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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

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.

Contact our academic writing platform and have your challenge solved. Here, you can order essays and papers on any topic and enjoy top quality. 

Daniel Howard is an Essay Writing guru. He helps students create essays that will strike a chord with the readers.

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

• Icon Calendar 18 May 2024
• Icon Page 2613 words
• Icon Clock 12 min read

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 in that 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 an ethics essay, 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 of Writing an Ethics Paper or Essay

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. In particular, one of the essay types that students write is a research paper on ethics. 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 an ethics paper, a student’s focus is on how humans embrace or disregard good morals in society.

1. Defining Features or Characteristics of an Ethics Paper or Essay

Like all other types of papers , an ethics essay has features that define it as an academic text. To some extent, these features influence an essay structure of a paper. For example, 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 that learners in philosophy formulate 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 the counterarguments. In turn, the sixth characteristic is a sum-up of an ethics paper. Here, authors emphasize a thesis statement by justifying the arguments in its favor that they provide in a written document.

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 that distinguish it from other papers. For an ethics essay, these characteristics include addressing an ethical issue, using an ethical lens to make arguments regarding a controversial matter, or explaining an ethical dilemma. 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.

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. 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 an ethical 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 that students should address 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 learners to provide ethical arguments concerning a matter, elaborate on an ethical dilemma, or state whether an issue is ethical or legal. Hence, a central message of a topic should require students to address an issue via an ethical or moral lens.

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

Key elements that define an ethics paper include ethical arguments, ethical dilemmas, and ethical and legal implications. For example, the term “ethical arguments” refers to a concept of taking a stand on an issue with ethical and moral implications and defending it. In this case, writers make ethical arguments to support their perspectives on an issue raising ethical or moral questions, such as fraud. Then, the term “ethical dilemma” refers to a situation that individuals find themselves whenever they face an issue raising ethical or moral questions, such as bribery. Also, authors are torn between two options, with one option having severe ethical or 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.

20 Examples of Ethics Topics for Writing Essays and Research Papers

• 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 versus 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?

Writing Outline and Structure of an Ethics Paper or Essay

Like any other essay, an ethics paper follows a 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.

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 final claim.

Explaining Each Section for Writing an Ethics Paper or Essay

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 that they intend to address. 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 ethics papers via the use of arguments that defend their stand on an issue of profound ethical or 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. In turn, this sentence can be a popular misconception or a question that writers intend to answer when writing an ethics paper or essay.

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 the ethical or moral issue identified in the introduction part. 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 that 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. Also, 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. Also, this aspect means summarizing the writer’s arguments for their stands towards an issue with ethical or moral implications. 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 of an Ethics Paper

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 in an Ethics Paper

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 of an Ethics Paper

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.

Summing Up How to Write a Good Ethics Paper or Essay

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 outline;
• introduce a topic briefly and concisely in the introduction section;
• develop a thesis statement;
• Use separate body paragraphs to introduce and defend arguments;
• Ensure to provide a counterargument and a rebuttal;
• Restate a thesis statement in the conclusion section, including a summary of the main points (arguments that defend the paper’s thesis).

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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. 

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.

Writing Help by Handmadewriting

If you feel that you need help with writing an ethics paper in view of its chellnging nature, you can contact us and send an order through a respective button. You can add your paper details by following all steps of the order placing process that you will find on the website. Once your order is placed, we will get back to you as soon as possible. You will be able to contact your essay writer and let them know all your wishes regarding your ethical paper.

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Ethical Research Paper Topics

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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 in San Carlos, California. 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. 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 252,507 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

• 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?

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

• 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.

• 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

• 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."

• 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."

• 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

• 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.

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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

• 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

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

Community Q&A

• 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

Things You'll Need

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

You Might Also Like

• ↑ 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

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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• 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.

• Essay Writing Guides

How to Write an Ethics Essay: Unlocking the Roadmap to Success

When students get assigned to ethics essay, most of them think, "I wish someone could just write an ethics essay instead of me." Indeed, writing an A-level paper can be tough. But our ' write my paper ' team has you covered. Read on to find handy ethics essay expert tips on writing a brilliant essay!

What Is Ethics Essay?

Ethical essays are common in schools and colleges. This is a short form of a writing assignment given to students to help them develop and improve essential writing skills. Typically, such papers are between 1-5 pages long and have a free composition.

Basically, an ethics essay is just another form of a regular essay. The only difference is its topics. As you can guess from its name, such essays focus on elaborating on issues that have moral or ethical implications in philosophy.

Now that you know the definition, let’s figure out how to write a killer essay on ethical issues.

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Ethics Essay Purpose

The main objective of an ethics essay is to articulate a compelling argument concerning a particular stance on a moral concern. Typically, this type of essay necessitates a discussion rather than a mere summary of an ethical quandary. Within this framework, an essay exhibits resemblances to the characteristics of argumentative writing. Specifically, an ethical issue should be open to debate, implying that you must be able to present arguments on the topic.

Key Elements

We all hold varying perspectives on the same set of rules and behavioral norms. Actions that might appear peculiar or unnatural to one person can be entirely routine and socially acceptable to another. Consequently, a ' write my paper for me ' writer must address both sides of the issue. While an ethical essay should not aim to persuade readers to endorse specific behaviors, nor should it resemble an opinion essay, the writer needs to leverage certain techniques commonly employed in argumentative writing. Given its purpose, a good ethics paper should encompass key elements that are typical of an argumentative essay, including:

Significance of the topic: Discussing an ethical matter that challenges societal norms.Thesis statement: Clearly stating the primary focus of the essay.

Strong argument: Serving as a thesis statement centered on moral principles.

Supporting evidence: Providing facts and examples to bolster the arguments regarding the ethical dilemma.Counterargument: Addressing opposing viewpoints and justifying the reasoning.

Rebuttal examples: Offering additional evidence to substantiate your position.

Ethical Essay Fundamental Considerations

Academic writing encompasses a wide-ranging discipline that acquaints students of an academic or educational institution with crucial skills, including the ability to interpret, elucidate, reflect upon, and analyze a myriad of essay topics. Essentially, essay composition is a vital academic exercise that empowers students to cultivate these proficiencies. Notably, one of the essay genres frequently encountered by students is the research paper on ethics. Within the realm of philosophy, writing ethics essays involves the exploration of moral concerns, delving into concepts of right and wrong, as well as good and bad. These ethical and moral principles form the bedrock of proper conduct. In diverse settings, such as workplaces, individuals establish ethical codes and standards to govern behavior. Therefore, when composing an ethical paper, a student's central focus centers on the extent to which individuals in society adhere to or deviate from these principles of ethical behavior. Is asking to write my homework for me an ethical question? Based on the above-mentioned analysis, the answer is - yes.

Key Attributes of an Ethics Essay

Let's answer the what is ethics essay question. The definition of an ethics paper characterizes it as a type of academic writing that explores and discusses ethical principles, moral dilemmas, and issues related to right and wrong behavior. In such an essay, the author typically delves into various ethical topics, ethical theories, and the application of ethical principles in different contexts, such as personal life, professional settings, or societal matters. These attributes mold the structure of the essay. For instance, the primary characteristic is the demonstration of a topic's significance.

The second distinctive feature is formulating a thesis statement by philosophy students to elucidate the chosen topic. The third aspect comprises the presentation of arguments that buttress the thesis statement, while the fourth attribute involves considering potential counterarguments.

Furthermore, the fifth feature involves a rebuttal, where writers assert the strength of their arguments while acknowledging opposing viewpoints. The sixth and final characteristic encompasses the conclusion of an ethics paper. In this section, authors underscore the thesis statement by validating the arguments articulated in their written work.

What Sets an Ethics Essay Apart from Other Essays?

Within the realm of philosophy, various essay types exhibit distinct features that differentiate them from one another. In the case of an essay on ethics, these characteristics encompass the exploration of an ethical and moral issue, the utilization of an ethical framework to construct arguments on contentious subjects, and the elucidation of ethical dilemmas. Primarily, this type of essay centers on the exposition of ethical principles and moral considerations.

In contrast, a narrative essay primarily revolves around recounting the author's personal story, while an informative essay focuses on imparting knowledge to the audience about a specific topic. Additionally, whereas certain essays, such as narratives or college application essays, employ first-person language, an ethics essay adheres to a formal approach, utilizing third-person language.

How to Understand Ethics Essay Requirements?

When composing essays, students typically heed the guidelines set forth by their academic departments or instructors. Essentially, these instructions offer specific directives on the essay topics students are expected to explore in their papers. In the context of writing an ethics paper, students can ascertain the need to write this particular type of class assignment by examining the topic provided by their department or tutor. Furthermore, the ethics-focused topic may necessitate students to present ethical arguments related to a specific matter, delve into an ethical dilemma, or determine the ethical and legal aspects of an issue. Before you begin writing, understand that the essence of the topic should prompt students to examine and address the matter from an ethical or moral perspective.

What Is an Ethical Argument, Ethical Dilemma, and Ethical vs. Legal Implications

The fundamental components of ethics essay writing encompass ethical arguments, ethical dilemmas, and the distinctions between ethical and legal implications. For instance, "ethical arguments" involve the articulation of a position on a matter imbued with ethical and moral considerations and the subsequent defense of that stance. In this context, writers construct ethical arguments to substantiate their viewpoints on issues that pose ethical or moral quandaries, such as fraud.

Conversely, an "ethical dilemma" represents a scenario in which individuals grapple with a situation that raises ethical or moral questions, such as bribery. Authors find themselves torn between two options, one of which carries significant ethical or moral implications.

Additionally, the concept of "ethical versus legal implications" pertains to a writer's need to determine whether an issue, like bribery, should be addressed through ethical or legal avenues. This entails considering whether the matter requires ethical rectification or falls under the purview of legal remedies.

Ethics Essay Writing Structure Explained

Introduction

‍ Ethics essay introduction is essential for authors to maintain brevity and clarity. At this juncture, students should give the readers a succinct overview of the paper's purpose, focusing on the specific ethical issue they plan to address. This entails presenting their stance on the issue, a task facilitated by the formulation of a thesis statement. Through this main point, writers outline their perspectives and structure their ethics papers around supporting arguments that defend their position on a matter imbued with profound ethical or moral significance.

It's worth noting that when initiating the introductory paragraph, which serves as the gateway to writing an ethics paper, students are encouraged to commence with a captivating hook. This opening sentence can take the form of a popular misconception or a thought-provoking question designed to pique the readers' interest and set the stage for the discussion to follow.

‍ In the main body of ethical essays, students should rely on their thesis statement and the main argument as a guiding reference. In essence, this statement serves as the foundation from which they generate a range of ideas or arguments to uphold their position on the ethical or moral issue introduced in the paper's opening section.Following the established conventions of academic writing, students must initiate each body paragraph with a clear and concise topic sentence. This sentence's purpose is to introduce a specific claim or idea that they intend to expound upon within the paragraph. Moreover, learners should employ separate paragraphs to segregate their arguments logically.

