Pretty easy Project
EDUC 1300 2019-20
Ethical Viewpoints Assignment
El Centro College
"Education must enable one to sift and weigh evidence, to discern the true from the false, the real from the unreal, and the facts from the fiction...The function of education, therefore, is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically." Martin Luther King, Jr., The Purpose of Education
What will you learn?
· how to find credible, reliable sources of information using a library database
· how to critically review scholarly articles to determine suitability for supporting a viewpoint
· how to clarify and evaluate ethical viewpoints presented by various authorities
· how to cite sources in MLA style
Assignment Format
The assignment worksheet on Page 7 is the required format for this assignment. The worksheet can also be found on the Library Guide Assignment Page for Learning Framework (Handout Section). You will find an example of a completed assignment at the end of this document.
Step #1 FIND IT! (Select a Topic)
To start this assignment, go to El Centro’s home page and scroll to the bottom of the screen to the Quick Links section. Click on the Library link, and then Research Guides, which will take you to a list of Library resources for each course discipline. Scroll down the list and click on Learning Framework:
Library Guide to Learning Framework
From the Learning Framework Home Page, click on the link to SIRS ISSUES RESEARCHER – this is one of our best databases for offering different viewpoints on hot topics in the news!
Sign into the databases using your DCCCD email address and your eConnect password. Your email address format is e[Your ID#]@student.dcccd.edu. For example: e12345678@student.dcccd.edu. If you don't know your eConnect password, you can reset it at econnect.dcccd.edu, under "Credit Student Menu" > "Forgot/Reset My Password". For assistance, contact a Library or Computer lab staff member or call the eConnect/eCampus Technical Support 972.669.6402.
Explore the list of topics until you find an ethical topic you are interested in researching. Beginning Fall 2019, it is recommended that you select a topic related to your chosen Guided Pathway (i.e. your career interest). Your instructor will let you know if your topic needs to be approved ahead of time. Very Important! You may not use the topic example at the end of this handout.
For each topic in the SIRS Database, you will find a research question near the top of the page. Below the research question are two columns of articles. Each column offers different answers – presented as different viewpoints - for the question.
Keep an open mind as you explore different viewpoints. Your goal is to select one article from VIEWPOINT 1 and a different article from VIEWPOINT 2. Choose articles that answer the research question from two, distinctly different points of view. While all of the SIRS articles are credible sources of information, some articles are older or do not offer enough proof to support an answer to the question.
Step #2: QUOTE IT!
For the quote section of the worksheet (page 7), you will copy/paste direct quotations from your article that are directly related to the viewpoint you have selected. These should be specific, relevant statements from the article that help to support the viewpoint. Find at least 4-8 direct quotes, and place quotation marks around them.
While you should have several direct quotes from the article, you should not copy/paste the entire article. Use the attached worksheet to organize your DIRECT QUOTATIONS section. Remember, before you finalize which articles to use, evaluate the articles to make sure they are suitable. We will use what is called the T.R.A.P. Evaluation.
Step #3: EVALUATE IT! (Use T.R.A.P.)
The T.R.A.P. evaluation will help you to determine if the articles you found contain enough evidence to support your viewpoint. DO NOT use an article that doesn't pass the T.R.A.P. evaluation! Your T.R.A.P. results must be paraphrased. Check yourself for unintentional plagiarism by using the SafeAssign Plagiarism Checker in eCampus. See details in Step #6.
TIPS for Paraphrasing Effectively : When paraphrasing, you are restating the author’s ideas in your own words. Read the article in its entirety first. Immediately free-write your ideas about what you remember. Talk about the article aloud with a friend. You are much more likely to use your own words when explaining the article verbally.
Answer the questions below, and record your results on a piece of paper. Once you have decided on the two, best articles, you will record the results in the T.R.A.P. EVALUATION section of your assignment worksheet (for each article). You will find the assignment worksheet on Page 7.
Time (T): When was the article written?
· Add a statement highlighting the date your article was written.
· Reminder: the article must be written within the past 3 years
Relevance (R): How is the information relevant to the question – what is their answer to the question?
