Sievers 1

Trevor Sievers
Mrs. DeBock
English 4
September 29, 2014
Annotated Bibliography
Research Question: Should assisted suicide be legal in the United States?
Working Thesis Statement: The word euthanasia is defined as the action where a physician or
doctor performs an action, such as lethal injection, which brings about death.
Refined Thesis Statement: Euthanasia is defined as patients with terminal ailments are provided
a choice to live until their disease causes them to perish or to have a physician essentially
murder them so they do not have to suffer.
Glover, Peter C. "Physician-Assisted Suicide Is Unethical." Ethics. Ed. Laurie DiMauro and Tina
Grant. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2006. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "Euthanasia:
Can It Ever Be Right to Legalise It?" Catholic Insight 17 (Feb. 2009): 8-9.Opposing
Viewpoints in Context. Web. 29 Sept. 2014.
This article will help me with my research because it provides a strong con-assisted suicide
section. It goes into great detail about what Euthanasia means and how it relates to my topic. The
author provides facts and statistics of suicidal tendencies and physicians in the United States that
have performed assisted suicide. The sub-article The Dutch Experience states that the Dutch
government has legalized euthanasia, however, it also states, The doctors who help set the
Dutch euthanasia policies are aware that euthanasia is out of control in the Netherlands. The

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words empowered and dignity are used in the pro-assisted suicide section of the article. Who is
being empowered? The person being murdered? This article provides information that is futile
for researching this topic.
Reinberg, Steven. "Most Doctors Oppose Physician-Assisted Suicide, Poll Finds."Health
News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health. N.p., 11 Sept. 2013. Web. 29 Sept.
2014.
This article is dire for this research topic because it provides statistics and facts that other
articles do not, for example there are only five countries in the world that allows assisted
suicide, and there are only four states in the United States that permits it. Those states and
countries will be provided in the research portion of this essay. This article also provides
quotes from physicians that have performed assisted suicide and advocates that have had
members of their families choose to die rather than to stay and become a burden to the
family. This article discloses the importance of palliative care subduing pain and
making the ending of a life dignified and more comfortable. If a patient has high quality
palliative care, they become more comfortable and live longer with less stress, and
typically the thought of assisted suicide will vanish. This article provides facts and
statistics that are important because it gives information that pieces together the
information from the other two articles.
White, Michael H., J.D., and Tracy E. Miller, J.D. "Before I Die: Opinions."Before I Die:
Opinions. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Oct. 2014.
This article provides information and facts for both sides of the argument for the topic in
question. White provides the pro side for the question Should assisted suicide be legal?

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and Miller provides the con side. Miller says that the reasons someone would want to
commit suicide would be either prolonged pain or depression, and both are treatable
without suicide. White retorts by saying assisted suicide is a compassionate way to ease
the encumberment of pain and death. His reasoning behind this is that if someone were to
be terminally ill, and want to die, then they should be allowed to have that choice. This
article provides a perfect example of both sides of the argument.