Furthermore, when composing the body section, students should adhere to a structured approach, often likened to a "sandwich rule," for every body paragraph in an ethics paper or essay. This structural framework involves presenting a claim, substantiating it with supporting evidence, explaining its relevance to the paper's overarching thesis, and concluding with a transition sentence that facilitates a seamless connection to the subsequent paragraph.

The conclusion section represents the final part of an ethics paper. In this phase, an ethics essay should encompass several key elements as a brief summary. Initially, writers should reaffirm their thesis statement, reinforcing the central point of their argument. Subsequently, they should encapsulate the main arguments presented in the body paragraphs, essentially summarizing the rationale behind their positions on issues laden with ethical or moral significance.This also entails a brief review of the writer's key arguments in support of their stance.

Furthermore, authors should revisit the paper's central topic, underscoring its significance in addressing ethical or moral concerns. It is crucial to elucidate why the exploration of this issue was imperative. Importantly, students should refrain from introducing new information in the conclusion, maintaining its focus on summarizing and reinforcing the previously presented content.

Ethics Essay Outline

‍ Ethics essay writing adheres to a structured format that outlines its organization. This structure primarily consists of three sections: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. When composing these sections, it is imperative for students to ensure that they address all the essential defining elements mentioned earlier in their ethics essays or papers. In this regard, writers should consider that the introduction and conclusion sections should collectively comprise approximately 10 percent of the total word count of the ethics paper or essay. The body, serving as the main content, should make up the remaining 80 percent.Consequently, the outline for an ethics paper should follow this format:

I. Introduction

A. Engaging hook sentence.

B. Background information on the ethical dilemma.

C. The writer's central claim – the thesis statement.

II. Body Paragraphs

A. Argument: Present a stance on an argument; support this position with evidence; clarify how this evidence aligns with the argument; conclude the validity of this argument.

B. Counterargument: Introduce a counterargument to the position presented in the first body paragraph; provide evidence supporting this counter argument, opposing the argument in the previous section; explain the correctness of this counterargument and its evidence from an opposing perspective; conclude the validity of this counterargument in the context.

C. Rebuttal: Identify the weaknesses in the counterargument; address substantial evidence that underscores these weaknesses; elucidate how these weaknesses render the counterargument irrelevant; conclude by explaining why the counterargument is not valid when compared to the original argument.

III. Conclusion

A. Restate the thesis statement.

B. Summarize the argument, counterargument, and rebuttal.

C. Present a final overarching claim.

How to Write an Ethics Essay in Five Steps

So, if you need to write a good essay on ethics, where do you start? You will be surprised, but it only takes five simple steps.

See a detailed writing guide below:

• Choose a Great Topic

Before you can start writing an essay on ethics, you have to pick a relevant topic that will relate to ethics or morals. To make a good choice, focus on something that you are personally interested in. And, don’t forget to make sure that there is enough information on the selected topic so that you can find enough supporting facts and materials to disclose your topic fully.

When you have a topic, your next step is research. Use the Internet, literature, and other resources to collect enough information for your ethical issue essay. Be sure to critically assess all resources and take notes to simplify the following steps.

• Make an Outline

Next, to make the writing process simpler, you should create a detailed outline for your future essay. Be sure that the outline follows the common essay structure. Include all the major statements, arguments, and facts that you’d like to include in your essay. And don’t forget to formulate your main thesis statement.

• Compose Your Essay

Writing essays about ethics can be somewhat tough. However, with a well-defined topic and a clear outline, the process of writing shouldn’t take much time. Follow your outline to create a solid introduction, body, and conclusion of your paper and move on to the final step.

Finally, the last stage of writing a brilliant ethical issues essay is revision. Ideally, you should give yourself a few hours/days to rest after writing and refresh your mind, and then get back to proofreading and editing your work. Check the final draft for style, punctuation, grammar, vocabulary, and other mistakes to make sure it is flawless.

If possible, ask someone else to take a look at the final piece. It will never hurt to have a second pair of eyes to look at your essay and (hopefully) help you notice any errors or issues that you could’ve missed.

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Ethics Essay Writing Tips

• If you struggle too much or lack time, ask professionals to write an essay for you to prevent failure and reduce stress.
• Don’t focus on rhetorical questions that you can’t really answer.
• Don’t pick too narrow or broad topics.
• Don’t hesitate to check out some samples of ethics essays before you start writing.
• Make sure you understand the chosen topic (and related terms) well and have enough materials to use in your essay.
• Keep everything simple, and don’t try to impress your professor with complex terms and formulations.
• Make sure that your essay about ethics is concise and clear. Remove everything that doesn’t bring real value.
• Use trusted sources to support the claims you make in your essay.
• Feel free to use the opinions of proven experts, as well as common misconceptions related to your topic, to make your essay look complete.
• Use scientific works of other authors to support your ideas.

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Our Latest Blog Posts

• How to Write Ethics Essay
• How to Write an Ethics Essay: Step-by-Step Guide

• What is an Ethics Essay

The Purpose of Ethics Paper

Key elements, how to write an ethics essay step by step.

• Choosing an Ethics-Related Topic

Ethics Essay Topics

Ethics paper structure, introduction, thesis statement, body paragraphs.

• Bottom Line

When you're writing an ethics essay , you should have more than simply an intriguing topic on a moral dilemma to make your piece impactful. In fact, good content goes beyond beautiful writing. A paper also needs to have an organized structure containing all essential elements to effectively communicate the writer's ideas. This guide will shed more light on this critical task and show how to compose a brilliant ethics essay in 5 simple steps. Learn what features your paper should include and what examples to provide to ensure sound reasoning. Or simply entrust your assignment to our experts, and they will write an essay for you . 

What is an Ethics Essay 

An ethics essay is a piece of writing that argues both sides of a moral issue or ethical dilemma. Basically, an ethics paper focuses on issues of philosophical concern , such as the principles of right and wrong. In the essay on moral principles, a writer elaborates on the standards that govern human behavior.

Ethics includes a number of rules and practices, which are conventionally accepted and followed by people. It takes into account the moral principles and behavior of a human being in the social context. For example, most modern organizations have established a code of conduct to regulate how people should act. Thus, when writing an ethical paper, one needs to explain what attitude people hold towards such ethical principles. To be precise, a writer's task is to highlight the significance of the chosen issue and explain whether society follows or neglects specific standards.

An ethics essay's primary purpose is to set forth an argument for a specific position on a moral issue. As a rule, this type of paper requires a debate instead of a simple overview of an ethical dilemma. In this context, an ethics essay shares similar features with those of argumentative writing . In particular, a moral problem should be debatable, meaning that you need to be able to argue the subject.

Different people have different opinions regarding the same rules and norms of behavior. Some actions may be weird and unnatural for you, but quite common and acceptable to someone else. As a result, a writer should cover both sides of the problem . Even though an ethical essay shouldn't convince a reader to accept some behavior, nor should it remind an opinion essay; however a writer should exploit some techniques used in argumentative writing . Given its purpose, an ethics paper must contain such key elements common for an argumentative essay:

• Topic's significance : discusses an ethical issue that challenges society
• A thesis statement : covers the main focus of writing
• A firm argument : serves as a thesis statement on moral principles
• Evidence : supports the arguments for a dilemma 
• Counterargument : justifies the reasoning
• Rebuttal examples : additionally proves your position

The essay writing process includes only 5 simple steps , but it's crucial to follow each step to craft an excellent paper. The following guide explains how to compose an ethics essay that will immediately draw your reader's attention. Consider these steps to communicate your ideas clearly and concisely.

• Choose an ethics-related topic . Since writing an ethics paper involves building an argument, it is suggested to pick a debatable moral issue. Ideally, this should be a subject that can be discussed from opposing perspectives. Focus on the topic that evokes different opinions on the matter. This way, you will be able to provide the arguments and counterarguments concerning the issue. Remember to research to make sure there is enough supporting evidence.
• Create a question-based title . One suggestion is to pose a question in the title of your ethical paper. As an alternative, you can include a question in the introduction. One way or another, it should be thought-provoking to draw the reader's attention. For instance, you may want to ask an audience whether all humans are inherently selfish. Read one of our blogs that will tell you how to create good titles for essays . 
• Present a strong argument . This step involves writing a compelling thesis statement that will make the readers agree with your argument. Excite your reader with a provocative thesis. Make sure to build a claim based on the query in a title or the opening line. For example, you may write that all people are inherently selfish.
• Craft an essay outline . A good outline serves as a ground plan for your writing. A well-drafted structure will help you stay on track. Write down all critical points to fully cover information related to the chosen topic.
• Provide examples and counterarguments . This step is where you include all findings of research to demonstrate your reasoning. Each argument should be backed up accordingly. Populate your writing with supporting evidence followed by an explanation of how given examples prove your statement. Where applicable, introduce a counter argument and discuss why you refute it. Don't forget to cite the sources to build up credibility.

Choosing an Ethics-Related Topic 

A thought-provoking topic is a defining factor in crafting an excellent ethics essay. It should sound captivating and promising. When choosing a topic, you should focus on the ethical issues that concern modern society the most. According to statistics, the vast majority of readers appeal to emotions , so it would be a great idea to write an ethics paper on the challenging situations that humans face daily. Besides, the topics should have the following features :

• Problem-solving
• Informative

The combination of these qualities potentially turns any idea into the powerful weapon of an author. Basically, your research should be targeted at finding the answers, which bring benefits to other people .

To make the process easier for you, we have decided to suggest a selection of great ethics essay ideas .

• Should desperate times call for desperate measures?
• Is it possible to overcome jealousy?
• Can people refute personal egoism?
• Current ethical issues in healthcare.
• The importance of a moral code in the workplace.
• How do social background and family shape our ethical principles?
• Should people follow the same moral code ?
• Does ethics affect education?
• Is it right to speak the truth all the time?
• Should we forbid abortion?

You're welcome to choose any of the ethics essay topics mentioned above and craft your own concepts on their basis.

As with any other type of academic writing, an ethics paper should be properly organized . This being said, a writer needs to follow a straightforward ethics essay structure so that a piece is easy to read. The student's task is to state a moral dilemma and provide sound reasoning in a logical order. A good ethics paper should include an introduction, body part, and conclusion.

The introductory paragraph of your ethics paper should contain a brief synopsis of the topic and some background information that will logically lead to the argument. Besides, in the introduction, you also should outline the supporting examples you will give and state your thesis.

