors. Therefore, when students do not get direct instructions about their ethics topics, they can always know what type of essay they need to write by reading grading essay rubric requirements. For ethics papers, such prompts require students to take a stand on an issue of profound ethical or moral implications, such as fraud. In turn, key elements that tell students that they need to write an ethics paper or essay include providing an ethical argument, elaborating on a moral dilemma, or expounding on ethical and legal implications.

4. How Do Students Know if They Need to Write an Ethics Paper by Looking at an Essay Topic

Students consider the instructions given by departments or tutors when writing essays. Basically, these instructions provide directions on essay topics, and students should address them when writing their papers. When writing an ethics paper, students can know that they need to write this type of essay by looking at the department or tutor’s topic. Moreover, this ethics topic may require people to provide valid arguments concerning a matter, elaborate on a moral dilemma, or state whether an issue is ethical or legal (Deaton, 2019). In turn, a central message of a topic should require students to address an issue via a philosophical lens. As a result, to write an ethical dilemma paper, people describe a specific moral problem, discuss conflicting values, analyze possible solutions using philosophical theories, and conclude with a reasoned decision.

5. The Meaning of an Ethical Argument, Ethical Dilemma, and Ethical v. Legal Implications

Key elements that define an ethics paper include ethical arguments, moral dilemmas, and ethical and legal implications. For example, the term “ethical arguments” refers to a concept of taking a stand on an issue with moral implications and defending it (Baines, 2009). In this case, writers make relevant arguments to support their perspectives on an issue raising moral questions, such as fraud. Then, the term “ethical dilemma” refers to a situation where individuals find themselves whenever they face an issue raising ethical or moral questions, such as bribery (Baines, 2009). Moreover, authors are torn between two options, with one option having severe moral implications. In turn, the term “ethical versus legal implications” refers to a situation where a writer has to decide whether an issue, such as bribery, needs ethical or legal redress (Baines, 2009). Hence, ethical dilemmas mean the complexity of making moral decisions and require a balance between conflicting values and principles, while some examples of them are:

Examples of Ethical & Moral Themes

  • Ethical Dimensions of Artificial Intelligence: Concerns and Potential Solutions
  • The Ethics and Legality of Child Adoption
  • The Pros and Cons of Taking Vitamin Supplements
  • Plastic Surgery and the Pursuit of Beauty
  • Human Cloning: Is It Ethical?
  • Death Penalty: Key Pros and Cons
  • Abortion as an Intervention Against Teen Pregnancy
  • Is Voting a Moral or Legal Duty?
  • Does Driving an Electric Car Indicate Responsible Citizenship?
  • Social Media Use and Privacy
  • Should Schools Enact Anti-Bullying Policies?
  • Does Social Media Use Enhance or Undermine Socialization?
  • Combating Music Piracy: Should Governments Get Involved?
  • Organic Foods vs. Processed Foods: Which Is Healthier?
  • Global Warming and the Extinction of Animal and Plant Species
  • Should Politics and Church Separate?
  • Is It Justified to Bribe to Avoid a Legal Penalty?
  • Should Nurses Be Allowed to Assist Terminally Ill Patients to End Their Lives?
  • Corporate Fraud: Who Should Take Responsibility?
  • Is Corporate Social Responsibility a Humanitarian or Commercial Concept?

Ethics Paper Format

Note: This ethics paper format is general, while some sections can be added, deleted, or combined with each other depending on the scope, requirements, instructions, and purpose.

Ethics Paper Outline

Like any other essay, an ethics paper follows a specific structure that underscores its outline. Basically, this structure comprises three sections: introduction, body, and conclusion. When writing these sections, students must ensure they address all the essential defining features stated previously in their ethics essays or papers. When doing so, writers should confirm that the introduction and conclusion sections take 10 percent of the total word count of an ethics paper or essay, while the body, which is the main text, should be 80 percent. Hence, an essay outline of an ethics paper should look as below:

I. Introduction

A. Hook sentence. B. Background information on an ethical dilemma. C. Writer’s claim – A thesis statement covering a moral part.

II. Body Paragraphs

A. Argument

  • state a position of an argument;
  • support this position with evidence;
  • explain how this evidence is right toward this argument and evidence;
  • conclude why this argument is valid.

B. Counterargument

  • provide a counterargument to a position in the first body paragraph;
  • include evidence that supports this counterargument, being opposite to an argument in the previous section;
  • explain how this counterargument and evidence in this paragraph are correct by using an opposite perspective;
  • finish why this counterargument is valid for this case.

C. Rebuttal

  • define the weaknesses of a counterargument;
  • cover credible evidence that supports such weaknesses;
  • write how these weaknesses make a counterargument irrelevant;
  • end with a statement that explains why a counterargument is not valid compared to an argument.

III. Conclusion

A. Restate a thesis. B. Sum up on the argument, counterargument, and rebuttal. C. State a paper’s final claim with a moral lesson.