· Using the facts or statistics you put into the Direct Quotation box, paraphrase (re-state) the information that answers your research question - in your own words
· Write a minimum of 4 to 8 sentences
Authority (A): Who is responsible for the evidence - are they credible organizations or individuals?
· List 1 - 2 credible experts or organizations - you can use the author of your article as an expert IF there is credible information about the author listed at the end of the article.
Proof! (P) Proof: What evidence is given to support the viewpoint presented in the article?
· Find statements that include statistics, research studies, surveys, legal decisions, etc. that provide evidence to support the viewpoint. PARAPHRASE the information you find.
· If your article does not provide evidence, you will need to select a different article.
· Write a minimum of 2 to 4 sentences.
Once you have found 2 articles (1 FOR, 1 AGAINST) that pass the T.R.A.P. Evaluation, email the articles to yourself.
Step #4: CITE IT! (Give Credit to the Source)
Giving credit to your article source is a critical step in the research process. We will use the MLA citation style to give credit to your source. For each article, you will follow these steps. Find your chosen article in the SIRS Database and open it. Click on the “Cite” button from the menu.
Now, click the COPY button next to the MLA citation.
Open your assignment worksheet (at the end of this document) and place your cursor in the citation section for your first article. Right click your computer mouse and select PASTE from the menu.
Now, repeat Steps 2-4 for your second article. Remember, you will record your work on your Assignment Worksheet (page 7).
Step #5: REFLECT ON IT!
Next, write the final reflection on your topic. Remember, reflection is a key part of critically thinking things through!
Reflection Section
Your reflection involves metacognition – that is, evaluating how you are thinking about this topic. The purpose of this part of the assignment is to allow you to reflect on the research you found. Your reflection should be 200-500 words.
Use these questions to guide your writing as you discuss BOTH sides of this ethical issue:
· What was your viewpoint before starting your research? Do you still think about the issue in the same way you did when you first selected your topic? How has your viewpoint changed?
· What did you learn about yourself as you researched this topic?
· How did you arrive at your opinion of this topic? (Your research should drive your opinion!)
· Imagine having the perspective of the opposing side – Consider why the issue has importance for those who feel strongly about it. Give examples from the opposing side that you think are valid or worth considering.
· What questions might generate deeper thinking about this topic?
For an example of the entire, complete Ethical Viewpoints assignment, go to the end of this document.
Step #6 Submit Assignment Worksheet to eCampus.
Log into your course in eCampus. Click on ASSIGNMENTS to find this assignment in your course.
Ultimately, you will submit two drafts of the assignment to eCampus. The first draft will be used as a practice assignment to allow you to practice summarizing and paraphrasing without penalty for accidental plagiarism. Your instructor will expect you to paraphrase the T.R.A.P. (Step #3: Evaluate it!) and Reflection (Step #5 Reflect on it!) sections of the assignment. You will submit your first draft using this assignment link in eCampus:
Safe Assign Plagiarism Checker
Please Note: Your instructor must activate the Safe Assign plagiarism checker in eCampus before you can use it. When you submit your assignment to eCampus, the SafeAssign plagiarism checker will review your document to detect possible plagiarism. After submitting the assignment, look for the Safe Assign Originality Report, which will highlight all areas of your assignment that were lifted too closely from the original source. View the SAFE ASSIGN TUTORIAL for detailed instructions on how to access and understand your Safe Assign Originality Report.
If Safe Assign detects plagiarism in either your T.R.A.P. or Reflection Sections, you must make corrections by paraphrasing the author’s words into your own before resubmitting your final draft to eCampus. The final draft will be graded. You will submit your final draft to this assignment link in eCampus:
To prepare your assignment for submission to eCampus:
1. Make sure your Assignment Worksheet is saved as a Microsoft Word document (.docx) or .pdf file on your computer. You will upload your worksheet to eCampus by using the assignment link.
2. Click on the assignment link and scroll to the Assignment Submission box. Click Browse My Computer to find your saved document.
3. Select the document you want to submit to eCampus with your mouse and click OPEN. You should now see the attached file in eCampus.
4. Lastly, find the SUBMIT button and click it. Now, your instructor can see that you have turned in the assignment correctly. Do not copy/paste your assignment into the Comments Box. If you need additional help understanding how to attach a file, view this video.
