Persuasive Writing and Presentation
(4) Peer Review Instructions
- (.5) Upload a draft of your paper (PDF format) into a new thread in the appropriate Bb forum.
- Title the thread the same as your paper's title.
- Note what degree you are working towards and/or future field of employment.
- (2) Review one other person's paper.
- Save their .PDF file to your hard drive and view with Adobe Acrobat Reader.
- In some cases, the .PDF file may load in the browser without downloading to the hard drive.
- Save their .PDF file to your hard drive and view with Adobe Acrobat Reader.
- Copy this criteria list into a REPLY thread and score it.
- Provide a 400-word written evaluation.
- Ask at least 5 questions related to the topic.
- (1.5) Answer the five questions left by your peer scorer in a Reply thread.
Final scoring Criteria
__/1__ The title concisely states the problem and your position related to the ethics of the topic.
__/3__ Introduction restates the problem and the author's position in a longer thesis statement and includes history and definitions.
__/30__ Each of at least 3 arguments are detailed, researched, cited, and supported by examples and discussion of constructivist theories.
__/10__ Counter argument(s) are detailed, researched, cited, and supported by examples. Counter arguments are the opposite ideas of what you are advocating in the main arguments.
__/5__ Rebuttal and conclusion are included. The rebuttal typically refutes or outweighs the counter arguments.
__/5__ Visual information is legible, captioned, and cited. Supportive visual material is required, which may include photos, diagrams, charts, and movies.
__/2__ Subheadlines are numbered statements and separate each major section of the paper (as per the required outline, below).
__/4__ Grammar and spelling are accurate.
__/2__ Inline references are parenthetical: (author year), and use embedded links.
__/2__ Bibliography follows MLA, APA, IEEE, or other college-preferred standard.
__/1__ File is saved and delivered as a .PDF. No other format will be accepted.
__/65__ Total points.
Writing Resources
- How to write a thesis statement
- by Dr. Wendy Carter
- OSU Online Writing Center
- Will review your writing online. Share these instructions with them for better feedback.
Library Support
- Valley Library 541-737-7269
- Ask subject librarians as needed depending on your topic.
- Ask Oregon Libraries 24/7 Chat
- Chat with a librarian almost 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
Winter 2012 Paper Topics
Students have chosen these topics, which make them off limits to others for the term.
- Patents Should Not Be Issued for Software as they Hinder Innovation
- The use of computer generated models in clothing ads is ethically unsound
- Making copies of console games for safe keeping or for self emulation doesn't threaten game sales, and should be legalized.
- Plagiarism and Social Skills Are Pitfalls of Online Education
- The anti-trust laws used against Microsoft in the court case United States v. Microsoft are detrimental to the growth of computer technology.
- Computers in elementary classrooms are beneficial to the development of healthy computer habits for children and great tools for self-directed learning.
- Employers should be allowed to look at interviewees' Facebook accounts as supplemental information during hiring.
- Electrical equipment should be manufactured in the United States to support our economy and standards.
- Confidential spaces must be integrated into creating online communities for women with disabilities.
- Online gaming is not the cause of people loosing the ability to relate to each other.
- The concentration of personal data on smart phones is creating extreme risk for users
- Current internet censorship legislation cannot be allowed as it will severely hinder business in the future.
- Sexting among teenagers should not be illegal.
- Online advertising is feeding our greed not our need.
- Retail stores should be able to push coupons to consumer's smartphones when they enter a store.
- Software and Hardware Validation is a Challenging but Vital Process.
- With digital downloading available, game and music industries should be produced more independently.
- Due to the increase of energy use in the U.S.A, the push towards wave energy along our coast lines must be implemented.
- Fast and easy access to information via the internet enables addiction.
- Making copies of platform games for safe keeping or for self emulation doesn't threaten game sales, and should be legalized.
- Internet browsing should be private and not monitored
- Piracy of Intellectual Property should not be fought by limiting access to content
- There are more advantages to making purchases online than making purchases in actual stores.
- The government should not censor the internet.
- Bills such as the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) will stifle internet industry growth.
- Colleges and universities should replace textbooks with iPads to provide students with a more interactive learning experience.
- Media Companies and software producers should not be allowed to use digital rights management technologies to protect their media.
- Smart grid technology should be implemented into every home because it increases reliability and efficiency of the power grid
- Smart Phones Stunt Social Skills
- Engineering disasters are the result of unethical practices by engineers.
- Online gambling should be legalized because it is no worse than gambling in a casino.
- Computer technology in elementary classrooms is beneficial to the development of healthy computer habits for children.
- Patients should not be allowed to opt-out of the Health Information Exchange
- Digital certificates should be required as part of multi-part authentication for banks and online purchases, to reduce online identity theft and unauthorized access to sensitive information.
- Online learning, though beneficial to many, leads to increased plagiarism and decreased social skills.
- Computer monitoring of employees stifles creativity in the workplace.
- To Reduce Cheating, Online Classes Should Require In Class Tests
- Online dating is no more dangerous than real life dating.
- Features like text searching, internet access, and word processing on tablet computers make the use of eTextbooks harmful to education.
- Advances in Technology Should Be Used To Catch Insider Trading
- Online multiplayer games inhibit children's emotional growth.
- Public schools should provide more education on cyber bullying and internet safety.
