Final Paper Topic: – We noted that there is often a difference between broad gui

Final Paper Topic:
– We noted that there is often a difference between broad guiding principles and specific rules to follow. Both the formal/material norm and professional codes of ethics discussions noted instances when a broad guideline might not be helpful in resolving a particular ethical dilemma. For your final paper, you will first identify the relevant code of ethics for your major. You will then identify an ethical dilemma within your field (normally an area of controversy) and analyze the professional code of ethics in light of that problem.
– Identifying a controversy might be tricky – an ethical problem might already have a solution (e.g., if the conduct is illegal, it is likely that the code of ethics already prohibits it). You are looking for areas and issues where professionals are uncertain as to what they ought to do. Consider whistleblowing as discussed in class: it is entirely possible that a particular professional practice may fall into ethically/legally gray territory. It represents a conflict between perceived duties to one’s employer and perceived duties to the public. While protections ostensibly exist, many whistleblowers face significant professional repercussions and are hesitant to sacrifice their personal or professional well-being. At the same time, many people would want whistleblowers to warn them of dangers in products and structures. How should the professional proceed? How does the professional code of ethics handle the great potential for self-sacrifice?
– A strong final paper will address questions like these, exploring issues in law and philosophy. As this is a course in applied ethics, the bulk of your paper should be exploring the ethical reasoning behind your position – what philosophical principles are at stake? Why do they matter?
Paper requirements:
– Your final paper must be 8-10 pages (full text, not partial pages) and at least 2500 words.
– Your final paper must incorporate research from at least 8 sources that are:
-> Peer-reviewed
– Published after 2000
– 8+ pages in length
– Formatted in Times New Roman, 12 pt font, and double-spaced.
– No additional spaces after paragraphs
– No added lines to headers/footers
Paper Methods of Evaluation:
1. Response to topic- 20%:- Addresses the topic clearly and responds effectively to all aspects of the task.
2. Understanding and use of supporting documents and resources, if applicable (includes transitions & commentary) -20%:- Demonstrates a thorough critical understanding of the activity, issue, or idea in developing an insightful response.
3. Quality & Clarity of thought-20%:- Explores the issues thoughtfully and in-depth.
4. Organization Development Support -20 %:- Coherently organized with ideas supported by apt reasons and well-chosen examples.
5. Syntax & Command of Language-10%:- Has an effective, fluent style marked by syntactic variety and clear command of language.
6. Grammar, Usage, Mechanics -10 %:- Is generally free from errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics.
Writing Tips:
Important: This page contains information that will help you approach your final paper.
General Paper Writing Tips
College papers (and philosophy papers in particular) are not like high school writing – this is not a five paragraph essay. You are developing a strong position on a complex topic over the course of a semester, so your work must reflect a high level of effort. I’ve been producing college and professional-level writing for over 25 years at this point, so there are a few tips and tricks I’ve learned which can help you.
Don’t write linearly. You don’t want to write your introduction, then your body paragraphs, and then your conclusion. This encourages writing to meet the paper minimums, which tends to lower the quality of the argument. Your thesis page serves as an outline for the final paper, so write your body paragraphs first and see where it takes you. It isn’t uncommon for new or different ideas to occur as you are writing them. Generally, it is best to write your body paragraphs first, then your conclusion (to see where the argument took you), and then your introduction (what you need to include in order to set the stage for your argument).
Revisit your writing repeatedly. Writing is a recursive process – you need to go back and reread what you have written periodically to see how it all hangs together. It is entirely possible that your thoughts are getting disjointed as you write and that sections of text may be more appropriate elsewhere in your paper (or in a different order). Use your voice and read what you’ve written out loud. Your ears will catch things that your eyes do not.
Worry about formatting after you get the text out. Your final paper must be 8-10 pages and 2500 words (minimum) formatted in 12pt Times New Roman, double-spaced, with 1″ margins and no extra spaces between paragraphs. This does not mean that you have to format your paper like this from the start. When I write, I start with single spacing and 10pt or 12pt font and I write in sections (so different sections of my writing have different files). Once I am satisfied that my argument is complete, I will put the sections together and see where it stands in terms of length (professional publications often have both minimum and maximum word counts). The math is pretty simple – if I have four complete pages of text, I know that will be 8 pages when it is double-spaced. I’ve found that if I worry more about meeting the minimum length, the quality of my writing suffers. If I focus more on the quality of my writing, the length is generally there. The ideas matter more, especially on complex topics. If we are giving complex topics adequate attention, paper length shouldn’t be an issue. If we are only providing superficial discussion (or skipping around between a variety of topics), we aren’t demonstrating understanding or mastery and these papers tend to have more fluff to meet length requirements. It’s painfully obvious when a paper is written this way.
Don’t rely on quotes. Strong writing normally paraphrases – it is uncommon (and, in fact, relatively rare) for a research paper/article to contain block quotes (and if they are present at all, they represent at most 10-15% of the paper). Stronger writing shows how material is integrated into a larger position – the articles referenced are shown to support and inform the argument being made. Block quotes are not arguments in themselves, nor are they original content. Papers that are reliant on block quotes or bullet point lists generally earn lower grades as they reflect less actual effort. Bullet point lists are especially egregious and are better served by summaries or inclusion as an appendix instead of the body of the paper.
Care about what you are working on. The language you use matters. Mistakes like grammar, spelling, and word choice matter. My grandfather told me that everything we put our name on reflects on who we are. If your final paper is sloppy (writing, formatting, alphabetizing sources and keeping fonts consistent, etc., etc.), then that reflects on your work ethic. You have fifteen weeks to work on your ideas and their expression – your final paper needs to reflect that. This is a professional environment even though you are all learning new material and skills. There are still expectations that need to be met and good habits that will need to be formed – they will help you in your other coursework and your professional lives. Even if you don’t buy into the idea that your work reflects on you, recognize that many recruiters and companies are looking for people who are effective communicators in professional environments.