A thesis is a concise, one-sentence summary of your arguments. This single sentence should entirely reflect your main purpose , so your readers instantly understand whether it's worth their attention. Besides, it provides a writer with a narrow range of possible alternatives. A well-written thesis will help you stay focused on a specific topic in a broad field such as ethics. Try to compose a clear and informative thesis. Remember that every point should be tightly related to the thesis statement .

A standard ethics essay contains three body paragraphs that provide your main ideas on the issue of moral concern. Each body paragraph needs to focus on a different point or example. Start each paragraph with a topic sentence that clearly specifies why the reader should accept a particular point. (If you wonder how to write a topic sentence , read one of our blogs dedicated to this topic.) The body part of your essay is where you prove your arguments with evidence, facts, statistics, findings, and text citations. If it's possible, you should address the issue from opposing perspectives and then refute counterarguments. Researching an ethical problem from different angles and including supporting facts ensures credibility and reader's trust.

In the concluding part of an ethics paper, a writer should restate the thesis statement and sum up all of the points explained in the body paragraphs. Rather than presenting new ideas, an effective conclusion should evoke emotions. A great way to conclude an ethics essay is to end it with a personal opinion on the moral issue explaining how it impacts you.

Bottom Line 

In a nutshell, an ethics essay differs from other types of academic writing. Instead of introducing a personal opinion, a student should remain objective and build an unbiased argument. Make sure to follow these general tips to compose a great paper on ethics.

• Write about the topic you care
• Add a strong thesis statement
• Make sure there is introduction, main body, and conclusion
• Be specific and avoid wordiness
• Provide evidence and counterarguments
• Avoid contradicting points of view
• Discuss one idea per paragraph
• Restate your thesis in the conclusion part 

Now you know the peculiarities of writing an ethics essay. The main point is to write about things you are familiar with and follow a logical structure. But, if essay writing is rather challenging for you, it’s a good idea to rely on professional academic assistance. Trust us with any type of assignment, and our expert writers will take care of your task.

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7 What Is an Ethical Argument?

• Published: December 2018
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Paying attention to the underlying structure of an ethical argument is a good way to make progress when writing in bioethics. While syllogisms might seem an overly abstract way of expressing an ethical argument, they can be a useful way of teasing out the validity and strength of an argument. There are some common forms of argument, and one good starting place is to construct an argument that describes relevant liberties and harms, and considers whether resulting harms might warrant restricting liberty. Questioning the factual claims made to support an argument is a simple and important argumentative strategy. When constructing moral arguments, we should minimize our theoretical assumptions.

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I Think Therefore I Teach

Tips for A level students. Lesson ramblings for teachers (helpful ideas too!)

Step by Step Paragraph Structure

When writing an essay, once you have mastered the structure in one paragraph, it is achievable in all paragraphs and all essays. But mastering that first paragraph is not easy. Often students over complicate the structure or try to cram too much into one paragraph. Keep it simple!

Here is a snapshot of an introduction that really works – it answers the question (Aquinas/ successful), it shows evidence of wider reading (dictionary definition), it also shows knowledge (Aquinas quote/natural law)- it captures and holds your attention as a reader. But is also quite sophisticated, for example: the quote and the definition are linked together.

This is the starting paragraph. My comments can be seen as footnotes. The first argument links to the quote found in the introduction – so the essay immediately flows nicely.

Introducing a new name/ critic early on is a good move. Newman’s argument is only outlined briefly (avoiding the temptation to ramble) and is immediately compared to Aquinas’ argument – keeping everything relevant to the question.

The paragraph rounds off nicely with a summary. Whilst presenting potential flaws with Newman, the answer still maintains the argument that Newman is better than Aquinas (thus not sitting on the fence).

See posts: Going for Gold: Achieving that A*  and “How do I get my essay from a D to a C?” for more helpful hints.

For further guidance in developing your essay technique  just click on the image below to be transferred to the shop.

Check out this Mark with Me Preview for a Meta Ethics essay that achieved the overall A* in the 2018 exam:

To continue watching this Mark with Me and have access all 30 revision podcasts then join I Think Therefore I Teach’s exclusive membership on the Home page.

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One thought on “ step by step paragraph structure ”.

The greatest thing about learning how to structure essays etc is when you go to university you will need to know how to structure 5000 word essays , assignments etc but the hardest essays are the one were it is limited to low word count such as 1000 less because even though it seems a lot of words it is very hard to get everything without over complicating and once you have mastered how to keep it simple , clear , to the point becomes a lot more easier especially once you mastered the first paragraph you have got strong foundation to build your essay on ^_^ Also for any future university students pick yourself a handy small guide on how to reference will be very useful ^^

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• Top 60 Ethics Essay Topics

60 Ethics Essay Topics & Fundamental Writing Tips

• 60 Ethics Essay Topics & Fundamental Writing Tips

How to Choose a Topic for an Ethics Essay

62 extraordinary ethics essay topics, ethics essay structure, ethics essay introduction, ethics essay body paragraphs, ethics essay conclusion.

Writing an ethics essay is a time-consuming assignment requiring perfect knowledge of the subject area, personal life experience, and proper writing skills. Some people say that even picking a striking ethics essay topic is a challenge, unlike narrative essay topics .  That is why you're reading this article. We've collected 60 relevant and up-to-date topics for ethics essays alongside a brief guide on writing this kind of academic text. Let's discover what lies behind this task!  Are you wondering ' Can I pay someone to do my homework ?' Stop seraching for academic services. Contact our professional writers and get top-quality papers. 

Choosing the right topic for your ethics essay is an important point. You can have excellent writing skills, but when a professor gives you a topic that you don't like or understand, it may compromise the quality of your essay.   If you are interested in what you write about, you can explain it in a way that other people like it, too. If you have difficulties choosing the topic for your ethics essay, take a look at some valuable tips.

• Think of the situations you or your friends or relatives have faced in your life;
• Are there any current moral issues that you are interested in?
• Do you remember any moral questions raised in the books you've read or films you've watched?
• Write down all the topics connected with suchlike thematics that come to your mind, then choose one;
• If the topic is too broad, narrow it down and choose only one aspect.

Don't know how to pick an exciting ethics essay topic? We understand that writing such a text is a tricky task, but picking an incredible topic & explaining terms to the audience will lead you to success! Feel free to choose any of the topics we've collected for you: 

• Differentiate moral & immoral problems.
• Describe morally right actions.
• Is conducting research using cells from human embryos moral?
• What does the word combination " morally incorrect issue " mean?
• What is moral responsibility? Explain with your own words.
• Is it possible to live & not to follow moral rules?
• Doctor-assisted death. Do you consider it moral?
• Should society act morally toward imprisoned people?
• Is it moral to artificially control the birth rate?
• Ethics in Society essay.
• What is business moral?
• 3D printing in medicine. Is it moral?
• Influence of business ethics on business operations.
• Are there moral principles that people can apply in absolutely any country?
• What is psychological egoism? Analyze its impact on ethics.
• Moral and artificial intelligence (AI).
• Animal testing .
• Sexual harassment at working place.
• Professor-student romantic relationship: Normal or immoral?
• Murals: Art or vandalism?
• Toxic workplace culture.
• Disclosure of patient's personal information.
• Child labor: Just a way to earn money for kids or human rights abuse?
• Immoral leadership
• What kind of human actions are egoistically motivated?
• Abortion: A woman's right or murder?
• Personal privacy in social media. Is it real?
• What is your attitude toward egoists?
• Surrogacy maternity.
• System of religious beliefs for modern youth.
• Automation that replaces human labour.
• Difference in moral norms in countries.
• Cultural diversity & common behavior rules. Is it possible to combine both aspects?
• Do you always do what you want? What factors can stop you?
• Should gun ownership be made legal?
• Students cheating in exams.
• Do you always control your behavior in public spaces? Why?
• Explain the meaning of" self-realization."
• Analyze the theory of moral egoism.
• Plagiarism in academic papers.
• Human trafficking.
• Domestic violence consequences.
• Should euthanasia be legalized?
• Church and politics.
• Legalization of prostitution: Moral or immoral?
• What is the overriding purpose of moral principles?
• What to do if you witness bullying?
• Racial profiling.
• Organ donation upon death. Should it be made mandatory?
• Should marijuana be legalized for public use?
• Glass ceiling. Is it real today? 
• Should women choose between career and family life?
• Your best friend cheats during an exam. Describe your reaction.
• Your dad takes drugs. What will you do?
• It is not allowed to take alcohol at the prom, but your friend doesn't want to obey this rule. What would you tell him?
• Is it possible to use the church during political campaigns? Is it morally correct?
• Key role of ethnicity in college acceptance.
• Is it normal when different online companies gather the personal information of their clients?
• Your best friend is cheated on. What is your reaction? Would you tell him about this?
• Does a person have a right to die ?

How to Create an Ethics Essay: General Rules for Students

Wonder how to write a good essay ? If you are working on writing an ethics essay, mind sticking to these rules to make your text striking:

• Start writing by choosing a good topic. In this case, a student should conduct research, processing literature. Ethics means studying human behavior concerning this or that subject. Besides, this question should be manageable, enjoyable & narrow. As a result, it will lead you to a successful outcome!
• Draw an outline that will help organize your ideas. This part of writing is the foundation of an ethics essay.
• Create a clear thesis statement. There are different ways of covering the ethics essay topic. However, the main statement should reflect your goals & philosophy.
• Start writing with a clear introduction showing what particular aspects you are going to discuss. If an author discusses family relationships, business values, or morals, this writing should begin with an attractive & catching hook. Hooks for essays should be interesting for your audience.
• Be attentive while writing body paragraphs. Commonly, an ethics essay consists of 3-5 main sections & each of them should be devoted to specific ideas. 
• Writing an ethics essay, keep in mind that to establish harmonic relationships, members of society should respect one another. Besides, without these things, people could do whatever they want. 
• Base your ethics essay on a personal opinion only. It is necessary to process the literature in search of world-known writers exploring the theory of ethics.
• Make a reasonable conclusion. This is the final paragraph of any ethics essay. The author here airs his opinion, shares his experience & demonstrates a public position. 
• Remember that if you need to write an essay on responsibility, you need to use only reliable resources.

To write a great ethics essay, you should adequately structure it. It has the same structural parts as for any other type of essay. It should include an introduction, main body, and conclusion.

• Start an essay with a hook. This will grab readers' attention and make them want to continue reading your ethics essay. 
• Provide some background information on your topic. It means including every general detail that creates a picture of what you're going to talk about. 
• Add a thesis statement that reflects your position regarding the topic. This is usually a two-clause sentence that sets tune to the whole essay.  

Don't forget to make your introductory part clear, specific, and concise. 

