One: Introduction to the subject you’ve chosen to examine. A paragraph should do

One:
Introduction to the subject you’ve chosen to examine. A paragraph should do it. In the intro, you explain why the subject is important … in other words, you explain why we should pay close attention to it.
Two:
Examination of side A … that is, the argument made by one of the basic “sides” in your chosen issue. Don’t skimp on this portion. Really explain the arguments being made. Also: be neutral in your description. At this point in the essay, you’re not taking sides. Anyone reading this section should not be able to tell what side you’re one.
Three:
Examination of side B. As with side A, do not skimp…and do not take sides.
Four:
Conclusion: Which side makes the more logical argument? Why? Explain. It’s at this point that you do take sides because you choose one side over another. Does that mean side A or side B had no merit at all? Of course not. Typically, students find that both sides have good points to make, and therefore we must give serious attention to both sides before rendering a decision.
To stress an important point: doing this essay well requires serious research. Otherwise, we can’t present a serious discussion of both sides. Therefore, the most important preparation we can do for essay three is to read (and read more) about our topic … to the point we really do have solid understanding of the various arguments surrounding the issue.