Description of the Assignment
Choose an ethical issue in consultation with your instructor in order to write an essay. Your essay should model the steps found in chapter 4 of Moral Choices. Your paper should be between 1000–1200 words (4–5 pages) and should address all of the relevant steps described in chapter 4 “Making Ethical Decisions.” Any sources used should be cited appropriately in a bibliography page that does not count towards the word-length requirement. References to the Bible may be made in parenthetical notations such as (Gen 1:1). The paper must be Times New Roman, 12 pt font, double-spaced and include a cover page as indicated in the template below.
Grading Criteria
Your essay will be graded based on the following characteristics. As indicated below, use criterion from steps 1–7 of Moral Choices, 4th ed., p. 110–113 (and subsequent examples, p. 113–125), to guide your writing.
1. Ethical Self-Awareness (10% of grade)
a. Based on steps 1 & 3 from Moral Choices. Step 1: Gather the Facts and step 3: Determine What Virtues/Principles Having a Bearing on the Case.
b. Does the essay discuss the student’s core beliefs related to the issue under investigation? In other words, does the student identify her or his central ideas about life, human relationships, morality, etc., that connect with the given topic?
2. Ethical Issue Recognition (10%)
a. Based on step 2 from Moral Choices. Step 2: Determine the Ethical Issues
b. Does the essay demonstrate awareness of the ethical issue being discussed and what other concepts or consequences connect with that issue? Does a student recognize other issues that may complicate an easy answer to the problem?
3. Understanding Different Ethical Perspectives/Concepts (20%)
a. Moral Choices, step 4: List the Alternatives
b. Does the essay describe the ethical perspectives being used to make a decision? What ethical theories does the student use to make a decision?
4. Evaluation of Different Ethical Perspectives/Concepts (30%)
a. Moral Choices, step 5: Compare the Alternatives with the Virtues/Principles
b. Does the essay evidence the interaction with other alternative answers to a particular position including objections, assumptions, and implications to one’s own or another’s ethical perspective? Does the student identify how others might answer the issue and address these alternatives?
5. Application of Ethical Perspectives/ Concepts (30%)
a. Moral Choices, step 6: Consider the Consequences and step 7: Decide.
b. Does the essay apply ethical and biblical principles appropriately?
See sample format for your essay. (Do not include the footer material.)
FAULKNER UNIVERSITY
TITLE OF YOUR ESSAY (LEAVE 2” BETWEEN EACH LINE)
SUBMITTED TO JOSHUA SETH HOUSTON, MA
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF
BI 2319 CHRISTIAN ETHICS
BY
YOUR NAME HERE
DATE
TITLE (2” FROM TOP OF PAGE)
Body of your paper goes here. If you use a reference, here is how you should make your footnote. Make sure to put the page numbers at the bottom-center of each page.