• Include all your arguments in the main body;
• Provide at least 2-3 arguments and 1 counterargument;
• Support your arguments with facts and examples;
• Express only one idea per paragraph;
• Each thought within your ethics essay should agree with the thesis statement.
• Summarize your ethics essay's main arguments. But do not repeat or copy-paste them if you don't want to look like a dummy writer. 
• Restate the thesis statement — circle down your ethics essay with reference to the initial thought. 
• Provide your final thought. Tell the reader your main logical conclusion regarding your ethics essay topic. 
• Give readers ideas for further research or investigation of the issue. If your text is well-written, some inquisitive readers will be eager to learn more about your ethics essay topic. 

Need Help? 

We hope that this review will help you to select the best ethics essay topic. Suppose you understand that actual writing this task is too complicated & you wish to find a professional writer. In that case, you can contact our professional writing service that will give you a hand with composing a perfect ethics essay.   

World peace would be always a hot topic to discuss. This is also one of those topics that students face with during their academic writing tasks. This topic in general unfortunately will always have a direction to be discussed in. There are also a whole bunch of other topics connected to the main on...

Whether you are a high-school, middle-school, or university student, you will surely need to write an informative essay and knowhow to focus on school work. When this time comes, most students get stuck in choosing the best topic or a research question for their informative essay. To make this time-...

You have just got the task to write a persuasive or argumentative American dream essay and you need homework help websites, right? True, a very interesting task and an important element of your education, however, you need to be an experienced writer to cover the topic. Maybe you need to learn some ...

• How to Write a Great Ethics Essay
• How to Create a Great Ethics Essay Easily and Fast?

How to Build a Good structure of an Ethics Essay?

Making an introduction of your ethics paper, writing the main part of your work, how to make a strong conclusion of your work, 30 ethics essay topics to create a wonderful paper.

During studying, many students may be required to write an ethics essay. Before you jump into writing, it is important to understand what this paper is and what kind of questions the author should answer in it. According to the definition, ethics is a number of moral principles for our society. It is possible to write about ethics at work, in everyday life, in public, at home, in personal life, etc. Some people disagreed with various ethical rules - this is a great idea to create many interesting argumentative essays .

In this article, we are going to share many good tips with our readers. You will find successful examples of interesting topics that may give you great ideas for writing your own ethics essay. Follow our simple but very effective hints and impress your teacher with a bright work!

When you are making an ethics essay , it is quite important to structure it properly. Before you start writing anything, you should leave some time for selecting an interesting subject and research a chosen topic. In the next paragraph, you can find some useful ideas for your ethics essay topic.

First of all, plan what you are going to write about. Think about the main goal of your future paper to formulate a clear thesis statement. The main idea of your work should be put at the end of the introduction. We suggest creating a detailed outline of the entire work because it will help you in writing. You will be able to make an interesting paper without a mess and support your argument with strong evidence. There is no need to make a very long introduction. Usually, three-five sentences are enough. You need to explain to your readers what your entire paper is about and provide them with a short background.

Needless to say, you should include the importance of ethics in your paper. We suggest dividing the body part into three separate paragraphs and connect every paragraph with the main idea of your work. Make sure you support your arguments with strong evidence, including real facts, statistics, and quotes from reliable sources. Remember that all people have some standards in ethics, but every person has their own understanding about it. If you need a little help with your paper, you can use online templates, examples, or you can order your work in a professional writing company . This will help you to save your time and nerves, plus you will have better chances to get a high grade.

In the last part of your paper, you need to sum up everything you said before and finish the document logically. You should restate the main idea from the introduction - do not just rewrite it but make it sound a bit different. The last paragraph of your paper should be short. Make sure you didn't put any new information here. Of course, it is important to re-read the finished document to avoid errors. We suggest using various online programs for grammar checking and document review . Ask your friend to read the paper and tell their honest opinion to you, this is useful to get some critics on your work. Print the document out only when you are sure it is fully checked for the right format, as well as logical and grammar mistakes.

We want to share these 30 topics to give our readers more interesting ideas for writing their essay on ethics .

• Is it always unethical to lie?
• Is it ethical for police officers to harm criminals even when they abuse other people?
• Ethics of abortion: does the term means anything or any kind of abortion is a killing?
• Is euthanasia an ethical method when a person cannot live without pain?
• Why people should act morally?
• Is it ethical to put dangerous criminals to death?
• Is it ethical to make an abortion if there are serious problems with a fetus?
• Is it ethical to make zoos and keep various animals in cages?
• Comparison of philosophical and religious ethics
• Why is it unethical to take drugs if it is legalized in some countries?
• Why all people cannot behave in an ethical manner?
• Why did moral and ethical things in the modern world change so much lately?
• What does it mean to be an ethical person?
• Should drugs and prostitution be legalized?
• Should kids make tattoos without their parents' permission?
• Animal abuse: is it ethical to kill animals and eat meat?
• Is it ethical for companies to gather and keep information about coworkers?
• Is it normal for teachers to scream at students if they are distracted by the lesson?
• Is it ethical for school teachers to punish students if they didn't make their homework?
• Is it ethical for doctors to tell other people about their patients' diseases?
• Should schools have some ethics rules for students' acceptance?
• How is it possible to value ethics in various groups of people?
• Why do all people have a different understanding of ethics?
• Is it ethical for parents to punish their kids?
• Why do nurses should be ethical to all patients, including criminals?
• Should all countries allow assisted suicides for ill patients with no hope?
• Is it ethical for a government to force people to do something against their will?
• Is it ethical to be a sponsor of sports?
• Should children have lessons on moral and ethics in schools?
• Is it ethical for rich nations to be more important than poor people?

We hope that our guide was useful for writing your ethics in society essay . This is not a simple subject to write about but if you will plan your work correctly and follow our tips , you have high chances to create a bright and interesting work.

WRITING A GOOD ETHICS ESSAY

        The writing of essays in which you argue in support of a position on some moral issue is not something that is intrinsically difficult.  However such essays may be rather different from those that you have written before.  What I want to do in this handout, accordingly, is to describe some of the more important characteristics of such essays, and to offer some suggestions which you may find helpful.

1. A Clear, Concise, Informative Introduction

        A good introduction is short and to the point.  You should indicate exactly what your topic is, and the view that you intend to defend.  You should also tell the reader how your discussion will be structured, so that he or she knows from the very beginning the general lines along which you will be arguing in support of your conclusion.  You should also indicate, very briefly, your main line of argument.  Finally, you should do these things as concisely as possible, so that you can get on with the business of defending the view that you are setting out on the moral issue in question.

Illustration

        Suppose that you are writing about the morality of abortion.  You might begin your paper as follows:

"My topic is the morality of abortion.  I shall defend an extreme anti-abortion position by arguing, first, that no satisfactory rationale can be offered for any moderate position on abortion, and secondly, that an extreme pro-abortion position cannot be accepted without also accepting infanticide."

Introduction Checklist:   Key Questions

1.  Is my introduction concise? 2.  Does it contain a clear statement of my main thesis? 3.  Does it indicate very briefly my main line of argument? 4.  Does it explain the overall structure of my essay?

2.  The Offering of Reasons for your View

        After setting out your thesis, and outlining your overall approach in the introductory paragraph, you need to have a section in which you offer reasons for accepting the view that you are advancing.  Each reason should be set out in the form of an explicit, step by step argument, so that the reader can see right off both what your assumptions are, and how they are supposed to support your conclusion.  Moreover, if you are offering more than one consideration in support of your thesis, it is important that different considerations not be mixed together in a single paragraph.  Different arguments require at least separate paragraphs - and preferably, separate subsections, each clearly labeled with an appropriate heading.  For the latter will not only help the reader to follow your argument: it will help you to think more clearly about the arguments you're offering.

        How many reasons should you offer in support of your thesis?  It is best to confine yourself to either one, or at most two, supporting arguments.  If you offer more arguments, there is a serious danger both that you will not set out any of the arguments in a sufficiently detailed way, and that you will not discriminate between interesting arguments in support of your thesis, and arguments that are at best marginal.  In short, choose your best one or two arguments, and develop that argument (or arguments) in a detailed and circumspect way.

Checklist for the Offering of Reasons:

1.  Have I set out an argument (or at most two arguments) to provide reasons for thinking that my thesis is true? 2.  Have I made all of my premises clear and explicit? 3.  Have I developed my argument in a full and detailed way, so that all of my reasoning is clear to the reader?

3.  Consideration of Objections to your Arguments

        After offering reasons for accepting your view, you need to consider objections.  The crucial point to note here is that objections come in two forms.  First, there are objections that are directed against the reasons that you have offered in support of your thesis, and which claim, therefore, either that some of your assumptions are implausible, or that some of your reasoning is unsatisfactory.  Secondly, there are objections that are directed against your conclusion, and which attempt to provide reasons for thinking that the view which you are advancing is false.

        Objections of the first sort are especially crucial, and your main obligation is to address such objections.  The reason is that if all that you do is to rebut objections to your thesis, and you fail to consider objections to your argument, then you haven't shown that you have made out a satisfactory positive case in support of your thesis.

        How do you arrive at interesting objections to your own arguments?  The crucial thing is to look carefully at the assumptions that you have made, and to ask yourself which of those are controversial, in the sense that they might well be questioned by an intelligent, thoughtful, and well-informed person.  Having located a controversial assumption, you need to consider why a thoughtful person might disagree with it, and then try to respond to that objection.

Checklist for Objections to your Arguments:

1.  Have I carefully set out the most important objection to each of my arguments? 2.  Have I then responded, in a careful way, to that objection (or objections)?

4.  Consideration of Objections to your Thesis

        After you have carefully considered objections to your argument (or arguments), the next important task is to consider objections which, rather than being directed against the reasons that you have offered in support of your view, are directed instead against your view itself, and which attempt to show that your view is incorrect.  Here you need to set out any such objection (or objections) in a clear, careful, and dispassionate fashion, and then indicate why you think the objection in question is unsound.

        How many objections to your thesis should you attempt to consider?  Here, as elsewhere, trying to cover too much ground can result in a weak and superficial discussion.  Try to find the strongest objection, and address it in a detailed way.

Checklist for Objections to your Thesis:

1.  Have I considered the most important objection against the thesis that I am defending? 2.  Have I responded carefully to that objection?

5.  Exposition of Arguments

        At the heart of a paper that examines some moral issue in a critical fashion is the setting out of arguments - both arguments in support of your positions, and arguments directed either against some of your assumptions, or against your position itself.  Whenever one is setting out an argument, one needs to do so in a careful step-by-step fashion, so that it is clear to the reader both what assumptions the argument involves, and what the reasoning is - that is, how one is supposed to get from the assumptions to the conclusion.

        One thing that it is very important to avoid is the setting out of more than one argument in a single paragraph.  For this usually results in too brief an exposition of the arguments in question, and often in a muddling together of the two arguments, thereby obscuring the structure of the reasoning.

Checklist for your Exposition of Arguments:

1.  Are my arguments carefully and explicitly set out so that both all of my assumptions, and my reasoning, are clear? 2.  Have I, at any point, set out more than one argument in a single paragraph? 3.  Are objections and responses set out in separate paragraphs?

