Name: Date: Critical Individual Essay Draft and Final In this course, we have covered a lot of material concerning ethics, ethical dilemmas, ways to navigate tough decision-making, and some of the challenges you may face when working in a professional environment. For this assignment, you will combine all the things that we have learned in this course and apply them to analyze a prominent issue in today’s society. Specifically, your task will be to: identify a major issue in today’s society that you would like to research, find a specific example or two that can act as a case study for this larger issue, apply a decision-making framework in which you assess the ethical challenge in your case study, and propose larger trends or findings that could relate back to the larger issue at hand. Some examples of major topic areas include: – Privacy – Partisanship – Digital Media – ‘Fake News’ – Gender Bias – Racial Bias – Diversity News Consolidation Attacks on the Media Corporate Power Lack of News Availability Or, whatever you find interesting Any of these major topic areas can be explored through the use of a case study. A case study can really be anything that helps us analyze the larger topic. For example, we could use the recent Britney Spears conservatorship to talk about agency, privacy, and the role of celebrity. Or, we can look at the recent findings around Martin Bashir’s access to Princess Diana and the ‘white lies’ journalists tell in the pursuit of a story. These are just a couple of examples, but as you can see, we are using a recent event to examine a larger ethical issue. You can use whatever event you’d like as a case study if it works for your analysis! An important thing to note, is that you should only really have one case study. You want to assess that one case from every angle, consideration, and perspective. You want to go deep into the weeds and to provide a detailed analysis. By choosing more than one case you will not reach substantive depth and your analyses may end up being superficial. Try to avoid this! Next, you will use a decision-making framework as an apparatus to conduct your work, organize your thinking, and present your results. Decision-making frameworks include the Bok model, the Potter Box, and the TARES test; you should choose the appropriate one for your analysis. You are expected to apply numerous ethical theories learned in this class within the decision-making framework you choose. A decision-making framework is not an ethical theory in this sense; it is a framework to conduct ethical analyses and to organize your thinking. Theories here refer to ethical and philosophical principles that help us understand society, our world, and the context around the things we experience. Essentially, you will explore and fully contemplate the ethical challenges and all competing opinions and perspectives within the decision-making framework. A good analysis will have two things: rationale and justification. Your rationale is your actual thinking process. It is how you got from point A to point B. Justification is the evidence you provide to support your thinking, and to support each step along point A to point B. Justification is what supports your claims and is the information that an outside viewer would need to believe your claims. Justification includes the details, the scientific evidence, the points of view from reputable sources, the critiques, the commentary, and anything else that informs your opinions and thinking; its anything and everything that supports your claims. By addressing these two elements, you are critically thinking. Additionally, to fully explore an ethical challenge, you must consider all the opinions and perspectives that can come from all associated parties. You need to think about how your case study and the larger ethical issue at hand relate to a diversity of people and all of the different beliefs and attitudes that can come from those people. By working through these different perspectives, you will go in-depth with your thinking and your findings will be stronger. The majority of the grade for the final assignment is based on the extent to which you apply critical in-depth analysis. The last element of this assignment is a reflection point where you identify how this process of thinking has enhanced your critical thinking ability and how it may have contributed to your moral development. The process for this assignment includes using a case study to gain insights about a situation, using a decision-making framework to organize your thinking, and working to develop a robust ethical argument. You should think about your writing process and how it may have helped you grow as a person or how it may have helped develop your critical thinking capabilities. You may choose what topic you would like to pursue, but it does require prior approval. The deadline for your topic proposal is Friday, July 9th at 11:55 PM EST. Please submit a 300+ word proposal for your topic where you identify the larger issue you are addressing, the case study that you plan on using, the decision-making framework you plan to use, and some key theories that relate to your analyses. This is Pass/Fail but contributes to your final assignment grade. Final papers should be submitted on Sakai in APA essay format as a PDF. It should be at least 10 pages. To have a really in-depth analysis, you will end up going beyond this page minimum. Remember, the most important parts of this paper are the depth and quality of your analyses. Your papers should include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Sub-headings should be used but kept to a minimum. If you find that you are using a lot of sub-headings, go back and think about how they may be related and how you may connect some of them. Your final paper should be 1.5 spaced with one-inch margins, and 12point type. You can use double-spaced, but my own personal preference is 1.5 spacing, which is why this differs from standard APA. Please use APA citation style with in-text citations and appropriate bibliography/reference list. Please look at Purdue’s Online Writing Lab (OWL) as a resource for the correct use of APA style, including how to do in-text