Ethical Viewpoints Assignment - Worksheet
Research Question
See Step 1: Find it! (The research question for your topic goes here.)
Viewpoint 1
See Step 1: Find it! (The first viewpoint for your topic goes here.)
Direct Quotations
See Step 2: Quote it! (Your direct quotes from the Viewpoint 1 article go here. Include quotation marks.)
T.R.A.P. Evaluation
See Step 3: Evaluate it! (Answer the TRAP questions to evaluate your article.)
MLA Citation
See Step 4: Cite it! (Your MLA citation for the Viewpoint 1 article goes here.)
Viewpoint 2
See Step 1: Find it! (The second viewpoint for your topic goes here.)
Direct Quotations
See Step 2: Quote it! (Your direct quotes from the Viewpoint 2 article go here. Include quotation marks.)
T.R.A.P. Evaluation
See Step 3: Evaluate it! (Answer the TRAP questions to evaluate your article.)
MLA Citation
See Step 4: Cite it! (Your MLA citation for the Viewpoint 2 article goes here.)
Reflection
See Step 5: Reflect on it! (Your assignment reflection goes here.)
Ethical Viewpoints Assignment - Student Example
Research Question
Should changes be made to the U.S. Prison and Penal system to reduce the number of repeat offenders?
Viewpoint 1
Rehabilitation reduces recidivism and decreases the amount of taxpayer money that is spent to maintain our currently overcrowded prisons.
Direct Quotations
· “Reducing recidivism and facilitating successful re-entry [into the workforce] will lower crime rates.”
· “Nationally more than two-thirds of former inmates who are released are rearrested within three years.”
· “Expungement. This measure allows certain low-level felons to expunge their records once they have completed the terms of their criminal sentence, thereby clearing away some of the barriers that can hold people back from leading successful, law-abiding lives.”
· “Virginia is also making significant strides using community-based services to keep juvenile offenders out of secure confinement, as well as preparing adult offenders to succeed after confinement.”
· “In Louisiana, data projections show that reforms focused on nonviolent, non-sex offenders will reduce the prison population by 10 percent and save more than $262 million over the next decade.”
· “Criminal justice reform will lead to an improved workforce participation rate, a higher quality of workforce, a higher quality of life and safer communities.”
T.R.A.P. Evaluation
T: This article was published on August 19, 2018, which is within the past three years.
R: Legislatures are trying to put the spotlight on prison reform by suggesting the focus should be on rehabilitation of inmates while incarcerated, as well as when they are released. The proposition is that by focusing on rehabilitation, it will lower crime rates and improve the workforce participation rate, while saving the state money. Multiple states have followed these guidelines by implementing programs for juveniles instead of sending them straight to jail, as well as giving incarcerated prisoners schooling so they are able to get a job as soon as their sentence is complete. Governors are currently working on a measure that allows for an inmate’s record to be cleared after they serve their sentence. This measure will allow felons easier access to job opportunities so they can provide for themselves without being held back by previous criminal convictions.
A: This article was written by 4 governors which include; Matt Bevin the governor of Kentucky, John Bel Edwards the governor of Louisiana, Mary Fallin the governor of Oklahoma, and Ralph Northam the governor of Virginia.
P: According to this article, passing prison reform bills and putting programs in place to rehabilitate convicted felons will lead to an improved way of life. These bills and programs will allow convicted felons easier access to job opportunities, job training while incarcerated, and out of jail programs for juveniles; thus leading communities to a lower crime rate by reducing the numbers of individuals going back into the prison system.
MLA Citation
Bevin, Matt. "Governors: We Need Bipartisan Criminal Justice Reform to Improve.." USA Today (Online), 19 Aug 2018. sirsissuesresearcher, http://dcccd.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://explore-proquest-com.dcccd.idm.oclc.org/sirsissuesresearcher/document/2264375574?accountid=4875.
Viewpoint 2
Prison should be used to punish criminals and ensure public safety, not to enhance the personal growth of inmates.
Direct Quotations
· “The ACCA operated on a simple premise: when a felon is convicted of illegally possessing a firearm, he receives a mandatory fifteen-year sentence if his prior convictions include three or more “violent felonies” or “serious drug offenses”.”
