UNIV 112
Fall 2015
Jackson
Unit 3 Core Assignment: Ethical Reasoning Essay
Introduction: As you know, Unit 3 is designed to be a synthesis of Units 1 and 2: it combines the goal of presenting your own ideas with the goal of analyzing, responding to, and synthesizing the views of others. But Unit 3 also adds some new goals: it asks you to develop your skills in conducting research and in thinking ethically. The unit will culminate in the core assignment described below.
Core Assignment: Compose a 1200-1700-word researched argument essay in which you present and support your answer to a hidden/underexplored ethical question of your own devising. Your essay must show the research and ethical reasoning that lead you to your answer.
Requirements:
 The essay must be no fewer than 1200 words in length, and no more than
1700 words, not including the works cited page.
 Your essay must demonstrate some basic knowledge of your topic. (Your horizontal research will contribute this material.)
 You must make use of no fewer than three sources from your vertical research: o At least one must be scholarly. o At least one must be substantive. o The third may be either scholarly or substantive. o Any additional sources from your vertical research may be scholarly or substantive.
 Any additional sources you use must pass the CRAAP test.
 Include a title for your essay that indicates what the essay is about.
 Include page numbers.
 You must include accurate in-text citations and an accurate works cited page
(MLA or APA). Use Hacker’s A Writer’s Reference for guidance.
The Unit 3 Core Assignment is due by class time on Friday 12.4.15 (the last day
of class). Post your essay to BB. This essay is worth 40% of your Unit 3 grade.
Storyboard Draft: To help you develop your thinking for your Unit 3 Ethical
Reasoning Essay, you will compose a storyboard draft in which you sketch out the main sections of your argument. You will use PowerPoint or some comparable application to produce this draft because such applications encourage you to break your draft into smaller, manageable pieces. The draft itself must include:

UNIV 112
Fall 2015
Jackson
 Your ethical situation.
 Your ethical question.
 An answer to your question.
 Sections that sketch out your support of your answer.
 These sections should include relevant material from your sources.
The storyboard draft is due at the beginning of class on Friday 11.20.15. Post it
to BB. This draft is worth 10% of your Unit 3 grade.
Written Draft: After your storyboard draft, you will write out a more traditional
-- written draft of your Unit 3 Essay.
This draft is due by the beginning of class on Monday 11.30.15. Post it to BB.
This draft is worth 5% of your Unit 3 grade.
Some Tips for the U3 Core Assignment:
You will write an argument essay: This means you will need to have a single main claim that answers your ethical question. You will then need to support your answer by showing your ethical reasoning.
Using your sources: In your research, you will find a small selection of sources
(scholarly and substantive) that should help you develop your knowledge and understanding of your ethical situation. To make effective use of your sources, practice the skills we worked on in Unit 2: summary, analysis, response, and synthesis.
Identify short passages for analysis and response: Look for short passages from your texts that can help you support your answer to your ethical question. Sometimes this will involve summarizing or analyzing the passage. Sometimes this will involve responding to the passage.
Personal Experience: In this essay, you may find it useful to include small bits of personal experience (for example, the ethical situation from your Pink Time might become part of your introduction). But remember that the essay is not exactly about you: it is about the ethical situation and your answer to the ethical question you devised.