citations and reference lists. Please check this out if you are unfamiliar. Purdue’s Online Writing Lab (OWL): – https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/ general_format.html There are some additional citation things that I would like you to be aware of when writing. First, please use reputable sources and quality information throughout your writing. Please check out this link for more information on how to evaluate a source and how to find reputable sources: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/conducting_research/evaluating_sources_of_information/i ndex.html. Also, please do not cite my slides. Most of the information in this course comes from the textbook or another identified source. In this respect, you can cite those original works. You can also cite the textbook but try to keep this to a minimum. Rather, you could find who the textbook cites and, again, go back to the original source. You can use the library, databases, Google Scholar, or so many other options. If using Google Scholar, please look at the citation counts; usually, higher citations means a more reputable paper. Also, please consider using a citation manager like Zotero, Endnote, or Mendeley, or one of the others available. They are truly helpful tools! Please think of this assignment as a chance to deeply explore a topic that you are truly passionate about and to learn new ways of thinking about complex issues. Those who research something that they are truly passionate about tend to do better on this assignment. So, I encourage you to try to contemplate this and to think outside of the box. Also, this paper should NOT be based on your sole opinion. It should be well researched, logically thought through, and employ the knowledge and skills gained throughout the semester. EVERY claim that you make needs to be justified and have evidentiary support. And, EVERY claim that is not basic knowledge (e.g. ‘The sun is hot’ or ‘The earth is round’) needs to be cited (in-text and in your references list). By putting effort into this process, you can learn a variety of new critical thinking approaches and ways of thinking about the world around you. Please look at this as an opportunity to grow and develop both intellectually and morally! Please see the rubric below for more information on the expectations of this assignment. It must be submitted on Sakai (as a PDF) on Thursday, July 29 by 11:55 PM EST. Most importantly, if you need help at all, or feel intimidated, or stuck, or anything similar, please come and talk with me. Many times, a simple conversation can help you make progress in spades. Potential Final Essay Structure Flow Diagram: Introduce Broad Problem or Larger Theme What is the larger issue you want to address? Specific Ethical Challenge and Case Study What is your specific example that you’ll be analyzing? Decision-Making Framework Which Framework? What theories? Rationale and Justification! Key Findings What are some solutions specific to your case study? Are there takeaways that can be applied to the larger issue? Can you extrapolate your findings to the bigger issue? Relate Process to Your Moral Development How has this process helped you grow intellectually and morally? Has this enhanced your critical thinking abilities? MEJO 141 – Individual Essay Final Project criterion Topic Approval (5 points) Did you submit your topic for approval? Was it on time? Was it thought through? Introduction (5 points) What are you assessing? Briefly describe it. This portion should be about 1 page. Presentation of Issue and Specify Your ‘Case Study’ (20 points) Present the larger issue you are working with and the example you will use as a case study; highlight the complexity, challenges, and nuance. The ethical component should be clearly indicated. This portion may run 1-2 pages, depending on what you discover. It could be longer, but make sure it’s relevant. Critical Evaluation (40 points) Critically assess your issue by employing a decision-making framework, theorists, moral development theories, and any knowledge of the issue provided in class and in readings. This should be an in-depth analysis, with strong justifications, and clear rationale presented. This is the main part of the assignment and needs to be done fully to get points here. A simplistic analysis or an overly descriptive analysis will only result in a few points. Your discussion should be at least 5 pages. This is the main element of the final assignment and requires significant depth in your analyses. Key Findings (10 points) Think through the case study fully. What are some findings for the larger issue in your case study? Can we extrapolate larger trends from these solutions? Are there larger themes we can take away from our critical analysis and decision-making framework? How do these larger findings relate to the larger issue we wanted to address? Explain fully. This should be at least 1 page. Connections to your Moral Development (10 points) How has working through this process (as in writing the paper and conducting this analysis) affected your moral development? Has it changed your thinking at all? What about how you view the world and consider the issues around you? Are there any broad takeaways that you can apply to your life and future? Please utilize moral development theories here to contextualize how this process may have helped you grow (e.g. Kohlberg’s Stages or Gilligan’s Ethics of Care). Your discussion should be about 1 page. Citations (5 points) Be sure to include citations for the what you have assessed, the sources you consulted to check facts, information used to provide context, etc. Please use reliable and reputable sources in your analysis. Also, please use the APA citation style with in-text citations; be sure you use it correctly and include a proper bibliography/reference list. Anything that is not general knowledge must be cited. Quality of writing (5 points) Your final paper should be 1.5-spaced with one-inch margins, with 12-point type, and at least 10 pages. Use proper grammar, punctuation, and sentence and paragraph structure. Please also check to make sure there’s no plagiarism. TOTAL Score Purchase answer to see full attachment