6.  Logical and Perspicuous Structure

        A crucial factor that makes for a good essay is the presence of a logical and perspicuous structure.  So it's important to ask how one can both organize one's discussion in a logical fashion, and make that organization perspicuous to the reader.

        The structure will be clear to the reader if you begin with an introductory paragraph of the sort described above, and then go on, first, to divide your essay up into sections (and possibly also subsections), and secondly, to use informative headings to mark out those sections (and subsections).  The reader will then be able to see at a glance how you have structured your discussion.

        What makes for logical organization?  If you do the things mentioned above, in sections I through IV, in the order discussed, the result will be an essay whose overall logical organization is very strong.  That is to say, start by setting out your thesis, and outlining your overall approach in the introductory paragraph.  Follow this with a section in which you offer reasons for accepting the view that you are advancing.  Then go on to devote two sections to a consideration of objections.  In the first, set out, and respond to, objections that are directed against any controversial assumptions that you have made in arguing in support of your own view.  Then, in the second, consider objections that might be directed against your thesis itself.

        Individual sections also need to be organized in a logical fashion.  This is primarily a matter of setting out arguments in a step-by-step fashion, and of discussing different arguments in different subsections, as discussed above in section V.

Checklist for Logical and Perspicuous Structure:

1.  Is my essay organized into sections in a logical fashion? 2.  Are the sections divided into appropriate subsections? 3.  Have I made the overall structure of my essay clear by using informative headings for sections and subsections?

7.  Dispassionate and Unemotional Discussion

        Another very important feature of a good essay is that the discussion be dispassionate, and that one avoid formulating either the issue, or relevant arguments, in a biased and/or emotionally charged way.

        Suppose, for example, that Mary is considering whether there should be a law against the sale of pornography.  There are various ways in which she can formulate this question, some of which will strongly suggest one answer rather than another.  She might, for example, ask herself whether  people should be allowed to amass fortunes as purveyors of filthy and degrading material that will corrupt people, and destroy the moral fiber of society.  If this is the way she puts the issue, it will not be too surprising if she arrives at the conclusion that one certainly needs a law against pornography.  Suppose, on the other hand, that what she asks is whether people should be prevented from having access to important information about something which is not only natural and very beautiful, but also a means of expressing feelings of tenderness and love.  When the question is phrased this way, it seems likely that she will arrive a rather different conclusion.

        Why are emotionally charged formulations bad?  There are two reasons.  First, they tend to alienate the reader or listener, thereby making it less likely that others will devote much time to a serious consideration of your arguments.  But secondly, such formulations are even more dangerous with respect to one's own thinking, since what they typically do is to make it seem that the right answer is obvious, and this in turn usually prevents one from grappling with the issue in a serious way, and from subjecting one's own view to critical examination.

Checklist for Dispassionate and Unemotional Discussion:

1. Have I made use of emotively charged language? 2.  Is my discussion dispassionate and fair throughout?

8.  Overall Clarity and Conciseness

        Many people, confronted with an essay that is difficult to understand, but which is written in a style which sounds profound, tend to conclude that the topic must be a difficult one, and the writer’s ideas unusually deep.  The appropriate conclusion, however, will generally be a rather less positive one ­ namely, that the author either has muddy ideas, or lacks the ability to communicate his or her ideas to others in a satisfactory fashion.  Obscurity is not a sign of profundity.

        I suspect that this point probably needs to be labored a bit, as there are reasons for thinking that many people, in their secondary school education, are encouraged to express their ideas in a fashion which sounds profound.  Consider, for example, the following experiment, carried out by two English professors at the University of Chicago.  Joseph Williams and Rosemary Hake took a well-written paper, and changed the language to produce two different versions.  Both versions involved the same ideas and concepts, but one was written in simplified, straightforward language, while the other was written in verbose, bombastic language, loaded with pedantic terms.  They then submitted the two papers to nine high-school teachers, and found that all nine gave very high marks to the verbose paper, but downgraded the straightforward essay as too simple and shallow.  Williams and Hake then repeated the experiment with a group of ninety teachers, and came up with similar results.  Three out of four high-school teachers (and two out of three college teachers!) gave higher marks to pompous writing!

        What should you be aiming at, in terms of clarity, simplicity, and intelligibility?  One way of estimating how successful your essay is in these respects is by considering how it would seem to a secondary school student who knew nothing about the topic.  Would he or she be able to read it without difficulty?  Having read it, would he or she be able to say exactly what view you were defending and how you were supporting that view?  If you can confidently answer ‘Yes’ to both questions, then all is well.  But if there is any room for doubt, then you need to rewrite your essay so that your ideas are expressed in a simpler and more straightforward way.

Checklist for Overall Clarity and Conciseness:

1.  To what extent is the writing clear and straightforward? 2.  Is the writing concise?

9.  A Non-Religious, Philosophical Approach

        Many people defend ethical views by appealing either to religious or theological assumptions, or to moral principles that are religiously based.  Such assumptions or principles are often of a highly controversial sort, and exercises 1, 2, and 3 were intended to illustrate how problematic an appeal either to religious and theological premises, or to moral principles that are religiously based, can be.

        It is possible of course, that there are religious claims that, although controversial, can be shown to be reasonable.  Any such defense, however, is a major undertaking, and in an essay of this length, the chances of success in doing that are not good.

        In addition, however, any discussion of religious claims that is likely to be intellectually satisfactory requires a serious background in philosophy of religion.  The Philosophy Department has a number of philosophers who are experts in the area of philosophy of religion, and if you are interested in exploring religious issues, you may well want to consider taking one of the philosophy of religion courses that the Department offers.  This, however, is a course in ethics, and here you need to confine yourself to non-religious, philosophical arguments: religious assumptions, and moral claims based on a religious point of view, are almost always going to be very controversial, and virtually impossible to defend successfully in an essay of the length you are writing here.  Any such claims, then, are to be avoided.    10.   Planning your Essay

        In the preceding sections, I have discussed the features that make for a good essay that is focusing upon the critical discussion of a moral issue.  In this final section I want to mention briefly what I think is the most helpful idea for producing an essay that has these characteristics - namely, the formulation of an explicit plan, both for the essay as a whole, and for individual sections.

        To do this, you might proceed as follows.  First, on a filing card, or a small sheet of paper, list the main sections into which your discussion will be divided, as discussed above.

        Secondly, for each of those sections, take a filing card, and write down both the main claims that you want to advance in that section, and a brief description of any arguments that you'll be putting forward, or examining.

        Thirdly, for each of the arguments that you'll be discussing, write down, on another filing card, the basic structure of that argument.

        Finally, re-examine everything that you have written down.  Can you see a more effective way of dividing the discussion up into sections?  Is there a better way of organizing the material within a given section?  Can any of your arguments be given a better step-by-step formulation?

        The plan that you initially draw up is not, of course, set in concrete, and as you do more reading for your essay, or talk to other people about the issue that you're considering, you'll often see a better way of organizing the material, or other arguments or objections that you need to consider, and so on.  You can then modify your original plan.  The crucial thing is always to have at least a tentative plan in mind, for even when you're just beginning to think about a topic, that will help you to do so in a focused way.                                                      

Free Business Ethics Essay Examples & Topics

What is business ethics? An essay about it can be a task in your class. For that, you need to understand the term and what it implies.

Running a successful business, negotiating a contract, or simply dealing with clients is impossible without understanding and applying business ethics and its practices. It is a study of appropriate policies that companies and employees can use. They are vital in controversial situations that involve corporate governance, fiduciary responsibility, corporate social responsibility, etc.

That’s where the importance of business ethics comes from. For a company to be successful in the modern world, it should implement techniques and practices of business ethics. Customers and clients expect firms to behave appropriately. Operating this way is more than not breaking laws.

Our team came up with some tips that can help you write your business ethics essay. Additionally, you will find topics for different academic papers, and you can check our free samples.

How to Start a Business Ethics Essay

Let’s start with learning the basics of a business ethics essay. Here we will explain how to approach such a type of academic paper.

First of all, you need to see how this essay will differ from other assignments. That’s why we’ve prepared a step-by-step plan for you:

• Pick an idea.

As you can imagine, you need to have a solid idea. It does not have to be defined at the very beginning. However, you need to know what direction you want to take. You need to come up with an assumption that you will later develop in your essay.

• Research your topic.

The next step in starting your business ethics essay is to research the case carefully. The Internet, non-fiction books, interviews, business journals can become great sources for your paper.

• Take notes.

While doing your research, you should always write down key information. It will ensure that you will not miss any vital data and keep track of good thoughts.

• Craft a thesis statement.

After you’ve conducted your research, the next step is to explain your message and position. A thesis statement usually appears at the end of your introductory paragraph.

• Think of your introduction .

After step number four, when your thesis statement is ready, you can develop your introduction. It has to catch readers’ attention and adequately introduce the topic of your essay. Additionally, think about the way it can be connected with your conclusion .

• Outline your essay.

One more step before writing is organizing your text. Like any other academic paper, an ethics essay follows a structure. It consists of an introduction, body, and conclusion. The opening and the closing take about twenty percent of the entire article, and the rest eighty percent is left for the body.

17 Business Ethics Essay Topics

Now that you know how to start your business ethics paper, we’ve prepared a list of seventeen topics for your assignment. They can help you compose a fantastic essay about business ethics or use them to inspire your homework.

The topics are 100% original , so you can freely use them as your own:

• Raising the minimum wage for minorities.
• Issues with child labor.
• Analyzing Uber’s business behaviors .
• Is capitalism good or bad today?
• How does social responsibility connect with business ethics?
• Can moral principles guide business decisions?
• Ethical issues in business law.
• Advantages and disadvantages of Confucian business ethics.
• The role of ethics in purchasing decisions.
• Ways to eradicate unfair treatment due to race or religion at a workplace.
• Walmart business ethics and ethical standards.
• Social media in business ethics.
• Ways to reduce business’s environmental impact.
• Concept of corporate social responsibility.
• CSR trends in 2021.
• A balance between profit and CSR.
• Ethical dilemmas people face every day at the workplace.

5 Business Ethics Research Paper Topics

We also came up with five high-quality business ethics topics for the research paper. Good luck with your essay and with learning more about business ethics!

• List major ethical issues that business faces today.
• Kantian approach to business ethics and morality.
• How utilitarianism ethics can be used in companies.
• The role of ethics in international business.
• Applying Aristotle’s virtue ethics to business.

Thank you for reading the article till the end. Do not hesitate to share it with your peers who may need our tips or topics. Now, you can also look at our business ethics essay examples below.

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Ethics Committees: Structure, Roles, and Issues

Pankti mehta.