· “From 1964 to 1980, the overall violent crime rate tripled in the United States…Then came the ACCA and other major criminal reforms; the elimination of parole, reform of the bail system, the sentencing guidelines, and better funding for law enforcement. The goal of these reforms was to reduce violent crime, and from 1991 to 2014, violent crime dropped by half.”
· “Because of Johnson, more than 1,400 violent career criminals have been released early, and 600 of those have already been arrested again just three years later. On average, these 600 offenders have been arrested or reoffended three times.”
· “As the Attorney General recently stated, releasing repeat offenders has consequences.”
· “Johnson caused these violent offenders to be released early, and going forward federal prosecutors will no longer be able to ensure sufficient sentences for many repeat violent offenders caught illegally possessing firearms.”
T.R.A.P. Evaluation
T: This article was published on August 28, 2018, which is within the past three years.
R: The tools that were in place many years ago allowing law enforcement and prosecutors to keep us safe are now being reversed. The ACCA (Armed Career Criminal Act) allowed prosecutors to sentence a convicted felon to a longer sentence if they are found in possession of a firearm. The ACCA along with other reforms were successful in their goal of lowering the alarming amount of violent crimes that were taking place. All of these reforms were set to target career criminals and now that the ACCA has been reversed, law enforcement has seen a higher rate of released inmates going back to prison, as well as, crimes that could have been prevented if the prisoner was not released early. Law enforcement needs to be able to keep offenders in prison for their violent crimes.
A: United States Attorney, Eastern District of N.C., Robert J. Higdon, Jr., Armed Career Criminal Act, U.S. Supreme Court
P: According to this article, some law makers want to bring back laws and bills that will tighten up the system to create harsher punishments for repeat criminals. The original bill (i.e. Armed Career Criminal Act) was meant to do that, but has since been reversed. Law makers want to implement it again to keep repeat offenders from being allowed release. The goal should be to keep career criminals behind bars to ensure the safety of the community. Reversing the reversal of this bill will help with this goal.
MLA Citation
Higdon, Jr, and J. Robert. Prosecutors Need the Tools to Protect Americans from Violent Offenders. , 2018. sirsissuesresearcher, http://dcccd.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://explore-proquest-com.dcccd.idm.oclc.org/sirsissuesresearcher/document/2250419893?accountid=4875.
Reflection
Prior to this research, I was in favor of programs that focused on rehabilitation for offenders. After researching my chosen topic on prison reform, my opinion has not necessarily changed on the subject but I do see the other side a bit more clearly. I think that both sides have good points, but I do feel that we should put more focus on rehabilitation to discourage people from reoffending. I have run so many background checks at my place of employment and if the potential employee has anything on their record, I am not allowed to hire them, no matter how great of a fit they are for the position. How are these individuals supposed to support themselves financially if no one will give them a job?
I personally feel that we should have programs in place to assist convicted felons with getting a job, as well as juvenile programs to redirect youths’ behavior at an early age. I understand that people make mistakes, especially when they are young, and I do not feel someone should be punished their whole lives for one mistake, with the exception of violent crimes and sex offenders. I feel that if a person’s criminal history does not include violent offenses and they are not repetitive, they should be eligible for jobs. I recognize that very case is different and changes to the law are necessary as the times progress.
There is a part of the opposing side that I agree with. I agree that the ACCA laws should come back because they allowed prosecutors to put career criminals behind bars with harsher sentences for repeat offenders. These changes are necessary to ensure the safety of the community. Those individuals that show no interest in the rehabilitation programs and continue to commit crimes after release should not be allowed back out on the streets. Those are crimes that could be prevented if there are laws in place to allow for stricter prosecution. Ultimately, I see valid points on both sides of this issue, although I’m still leaning more on the side of preparing inmates for their life outside of prison. Basically, we need to make changes for those offenders who truly would like to turn their life around, while allowing for law enforcement to do their jobs of keeping us safe and career criminals behind bars. I wonder how many released felons are reoffending because they cannot find gainful employment. Can we implement ideas on both sides of this issue to improve society as a whole?
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How can I get help with this assignment?
Email: Ask a Librarian
El Centro Library: 214-860-2174
You may also email your EDUC 1300 Instructor for assistance.
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