Learning Goal: I’m working on a writing multi-part question and need the explanation and answer to help me learn.
Submit your draft here for the legalize aid in dying first draft.
Please review the following before you start on the draft and before you submit your First Draft: watch all three of the short videos; watch both the Seattle Channel video and the HBO documentary, How to Die in Oregon; carefully review the directions; review the substantial Source List; review the Student Example Essay; review the MLA pdf on how to use sources and avoid plagiarism; review the pages on how to shape the counter-argument and how to complete the call to action (the last section) and review the required formatting–bolded subtitles, title, opening quote, etc. Everything you need to write a successful argumentative essay is in the modules. Good luck!
Although the directions in this module are fairly complete, your submission is also responsible for integrating any other directions laid out in the videos, the several reviews and in the other extensive module pages.
Please review the Student Example Essay that will help you for your First Draft and then your Final position essay (although the student example essay has very minor glitches–paragraph unity problems, wordy sentences, and overuse of passive voice, but overall, a very good example for you to use as a guide).
This required writing pattern evolves from a decent pro/con list (which I already shaped and provided), for expediency, effectiveness, retention (of the pattern), and accomplishment–your position will be to legalize aid in dying. Please focus on learning this required pattern, using a variety of strategies outlined, and developing confidence in looking at both sides of any issue (we want to help you become a critical thinker, a good citizen of the world).
Need a title and an opening quote (italicized).
Need only three to four pages of body—but no more than four pages of body!
The Works Cited page does not count toward the body requirement; try to shoot for ten works cited (actually, at least ten signal phrases in paper body). Most students luse Citation Machine or Citation Generator; also students use easybib, but also check out Purdue Online Writing Lab: Works Cited section and their Works Cited generator–
Or you can use Googlebib, Noodlebib, etc.
Use active voice and strong and clear verbs. Please pay attention to paragraph unity–one source, one paragraph! Use a variety of strategies (for example, do not overuse illustrations (stories).
Use the MLA citation system; use the required bolded sub-titles and make sure to mark your boundaries with a signal phrase and a parenthetical citation;Include one footnote or end-note (brief sentence or two that would not go in your paper body).
Please use Times New Roman, size 12, true double-spaced, and justify the left margin only. Do not triple-space between paragraphs–just indent or OK to use the more common spacing for a new paragraph–and use one inch margins.
Remember, you must use all four of the reasons in bolded subtitles: Choice, Simply An Option, Relieves Pain and Suffering, and Maintains Dignity.
Choice is different from Simply An Option; Choice is primarily ethical, a value–use freedom of speech–arguing that the decision to take the lethal meds is ultimately a “speech act” manifested by spoken word. You can also use T.Jefferson, et al, statement in the Declaration of Independence–everyone has the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness [emphasis mine],” italicizing “pursuit of happiness” followed by the brackets [emphasis added], and then make one meaning or connective statement, arguing how the choice to take lethal medications is that patient’s definition of pursuing “happiness.”
For a strong and short third paragraph in that argument, consider using Roger Sagner’s powerful and clear statement at the beginning of How to Die In Oregonwhen the Compassion and Choices volunteer asks Roger to make that speech act: he says, “It will kill me and make me happy [emphasis added]”
Now, Simply An Option is primarily a “logical” reason, not an “ethical” reason; make sense? Use the phrase, “just in case,” and that will make clear the difference between the two reasons. Here, use statistics from the Oregon Health Authority or from Washington’s Department of Health, that show the significant percentage of terminal patients who received the lethal prescription (they had the seconal or nebutal) but they did not take them. They had the lethal meds there–“just in case.”
For example, simply use a key statistic from either the Oregon Health Authority or Washington State Department of Health to support Simply An Option(statistic showing how many patients were prescribed the lethal medication and how many actually took it–the percentage of terminal patients that end-up actually taking the lethal prescribed medications will run from 25% to 35%, depending on the time-frame you use).
Include at least one amendment from the Bill of Rights (or the 14th amendment), and use one article from the UN Declaration of Human Rights; for example, you should easily see that you can use key parts of the First Amendment to support Choice (right of expression–this is what I want).
Use Locke and/or Hobbes to also support Choice. Don’t spend too much time with Locke or Hobbes, but just try to get one brief quote from each, in a separate paragraph, and try to argue how that quote supports Choice. For example, Hobbes is tricky to unpack, but Hobbe’s first law is to “seek peace and to follow it” without any outside interference, especially from the State; in other words, Hobbe’s privileges the individual over the State–which such privileging is consistent with the right to choose aid in dying. I listed Locke in the Source List.
Of course, Hobbes, Locke, Jefferson, the Founding Fathers, et al, were not privy to our modern discussion on aid in dying, abortion rights, etc. The purpose of using a variety of non-standard authoritative strategies is to open up a student’s thinking on how to argue for a position. In other words, you must use a variety of strategies.
Then you can use the Eighth Amendment to support Relieves Pain and Suffering (using a reversal, of sorts, arguing that to make someone suffer is “cruel and unusual”).
Make sure your draft follows the required five-point pattern!
Use bolded sub-titles; and capitalize important words in all sub-titles. Start your essay with a short illustration instead of the vague “Introduction.” I recommend using one of the following three great stories: Brittany Maynard, Randy Njelski or Cody Curtis.
Do not use the Introduction, Bodies of support and Conclusion as your writing pattern.
This draft must be properly formatted, according to the listed requirements.
Argue directly for each reason (do not mix-up the reasons).
Choice
Simply An Option
Relieves Pain and Suffering
Maintains Dignity (or Autonomy because many terminal patients equate independence or autonomy with dignity)
Remember, do not use the following terms in support of the position to legalize aid in dying: euthanasia, assisted suicide, physician assisted suicide, passive euthanasia or active euthanasia. Your essay can use the following terms: medically assisted dying, aid in dying, death with dignity, end of life assistance.
For the Counter-argument section, just take only one objection, bolded and add the question mark; in other words, your submission only needs one counter-argument:
Too Depressed To Make A Rational Decision? (the Seattle Channel video has a complete counter-argument between Rutherford and Hinckley).
Violates Oath? (Dr. Susan Rutherford presents the first part of the paragraph, but then you should include Rutherford’s reference in the first paragraph as well: the Hippocratic Oath’s common understanding; then counter with a more modern oath).
Pain Is Managed? (the Seattle Channel video has a complete counter-argument).
Slippery Slope To Euthanasia? (Dr. Reba de Tornay presents the first paragraph and then counter with the one key protocol requirement from a State’s list of requirements). Then counter with a few of the key safety protocols (rules).
Promotes Suicide?
Your Call To Action section: only use subtitle Where Do We Go From Here for your last section. For this section, check-out Dan Diaz and Brittany’s mother in the Brittany Maynard videos–they make great call to action statements, honoring Brittany’s sacrifice and dignity; or you can come back to Randy’s story and quote or paraphrase one of his last conversations with Nancy when he asked her to promise him something and then build a common ground or shared value ethical appeal from that promise. I give examples in one of the posted videos. Do not use the “conclusion” approach in this last section.
Remember, this is not a pro/con paper; this is not a “Introduction, support, and conclusion” paper.
This is a source-based paper; this is not a reflection, pro/con, or response paper. You must use sources for every section! Keep your paragraphs short! Typically, each paragraph will be from three to five sentences. Use sources for every paragraph. Remember, this is not a response, reflection, or stream-of-consciousness paper pattern. Argue directly!
Avoid overusing the compelling patient stories! Remember, you must use a variety of strategies–I have posted and suggested many good examples of a variety of strategies/sources to use.
please submit only doc. docx. or pdf