1 Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, King George’s Medical University, Lucknow, India.

Olena Zimba

2 Department of Clinical Rheumatology and Immunology, University Hospital in Krakow, Krakow, Poland.

3 National Institute of Geriatrics, Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, Warsaw, Poland.

4 Department of Internal Medicine N2, Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University, Lviv, Ukraine.

Armen Yuri Gasparyan

5 Departments of Rheumatology and Research and Development, Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust (Teaching Trust of the University of Birmingham, UK), Russells Hall Hospital, Dudley, UK.

Birzhan Seiil

6 Department of Biology and Biochemistry, South Kazakhstan Medical Academy, Shymkent, Kazakhstan.

Marlen Yessirkepov

An Ethics Committee (EC) is an independent body composed of members with expertise in both scientific and nonscientific arenas which functions to ensure the protection of human rights and the well-being of research subjects based on six basic principles of autonomy, justice, beneficence, nonmaleficence, confidentiality, and honesty. MEDLINE, Scopus, and Directory of Open Access Journals were searched for studies relevant to this topic. This review is focused on the types of research articles that need EC approval, the submission process, and exemptions. It further highlights the constitution of ECs, their duties, the review process, and the assessment of the risk-benefit of the proposed research including privacy issues. It’s pertinent for academicians and researchers to abide by the rules and regulations put forth by ECs for upholding of human rights and protecting research subjects primarily, as well as avoiding other issues like retraction of publications. Despite various issues of cost, backlogs, lack of expertise, lesser representation of laypersons, need for multiple approvals for multisite projects, conflicts of interest, and monitoring of ongoing research for the continued safety of participants, the ECs form the central force in regulating research and participant safety. Data safety and monitoring boards complement the ECs for carrying out continuous monitoring for better protection of research subjects. The establishment of ECs has ensured safe study designs, the safety of human subjects along with the protection of researchers from before the initiation until the completion of a study.

Graphical Abstract

INTRODUCTION

The journey of the role of ethics in biomedical research began with “The Doctor’s Trial” post-World War II in which 23 doctors and administrators were tried for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and conducting research without informed consent. This judgment, known as the “Nuremberg Code” was one of the first international ethical standards which gave a ten-point rule with respect to the protection of human research participants. The core principle was the requirement of voluntary consent of human subjects and respecting human autonomy. 1 , 2

However, some researchers continued to ignore the code and violations like the Willow Brook Hepatitis Study (1956), Jewish Chronic Disease Study (1963), and 22 others were highlighted by Beecher in 1966. 3 , 4 This led to the composition of the Declaration of Helsinki by the World Medical Association in Finland in 1964 with revisions at regular intervals. 5 This affirmed the principles highlighted in the Nuremberg Code stating that research should be conducted upholding the interests and rights of the human subjects. It proposed for the first time, the submission of a research protocol to an ethics committee (EC) before the initiation of the study ( Fig. 1 ). 6

EC refers to “Committees established by professional societies, health facilities, or other institutions to consider decisions that have bioethical implications. The role of these committees may include consultation, education, mediation, and/or review of policies and practices.” Committees that consider the ethical dimensions of patient care are Clinical ECs whereas committees established to protect the welfare of research subjects are Research ECs. 7 In this review, we will be using the terms ECs and Research ECs interchangeably.

It was in the 1960s that most nations developed guidelines regarding the formation of ECs with the main task of protection of human subjects. 8 EC is an independent body composed of members with expertise in both scientific and nonscientific arenas which functions to ensure the protection of human rights and the well-being of research subjects. ECs can be of two types—Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) or Institutional ECs (IECs) (referred to IRB or IEC by different countries) that are formally constituted by an institution to review research projects for that institute. An independent EC is an autonomous EC that is not part of any institute and performs the same functions independently. It is helpful for institutes that don’t have an IRB.

Despite these regulations, the unethical standards of the Tuskegee Syphilis study emerged in 1972 in which treatment was denied to the participants in order to study the natural course of the disease. This was followed by the conversion of the National Research Act in the USA into law (1974) and the setting up of the national commission of ‘International Ethical Guidelines for Biomedical Research Involving Human Subjects’ that submitted the Belmont report in 1979. The Belmont report described the role of assessment of risk-benefit of research involving human subjects, appropriate guidelines for selection of human subjects, and definition of informed consent. It was based on the three pillars of ethics- respect, beneficence, and justice. 9 , 10 It stressed the need for the approval of studies by an EC in accordance with the 1975 revision of the World Medical Association in Tokyo. Subsequently, countries like China, India, and South Korea adopted and legalized the need for submission of protocols to ECs from the 1980s onwards. 11 , 12 , 13 , 14

ECs function on six basic principles 15 :

• 1. Autonomy: respect the patient’s right to act on his/her own value and choice.
• 2. Justice: fair treatment of the research subjects.
• 3. Beneficence: work for the benefit of the patient.
• 4. Nonmaleficence: primum non-nocere or first do no harm to the patient.
• 5. Confidentiality: privacy protection.
• 6. Honesty: truthfulness in terms of the study.

Ethics approval is required for most research studies to uphold the above-mentioned principles, and protect the participants as well as the researcher. 16

In this narrative review, we aim to study the structure and function of ECs or IRBs with a focus on the composition, role, violations, and development perspectives of ECs.

Searches through MEDLINE (PubMed) and Scopus were performed in line with previously published recommendations. 17

Articles published till March 15, 2023 were reviewed using the following keywords: ("Ethics Committees, Clinical/classification"[Mesh] OR "Ethics Committees, Clinical/economics"[Mesh] OR "Ethics Committees, Clinical/ethics"[Mesh] OR "Ethics Committees, Clinical/history"[Mesh] OR "Ethics Committees, Clinical/legislation and jurisprudence"[Mesh] OR "Ethics Committees, Clinical/organization AND administration"[Mesh] OR "Ethics Committees, Clinical/standards"[Mesh] OR "Ethics Committees, Clinical/statistics and numerical data"[Mesh] OR "Ethics Committees, Clinical/trends"[Mesh]). Additional searches about subtopics were also carried out (“Data Safety Monitoring Boards” OR “Independent Data Review Committees”, “Institutional Review Boards” OR “Ethics Committees” and “Problems” OR “Issues”).

Articles in languages other than English, and reviews, conference proceedings, and editorials were excluded. Relevant articles searchable at the Directory of Open Access Journals and references of included articles were also processed for eligibility and inclusion for this narrative review. 18 , 19 , 20 , 21

RESEARCH, SUBMISSION PROCESS, AND EXEMPTIONS

IRB approval is required for most research to protect human rights and assess the scientific soundness of the research. For this, we first need to understand what research is. Research is defined as “a systematic investigation, including research development, testing, and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge” ( Table 1 ). 8

IRB = Institutional Review Board.

An EC approval is required for studies with more than minimal risk to the subjects where the intention is to publish findings or contribute to the scientific knowledge, studies involving the compilation or analysis of data containing patient identifying information, studies with any risk of physical or mental discomfort to participants or their families, and studies on vulnerable groups. 22 Minimal risk refers to the probability of discomfort posed by the research is not greater than that ordinarily encountered in routine daily life activities of an average healthy individual. 5 , 8 , 22

Thus, even surveys and archived data that contain patient identifying information (name, age, address) and sensitive information (illicit drug use, comorbidities, communicable diseases, e.g., HIV AIDS) need ethical approval to uphold the privacy and anonymity of the participants as well as protection the possibility of psychological discomfort to them. 10 , 23 , 24 , 25

Some studies may be exempted from ethical approval including most educational research, case reports on one to three patients (without any hypothesis testing), those that pose no risk to the participants, involve information freely available in the open domain for the community, analysis of open-source datasets or anonymized datasets obtained from other researchers with due informed consent taken at the time of primary data collection, research evaluating the public health programs or government public schemes. 26 , 27 However, a formal exemption is to be decided by the IRB and not the investigator. 8 , 28

For projects requiring an EC approval, the type of reviews includes expedited and a full board review. Expedited review is for research involving no more than minimal risk to the subjects, minor revisions of an already approved study, and is usually conducted by an experienced person or the chair of the IRB. A full board review on the other hand is for research with greater than minimal risk to the subjects or those involving vulnerable populations. This is reviewed extensively by a full IRB meeting.

The documents usually required for a full ethics review include the name of the applicant with designation, approval of the head of the department, research/trial protocol, ethical issues if any, and plans to address them, written informed consent form (and assent forms) in the language the participant understands, data collection tools, patient information sheet, regulatory clearances (e.g., Drug Controller General of India in India for drug trials), finance and funding details, Insurance, statement of conflicts of interest, information about payment or compensation to the subjects, scientific or departmental review board permission, Curriculum Vitae of the investigators, declaration of interests and any other relevant information. 29 , 30 Waivers of consent may be provided for no more than minimal risk to the subjects when the waiver will not endanger the rights and welfare of the subjects like retrospective studies, secondary analysis of data wherein consent had been taken previously, use of open access databases with anonymized data, and emergency research as seen fit by the EC. 31 , 32 In emergencies like the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, waivers may be provided if the patient is incapacitated or in life-threatening situations where there is no time for informed consent. Pandemics like these may even call for common documents for risk disclosure and audio/video/electronic consent. 33 , 34

EC PERSONNEL, THEIR EXPERIENCE, AND DUTIES

ECs have the primary responsibility of reviewing research and its alignment with the Good Clinical Practice (GCP) guidelines. 35 The research design must be scientifically sound and conducted in an ethical way to include human subjects with voluntary informed consent.

The composition of ECs varies depending on the country, center, volume, and nature of the research reviewed. However, there are some basic recommendations laid down by national authorities and GCP. 30

• a) Most countries in Europe, the USA, and South Korea have a requirement of at least five members whereas recommendations in China and India need a minimum of seven members and a maximum of 12–15 members. 14 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39
• b) At least one member who is autonomous, independent of the institution or trial site. It is mandatory that the chairperson of the EC is not part of the institution where the research is to be conducted.

Others include a member secretary from within the institution and members from the scientific field. The composition should have an adequate gender and age representation with a blend of basic scientists, clinician scientists, one legal expert, one social scientist, one philosopher, and one layperson. Review of research involving vulnerable populations like children, pregnant women, handicapped, prisoners, etc., must involve one member with expertise in dealing with that population. 40 , 41 It is also desirable to have a member or expert advisor for special areas of research who has proficiency in that field.