(65 points)
Introduction
Each week of this course, you have read about and analyzed real-world sitations where the characters must make choices based on their knowledge, morality, cultural ethics, and job requirements. This research paper gives you the chance to write a professional-level paper meant to analyze and persuade others on a topic related to your field of study. The issue you choose may be for the general public, or it might be for someone in your field; perhaps about a situation that could occur in your line of work. You'll use academic sources to provide historical context and point to social significance; legal and professional sources to identify laws and regulations; and analysis of workable ethical theories to support your opinions.
The final document will look professional to aid reading and publishing.
Objectives
During the research and writing of this paper, students will:
- Evaluate and infer benefits and risks of a current information technology related to your field of study.
- Analyze a moral problem related to information technology from the point of view of consequentialist ethical theories.
- Create a professional-level paper.
Instructions
Research, write, and present a persuasive paper analyzing a moral issue in your field of study that is related to information technology.
The work will be scored by these criteria (points):
- (2) The title concisely states the problem and your position related to an ethical argument.
- Example:
- Privacy and moral flexibility [the problem] of digital Information should not [author's position] extend to the workplace.
- Example:
- And the topic is relevant to information technology/computer science topics within your chosen career.
- (3) Introduction
- Restates the problem and the author's position in a longer thesis statement.
- Provides definition of terms and historical perspective.
- Citations are required.
- (30) Each of at least 3 arguments are detailed, researched, cited, and supported by examples and discussion of constructivist theories.
- Examples can include any of the following:
- Relevant local, state, national, and international laws
- Legal cases
- Current events
- Work of oversight organizations.
- Citations are required.
- Do NOT use examples from the textbook. Research current and historical cases.
- Do NOT cite Wikipedia; use original sources listed on Wikipedia topic pages (usually at the bottom).
- The constructivist theories include Act and Rule Utilitarianism, Kantianism, and Social Contract.
- Each argument ought to cover one or more related theories.
- Include only these workable theories (as per chapter 2; we weeded out other theories).
- Do NOT cite the textbook for these theories; use original sources (see Chapter 2's bibliography).
- Write for a global audience not just US citizens.
- For example, instead of saying "we" state which group/state/country/culture you are writing about.
- Examples can include any of the following:
- (10) Counter argument(s) are detailed, researched, cited, and supported by examples.
- Counter arguments are the opposite ideas of what you are advocating in the main arguments.
- Citations are required.
- (5) Rebuttal and conclusion are included.
- The rebuttal typically refutes or outweighs the counter arguments.
- (5) Visual information is legible, captioned, and cited.
- Supportive visual material is required, which may include photos, diagrams, charts, and movies.
- Describe each image in a caption.
- Cite images in the caption, using this format: © Year Owner. For example:
© 2012 Apple Computer, Inc.
- Include only relevant images; not decoration.
- You may embed movies in your file but also provide a direct link in case your PDF output does not include them.
- (10) Paper is formatted to reduce eye fatigue and demonstrate professional presentation skills.
- Double-space or 1.5-space the lines of text; single is too hard to read hour after hour.
- (1) Subheadlines separate each major section of the paper (as per the required outline, below).
- (4) Grammar and spelling are accurate.
- Word count must be a minimum of 2000 words.
- Text must be your original writing except for a few key quotes.
- Read Appendix A: Plagiarism in Ethics for the Information Age by Quinn to ensure you do not plagiarize. Page 487.
- Inline reference citations must follow the parenthetical format:
(author year)- (2) Inline references must use embedded links. Learn how to make embedded links, like this: (author year)
- While superscript numbers are a common standard, they are hard to read and click on. Please use the (author year) format.
- The inline references must correlate with the bibliographic citations.
- (2) Bibliography follows MLA, APA, IEEE, or other college-preferred standard.
- (1) File is saved and delivered as a .PDF.
No other format will be accepted.
- If your word processor does not print to a .PDF file, then you can use some of these resources:
- Best: Upload the file to Google Docs. It will preserve your embedded hyperlinks!
- This requires a Google account.
- Free online PDF generator: PDF Online. (Does not always keep hyperlink ability.)
- For Windows users, download CutePDF.
- For Mac Users, click PDF in the print dialog box.
- Best: Upload the file to Google Docs. It will preserve your embedded hyperlinks!
- Movies may not save inside your .PDF file, so be sure to include a link to the movie's original location online.
- If your word processor does not print to a .PDF file, then you can use some of these resources:
- Paper is submitted to the Bb Grade Center by 5:00pm on March 19, 2012.
- The instructor will score your paper in the Grade Center.
- View grade comments/scores as early as March 20 and through the weekend.
- Click back into the screen where you submitted the project to view the comments and download my marked-up version of your paper.
Follow this outline when writing your persuasive paper:
- Essay Title (concisely states the problem and your position), and:
- subtitle
- author
- date
- Introduction and thesis statement/question/the problem to solve
- Definitions and historical context
- Argument 1: Statement
- Supporting research and citation
- Anecdote/example
- Constructivist Theories
- Argument 2: Statement
- Supporting research and citation
- Anecdote/example
- Constructivist Theories
- Argument 3: Statement
- Supporting research and citation
- Anecdote/example
- Constructivist Theories
- Counter Arguments: Statement
- Supporting research and citation
- Anecdote/example
- Constructivist Theories
- Rebuttal to counter arguments
- Anecdote/example
- Conclusion
- Thesis summary
- Arguments summary
- Consequences
- Bibliography