Explaining Each Section of an Ethics Paper Structure

When writing the introduction section, authors of an ethics paper should be brief and concise. Here, students should inform the audience about the purpose of writing by accurately expounding on an ethical issue they intend to address (Baron et al., 2014). In essence, this aspect means highlighting their stand concerning an issue. Moreover, formulating a thesis statement helps to accomplish this goal. In this case, writers frame their minds and structure their compositions via the use of arguments, and they defend their stand on an issue of profound moral implications. Notably, when writing the introduction part, which signals the start of an ethical paper or essay, learners should begin with a hook to grab the readers’ attention. This sentence can be a popular misconception or a question that writers intend to answer when writing an ethics paper or essay. In turn, the next examples of starters can help writers to begin their ethical analysis and set the stage for a thorough exploration of the topic:

  • Moral implications of [issue] are complex and involve different considerations, such as … .
  • One of the most pressing ethical questions surrounding [issue] is whether … .
  • From the perspective of deontological ethics, [action] can be viewed as … .
  • A utilitarian approach to [issue] would suggest … .
  • The principle of autonomy plays a crucial role in the debate over [issue], as it emphasizes … .
  • In considering the ethical dimensions of [issue], it is important to weigh the potential benefits against … .
  • The controversy over [issue] highlights the tension between [value 1] and [value 2] … .
  • Philosophical lenses, such as [theory 1], [theory 2], and [theory 3] provide a framework for understanding [issue] by focusing on … .
  • The debate over [issue] raises significant moral concerns, including … .
  • Examining [issue] through the lens of [ethical theory] reveals … .

II. Body Section

When writing the body of an ethics paper or essay, students should use a thesis statement as a reference point. In other words, they should use a thesis statement to come up with several ideas or arguments in defense of their stand on an assigned ethical or moral issue identified in the introduction part (Deaton, 2019). Basically, rules of academic writing dictate that students should begin each body paragraph with a topic sentence, whose purpose is to introduce a claim or idea they intend to elaborate on in the section. Then, it is advisable that, when writing the body section, learners should use different paragraphs to separate arguments logically. Moreover, students should follow a sandwich rule when writing every body paragraph of an ethics paper or essay. In turn, such a paragraph structure means providing a claim, supporting it with evidence, explaining its relevance to the paper’s thesis, and ending with a transition sentence to be connected with the next paragraph logically.

The conclusion part is the last section of an ethics paper. In particular, an ethics essay should capture several themes in this section. Firstly, writers should restate a thesis statement. Secondly, they should summarize the main points made in body paragraphs. Further on, this aspect means summarizing the writer’s arguments for their stands toward an issue with moral implications (Baines, 2009). In turn, authors should reiterate the paper’s topic and state why it was essential to address an ethical or moral issue. Besides, students need to avoid providing new information in this section.

Example of an Ethics Paper

Topic – Euthanasia: Is It Ethical?

I. Introduction Sample

Terminal illness is a condition of profound pain and suffering for those affected, including the patients and their families. Today, some scientists support euthanasia, the aspect of assisting terminally ill patients in ending their lives. While health professionals should do everything to help their patients to avoid suffering, assisting them in ending their lives is unethical and immoral.

II. Examples of Body Paragraphs

Life is a sacred thing, and no human being has any justification for ending it, regardless of whose it is. For example, the premise of a debate about euthanasia, which refers to assisted suicide, is the prevalence of terminal illnesses that subject individuals to a life of pain, suffering, and dependence. Without any hope of recovery, some individuals have opted to end their lives with the help of their loved ones or health professionals. While there is every reason to empathize with these individuals’ fate, there is no basis for supporting their desire to end their lives. In turn, the sanctity of life does not allow human beings to end life, no matter the circumstances.

If there seems to be no hope of recovery, ending life is counterproductive in an age of significant scientific and technological advancements. Basically, scientists are working round the clock to find cures for incurable diseases that have proven to be a threat to humanity. For example, today, smallpox is no longer a threat because a cure is found (Persson, 2010). Therefore, the fact that there may be no cure for a disease today does not mean that there will not be a cure tomorrow. Naturally, human beings rely on hope to overcome moments of darkness, such as a terminal illness diagnosis. Nonetheless, it is the effort of the scientific community that has always brought hope to humanity. In this light, there is no ethical or moral justification for euthanasia.

Euthanasia is not only a solution to terminal illness but also a sign of hopelessness and despair. When patients take the root of assisted suicide, it means that they give up on looking for alternatives in dealing with a problem. In this case, the fact that a terminal illness does not have a cure does not imply that it cannot be managed. Moreover, individuals who love a terminally ill person, such as family members and friends, hope to spend more time with them before an inevitable time happens. As such, terminally ill patients should use their families and health professionals to live longer. In essence, this aspect reflects true humanity – standing firm and determining amid of insurmountable odds. On that truth alone, euthanasia is an idea that deserves no thought or attention.

