Makeup work       Fall Semester 2009                     

The assignment for the essay is to compare and contrast two different moral approaches to one of the moral topics that we have covered so far. A good essay will be about four pages in length. It must be typed or word-processed. 

Restrictions are placed on topics. SEE BELOW FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

Your essay must clearly address these four points:

• State the issue. What situation is being debated and why is there a moral controversy concerning it?
• State your own thesis. What is your own moral recommendation for this type of situation? 
• Defend your thesis. Why is that the correct moral evaluation? What moral position do you endorse, and how does it lead to the result that you recommend?
  I want to be very clear. Telling me that you oppose abortion, or support it, does not tell me what I'm asking for. WHY do you do so? Because you endorse rights to non-intervention? Because you think that the end justifies the means? Discuss general moral principles.
• Deal with objections raised by another moral approach. What objections are made to your view? Summarize them and respond to them.

Your essay must have a cover page with a title and with your name. Do not put your name anywhere else on your essay.

For sample "A" essay, go HERE. For a sample failing essay, go HERE.

DUE DATE:  your essay must be submitted no later than Thursday, Nov. 12. Write an essay on one of the following:

• PUNISHMENT: On page 189 of your book is a case study, "Tracy Lynn Latimer." Was the punishment given to Tracy's father a morally correct thing to do?
• JUST WAR: The United States invaded Iraq in March 2003. More information can be found on page 455 of your book. Write an essay that addresses whether the invasion was morally justified.
• DRUGS: Is it morally correct to legally penalize adults who use marijuana and methamphetamine for recreational purposes when we do not penalize the use of alcohol in the same manner?

Plagiarism is passing off somebody else's writing or ideas as your own. There is nothing wrong in consulting any number of sources to help you understand what we are studying (whether an article in The Encyclopedia of Philosophy or a web site or Cliffs Notes) but it is stealing to take material without first paraphrasing it completely into your own words, or without placing it in quotation marks. (Rule of thumb: if you take more than two consecutive words from a source, put them in quotation marks, and if the idea behind a sentence comes from an outside source, acknowledge that source!) Any time you consult and draw on ideas from any source, you should cite your source. Taking ideas from another person and pretending that they are your own, original thoughts, is also plagiarism. The fact that your source was an assigned text for the course does not mitigate or lessen the seriousness of plagiarism.

Students sometimes claim unintentional or accidental plagiarism. It is difficult for an instructor to judge whether the plagiarism was intentional or unintentional. Basically, the latter occurs when a student reads a secondary source or takes notes, writes a paper without looking at the source or the notes, and accidentally uses phrasing and ideas from that source. Or a student may attempt to paraphrase an author's ideas, but fails to put it completely into his or her own words. (If you paraphrase and don't cite your source, that's evidence of intentional plagiarism.)

If evidence demonstrates that you have plagiarized any part of any written assignment for the course, the offense will be reported to the Vice President for Student Affairs and you will receive a failing grade for the course.

In short, if you use an outside source, simply provide footnotes or citations in parentheses where appropriate. 

Grade of "A": An excellent essay in all respects. Clear, grammatical, well organized, and progresses logically, with all elements relevant to the topic. Exhibits both original thought and an accurate grasp of the material. Grammatical errors kept to a minimum.

Grade of "B": A good essay, but not outstanding. Overall organization is clear and coherent, although minor weaknesses may be present. Accurate presentation of material, but generally presents the minimum needed. Limited original thought. A few minor or subtle errors in punctuation and/or spelling.

Grade of "C": A satisfactory paper. Shows basic understanding, with some deficiencies. Organization not always clear and transitions abrupt or lacking. May contain irrelevant material. Weak support of ideas. Occasional grammatical mistakes, or sloppiness which could have been avoided.

Grade of "D": Minimally acceptable work. Marginal grasp of material, ineffective or confusing presentation. Summarizes the most obvious aspects of the material, but otherwise tends to be irrelevant. Little or no organization. Contains major grammatical problems.

Grade of "F": Unsatisfactory. Superficial, incoherent, and/or irrelevant. Writing ability verges on illiteracy. Plagiarism.