Mastering the Art of Online Learning: Your Guide to Acing Online Courses

Introduction

In recent years, the popularity of online courses has skyrocketed, offering learners the flexibility to acquire new skills and knowledge from the comfort of their homes. However, succeeding in online courses requires a different approach compared to traditional classroom settings. To help you make the most of your online learning experience, this article presents essential strategies and tips to ace your online courses.

1. Set Clear Goals and Plan Ahead

Before embarking on an online course, establish clear goals and objectives. Determine what you hope to achieve by the end of the course and break down your goals into manageable milestones. Create a study schedule that aligns with your other commitments, ensuring you allocate dedicated time for coursework, assignments, and revision.

2. Create a Productive Study Environment

Establishing a conducive study environment is crucial for online learning success. Find a quiet, well-lit space where you can concentrate without distractions. Remove any potential interruptions, such as notifications from social media or email. Organize your study materials and have a reliable internet connection to ensure seamless access to course materials.

3. Actively Engage in the Course

Active participation is key to mastering online courses. Engage with course materials, including videos, readings, and interactive components. Take comprehensive notes, highlighting key concepts and ideas. Participate in discussion boards, forums, and virtual meetings to interact with instructors and peers, fostering a sense of community and enhancing your understanding of the subject matter.

4. Manage Your Time Effectively

Online courses offer flexibility, but it’s essential to manage your time wisely to avoid falling behind. Create a detailed schedule, allocating specific time slots for coursework, assignments, and studying. Break down larger tasks into smaller, manageable segments to prevent procrastination. Prioritize tasks based on deadlines and dedicate focused time to each one, ensuring consistent progress throughout the course.

5. Develop Effective Communication Skills

Online courses often rely on written communication, making it crucial to hone your skills in this area. Be concise and clear in your written responses, paying attention to grammar and spelling. Actively participate in discussions, asking thoughtful questions and providing constructive feedback to your peers. Regularly check your course emails and notifications, ensuring you stay updated with any important announcements or changes.

6. Utilize Available Resources

Take full advantage of the resources provided by your online course platform and instructors. Familiarize yourself with the learning management system (LMS) and explore its features. Access supplementary materials, such as textbooks, lecture slides, and external resources recommended by instructors. Utilize online libraries, research databases, and tutorial services to deepen your understanding of the subject matter.

7. Stay Motivated and Engaged

Maintaining motivation throughout an online course can be challenging, particularly when faced with competing priorities or a lack of face-to-face interaction. Set short-term goals and reward yourself upon their completion. Connect with fellow learners through virtual study groups or online forums to foster a sense of camaraderie. Regularly remind yourself of the benefits and personal growth associated with completing the course successfully.

8. Seek Support and Clarification

Don’t hesitate to seek support or clarification when needed. Reach out to your instructors for guidance or clarification on course material. Utilize online discussion forums to ask questions or engage in collaborative problem-solving. Leverage the support services provided by your course platform or institution, such as technical support or academic advising.

Conclusion

Online courses present unique opportunities for self-paced learning and personal growth. By setting clear goals, creating a productive study environment, actively engaging with course materials, and managing your time effectively, you can maximize your chances of acing online courses. Remember to stay motivated, seek support when needed, and make the most of the available resources. Embrace the flexibility and adaptability of online learning to achieve your educational goals.