professor Moses

The Final Paper is meant to be a comprehensive overview of the course materials we have addressed throughout the term. I am looking for both breadth and depth of coverage. 

 

Historically, papers that stand out to me as fabulous have focused on one situation or dilemma that has arisen in current events, and have included original analysis of legal issues presented by that situation. For example, one such paper described the Sandusky scandal. The author of that paper presented the facts, cited the sources for those facts, and then parsed out various legal issues that either did or could arise from those facts, e.g., labor/contract matters, agency, negligence, ethics, and related ramifications.

 

That said, the papers that stand out to me as mediocre or less than mediocre are those that rehash facts or issues identical to those addressed in the course. For example, a paper that describes a contract to purchase an automobile that, unbeknownst to the buyer and seller no longer exists. I do not want Final Papers to be presented on fact patterns that we have covered in the course. Laws and legal theories, yes. Facts, no.

 

I am a news junkie, and I tend to watch the news wondering what my students would think about certain news stories. For example, the Hobby Lobby story raised issues related to employment, health care, ethics, and myriad other business-related topics. Medical marijuana laws also trigger similar issues, e.g., should a private employer be allowed to terminate the employment of a person lawfully using such medicine? The news is a wonderful place, in my opinion, to cultivate current, provocative, and compelling subjects for the Final Paper.

 

If you have an idea for a Final Paper, and want to find out if I think it is a "good idea," then please e-mail me and ask. I will give you my thoughts. You are always free