Term Paper
Instructions
BASV 319: Annotated Bibliography and Final Research Paper
Your final two assignments for the semester are (1) an annotated bibliography and (2) a final research paper, and are connected. I will explain these in reverse due-date order, since the annotated bibliography will require you to research the final paper – so, you’ll probably want to know what the latter entails, first.
Your final research paper must be written on any one (and only one) of these three hot button ethical issues facing contemporary society: (A) universal single payer healthcare; (B) same-sex marriage; (C) the regulation of firearms owned by private citizens. In discussing the ethics of your chosen issue, your paper must thoroughly address any two (and only two) of these four moral positions: (A) Bentham-style classical utilitarianism; (B) Nozick-style libertarianism; (C) Rawls-style liberalism (centered on Rawls’s “justice as fairness” framework); (D) Aristotelian virtue theory.
Once you have chosen your topic and the two moral theories with which you will frame your discussion, you are to research and write a 6-8 page paper which makes use of at least three scholarly sources.[1] Here, you will need to complete the following tasks: (A) provide a brief overview (no more than 1 page) of what the moral issue consists of (i.e., if you’re writing on universal single payer healthcare, explain what the “single payer” component adds, etc.); (B) provide brief overviews (no more than 1 page for each) of the two moral theories you’re incorporating into the paper; (C) provide thorough and detailed discussion of what each of the two moral theories would have to say about the ethical issue you’ve chosen, and why; (D) finally, provide brief discussion (no more than 1 page) of where you, personally, come down on the ethical issue you’ve chosen, and why.
As far as style goes, you must use MLA formatting throughout; also, you must use a 12-point Times New Roman font and double-spacing throughout. As the course syllabus states, I will assign grades to the papers by taking into consideration the following criteria: structure (including correct formatting, spelling, grammar, word choice, flow, clarity, etc.), content (including your overall understanding of the material), and punctuality of assignment submission. Late submissions will incur a stiff points penalty, and extremely late submissions will not be accepted. Plagiarism, whether intentional or unintentional, will result in a zero for the assignment.[2]
Submit this assignment as a Word document called Your_Name_finalpaper.doc (e.g., Jane_Davidson_finalpaper.doc) to the appropriate D2L submission box.
The annotated bibliography will center on the scholarly sources you will be citing in your final paper. You are required to cite three scholarly sources in your paper – specifically, I would like for you to make reference to at least three peer-reviewed journal articles accessed via the University of Arizona Libraries’ online databases.[3] At least one of these articles must directly deal with the ethical issue you’ve chosen to write on; the remaining two can also deal the ethical issue, and/or with general discussion of either or both of the moral theories you’ve chosen to incorporate. Once you have selected the three scholarly articles, you must construct an annotated bibliography. Your annotations should include (A) a summary of the article and (B) brief discussion of why you chose to include this article among your three required scholarly sources; and, each of your annotations should be 175-250 words long.[4]
As far as style goes – as with the research paper – you may construct your annotated bibliography in either MLA or APA format. But, again, stick to one or the other throughout. Late submissions will incur a stiff points penalty, and extremely late submissions will not be accepted. Plagiarism, whether intentional or unintentional, will result in a zero for the assignment.
Submit this paper as a Word document called Your_Name_annotatedbibliography.doc (e.g., Jane_Davidson_annotatedbibliography.doc) to the appropriate D2L submission box.
If I may help or answer questions about this assignment, please feel free to contact me at any point. In closing, I will provide a list of websites which will help you to complete these assignment