III. Conclusion Sample

There is nothing more devastating than a terminal illness diagnosis. Basically, such news punctures the hope of many individuals, families, and communities. Nonetheless, patients should not lose hope and despair to the point of wanting to end their lives because of being diagnosed with a terminal illness. Because life is sacred and there is always a higher probability of medical breakthroughs in an age of scientific and technological advancement, euthanasia is an unethical and immoral solution to a terminal illness.

Persson, S. (2010). Smallpox, syphilis, and salvation: Medical breakthroughs that changed the world . East Gosford, New South Wales: Exisle Publishing.

Essay writing is an essential academic exercise that enables students to develop writing skills. When writing an ethics paper or essay, students focus on taking a stand on an issue with ethical or moral implications. In this case, writers create a thesis statement that expresses their perspective on a moral issue, which can be an ethical dilemma. In the main text, authors provide arguments that defend their thesis statements. Hence, when writing an ethics paper or essay, students should master the following tips:

  • Develop the introduction-body-conclusion paper outline.
  • Introduce an assigned topic briefly and concisely in the introduction section.
  • Write a strong thesis statement covering a moral problem.
  • Use separate body paragraphs to introduce and defend arguments.
  • Ensure to provide a counterargument and a rebuttal.
  • Restate a central thesis statement in the conclusion section, including a summary of the main points (arguments that defend the paper’s thesis).

Baines, B. K. (2009). Ethical wills: Putting your values on paper . Da Capo Press.

Baron, P., Poxon, B., & Jones, L. (2014). How to write ethics and philosophy essays . PushMe Press.

Deaton, M. (2019). Ethics in a nutshell: The philosopher’s approach to morality in 100 pages . Notaed Press.

Gorichanaz, T. (2023). A compass for what matters: Applying virtue ethics to information behavior. Open Information Science , 7 (1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1515/opis-2022-0151

Jansen, M., & Ellerton, P. (2018). How to read an ethics paper. Journal of Medical Ethics , 44 (12), 810–813. https://doi.org/10.1136/medethics-2018-104997

Stichler, J. F. (2014). The ethics of research, writing, and publication. HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal , 8 (1), 15–19. https://doi.org/10.1177/193758671400800103

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How to Write an Ethics Paper

Last Updated: May 16, 2023 Approved

This article was co-authored by Emily Listmann, MA . Emily Listmann is a Private Tutor and Life Coach in Santa Cruz, California. In 2018, she founded Mindful & Well, a natural healing and wellness coaching service. She has worked as a Social Studies Teacher, Curriculum Coordinator, and an SAT Prep Teacher. She received her MA in Education from the Stanford Graduate School of Education in 2014. Emily also received her Wellness Coach Certificate from Cornell University and completed the Mindfulness Training by Mindful Schools. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 100% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 255,056 times.

Writing an ethics paper can present some unique challenges. For the most part, the paper will be written like any other essay or research paper, but there are some key differences. An ethics paper will generally require you to argue for a specific position rather than simply present an overview of an issue. Arguing this position will also involve presenting counterarguments and then refuting them. Finally, ensuring that your reasoning is valid and sound and citing the appropriate sources will allow you to write an ethics paper that will satisfy any critic.

Getting Started

Step 1 Make sure that you understand the assignment.

  • What is the main objective of the assignment?
  • What specific things do you need to do in order to get a good grade?
  • How much time will you need to complete the assignment?

Step 2 Choose a topic for your ethics paper.

  • For example, you might begin with a topic of "ethical problems of euthanasia." This is very broad, and so forms a good starting point.

Step 3 Narrow down your topic.

  • Remember, you may refine your topic even further after you have begun writing your paper. This is perfectly acceptable, and is part of the advantage of writing a paper in multiple drafts.

Step 4 Outline the relevant issues to your topic.

  • For example, you might include issues such as: "describing specifically what is meant by 'extreme, constant pain.' "Other issues might include, "the rights and responsibilities of physicians regarding euthanasia," and "voluntary versus involuntary euthanasia."
  • After making this list, group or order them in some way. For example, you might imagine yourself taking the position that euthanasia is acceptable in this circumstance, and you could order the issues based on how you would draw supporting evidence and build your claim.

Developing Your Thesis Statement

Step 1 Draft your thesis statement.

  • In your thesis, you should take a specific stand on the ethical issue. For example, you might write your thesis as follows: "Euthanasia is an immoral option even when patients are in constant, extreme pain."

Step 2 Remove ambiguous language to clarify your exact position.

  • For example, this thesis statement is ambiguous: "Patients should not undergo euthanasia even when suffering constant, extreme pain." With how it's worded, it's unclear whether you mean that euthanasia should be outlawed or that it is morally wrong.
  • Clarify your position to create a strong thesis: "Euthanasia is an immoral option even when patients are in constant, extreme pain."