Responsibilities

The chairperson has the primary responsibility of independent and smooth functioning of the EC, ensuring the participation of all members, seeking Conflict of Interests from all members, and handling complaints against the researchers and EC members. 39 It’s the responsibility of the member secretary to schedule EC meetings, handle documentation, organize an effective review of proposals, define and maintain adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs), train EC members, and assess the need for expedited reviews/exemption from review. 39 The members of the scientific community have the primary responsibility of reviewing the research protocols and their scientific soundness. The non-scientist member is crucial to safeguard the human subjects and practical issues of the research. 40 , 41 However, studies have shown lesser participation by laypersons as compared to scientific members. A study conducted across 10 academic centers across the USA with 20 IRB meetings recorded noted that 29 community members were present in 17 of those meetings. They were primary reviewers in only two of the 93 submitted protocols due to refusal on grounds of lack of knowledge regarding medical research. Even as secondary and tertiary reviewers, they were less active and were more likely to focus on issues related to confidentiality. However, they played a greater role when they were not designated reviewers. 42

The EC or IRBs function to review and approve research protocols, monitor ongoing research involving human subjects with the aims of continual protection of human volunteers, advancement of research, and protecting the institute from litigation. Its main role is the protection of the human rights, autonomy, confidentiality, and welfare of the research subjects especially vulnerable populations. The GCP recommends the following for duties of the IRB ( Table 2 , Fig. 3 ) 35 :

e.g., An immunosuppressive drug “X” being evaluated for patients with Lupus Nephritis.

IRB = Institutional Review Board, SOC = standard of care, GCP = Good Clinical Practice, MMF = mycophenolate mofetil, CYC = cyclophosphamide, ICU = intensive care unit, SOP = standard operating procedure, RCT = randomized controlled trial.

• • The IRB should obtain and review all the necessary documents for the research/trial within a reasonable time and document its views following standardized operating procedures with clear identification of the dates for approval, modifications, disapproval, or termination of an ongoing trial that was initially approved in writing.
• • Qualification of the investigators should be considered for the proposed research.
• • Reviewing of ongoing research as appropriate to the risks involved (at least once a year).
• • Protocols indicating exemption of prior consent of the subject or their legally acceptable representative (e.g., emergency situations) should be assessed in detail for all the regulatory needs.
• • Review the sum and method of compensatory payment to subjects if required.
• • Functions should be performed as per written SOPs which should comply with the GCP guideline.

Most IRBs conduct meetings regularly (one–two per month depending on the number of protocols) and SOPs are followed as per the national governing authority.

An EC review is a continuous process and is needed before the initiation of research, before the extension of the approval period, prior to modifications to an already approved study, for monitoring of any adverse events, and until all the data collection and analysis is complete. 8 An oversight to the monitoring of trials (usually single center, early phase, less risky) is provided by the IRBs through annual reviews, adverse event monitoring, and reporting of undue events by the principal investigator (PI). However, complex clinical trials and/or multicenter, randomized controlled trials, interventional studies with pre-existing concerns about safety, or study participants who might need additional protection through an additional committee referred to as the Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB). 43 , 44

RISKS, BENEFITS, CONFIDENTIALITY, AND PRIVACY ISSUES IN RESEARCH PROTOCOLS

The role of the EC is not only to provide direct protection to human subjects from physical or mental harm but also to weigh the risks and benefits involved in the research. It must be assessed if the study is designed to add to the current scientific knowledge base and help society. 8

The research protocol is the document that includes the research question, aims and objectives, a critical literature review, methodology, and statistical plan. It is pertinent that the IRB reviews the protocol with respect to the clarity and focus of the research question; and whether the study design is suitable to answer the same. This is decided by the chair or a special departmental committee ( Table 2 , Fig. 3 ).

Privacy and confidentiality are a part and parcel of every physician-patient relationship. Needless to say, this must be maintained in a researcher-human subject relationship as well. It helps build trust, curbs participant anxiety, maintains their dignity, and above all their autonomy. 10 The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors recommends that authors must ensure that nonessential information like names, initials hospital record numbers, etc., are omitted during data collection, storage, and publication whenever possible. 45 However, there’s an extent to which this confidentiality can be maintained. Information required for scientific purposes (e.g., clinical photographs) or those with mandated legal reporting may breach participant privacy. This needs to be explained to the participant and recorded in written informed consent ( Table 2 ).

The role of the IRB with respect to privacy and confidentiality is to:

• • Review the consent document and assess the sensitivity of the information, the duration for which it will be held, the usefulness of the information, and the ability to protect it.
• • For multicenter projects, review the measures taken by the research team to maintain the privacy of the research subjects including the number of personnel with access to the information, data storage, and transfer.
• • An ongoing review of the research must include monitoring of confidentiality issues to check for maintenance of the same and the need for a revised privacy protection plan.
• • Educate researchers and IRB members regarding the data privacy and protection process. 46

Review of informed consent by IRBs is especially important in low-middle-income countries. There are various issues related to the lack of understanding of the information provided, maintaining privacy due to interference by family members, and the inability to assess risk and benefit by the research participant. IRBs have an additional responsibility to ensure that studies have minimal/no risk to the participant, the consent forms are clear and simple to understand and ensure the proper process of obtaining informed consent is being followed without undue pressure or coercion to participate in the study. 47

VIOLATIONS OF ETHICS APPROVAL RULES AND REGULATIONS

Violations of IRB approval rules like lack of approval, lack of approval of modifications to the protocol, and lack of informed consent can result in dire aftermaths for the authors. It can result in the withdrawal of the article if it’s still in press, retraction if it’s already published, and even removal if it has legal consequences. The number of papers retracted as searched on the retraction database 48 is steadily increasing by the decade from 474 in the 1990s to 6120 in the 2010s. The most common reason for retraction is plagiarism whereas violation of IRB rules accounts for 4–5% of all retractions. 49 , 50 When consultations for ethical inquiries to the Korean Association of Medical Journal Editor were analyzed, the most common reason was duplicate publications (12 of 80) with issues with IRB approval (5 of 80) and informed consent (6 of 80). 51 Some of the examples of types of studies and their reasons for retractions have been summarized in Table 3 .

Violations can be assessed before the studies are published for those with IRB approval. It is the responsibility of the IRBs to monitor whether ongoing studies are abiding by the ethical regulations and whether the approved protocol is being followed. A study conducted in India by an IRB at a tertiary care hospital in Mumbai monitored 12 clinical trials from 2011–2017. The most common violations were related to informed consent, followed by a lack of understanding of protocol and protocol deviations. This was corrected by re-taking of the informed consent and retraining in GCP by the IRB. 52 A similar study in Uganda done from 2007–2010 with monitoring of 40 research projects also found a similar frequency and reasons for violations. 53

Journal editors routinely check if a statement mentioning whether ethics approval was sought has been mentioned in the manuscript. Depending on the journal and type of article, further details of the EC approval can be sought by the journal editorial board. 54

ISSUES AND ONGOING DEVELOPMENTS

ECs were developed to provide ethical oversight to clinical research. But here are various issues associated with the functioning of IRBs.

• • Composition: Most studies indicate a skewed gender representation in the structure IRBs. Further, the participation of laypersons on the board is minimal. 14 , 42 , 55 , 56 , 57
• • Overburdened IRBs, delays, and operational costs: The IRB reviews have been associated with delays from over 4 to 7 months on average from surveys conducted across the USA. 58 , 59 A delay in biomedical research can translate into more than monetary loss as biomedical research saves lives and a delay in the approvals can result in greater loss of life. 60 An older survey conducted across 63 institutions (with 20 being low volume, 24 intermediate volume, and 19 being high volume centers) in the USA in 2005 reported the median amount spent by academic medical centers on IRB was $750,000/year with an average of $559 per review. The main costs are divided across staff salary, board salary, space, outsourcing of the reviews, travel, supplies, and equipment. 61 Over the years, there is a definite increase in the number of ongoing research projects thus increasing these costs further. Furthermore, documentation of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warning letters to IRBs was predominantly related to paperwork stressing on documentation of reviews and meetings rather than ethical issues. 62 Increasing paperwork further results in delays and added costs. These deficiencies are more marked in developing nations like India and China dealing with issues like lack of regulation, informal ethics reviews, lack of supervision, and insufficient ethics review capacity. 63 , 64
• • Multi-site projects: With multicenter projects on the rise, a single protocol is often reviewed by multiple IRBs. In a review of 17 articles reported from UK, USA and Europe, which underwent multiple IRB reviews of the same protocol there were discrepancies in the judgment. Five of 26 reported rejection at some and acceptance by some IRBs. However, there were great differences in the protocol revisions, consent, patient information sheets, risk-benefit assessment, and compensation arrangements. 65 Keeping these issues in mind, the Common Rule in the USA was revised in 2017 with IRB approval required only from one center for multisite projects. 66 This may be extrapolated to other nations or consideration of an expedited review at other sites when fully reviewed at one IRB can be considered.
• • Independent EC and IEC: Independent ECs have inherent tissues of limitation of knowledge about the local community and use of these may promote IRB shopping. Whereas, local IRBs can have conflicts of interest as colleagues of investigators may be on the review board. Thus, a central IRB can alleviate some of these concerns by avoiding repetitive reviews, minimizing conflicts, and establishing a centralized adverse event reporting system. 67 , 68 , 69 A central IRB can be formed by experts on a particular subject or by a group of institutes like the National Cancer Institute’s Central IRB and the Biomedical Research Alliance of New York respectively. 70 , 71
• • Scientific expertise of the IRB reviewers: The IRB reviewers may lack the scientific expertise to review sophisticated research projects that may affect the quality of the research. 11 , 14 , 57 , 72 Regular training in research ethics and GCP along with adequate consultations with external experts is needed. This can be done at a national, regional, and international level. First, by identifying core issues and then solutions for them by focused training. 73 Training of EC members is conducted across Central Asia and Eastern Europe under the framework of Forum for Ethics Committees in the Confederation of Independent States and Strategic Initiative for Developing Capacity in Ethical Review program that train members regarding GCP, bioethics, the establishment of an EC, review processes and SOPs, choosing independent consultants, and confidentiality agreements. 74
• • Review of studies involving complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) is a challenge due to the lack of quality evidence to support the basis for their use. Moreover, most international regulatory bodies and research regulations do not address CIM, thus leaving the review process and decision-making to the IRBs. However, it is to be emphasized here studies irrespective of the type (modern or CIM) must be reviewed using the same principles of respect, beneficence, and justice. Well-designed studies on CIM are essential to ascertain the health and safety of patients. 75

DSMB is defined by the FDA, USA as “a group of individuals with pertinent scientific expertise that review research data of an ongoing trial on a regular basis, advises the sponsor/or researcher regarding the continuing safety of research subjects and those yet to be recruited into the research trial, and advises as to the continuing validity and scientific merit of the trial.” 76 It’s an autonomous entity independent of the researchers, sponsors, and the IRB so as to control data sharing and protect the authenticity of the clinical trial from unfavorable impact. 35 It was first developed in the USA in the 1960s as the NIH began sponsoring multicenter trials, the first trial was the Coronary Drug Project which used a DSMB for monitoring. 77 Over time, it became a common practice for the sponsors to have experienced scientific personnel serving on these committees. Although the FDA does not mandate DSMB for all trials, DSMBs are generally recommended for large, multi-site studies evaluating treatments that intend to reduce mortality and morbidity.

