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CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

PERSUASIVE ESSAY UNIT

INSTRUCTIONS

We started talking about the death penalty yesterday in class, now it is time to take the next step, find the facts and fill in the blanks.

Step 1: Educate Yourself

Using the websites listed below, take your time and look through what these websites have to offer. You may know

a little something about the issue of death penalty (aka capital punishment, CP), but there’s a lot of information out there that will be

new to you. Take your time and wander the below websites, learning at your own pace. After a little while you will probably have an idea

concerning which side you’re leaning towards: pro or anti death penalty.

You're not required to take notes today, but I won't stop you if you want to get ahead. Click here for a printable note-taking sheet.

Step 2: Take a Side

Now that you have decided which side of the issue you stand on, it will be your responsibility to find information that supports your opinion.

Remember, you need to understand and use both sides of any issue to persuade someone to see things your way, so don’t focus all your

attention on one side. For example, if you believe CP should be abolished (that would mean you’re anti death penalty), you’ll still need to

understand the pro death penalty arguments so you can contrast each of your required three points.

Step 3: Take Notes

As you navigate the below websites, make use of the attached New Information Sheet to write down all the useful facts and opinions

you’re learning. You will need to find no fewer than 3 specific arguments to support your opinion. Eventually you’re going to use

this information to write a persuasive essay, so only collect information essential to your arguments and counter arguments. Be specific

in your research. If you would rather cut and paste information from the given websites into a Word document, do so. However, be aware

of how you organize your information. A clump of facts will only make organizing your argument harder than need be.    

DEATH PENALTY WEBSITES

1. Death Penalty Information Center (DPIC)

          This website is broken down into a bunch of categories which you find at the top of the page. My

          suggestion is take a look at the FACTS tab first. This breaks down the death penalty into easy

          to understand categories.  

          Web address for the DPIC: http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/           

2. BalancedPolitics.org – Death Penalty (Pros and Cons, Arguments For and Against Capital Punishment) 

          This site is nice and clean because it is broken down into 2 simple sides: Those who think the death penalty

          should be used and those who don’t. The site’s information is clear and easy and should offer you a lot of support,

          no matter which side you’re focusing on.

          Web address: http://www.balancedpolitics.org/death_penalty.htm

3. The Death Penalty Curriculum

          This site is broken down in an easy to navigate way. It’s always smart to read an “Introduction” if one is offered;

          but for the  purposes of this unit, it’s  unnecessary. First try About The Death Penalty – it’s broken down well.

          Web address: http://deathpenaltycurriculum.org/student/index.html