Ethics Assignment List

Rules for Grading Schemes

All of these are required formal elements, but you can adjust the percentage weights a bit. See descriptions below.

Required:

1. Preparation, 20%
2. Short Answer Exercise, 15-20%
3. Critical Analysis Paper and Peer Review, 25%
4. Final Exam min. 25-45%

You may choose additional formal or informal assignments from the list below. Informal work cannot exceed 30% of your grade weight.

Required Elements

Preparation (formal, required, 20%)

Your preparation for class will be assessed by short electronic quizzes given at the start of most classes.

Short Answer Exercise (formal, required, 15-20%)

Periodically, you will be invited to write a short answer, in class, to a study question from the previous few classes. Sometimes you may be asked to peer review others' answers as well.

Critical Analysis Paper (formal, required, 10-25%)

This is a standard philosophy paper in which you take on a topic relevant to class that can be discussed critically in 4-6 pages. We will use the Peerceptive peer review website for this assignment.

Final Exam (formal, required, 25-45%)

An exam in which you write two short essays. Open book and open note.

Optional Elements

Class Presentation - Short (informal, optional, 10-15%)

A brief (10-15 minute) class presentation of a topic of your choice (in consultation with your professor).

Journal (informal, optional, 5-10%, 3-6 entries)

Journal entries of 2-3 pages (1-2 screens of email text) each reflecting on course content or topics related to the course. Entries should be submitted by email one at a time for interactive response. Journals must be completed by April 15.

Mid-term Exam (formal, optional, 0-25%)

In class open book essay exam.

Movie Reflection Paper (informal, optional, 10%)

Write a 3-4 page analysis of the representation of an ethical issue or problem in a popular film. Must be completed by April 15th.

Short research paper (formal, optional, 10-15%)

This short research assignment allows you to look into a course question or topic of interest to you. ©2015 by Mark Alfino, Department of Philosophy, Gonzaga University.