Step 3 Make sure the focus of your thesis aligns with your intended focus for the paper.

  • For example, in the thesis, "It is immoral for patients to choose euthanasia even when suffering constant, extreme pain," the moral burden is on the patient's actions. The author of this thesis would need to make sure to focus on the patient in the essay and not to focus on the moral implications of the doctor's actions.
  • If the thesis you have written does not reflect what you want to argue in your paper, start over and draft a new thesis statement.

Conducting Research

Step 1 Select sources to research before writing your ethics paper.

  • Ask a librarian for help finding sources if you are not sure how to access your library’s databases.
  • A simple way to strengthen your argument through citations is by incorporating some relevant statistics. Simple statistics can have a major impact if presented after you've made a bold assertion. For instance, you may claim that the patient's family members would be unduly traumatized if the patient chose euthanasia, and then cite a university study that catalogued a majority of families reporting trauma or stress in this situation.
  • Another helpful citation is one in which the broad issue itself is discussed. For instance, you might cite a prominent ethicist's position on your issue to strengthen your position.

Step 2 Evaluate your sources.

  • The author and his or her credentials. Does the source provide the author’s first and last name and credentials (M.D., Ph.D, etc.)? Steer clear of sources without an author attached to them or that lack credentials when credentials seem crucial, such as in an article about a medical subject. [3] X Research source
  • Type of publication. Is the publication a book, journal, magazine, or website? Is the publisher an academic or educational institution? Does the publisher have a motive other than education? Who is the intended audience? Ask yourself these questions to determine if this source is reliable. For example, a university or government website might be reliable, but a site that sells items may be biased toward what they're selling.
  • Citations. How well has the author researched his or her topic? Check the author’s bibliography or works cited page. If the author has not provided any sources, then you may want to look for a different source. [4] X Research source
  • Bias. Has the author presented an objective, well-reasoned account of the topic? If the sources seems skewed towards one side of the argument, then it may not be a good choice. [5] X Research source
  • Publication date. Does this source present the most up to date information on the subject? If the sources is outdated, then try to find something more recent. [6] X Research source

Step 3 Read your research.

  • To check for comprehension after reading a source, try to summarize the source in your own words and generate a response to the author’s main argument. If you cannot do one or both of these things, then you may need to read the source again.
  • Creating notecards for your sources may also help you to organize your ideas. Write the citation for the source on the top of the notecard, then write a brief summary and response to the article in the lined area of the notecard. [7] X Research source

Step 4 Annotate...

  • Remember to indicate when you have quoted a source in your notes by putting it into quotation marks and including information about the source such as the author’s name, article or book title, and page number. [8] X Research source

Writing and Revising Your Ethics Paper

Step 1 Work from your outline.

  • To expand on your outline, write a couple of sentences describing and/or explaining each of the items in your outline. Include a relevant source for each item as well.

Step 2 Make sure that you include all of the key parts of an ethics paper.

  • Check your outline to see if you have covered each of these items in this order. If not, you will need to add a section and use your sources to help inform that section.

Step 3 Plan to write your ethics paper using several drafts.

  • In your first draft, focus on the quality of the argument, rather than the quality of the prose. If the argument is structured well and each conclusion is supported by your reasoning and by cited evidence, you will be able to focus on the writing itself on the second draft.
  • Unless major revisions are needed to your argument (for example, if you have decided to change your thesis statement), use the second draft to strengthen your writing. Focus on sentence lengths and structures, vocabulary, and other aspects of the prose itself.

Step 4 Give yourself a break before revising.

  • Try to allow yourself a few days or even a week to revise your paper before it is due. If you do not allow yourself enough time to revise, then you will be more prone to making simple mistakes and your grade may suffer as a result. [10] X Research source

Step 5 Consider your paper from multiple angles as your revise.

  • Does my paper fulfill the requirements of the assignment? How might it score according to the rubric provided by my instructor?
  • What is your main point? How might you clarify your main point?
  • Who is your audience? Have you considered their needs and expectations?
  • What is your purpose? Have you accomplished your purpose with this paper?
  • How effective is your evidence? How might your strengthen your evidence?
  • Does every part of your paper relate back to your thesis? How might you improve these connections?
  • Is anything confusing about your language or organization? How might your clarify your language or organization?
  • Have you made any errors with grammar, punctuation, or spelling? How can you correct these errors?
  • What might someone who disagrees with you say about your paper? How can you address these opposing arguments in your paper? [11] X Research source

Step 6 Read printed version of your final draft out loud.

  • As you read your paper out loud, highlight or circle any errors and revise as necessary before printing your final copy.

