Environmental Ethics Paper

1

PHIL 345
Final Term Paper Assignment

Fall 2019

You’ve already picked a moral problem in environmental ethics to address in a paper.

To re-iterate, this will be an ethics paper and not a research paper or survey of someone else’s work. It is
a reflective paper in which you will analyze, in some depth, a particular moral issue. Generally, your
papers should present careful arguments in support of a thesis and answer anticipated objections to those
arguments. You need to cite all references from which you draw your ideas and data. Topics should be
sufficiently narrow to facilitate close and creative critical analysis. Our classroom work will generate
frameworks for analyzing ethical cases of various types. There is no penalty for changing your topic. If
you’d like feedback on a new topic, I can read a new outline or a draft of the paper up to five days before
the due date.

Expand on the work you did in your outline to turn the framework of your ideas into a well-written paper.

In this draft, please use MLA or APA style for your citations and references.

Word count should fall between 2,5000-3,000 words and is worth 200 points. This is 20% of your grade.

The due date is: 11:59 p.m. Sunday, April 4th.

Extra Credit Opportunity: You will receive 25 points extra credit if you turn the paper in by: 11:59
p.m. March 28th.

The elements of the paper are outlined in the rubric.

Word Count Between 2,500-3,000 words (not including references) 20
Grammar and
Spelling and in
Written in
Your own
Words.

(Don’t
plagiarize)

Correct spelling and grammar are essential to convey your discussion and
arguments clearly.

In this paper there is the expectation that you can define moral theory/theories
used in your paper in your own words and you don’t rely on quotes to drive the
writing. A handful of quotes is okay, but if I see more than 12% of your paper
quoted you will be marked down. (Turnitin will not flag your bibliography).
Plagiarism takes many forms, please review what constitutes plagiarism:

8 Most Common Types of Plagiarism to Stay Away From!

If there is a significant issue with plagiarism, you can be marked down more
than 35 points, up to receiving no credit for the paper.

30

Thesis
Statement

What is your moral position in the paper? What are you arguing for. This
should be clearly stated in the introduction of the paper. If you still have
questions about writing an effective thesis statement this link has a helpful list
of what a thesis is or is not:
https://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/developing-thesis
*Rubric continues onto the next page*

20

2

Ethical Criteria
(the theory you
are using to
frame your
arguments)

This includes a detailed description at least one paragraph in length of the
ethical theory you will use to analyze the problem and construct your
arguments. This theory will underlie and support the values you argue for in
your paper. This is an important part of your paper and informs me that you
have engaged with and understood the philosophical theory you will use to base
further arguments.

35

Arguments At least two strong arguments and these work in tandem with your ethical
theory. This should be the heart of your paper

45

Defense of a
critique against
your position

What might a critic say against your position and how would you respond? This
shows me you’ve thought through your arguments.

20

Sources/Refere
nce format or
style

Minimum of five sources, at least two are peer reviewed philosophy papers, and
three others are peer reviewed sources. You can have additional sources that are
not peer reviewed, but have a minimum of five sources from a journal or
academic book (look for a university press publisher). Please use either MLA or
APA formats. Here are links to each format:

MLA:
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_an
d_style_guide/mla_formatting_and_style_guide.html

APA:

https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_an
d_style_guide/general_format.html

20

Conclusion A brief summary of the main points of your paper and further emphasis about
why your thesis is important. A strong conclusion offers an additional insight
that ties the paper together.

10