Research paper on death penalty - where to start?

i have to write a 10-12 pages on death penalty. i have no clue on how i should start it.

Greetings!

Probably the easiest way to begin would be to take a position, for or against it, and make that your thesis. For example: "Despite the fact that over 135 countries across the globe have outlawed the death penalty, and that there is little evidence to support its use, the United States remains as one of the few major industrialized nations that still executes prisoners." (You could also choose to take the opposite viewpoint, of course.) The supporting paragraphs which follow could start off with a history of the death penalty (going back as far as you think you need to, as 10-12 pages is a fairly long paper), ways that it has changed in implementation over time (gas chamber, lethal injection, etc.), other historical points of interest (for instance, that the U.S. Supreme Court suspended its application for a number of years after deciding that it was not being implemented fairly), and, of course, the arguments and evidence that support your position as to whether the death penalty is an effective form of punishment. Bring in, as well, the arguments on the other side, and show why they are flawed. Finish with a conclusion that summarizes the major points you have made and restate your conclusion that your position is the correct one.

I hope this helps draw a sort of road map for you that will be helpful!

Thanks,

Sarah, EssayForum.com

i have start working on my outline. is this ok? will it be enough for a 10-12 page paper? any suggestion?

Direction: in a 10-12 page essay, argue about the death penalty. no informational essays (reports) are acceptable. the proposal requires an outline (thesis and main points) and works cited page.

Thesis: Both sides argue how about well the used of the death penalty.

Point 1: brief history of the death penalty
Point 2: costs of putting a criminal on death penalty
Point 3: worldwide use of the death penalty
Point 4: Juveniles on death row
Point 5: alternatives to the use of the death penalty
Point 6: possible error in killing someone who is innocent
Point 7: death penalty protects society from dangerous criminals
Point 8: effectiveness of the death penalty

Good afternoon!

This looks like a great outline for your essay. Depending on how much information you have to apply to each point, it is probably enough to meet your page requirements. Just to clarify, is your thesis a pros and cons view of all of these points? If so, you should have more than enough information to fulfill that requirement. I suggest clarifying your thesis to something such as "The Pros and Cons of the Effectiveness of the Death Penalty". Also, are you studying one country in particular? If not, you might want to narrow your research down to just one county, or perhaps compare and contrast two different ones. Also, don't forget your works cited page!

Regards,
Gloria
Moderator, EssayForum.com