Community Q&A

Community Answer

  • If at all possible, have someone else read through your paper before submitting it. They can provide valuable feedback on style as well as catching grammatical errors. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 1

how to write a thesis for an ethics paper

Things You'll Need

  • Word-processing software
  • Access to your library’s databases
  • Pencil and highlighter

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  • ↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/688/1/
  • ↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/553/03/
  • ↑ http://guides.jwcc.edu/content.php?pid=65900&sid=538553
  • ↑ http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice/reading-and-researching/notes-from-research
  • ↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/658/05/
  • ↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/561/05/

About This Article

Emily Listmann, MA

To write an ethics paper, start by researching the issue you want to write about and evaluating your sources for potential bias and trustworthiness. Next, develop a thesis statement that takes a specific stand on the issue and create an outline that includes the key arguments. As you write, avoid using words like “could” or “might,” which will seem ambiguous to the reader. Once you’ve finished your paper, take a break for a few days so your mind is clear, then go back and revise what you wrote, focusing on the quality of your argument. For tips from our Education reviewer on how to annotate source material as you research, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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how to write a thesis for an ethics paper

Ethical Papers

  • Academic Writing Guides

Your Complete Guide to Writing Perfect Ethical Papers

Every day, people make ethical decisions, and that is why your college journey will expose you to ethics papers . But how do you write a paper on ethics that garners good grades? If you want to improve your skills in this area of assignment, you landed on the right page.

This post shares insights on how to write an ethics paper to the highest levels. We will show you the essential elements of this paper and how to structure this assignment to give your essay a logical flow. Keep reading to master the art of writing an ethics paper that fetches you excellent grades. 

What is an Ethics Essay? 

Let’s define an ethics essay before proceeding to its deeper details. As its name suggests, an ethics paper is a piece of writing that debates two sides of a moral issue or dilemma. This paper focuses on matters of philosophical concern, like the principles of wrong and right. In this paper, you will elaborate on the standards that regulate human behavior.

Morality includes several practices and rules that people conventionally accept and follow. Your paper considers the moral behavior and principles of being a human in a social setting. For instance, many establishments have codes of conduct that regulate how people should behave. 

So, when composing this paper, you must explain the attitudes people hold towards such moral standards. Your work highlights the importance of a particular moral issue and explains whether society accepts or rejects it. 

As a rule, this paper should focus on debating a matter instead of simply overviewing it. Therefore, an ethics assignment shares many features with an argumentative essay because of its debating nature. 

How to Write an Ethics Essay Step by Step

So far, you have seen what this type of assignment comprises. But how do you write great papers on ethics ? This section sheds insights on how to start an ethics paper . Keep reading to sharpen your writing skills.

Choose a Relevant Topic 

First, you should spot a relevant topic that you can debate. This title should resonate well with your audience. When choosing a title, remember that this essay doesn’t essentially describe your viewpoint on a moral issue. Instead, it’s more about discussing arguments and counterarguments. So, your selected topic should have enough supporting details to make it more debatable. 

Outline Your Essay

After choosing your topic, you need to outline your paper to give it a logically flowing structure. This framework allows you to write everything in its right place. It also makes it easy for your readers to follow and understand your ideas. Generally, your structure will take this shape:

  • Prove why your topic is challenging and necessary for consideration.
  • Formulate a good thesis you will defend.
  • Formulate arguments to support your thesis statement.
  • Draft possible counterarguments.
  • Address all the counterarguments by elaborating your thesis statement.
  • Summarize your elaborated thesis statement and define its importance.

Please note that the above is only a guide. So, you might skip some sections if you deem it necessary. You may also choose not to write in chronological order and start from any section you want. 

Draft a Clear Introduction

You need to write a punchy and brief introduction. First, you should tell the reader what your topic seeks to address and the general opinion you’ll cover. Second, describe your paper’s structure because your readers should know the general points you will debate from the onset. Third, remember to include your main arguments but briefly. 

Write Body Paragraphs

So far, you have presented your intro, and your readers know where you are taking them. Now, you should approach your body paragraphs systematically. If you will give several arguments to support your thesis, don’t mix them in one paragraph. This way, your readers will be better placed to consider your arguments clearly. 

Compose a Conclusion

You will need to rephrase your thesis statement to underscore its importance. Also, rehash your main arguments without introducing new information. Your conclusion should point out why the ethical issue you’re discussing is important. Finish your paper by restating your viewpoint and why you think your position is accurate. 

Polish Your Paper

Lastly, go over your first draft to polish it. Your first stage will check it for grammar and styling correctness. You will also edit it to ensure your ideas are flowing logically for easy reader understanding. Lastly, proofread it to remove all spelling mistakes from the original draft and those you might have made during editing. 

Choosing an Ethics-Related Topic

Your essay will be as good or as bad as the quality of ethics paper ideas that you choose. If you manage to find captivating ethics paper titles , you will likely grab readers’ attention and interest from the onset. While they say that people shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, the truth is that everyone does that all the time. Thus, getting it right from the start makes it easy to impress and attract readers even before reading your opening sentence. 