DSMBs are usually constituted for:

• • The study outcome is such that a highly encouraging or detrimental result is a possibility in an interim analysis that may require an early termination of the study on ethical grounds.
• • When the safety concerns are high, e.g., invasive therapy is administered.
• • Previous data suggesting serious toxicity with the study treatment.
• • Studies involving vulnerable populations.
• • Studies including subjects at an increased risk of death or serious outcomes.
• • Large, multisite, long-duration studies.

In India, it is recommended by the Indian GCP guidelines that the sponsor may establish a DSMB to assess the progress of the trial, and in 2006 Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) mandated a DSMB to review data emerging from research on interventions in the emergency setting. 39 These were updated in 2012 by the ICMR to include all stem cell research involving human subjects. The SOPs for the constitution and responsibilities of the DSMB are laid down by the World Health Organization and are similar across USA, Europe, and South Korea. 78 , 79

DSMBs are constituted by scientific members and are appointed by the funding agency, before the recruitment of the first subject in the trial. It can consist of as few as three members and is typically constituted of clinicians and at least one biostatistician. Others that may be included are medical ethicists, other scientists, etc. The most important requisite is that the members should be independent of the sponsors, investigators IRBs, regulatory authorities, and site or study staff. They should have no conflicts of interest with the sponsors, researchers, or study staff.

The functions of the DSMB are:

• • To uphold participant safety.
• • Ensure credibility and integrity of the trial for future subjects.
• • Ensure the timely conclusion of the study so that the results can be disseminated.
• • Identify protocol violations if any.
• • Identify unexpectedly high dropouts and evaluate for the same.
• • Ensure the validity of the results.

The above functions are carried out by an initial organizational meeting to understand the protocol and safety monitoring plan followed by an early safety review meeting to review early safety information. Continuing periodic reviews to assess safety, efficacy, and the progress of the trial are then carried out with reporting of serious adverse events. 44 A final meeting is to be held at the termination of a study. DSMBs function independently of the IRBS but the PIs must submit DSMB reports or minutes to the IRB.

Dramatic instances in which trials have been stopped prematurely on the recommendation of the DSMB include the withdrawal of rofecoxib and celecoxib in two trials on the prevention of colonic polyps due to increased cardiovascular events. 80 , 81

We have come a long way from the horrific ethical compromises in clinical studies in history to establishing adequate safety for the human subjects participating in clinical research today. The establishment of the IRB or EC has ensured safe study designs and the safety of human subjects right from before the study initiation until its completion. This is further supplanted by additional boards like DSMBs. However, we still need studies assessing the outcomes of the ECs on a global basis and addressing various issues that are still pertinent to the working of the ECs. 82

Disclosures: The authors have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose.

Author Contributions:

• Conceptualization: Mehta P, Zimba O, Gasparyan AY, Seiil B, Yessirkepov M.
• Data curation: Mehta P.
• Writing - original draft: Mehta P.
• Writing - review & editing: Mehta P, Zimba O, Gasparyan AY, Seiil B, Yessirkepov M.

A Level Philosophy & Religious Studies

AQA Philosophy top band essay structure (21-25 marks)

AQA Philosophy

Note that this is for AQA Philosophy, not AQA Religious studies.

Essay structure is very important as it determines half your whole grade. People tend to think that 25 mark questions are very difficult, that getting 21 or above in the exam is really hard and rare. It’s certainly rare, but it’s not as hard as people, including many teachers, actually think.

The key mistake a lot of teachers make is to think that getting full marks requires an essay that is really philosophically advanced and complex, or requires further reading than is in the specification. For better or worse, this is not true. Plenty of my students have gotten 25/25 in their official exam without those things. It simply requires hitting all the mark scheme criteria of intent, back and forth evaluation (robust defence), integration and weighting. Many teachers get the intent and robust defence part fine, some more get the integration part – but very few teach the weighting part properly and that is usually the reason their students are stuck at 19 or 20.

This page contains detailed explanation of how to hit those other mark scheme criteria.

The mark scheme criteria for the 21-25 band mark range

• The student argues with clear intent throughout and the logic of the argument is sustained.
• The student demonstrates detailed and precise understanding throughout.
• The conclusion is clear, with the arguments in support of it stated precisely, integrated coherently and robustly defended.
• Arguments and counter-arguments are stated in their strongest forms.
• Reasoned judgements are made, on an ongoing basis and overall, about the weight to be given to each argument. Crucial arguments are clearly identified against less crucial ones.
• Philosophical language is used precisely throughout.

Essay structure

Your introduction.

• Outline the argument/theory in question.
• State your intent

Three sections of this structure:

Part 1: A view on the question. An argument/theory/philosopher either for or against the question. If part 1 is a criticism, do integration.

Part 2: A criticism of the view in part 1. Integration.

It is then optional to go back and forth some more with a defence of part 1 and then, again optionally, a counter to that defence, etc (with integration ).

Part 3: Give your judgement as to which argument is correct and why (with integration if countering).

Part 4: Link back to the question using the language of the question. Make sure this paragraph ends in a way that coherently fits with/justifies your Intent.

Your conclusion

Sum up the part 3 evaluative judgements of each section and show how they coherently lead to your conclusion (intent) . If applicable, remark which of the arguments were more or less crucial for reaching you conclusion than the other(s) (Weighting/Cruciality) .

Weighting points  must be put in at least two places throughout the essay. It’s not possible to pinpoint exactly where these will go since that will depend on the point. See the weighting section for more info.

Explanation of the mark scheme criteria

‘The student argues with clear intent throughout and the logic of the argument is sustained.’

Intent refers to your intended response to the question, for example to an ‘assess Theory X’ question, your intent might be to argue that it is false.

The intent must exist ‘throughout’ the essay, meaning stated in the introduction, conclusion and the end of each paragraph.

Sustaining the logic of the (your) argument means that each section must be ended in a way which fits your intent. If your intent is to show Theory X false but end a section dealing with one of its issues with the evaluative judgement that Theory X can be adequately defended from the issue, then that does not fit your intent and the logic of your argument (that Theory X is false) would not be sustained if you left the section like that. So, you either need to add another step showing how Theory X actually does not survive the issue for some further reason, OR you must explain how Theory X surviving this issue does not change your intent/argument because of some other issue you dealt with previously or are about to deal with next. Or, if possible, you could show how in responding to that issue, Theory X opens itself up for some other more fatal criticism.

Integration

‘The conclusion is clear, with the arguments in support of it stated precisely, integrated coherently and robustly defended. Arguments and counter-arguments are stated in their strongest forms.’

‘Integrated coherently’ means that whenever you are writing a criticism, you are making it clear exactly how it undermines what it is criticising.

This must always be done in part 2 but sometimes you might use a criticism for part 1 so it would have to be done there too. You might need also it for part 3 if that involves a criticism. Whenever you use a criticism, you should do integration.

It’s not enough simply to learn a criticism. and then plug it in. You must then explain how that criticism being true undermines what it is attacking. You must write the response and then explain how it responds. This will often be a simple matter of identifying which premise or which part of a theory it undermines, but there are a variety of ways that criticisms attempt to undermine a theory and you need to show understanding of that and its implications.

An argument could:

• Attack a premise of the theory. You should identity how crucial that premise is and the consequence for the theory/argument of it being successfully undermined.
• Establish that the arguments for the theory fail, which might leave the theory unproven, unconvincing/unjustified or lacking in evidence rather than disproven and false.
• Undermine one part of or aspect of a theory and you’d have to decide whether that makes the whole theory false, depending on how important that aspect was to it.
• Show that the theory has some practical limitation which makes it difficult, perhaps impossible, to implement. The question of whether this makes the theory false would then have to be decided.
• Prove that the theory leads to something negative like solipsism, scepticism, nihilism or anarchy. A theory which leads to any of those three is sadly not necessarily for that reason false! Though take care, there might be reasons why it should be considered false for leading to something negative, at least in some respect which you could get credit for explaining.
• Be a deductive, inductive or abductive argument.

Integration also refers to having an integrated understanding of your whole overall argument at the start, throughout and end of your essay.

Integration can also mean connecting paragraphs together by pointing out some reason why it’s logical to bring up the content of the next paragraph given the one you’ve just written, either due to the content or cruciality. However, this will not always be possible and should not be thought of as a requirement in every paragraph.

Weighting/Cruciality

‘Reasoned judgements are made, on an ongoing basis and overall, about the weight to be given to each argument. Crucial arguments are clearly identified against less crucial ones.’

Individual cruciality. Each section should start with an argument for or against the question, followed by a criticism of that argument. You might then optionally do further back and forth of defences and counter-defences, etc. Every step involves an argument, then.

To get the marks for cruciality, you must state how crucial an argument is or how much weight it has. This is most easily done regarding issues/criticisms.

In an essay you will evaluate multiple different issues/criticisms of the argument/theory in question.

You might conclude that the issues all fail, all succeed or that some fail and some succeed. That is not the same thing as weighting/cruciality. The cruciality/weighting of an issue/criticism is different from evaluating its success or failure.

Every issue/criticism should be integrated, so that it is clear exactly how it attacks whatever it is attacking.

Individual cruciality/weighting follows from that.

An issue which attacks a foundational premise is going to be critical and imply that the truth of the argument/theory in question is at stake. It will be potentially fatal.

An issue that undermines one of the arguments for a theory or claims that it leads to scepticism or is not the best explanation might only show that the theory is unattractive or unconvincing or that we have no reason to believe it or something like that.

Explaining the individual cruciality of an issue essentially involves highlighting what is at stake if that issue succeeds. You will then go on the separate matter of evaluating whether the issue succeeds.

The weight to be given to each argument. Making reasoned judgements about the weight to be given to each argument also involves making sure to highlight the strengths of an argument/theory. Bringing out the full strength of each argument/theory, including the ones you ultimately argue against, is important. Explain why an argument/theory is convincing to some philosophers, even if you end up evaluating that it does not succeed.

Relative cruciality. How crucial an argument is in comparison to other arguments that have a similar aim. For example if you evaluate multiple issues, are some more crucial than others?

This could be done in section 2 or 3, in the conclusion, or before the conclusion.

Points about cruciality should also be involved in the conclusion. Your conclusion must logically follow the cruciality of the various arguments you considered and then whether you evaluated them to succeed or fail.

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• Water overview 2024

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27 May 2024

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This publication gives an overview of the European Investment Bank’s contribution for water management. It details the Bank’s activities in the sector and highlights key projects. The stories, videos and case studies, illustrate how the Bank’s financing and advice help countries, regions and cities.

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