Week 3

 

Assessment Preparation

Read the following scenario:

You’ve been asked to contribute to a blog that helps readers understand the ethical issues in current events and everyday life. Your job is to explain how using different ethical theories affects decision-making. Your audience is curious, thoughtful, and eager to understand competing viewpoints. They don’t have a background in ethics.

Tone and style tips

• Write like you’re explaining ideas to a peer, not a professor. You want to explain clearly, not offer your opinion.
• Use accessible language and real-world reasoning.

Choose Your Topics

Choose 2 topics from the following list:

• Vaccine mandates in public health
• Employee surveillance in remote work
• Wealth inequality in a capitalist economy
• Animal testing in scientific research
• End-of-life care (e.g., physician-assisted death)
• Environmental protection vs. economic growth
• Facial recognition technology in public spaces
• Allocating scarce medical resources
• Or propose your own topic with instructor approval

Choose Your Theories

Choose 2 theories from the following list:

• Relativism
• Egoism
• Altruism
• Divine Command Theory
• Utilitarianism
• Kantian Ethics
• Virtue Ethics
• Care Ethics

Note: You may use the same theories in both posts or choose different ones for each blog.

Assessment Deliverable

Write 2 blog-style posts (350–525 words each) that help readers understand an ethical dilemma related to the topics you chose and compare two ethical perspectives on it.

Each blog post should include the following:

• Clear Summary of the Dilemma
• Assessed in Rows 1 and 4, “Clear Summary of Dilemma–Blog Post 1/2,” in the rubric.
• Introduce the dilemma in everyday terms: what is it and why does it matter?
• What’s at stake? What makes this issue ethically complex?
• Ethical Perspectives Theory Explanation
• Assessed in Rows 2 and 5, “Theory Explanation–Blog Post 1/2,” in the rubric.
• For each theory you chose, explain how using it might help you approach or respond to the dilemma you selected.
• Use examples, values, or priorities that the theory emphasizes.
• Compare the Two Approaches
• Assessed in Rows 3 and 6, “Comparison of Approaches–Blog Post 1/2,” in the rubric.
• What are 2 similarities and 2 differences between the theories?
• How do they define a “right” action? Whose interests do they prioritize? What moral values do they emphasize?
• Writing Style and Clarity
• Assessed in Row 7, “Writing Style and Clarity,” in the rubric.
• Use a neutral, accessible tone. Define terms and avoid academic jargon.
• Organize your writing with clear headings and short paragraphs for readability.
• References and Mechanics
• Assessed in Row 8, “APA, Grammar, and Writing Mechanics,” in the rubric.
• Cite any references you use, including Introduction to Ethics, according to APA guidelines.
• Use correct grammar, sentence structure, and spelling.