This section contains ideas on how to select relevant and punchy topics for an ethics paper . You will also benefit from sample topics we selected to jumpstart you. 

  • Your selected topic must be relevant to your target audience to attract them. Otherwise, people won’t waste their time reading irrelevant material.
  • Since you are handling moral issues that have interpersonal and generational effects, your topic must have a problem-solving approach to the dilemma at hand.
  • Your selected topic should be helpful and add value to readers’ lives.
  • The topic must be intriguing from the onset to captivate readers’ attention and interest. 
  • Your topic must be informative.
  • The topic should be easy to debate on both sides of the divide (arguments and counterarguments). 
  • Your selected topic must be easy enough to debate and have sufficient materials to support your debate.
  • Lastly, choose a topic that intrigues you so that you don’t write on a boring topic that kills your passion. 

Sample Topics

Here are sample topics to jumpstart your next ethics assignment.

  • Must desperate moments call for desperate measures?
  • Can people overcome envy?
  • Can humans master their ego?
  • Addressing ethical dilemmas in healthcare.
  • The benefits of workplace ethics.
  • How does one’s family background shape their ethical principles?
  • Should we have universal moral codes?
  • Is morality necessary in education?
  • Why is lying wrong?
  • Why must abortion remain criminalized?

Ethics Paper Structure

Your paper on ethics needs a structure to give it a logical flow. Its structure ensures that readers can transition logically between your arguments and counterarguments. An ethics essay will have a simple structure that revolves around the following:

  • Topic’s significance : Discuss a moral issue that challenges society and explain why its better understanding is vital. 
  • A thesis statement : It covers your writing’s main focus and guides your readers throughout the entire assignment. Your thesis is your primary argument around which all the successive ideas will revolve. 
  • Evidence : You’ll need sufficient evidence to support the arguments for a moral dilemma. 
  • Counterarguments : Your counterarguments justify the reasoning behind the thesis statement. 
  • Rebuttal examples : These examples prove your position on an ethical issue. 

Ethics Paper Outline

Outlining your ethics papers is necessary to help you work with a firm framework. An outline for ethics paper allows you to know where to place which idea. It also ensures you don’t forget to include any materials your readers need to understand your paper. An outline also helps you to remain organized, boost clarity of thought, and remain focused throughout the writing process. 

Your outline must contain short and numbered sentences to cover the format. An average outline for this type of paper will take the following shape:

Introduction

  • Background information
  • Thesis statement

Point three

 Conclusion

  • Rephrase your thesis statement
  • Summarize your main ideas 
  • Final thoughts on the topic

Ethics Essay Examples

Nothing boosts your understanding better than a well-done example of an ethics paper . We’ve selected examples from various sections to help you write a better ethics essay .

Introduction 

Can you imagine living in a world where everyone lies, and integrity is fast becoming a foreign luxury that only a small minority can afford? Our generation is definitely in this moral dilemma, where the separating line between lies and truth is erased. This matter is compounded because information technology bombards our minds with excess information, making it hard for people to sift lies from truth.

Body Paragraph 

 Integrity and truth are essential pillars of a good society. In many fields of life, trust and honesty are essential for people to foster meaningful relationships and success. For instance, some doctors who are dishonest about the potential side effects of medications are not only acting unethically but also risking the health and well-being of their patients. Also, dishonest business people could achieve short-term profits by exploiting their customers but eventually lose trust, the very basis that made customers give them business.

 The moral ramifications of dishonesty are far-reaching because they undermine trust and integrity. This erodes societal foundations, damages personal and professional relationships, and produces a cannibal society.  

 The consequences of dishonesty and the benefits of integrity in our daily lives are obvious and undebatable. Integrity fosters solid relationships, candid communication, and improved decision-making. This paper explored how dishonesty negatively affects people and why everyone must value integrity. I hope this paper assists you in assessing your behavior and working towards being a more honest person.

Bottom Line

Writing ethics paper projects allows you to debate the two sides of pressing moral issues affecting society. We’ve tried to shed light on this type of assignment and illustrate our ideas with sample topics and content to inspire you. Use these prompts to make your ethics papers better every time.

How To Write An Expository Essay

  • Essay Writing Guides

Cause and Effect Essay Outline

Writing Ethical Papers: Top Tips to Ace Your Assignment

17 August, 2021

13 minutes read

Author:  Kate Smith

Writing a complex essay paper can be a tough task for any student, especially for those who do not have their skills developed well or do not have enough time for lengthy assignments. At the same time, the majority of college students need to keep their grades high to maintain their right to receive merit-based scholarships and continue their studies the next year. To help you with your ethical papers writing, we created this guide. Below, you will find out what an ethical paper is, how to structure it and write it efficiently. 

Ethical Papers

What is an Ethical Paper?

