Human Biology, Yavapai College, Larry Frolich
Ethical Issues Essay Instructions, Page 1
Your Ethical Issue Essays
What are the ethical issue essays?
For each of the four course units, I am asking you to write a short essay
on a particular ethical issue related to the topics for that unit. The goal of these
essays is to allow you to see the “real-life” importance of the themes that we are
addressing throughout the semester. This assignment is also designed to
evaluate your ability to apply what you have learned and explain the importance
of those course topics to some issue that affects all of us. It should also help you
to understand and appreciate multiple points of view or perspectives, even if you
don’t agree with all of them.
The essay should be approximately one to two pages in length. It must be
entirely written by you. It must reflect your review of the online presentation
related to this issue. It does NOT need to include citations. It does NOT need to
“take a stand” or defend a particular view on this issue. In fact, what I am most
interested in is your ability to explain differing viewpoints on a particular issue.
Many of you may already have experience writing an essay and that will make
this assignment easier for you. For those who don’t, here is one approach you
might use to get started on your first essay.
How should I get started on my essay?
My suggestion is that, as you read the online material presented for each issue,
you keep in mind the need to write your essay.
1. Take notes on what you believe are the key features of each issue. Try to
begin to define the contrasting or differing viewpoints on the issue that are
presented.
2. Then make a list with a short name for the different sides or perspectives
or viewpoints on the issue. Sometimes there might be only two viewpoints.
Sometimes there might be more.
3. Make a very short, brief and informal outline for your essay. You don’t
have to use Roman Numerals and all of that. Your outline might just look
like this:
i. Introduction: What is the issue?
ii. Viewpoint 1: [give it a name, describe it briefly, who holds
this viewpoint?]
iii. Viewpoint 2: [give it a name, describe it briefly, who holds
this viewpoint?]
iv. Viewpoint 3: [keep on for as many viewpoints as necessary]
v. Summarize the differences between the viewpoints.
vi. Return to your definition of the issue. How do you see it
unfolding or being resolved in the future?
4. Once you have your outline, quickly write a short paragraph for each point
in the outline.
5. Edit, edit, edit. Go back and reorganize your paragraphs. Read each
sentence out loud and make sure it makes sense. Make sure the order of
the sentences is logical.
6. Post your essay to your blog.
Human Biology, Yavapai College, Larry Frolich
Ethical Issues Essay Instructions, Page 2
I would like you to feel free to be creative on this assignment. The above steps
are only suggestions for getting started, if you need them. The outline is
deliberately very general and you could quite effectively structure your essay in a
different way.
What are the critical elements to include in my essay?
 A title that cleverly captures the issue and the different viewpoints on that
issue
 An introduction that defines the issue
 Paragraphs that represent the different viewpoints on the issue
 A summary that discusses the significance of the issue and its potential
future impact, direction or resolution
Evaluation Guidelines for Ethical Issue Essays
Here are detailed guidelines on what constitutes a Baseline essay (C-level
work), an Effective essay (B-level work) and an Exemplary essay (A-level work).
Each essay is worth ten points. If you complete an essay, but it does not fulfill the
baseline criteria, you will receive five points, or less if it is a minimal effort.
Baseline Essay (C-level work, 7 points)
Essay has title, introductory paragraph that defines issue, presents at least two
viewpoints on issue from course website material, and returns to analyze what
these viewpoints tell us about the issue. Writing is understandable. A baseline
essay can be done fairly quickly.
Effective Essay (B-level work, 8 points)
Essay has title that explains something about issue, introduction that shows good
understanding of issue, presents all viewpoints on the issue that are found in
course website material, shows good understanding of those viewpoints, and
summarizes viewpoints in a way that shows how they relate back to the ethical
issue. Writing is well organized and edited. Give yourself a good block of time to
complete an effective essay.
Exemplary Essay (A-level work, 9-10 points)
Essay has informative and well-thought out title, introduction that shows
sophisticated understanding of the importance of the issue, presents at least two
viewpoints on the issue in a clear and sophisticated way that shows how they are
related and who represents those viewpoints, returns to analyze how the
viewpoints relate to the issue and the relevance of the issue to the human
condition. Writing is well organized and carefully crafted, reflecting a third or
fourth draft. Writing an exemplary essay will require a serious investment of
time.
Human Biology, Yavapai College, Larry Frolich
Ethical Issues Essay Instructions, Page 3
Peer Feedback on Ethical Issues Essay
At the end of each course unit, you’ll read all of your blog color group peers’
essays (usually three other students) and provide them with feedback. (See our
blog home page to see your color group peers.) You can do this right in the
“comments” section of each of their blogs. For each of your peers, please
carefully read their essay and write a quick summary opinion, analyzing whether
you believe the essay is Baseline, Effective, or Exemplary. Then, answer the
following questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
What are the two best features of the essay?
What are the two things that could most be improved?
What is something new that the essay made you think or reflect upon?
What most surprised you in the essay?
By completing reviews of all of your color group peers’ essays, you will earn ten
additional points for that unit of the course. These reviews must be done within
seven days after the closing date for submitting all material for that unit of the
course.
I will also provide brief feedback on all of your ethical essays and make the final
decision on awarding points.