Contemporary Moral Issue Paper
The Task
From the syllabus:
The main project for this class is the completion of a 10 page (double-spaced)
paper dealing with a major contemporary issue. In the paper, you should
provide more depth and detail than is possible in class discussions or exams.
The paper should be in the form of an argumentative essay in which you do
the following:
- clarify the question and the main concepts
- state your argument and support its premises
- raise the main objections to your position
- answer those objections
- summarize your general thesis
Wherever possible, you should draw on materials that go beyond the material
covered in class, thereby illustrating your depth of knowledge and research
abilities.
The Method
1) Selecting a topic.
You may select your issue paper topic from the 4 topics listed below:
- An argument for human cloning
- An argument against human cloning
- An argument for American involvement in the prevention of genocide
in other nations
- An argument against American involvement in the affairs of other nations
2) Research.
You will be expected to use at least 4 outside sources for this paper. These
sources may include books or scholarly websites. Use of the UMUC library
databases is highly recommended.
3) Writing the paper.
The structure of your paper should follow the structure of a classic argument:
http://www.umuc.edu/prog/ugp/ewp_writingcenter/writinggde/chapter8/chapter8-08.shtml)
It is an excellent idea to use the headings of this structure as the basic
outline for your paper.
Make sure to cite your sources at the end of your paper in a "Bibliography"
or "Sources Cited" section. MLA format is preferred, however APA format
is also acceptable.
4) Tips and an example.
Here is a website by Dr. Michael Tooley which gives useful tips
for writing an ethics paper:
http://spot.colorado.edu/%7Etooley/WritingEssays.html
Another useful writing guide can be found in the Course Content section
under "Writing Philosophy."
Here is an example of an argumentative essay by Dr. David J. Yount:
http://www.mc.maricopa.edu/~yount/text/goodpaper.pdf
The length of this example essay is shorter than the required length of
your issue paper (10 pages).
The Assessment
Again, from the syllabus:
The paper will be graded upon the following considerations:
- clarity and consistency in using the argumentative format
- knowledge of the issue
- use of materials both within and outside the class assignments
- exactness of writing, in both grammar and formatting
- correct documentation
The Dates
End of Week 5 Paper topics due.
End of Week 11 First draft of issue paper due.
End of Week 14 Issue paper due.