Is it ethical to test company employees for illegal drug use?

ESSAY

• 25% of the course grade will be based on a written paper.

REQUIREMENTS:

(These requirements are neither optional nor negotiable.)

1.  APPROVED TOPIC.  The topic must concern business ethics and decision making and the paper topic must be approved in advance by the instructor.

2.  ORIGINAL WORK.  The paper must be original (i.e., original to this course; not previously submitted in a different course; not generated by some other student or internet vendor, etc.).

3.  SIX TO 10 PAGES OF TEXT.  The paper must include 6-10 pages of text in 12-point font with 1" margins.  (Attached cover pages, abstracts and bibliographies do not count as pages of text.)

4.  REQUIRED HEADINGS AND CONTENT.  The paper must include the following headings & content:

            • Ethics Issue(s)  (Precisely identify the ethical question(s) that will be addressed in the paper.)

            • Facts (Should include all facts that should be considered in reaching a sound ethical judgment             on the issue,)

            • Options and Analysis  (Must include consideration of the approaches (i.e., analysis &              judgment upon the defined ethical issue) that might be generated using three (three; no more & no less) major ethical principles (e.g., Virtue, Libertarian and Utilitarian ethics) for guidance at least one of which must be rule-based and at least one of which must be consequence-based.)

            • Best Option  (Must include an explanation of why this is the best option.)

Note:  These exact words ("Ethics Issue," "Facts," etc.) must be used as headings in the above order in all papers.  Please see the template provided at the end of this appendix.

5.  SOURCES.  The paper must use at least four credible or scholarly sources (e.g., articles, books or appellate court cases) as footnoted, page-specific references in the paper (See "Citations and footnoting," below.) and these references must demonstrate that the cited articles and/or cases were read, in their entireties, by the author.

Note:  Wikipedia is not a credible or scholarly source in this class.

6.  BIBLIOGRAPHY.  A bibliography must be attached as the last page to each paper.   

7.  ABSTRACT.  A one-page abstract must be attached as the first or top page to each paper.  (Please see "The abstract," below.)

Thus, the materials submitted with the paper are to be assembled in this order:

1) Abstract, 2) Text of paper, and 3) Bibliography. 

Please see the template provided at the end of this appendix.

FAILURE TO CONFORM TO ANY REQUIREMENT ABOVE WILL RESULT IN A GRADE REDUCTION.

•  CITATIONS AND FOOTNOTING.  There are several different approaches to proper citation and footnote form including APA, MLA and Chicago or Turabian.  The differences between these approaches are stylistic in nature and not substantive.  You may use any of these approaches.  You may use numbered footnotes with the full citation presented at the bottom of the page, you may use numbered footnotes with the full citation presented on a "Footnotes" page attached to the end of your paper or you may embed the full citation within the text.  My only requirement is that each citation present full documentation, including the page of the book, magazine, etc. on which the quotation or fact was found.  (Remember, the purpose of providing a citation is to allow the reader to locate and verify that which you have cited as authority.)

•  PLAGIARISM  As indicated on page 3, above, there is no place for academic dishonesty in this course.  The policy here is a zero tolerance policy and this zero tolerance policy includes both intentional and unintentional (careless) plagiarism.

Unintentional plagiarism often occurs when a writer fails to provide proper citations.  So, make sure that, in all drafts submitted to me, complete citations are provided as necessary and, in addition, quotes are properly designated.

•  THE ABSTRACT.  What may be new to some of you is the requirement of an abstract (i.e., executive summary).  Like an executive summary, an abstract is a self-contained, stand-alone summary of all key points, findings and conclusions made in the document to which it is attached.  It is like a "Cliff Notes" version of the longer document. Thus, your abstract should be a one-page (or, less), condensed version of your term paper.  In terms of its essential organization, the abstract should even look like your paper. 

Note:  Introductions and outlines are not abstracts.  An abstract is a summary.

Generally, abstracts function to provide the reader with an outline or overview of the essential contents of your longer report.  With this information, the reader can build a mental framework for the more detailed information to follow.  And, to the extent that your longer report makes recommendations, the abstract permits the reader to track the justifications for the results or recommendations contained in your paper.

The abstract cannot be drafted until after the text of your paper has been written.  After all, it is a summary of the contents to follow.  Nevertheless, the abstract should be assembled or presented as the very first page of your written project.  Thus, it must precede any title page, table of contents, etc.

•  GRADING.  In grading written papers, emphasis will be given to the following:

1.  Form (i.e., the student's ability to follow the correct format and reveal her/his sources),

2.  Effective communication (including grammar, spelling, language usage, style, etc.), and

3.  Content (i.e., the student's demonstrated ability to define and explain ethical principles, the student's demonstrated ability to apply ethical principles and the student's demonstrated ability to compare and contrast different judgments, decisions or outcomes that may be generated through the application of different ethical principles).

•  ANALYTIC OVERVIEW

Whenever I evaluate an ethical argument (i.e., an argument that conduct or a decision was either ethical or unethical), I have a model in my head and I try to determine 1) whether the maker of the argument covered all of the points on my list and 2) how good a job the maker of the argument did on each of the points on my checklist.

This is what I look for:

1.  Issue.  Does the author do a good job stating the ethical issue?  Is it clear and to the point ?  Or, is it vague or obscured by other less relevant matters?

2.  Rule or principle.  Does the author do a good job stating the definition of the ethical principle?  Is it clear and complete?  Or, is it incomplete, vague or incorrect?

3.  Application.  Does the author do a good job applying the rule/principle to the facts?  Is it thorough (i.e., are all of the component parts of the definition applied) and objective?  Or, is it incomplete and biased?

4.  Conclusion.  Does the author do a good job stating a conclusion?  Is it logical (i.e., rational and based on bona fide facts) and definitive (as opposed to ambivalent; wishy-washy)?

This basic analytic method could be boiled down to an acronym: I R A C.  Issue, Rule, Application, Conclusion.   Every application or analysis should 1) State the ISSUE clearly, 2) State the RULE (i.e., PRINCIPLE) clearly and completely, 3) APPLY that rule - in all of its component parts or attributes - to the facts; thoroughly, 4) Reach a logical and definite CONCLUSION.  

Again, this is the model in my head whenever I evaluate an ethical argument, regardless of context or medium (e.g., oral presentation, written paper, discussion forum, etc.)

If I were asked to describe what I'm looking for in your written papers, I would modify this framework in order to recognize the facts that your issue will be stated at the very beginning of your paper (and it's OK to state it once) and each of you will be utilizing a total of three ethical principles.  So, this is what I see in my head:

1.  Issue (stated once or, at most, twice)

2.  Facts (The important facts; the facts that any decider should know)

3. a) First rule/principle

            b) Application

            c) Conclusion

4.  a) Second rule/principle

            b) Application

            c) Conclusion

5.  a) Third rule/principle      

            b) Application

            c) Conclusion

6.  Best option:  Consider your three applications (above) and choose the one that seems to work or fit the best.  Or, the one that you like the best.  Briefly explain why this one is best.

Keep it simple.  Stick to the checklist.

•  PAPER TEMPLATE

            (Note:  As you write your paper, do not begin with an introduction or overview.)

ETHICS ISSUE:

FACTS:

OPTIONS  AND ANALYSIS:

BEST OPTION: 

(After you have completed your paper using the above template, attach a Bibliography page, making it the last page of your project.  Then, as your last step draft an abstract (i.e., an executive summary) and make it the first page of your project.)