An ethics paper is a type of an argumentative assignment that deals with a certain ethical problem that a student has to describe and solve. Also, it can be an essay where a certain controversial event or concept is elaborated through an ethical lens (e.g. moral rules and principles), or a certain ethical dilemma is explained. Since ethics is connected to moral concepts and choices, a student needs to have a fair knowledge of philosophy and get ready to answer questions related to relationships, justice, professional and social duties, the origin of good and evil, etc., to write a quality paper. Also, writing an ethics paper implies that a student should process a great amount of information regarding their topic and analyze it according to paper terms.

General Aspects of Writing an Ethics Paper

Understanding the ethical papers’ features.

Every essay has differences and features that make it unique. Writing ethical papers implies that a student will use their knowledge of morality and philosophy to resolve a certain ethical dilemma or solve a situation. It can also be a paper in which a student needs to provide their reasoning on ethical or legal circumstances that follow a social issue. Finally, it can be an assignment in which an ethical concept and its application are described. On the contrary, a history essay deals with events that took place somewhen earlier, while a narrative essay is a paper where students demonstrate their storytelling skills, etc.

Defining What Type of Essay Should Be Written

Most of the time, ethical paper topics imply that a student will write an argumentative essay; however, ethics essays can also be descriptive and expository. Each of these essay types has different guidelines for writing, so be sure you know them before you start writing your papers on ethics. In case you missed this step in your ethical paper preparation stage, you would end up writing a paper that misses many important points.

Studying the Ethical Paper Guidelines

Once you get your ethical paper assignment, look through the guidelines that your instructor provided to you. If you receive them during the class, don’t hesitate to pose any questions immediately to remove any misunderstanding before writing an ethics paper outline, or ask for references that you need to use. When you are about to write your first draft, don’t rush: read the paper instructions once again to make sure you understand what is needed from you.

Paying Attention to the Paper Topic

The next thing you need to pay attention to is the ethical paper topic: once you are given one, make sure it falls into the scope of your educational course. After that, consider what additional knowledge may be needed to elaborate on your topic and think about what courses of your program could be helpful for it. Once you are done, read through your topic again to recheck whether you understand your assignment right.

Understanding the Notions of Ethical Arguments, Ethical and Legal Implications, and Ethical Dilemma

Last but not least, another important factor is that a student has to understand the basic terms of the assignment to write a high-quality paper. Ethical arguments are a set of moral rules that are used to defend your position on an ethical issue stated in your essay topic. We refer to ethical versus legal implications when we think about the compensation for certain ethical dilemma outcomes and whether it should be a moral punishment or legal judgment. An ethical dilemma itself refers to a problem or situation which makes an individual doubt what position to take: e.g, abortion, bribery, corruption, etc.

Writing Outline and Structure of an Ethics Paper

Every essay has a structure that makes it a solid piece of writing with straight reasoning and argumentation, and an ethics paper is not an exclusion. This paper has an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Below, we will describe how each part of ethical papers should be organized and what information they should contain.

First comes the introduction. It is the opening part of your paper which helps a reader to get familiar with your topic and understand what your paper will be about. Therefore, it should contain some information on your ethics paper topics and a thesis statement, which is a central statement of your paper.

The essay body is the most substantive part of your essay where all the reasoning and arguments should be presented. Each paragraph should contain an argument that supports or contradicts your thesis statement and pieces of evidence to support your position. Pick at least three arguments to make your position clear in your essay, and then your paper will be considered well-structured.

The third part of an ethics paper outline is a conclusion, which is a finishing essay part. Its goal is to wrap up the whole essay and make the author’s position clear for the last time. The thoughtful formulation in this essay part should be especially clear and concise to demonstrate the writer’s ability to make conclusions and persuade readers.

Also, don’t forget to include the works cited page after your writing. It should mention all the reference materials that you used in your paper in the order of appearance or in the alphabetical one. This page should be formatted according to the assigned formatting style. Most often, the most frequently used format for ethical papers is APA.

20 Examples of Ethical Paper Topics

  • Are there any issues in the 21st century that we can consider immoral and why?
  • What is corporate ethics?
  • Why is being selfish no longer an issue in 2023?
  • Euthanasia: pros and cons
  • Marijuana legalization: should it be allowed all over the world?
  • Is abortion an ethical issue nowadays?
  • Can we invent a universal religion appropriate for all?
  • Is the church necessary to pray to God?
  • Can we forgive infidelity and should we do it?
  • How to react if you are witnessing high school bullying?
  • What are the ways to respond to a family abusing individual?
  • How to demand your privacy protection in a digital world?
  • The history of the American ethical thought
  • Can war be ethical and what should the conflicting sides do to make it possible?
  • Ethical issues of keeping a zoo in 2023
  • Who is in charge of controlling the world’s population?
  • How to achieve equality in the world’s rich and poor gap?
  • Is science ethical?
  • How ethical is genetic engineering?
  • Why many countries refuse to go back to carrying out the death penalty?

