Instructions for Essay #3
Length: approx. 4-6 pages (approx. 800-1200 words)
Footnote/references: When you refer to either printed or electronic sources, use a standard formatting style, such as the MLA or APA styles found at the right side of the Library Homepage. http://www.libraries.iub.edu/index. Point to the link called "How to Cite". You should obviously provide bibliographic information for any direct quote that you make. But in addition, you need to provide bibliographic information when you are summarizing, paraphrasing or drawing on a source. (Often a citation at the end of a paragraph will suffice.)
Mode of submission: Turn in a hardcopy of your essay on the day assigned to Noretta Koertge, 104 Goodbody Hall. Or you may submit an electronic version as an e-mail attachment. For directions about how to do attachments on either the IU Webmail system or Pine, click on the Knowledge Base link listed under the heading "Popular Sites" at the top left of the IU Homepage: (http://www.iub.edu/) When you get to the Knowledge Base, you can search for attachments. Consultants in the clusters can also help you.
Picking a topic: In this unit we have discussed ethical issues that arise in the use of animals in scientific research, more on ethical theory and how it applies to animal research, issues that arise in genetic research and the current controversy about stem cell research. Your essay should deal with one of those areas.
For this essay you are asked to find one written source in addition to the assigned readings on the topic. Here are some examples of the way you might incorporate these additional sources:
1) An essay on Goddard's early eugenics research as discussed in Chapter 8 could be
supplemented with more information about the historical context in which
he worked and/or how his research influenced social policy.2) An essay on Ethical Theories (e.g., consequentialist, deontological, perhaps
Kohlberg's) and how they apply to the use of animals in research could be supplemented with material from the Encylopedias of Philosophy or Bioethics. (These can be found in the Reference Room of either the Main Library or the Monroe County Library.3) An essay on the scientific pros and cons of using animals and an evaluation of the ethical principles underlying IACUC regulations could be supplemented with a discussion of some specific
controversial case where animals were used.4) An essay on the ethical and scientific pros and cons of therapeutic stem cell research
could be supplemented with discussion of recent or current bill(s)/policies under discussion by the Bush administration.
Format of the essay: As before, you are supposed to provide the strongest arguments you can on both sides of the issue under discussion. If possible, provide more than one strong argument for each side. However, this does not mean that you must conclude that all positions are equally worthy! In general, the topics covered by this essay will be more complex, both scientifically and ethically, than most of the previous cases we've dealt with. This means that you will have to work a bit harder to analyze exactly what the controversies are about. The typical essay will cover scientific, ethical and regulatory/policy aspects of a certain area of research. However, you may also choose to do an essay on the philosophical foundations for the treatment of animals and such an essay will have a different sort of structure.
Final comment: I am hoping to spend less time commenting on the mechanics of your writing and more time on the quality of your analysis. So please help me out by remembering to give your essay a nice title, using apostrophes and commas appropriately and using standard conventions for citing sources!
You are encouraged to use the Writing Tutorial Services offices on campus at any stage of this assignment. The main office is in Ballantine Hall 206 (855-6738). See their web site for other venues and more details: