Essay 2—Abortion
Proper pre-natal care of your
paper could have helped you
avoid post-birth complications.
Introduction Format
• Background Introduction—explain issue,
terminology, historical context, or other
necessary information
• “Opposite” Introduction—state beliefs of
those who oppose your eventual thesis,
developed fully
• Transition to the
• Thesis—stated at the end of the
introduction
Introduction Format
• Background Introduction—explain issue,
terminology, historical context, or other
necessary information
• “Opposite” Introduction—state beliefs of
those who oppose your eventual thesis,
developed fully
• Transition to the
• Thesis—stated at the end of the
introduction
Background Introduction
A serious controversial issue in the United States today is
the legal right to have an abortion. Although this issue
has been constitutionally decided by the Supreme
Court (Roe vs. Wade, 1973), the argument continues.
The belief in Pro-Life is dictated by the idea that fetuses
are human beings and have a right to enjoy the civil
and human liberties granted to every American. This
essentially constitutes as murder and therefore abortion
should never be the framework of consideration when
investigating possible avenues of approach when a
woman is pregnant. The most significant argument for
abortion is determining when life begins. Although
women should have the right to choose to have an
abortion, some abortion procedures should be
prohibited.
“Opposite” Introduction
Opponents of abortion often equate elective abortion
with murder. Their belief is that human life begins at
conception and that babies (they don’t use the term
“fetus”) enjoy full human rights from that moment.
More extreme pro-life advocates do not support this
procedure even in cases of rape or incest, arguing
that the child is not the perpetrator and deserves the
right to live. These fervently held beliefs are
admirable, but they deny the rights of pregnant
women. The government should not deny the rights
of pregnant women over their bodies by limiting the
right to an abortion.
Introduction Evaluation
• Both models are full paragraphs
• Each model maintains a neutral tone on
the topic, avoiding emotional language
(see below)
• Each model has a transition before the
thesis
• Both models state the thesis at the end,
not at the beginning or lost in the middle
Think About Order
Alternatives to Abortion
1. Adoption?
2. Birth Control?
3. Abstinence (makes the heart grow fonder)?
Arguments Against Abortion
1. It takes a human life?
2. Effects on the mother’s health?
3. Other people want to adopt?
Topic Sentences
Which examples below are topic sentences?
1. Abortion has been legal since 1973.
2. The are two types of abortion.
3. Because human life begins at conception,
abortions should not be allowed.
4. Women should not be forced to endure a
pregnancy caused by rape.
5. Abortionists are murderous Nazis.
6. Anti-abortionists want to enslave women as
they were in the past.
Transitions
Thesis: Women should have the right to choose, but some
abortion procedures should be prohibited.
TS1: The abortion option gives women control over their
own bodies.
Trans1: In addition to controlling their own health, women
should be in charge of their own lives.
TS2: While both men and women should share parenting,
women’s lives are more affected by unwanted
pregnancies, making abortion a necessary option.
Trans2: Like any right, however, the right to physical and
socio-economic choice may be limited by other factors.
TS3: Even though abortion should remain an option in
most circumstances, third trimester and partial birth
abortions should be limited to medical necessity.
Emotional Language
• How are they able to abort a human life
without any parental consent, and get
away with it?
• Because Rosie Jimenez could not afford
the procedure at a private clinic, she died
in agony from a botched illegal abortion.
• Young teens are not responsible enough
to have sex.
Consider These Sources
• www.abortionfacts.com
• www.abortionNo.org
• http://www.americanpregnancy.org/
• Are they neutral? Are they appropriate?