Research paper

It is never ok to lie. research paper over the topic “It is never ok to lie”

Instructions attached.

Professor Burleson

Ethics 2306

Guidelines for the Research Paper

Research Paper — “It is never ok to lie” (TOPIC)

· One long paper is required for the semester.

· This paper must be between 5-7 pages in length.

· This paper must cite at least three different non-textbook sources.

· You are required to submit a photocopy of any internet sources that you use in your paper.

· All papers must be MLA format — 1 inch margins, double-spaced, typed, complete heading. Papers not in the proper format will be documented a letter grade. Papers without in-text citations and works cited pages will result in a zero (0) as this is inadvertent plagiarism.

· See the list below for possible claims to explore.

· If you want to come up with your own topic, you must have your topic approved by me before you begin your paper.

Choose one of the following below and write an analytical paper. Remember the following: Structure your paper as follows:

· State the claim made by the author

· State the author’s reasons for making that claim

· Critically evaluate the author’s claim and arguments. That is, clear articulate your reasons for agreement (entire or partial) or disagreement (entire or partial) with the author’s claim.

A claim of your choice from another chapter: consider some of the claims on lying, bioethics, etc. Make sure if you explore a topic not on the list that it is indeed a philosophy paper and not a composition I paper.

WRITING AN ANALYTICAL PAPER – some tips and guidelines

A good philosophy paper takes an analytical approach. This means that it must: identify and clearly state a philosophical claim, state the reasons backing up that claim, and make a critical evaluation of this claim. All three aspects are essential for a good paper. The first thing you should do is identify the claim; it may be stated or implied. Once the philosophical claim is identified and stated, and the author’s reasons for it made clear, the claim must be critically evaluat me questions or things to consider:

· Is the claim vague or ambiguous?

· If so, can it be restated in a clear and rigorous manner?

· Is the claim logical?

· Does it follow from the stated premises?

· Are those stated premised coherent and plausible?

· Does the claim rest on any unjustifiable assumptions

· Is the claim consistent with other things the author claims?

· Does the author commit any Fallacies in presenting his/her case? For instance, does he or she beg the question (assume or take as a premise something that should be proven first)?

· If he or she makes factual claims, are they actually true?

Each paper must have a Works Cited. Complete bibliographical details of each work must be given. The title, author, publisher (or journal title), date, place of publication (or Internet address), and page number(s) should be given. Use as many sources as you want from the Internet, but see cautionary note below. Whenever you quote a source, paraphrase it, refer to it, or use it to support or document a claim, you must cite that source.

Internet Sources

The internet is a great research tool; feel free to use it in doing research for your paper.

However, Internet sources are not generally peer-reviewed or otherwise monitored for reliability, accuracy, or integrity. Therefore, use considerable caution when citing material from the Internet. Make sure that the source is worthwhile. Use of Internet encyclopedias is discouraged. In addition, sources such as Wikipedia, while possibly useful to give you an overview of a subject, are not appropriate scholarly sources for an academic paper. The instructor reserves the right to determine whether a quoted source is appropriate or not. Check with the instructor if you have any questions about the appropriateness of Internet materials.

Possible topics

Remember this is an ethics paper so you need to explore your topic in the realm of ethics and ethical theory.

One of the worst possible moral offenses that a human being can commit is taking of another human’s life.

Suicide is not wrong because it is not generally considered civilly or criminally unlawful in most states and counffies because it involves the taking of one’s own life, not the life of another; it is a decision made by people about their own lives based upon their own thoughts and feelings.

War is a powerful threat to the Value of Life principle and should be avoided by every human effort possible.

It is never ok to lie, heat, steal, etc. Choose one of these ideas and develop your essay one on one concept.

The paper should be written in paragraphs. The first line of each paragraph should be indented five spaces (one standard tab).

The following information should be included on the first page of your essay in the upper left hand corner.

Your name

The instructor’s name

The course and course number Date the paper was due

The Text

Good grammar is expected of all students.

Spelling

Spelling should follow the generally accepted conventions. Use spell check and grammar check. Invest in a good dictionary.

Correct Use of Tenses

In general refer to actions people did in the past in the past tense (example: “Napoleon won the Battle of Austerlitz”). Refer to quotations from authors in the present tense, even if the author you are referring to is a historical person (example: “Voltaire suggests the Church of his time was corrupt.”)

Capitalization

Capitalize:

1. The first word in a sentence.

2. Proper nouns (i.e. names).

3. Words such as “King,” “President,” only when referring to a particular person.

4. Words in titles, but not non-initial conjunctions, prepositions, or articles.

Use of First Person Pronouns

When writing formal papers do not use “I” and “me.” Use third person “he,” “she,” “it,” “they,” and “one.” A term paper is not meant to sound like a letter to a friend or a diary entry.

“Feel” and “Believe”

These words are overused by students. Your feelings are not relevant to a paper; it is your thoughts that count. When writing about the past, you only know what people “felt” if they left diaries or told someone else their feelings.

Citations and Notes

You must indicate from where you are making any quotations you use in your paper. It is also important to cite the source of arguments and ideas when you take them from a textbook or other author. The way to do this is use in-text citation. If you have in-text citations, you must include a works cited page with your essay. See a handbook, i.e. The Seagull Handbook or the library has handouts available on how to do a works cited page.

Internet Sources

If you use an Internet source, you must submit it with your research paper. Failure 10 submit the entire Internet source (not just the URL) with your research paper will result in a failing grade (F) for the research paper.