Ethical Papers Examples

If you still have no idea about how to write an ethics paper, looking through other students’ successful examples is always a good idea. Below, you can find a relevant ethics paper example that you can skim through and see how to build your reasoning and argumentation in your own paper.

https://www.currentschoolnews.com/education-news/ethics-essay-examples/

https://sites.psu.edu/academy/2014/11/18/essay-2-personal-ethics-and-decision-making/

Ethical Papers Writing Tips

Choose a topic that falls into the ethics course program.

In case you were not given the ethics paper topic, consider choosing it yourself. To do that, brainstorm the ethical issues that fascinate you enough to do research. List all these issues on a paper sheet and then cross out those that are too broad or require expertise that you don’t have. The next step you need to take is to choose three or four ethical topics for papers from the list and try to do a quick search online to find out whether these topics are elaborated enough to find sources and reference materials on them. Last, choose one topic that you like the most and find the most relevant one in terms of available data for reference.

Do your research

Once the topic is chosen and organized, dive deeper into it to find the most credible, reliable, and trusted service. Use your university library, online scientific journals, documentaries, and other sources to get the information from. Remember to take notes while working with every new piece of reference material to not forget the ideas that you will base your argumentation on.

Follow the guidelines for a paper outline

During the preparation for your ethical paper and the process of writing it, remember to follow your professor’s instructions (e.g. font, size, spacing, citation style, etc.). If you neglect them, your grade for the paper will decrease significantly.

Write the essay body first

Do not rush to start writing your ethics papers from the very beginning; to write a good essay, you need to have your outline and thesis statement first. Then, go to writing body paragraphs to demonstrate your expertise on the issue you are writing about. Remember that one supporting idea should be covered in one paragraph and should be followed by the piece of evidence that confirms it.

Make sure your introduction and conclusion translate the same message

After your essay body is done, write a conclusion and an introduction for your paper. The main tip regarding these ethics paper parts is that you should make them interrelated: your conclusion has to restate your introduction but not repeat it. Also, a conclusion should wrap up your writing and make it credible for the audience.

Add citations

Every top-quality paper has the works cited page and citations to demonstrate that the research on the topic has been carried out. Therefore, do not omit this point when formatting your paper: add all the sources to the works cited page and pay attention to citing throughout the text. The latter should be done according to the formatting style indicated in your instructions.

Edit your paper

Last but not least is the editing and proofreading stage that you need to carry out before you submit your paper to your instructor. Consider keeping your first draft away from sight for a day or two to have a rest, and then go back to check it for errors and redundant phrases. Don’t rush to change anything immediately after finishing your writing since you are already tired and less focused, so some mistakes may be missed.

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COMMENTS

  1. How to Write an Ethics Essay: Guide & Paper Examples - StudyCrumb

    Mar 3, 2023 · Ethics Essay Thesis Statement. An ethics paper must contain a thesis statement in the first paragraph. Learning how to write a thesis statement for an ethics paper is necessary as readers often look at it to gauge whether the essay is worth their time. When you deviate away from the thesis, your whole paper loses meaning.

  2. How to Write an Ethics Paper or Essay With Tips and Examples

    Aug 4, 2024 · When writing the body of an ethics paper or essay, students should use a thesis statement as a reference point. In other words, they should use a thesis statement to come up with several ideas or arguments in defense of their stand on an assigned ethical or moral issue identified in the introduction part (Deaton, 2019).

  3. How to Write an Ethics Paper (with Pictures) - wikiHow

    May 16, 2023 · To write an ethics paper, start by researching the issue you want to write about and evaluating your sources for potential bias and trustworthiness. Next, develop a thesis statement that takes a specific stand on the issue and create an outline that includes the key arguments.

  4. A Guide to Writing in Ethical Reasoning 15 - Harvard University

    1. Addressing counterarguments strengthens your thesis. Unlike in math or logic, in most humanistic and social science writing it is impossible to prove cat-egorically the truth of a thesis — the data or texts are usually too complex or un-even to allow for such proof. Instead, your thesis will be successful if it is the most

  5. The Ultimate Guide to Writing Perfect Papers on Ethics

    May 17, 2024 · How to Write an Ethics Essay Step by Step. So far, you have seen what this type of assignment comprises. But how do you write great papers on ethics? This section sheds insights on how to start an ethics paper. Keep reading to sharpen your writing skills. Choose a Relevant Topic First, you should spot a relevant topic that you can debate.

  6. Ethical Papers Writing Guide with Examples and Topic Ideas

    Aug 17, 2021 · Since ethics is connected to moral concepts and choices, a student needs to have a fair knowledge of philosophy and get ready to answer questions related to relationships, justice, professional and social duties, the origin of good and evil, etc., to write a quality paper. Also, writing an ethics paper implies that a student should process a ...