Research and Analytical Paper Requirements and Rubrics

A major term paper will be a requirement of this course. The paper will be a research and
analytical endeavor of a current, controversial, narrowly focused topic, involving
business directly or indirectly, that has legal, ethical, and social responsibility
ramifications. The term paper will be approximately 15-25, double-spaced, pages in text
length, not including cover page or Appendices, with length depending on topic and
whether individual or group effort, and if the latter the size of the group. The paper can be
done as a sole effort, a partnership, or in a group at the option of the students. NO MORE
THEN 3 PEOPLE TO A GROUP (Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein)
Doing the paper with a partner or as part of a team is highly recommended, however, due
to the substantive nature of the paper and the fact that it is both a research and analytical
paper. Yet if a student wants to perform the paper assignment as a sole effort that
approach is permissible, but it is strongly recommended that student then choose a
narrow and manageable topic. Note that all topics have to be approved by the Instructor;
and that the students must present to the Instructor no later than the last day of the first
month of class a Word document via Blackboard Message as well as a hard copy for
the ground students the topic for the paper, a brief outline reciting the required paper
format and outline as per this Master Syllabus, and if a group endeavor the group
members and group leader.
The paper must be written according to APA style; and be carefully and currently
referenced. Appropriate references are critical. This is a research paper in addition to an
analytical paper, and thus the student must use at least 6 different sources, including
books and textbooks, though at the graduate level preference should be given to
published journal articles. Other sources may be organizational websites, government
websites, or other reputable Internet sources. Since a requirement of the paper is that the
topic be a current one, so too should be the references. Be sure to try to use published
journal articles or books as sources, and not less-reliable Internet websites. Reference the
paper very carefully and appropriately. Students may use a companys website, but do so
sparingly, and remember that what a company has on its own website may be positively
biased in its favor. Academic integrity is of the utmost importance in this term paper; so
cite all sources and use APA style for citations and quotations in the text.
Appearance, punctuation, grammar, neatness, and spelling count. This must be a
professional looking paper at the graduate level to receive full credit. Paper should have
an introduction, body, conclusion, and reference section; paper should also have
appropriate headings and sub-headings in the body of the paper as noted in the course
paper requirements. Be sure to use the required school title page with author certification
statement. A Table of Contents must be included which lists each heading as well as the
beginning page number for that section. Write transition sentences between sections so
that the reader knows where student(s) are proceeding and why. Transition sentences also
help to integrate a paper and enhance its flow.
Note that this is a research and analytical paper. Analyses based on the law, ethics, and
social responsibility, and reasoning to conclusions based on legal, ethical, and social
responsibility principles, are required, and are expected, at the graduate level. The paper
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must be substantive, principled-based, logical, and well reasoned at the graduate level.
For individual or group papers, avoid all personal pronouns, such as I and We; rather
use The authors. Avoid any personal opinions except in the overall Conclusion to the
paper.
Regarding the online format, group work may, at first, seem unusual in the online
environment, but the electronic nature of the class makes it quite easy for students to send
work back and forth, to meet in private group rooms, and to collaborate on a final
product. Online term paper groups can be created on the Blackboard system for ground as
well as online students, all of whom can use Blackboards many group collaboration
tools.
For those students deciding to do the paper with a partner or to form a group or team,
note that each group should pick a group or team leader who will be the primary liaison
with the instructor. This student team leader will coordinate the work, clear the topic and
group members with the Instructor, as well as integrate, consolidate, and edit the work,
and make sure the final version is in conformity with the course paper requirements. The
team leader will also ensure that work is submitted as well as e-mail everyone in the
group the final draft paper. The team leader will be responsible for making sure the paper
is properly referenced and for ensuring that all group members sign (traditionally or
electronically) the official HSBE cover page with the Author Certification statement(s).
If a group or team effort, please note that the paper will be assigned one grade as one
whole work, and each group member will receive that one grade notwithstanding
individual effort and/or quality of effort. Grades will not be assigned per paper section(s)
or per individual student for his or her individual section(s). Group members will not
grade each other. Accordingly, it is required that for a group paper, the Group Leader be
appointed, that the paper responsibilities be apportioned in an equitable manner, and that
the Group Leader ensures that everyone performs his or her share of the work at the
graduate level, that the final version of the paper is an edited, consistent, whole, and
integrated work at the graduate level, that the paper is in full conformity with course
paper requirements, and that the paper is signed by all group members. Remember, no
more than 3 students per group. The term paper is a major project, and also will be an
evolving one throughout the term. The paper is not due until the final day of class; but it
is very strongly advised that the students should start on it right away.
The paper is to be submitted online on the Blackboard system for the final course session.
See the Blackboard system under My Course Content for the final session of your format
for details. Note that all students, even if doing a paper in a group (which is optional)
must submit the paper individually on the Blackboard system. All students ground and
online must submit the paper on Blackboard.
Note that the course term paper is tied to ALL Course Competencies but most strongly to
competencies numbers 7 and 8.

Term Paper Format, Outline, (including Utilitarian Ethical Model) and Grading
Rubric:
5015 Term Paper
Official Huizenga School Cover Page (with author certification statement(s))
Title to Paper: Integrating Values - The Legality, Morality, and Social Responsibility
of ____________ (insert topic)
Abstract (very brief summary of paper)
Table of Contents
I.

Introduction (5% of paper grade)

A. Purposes of Paper
Analytical paper - 3 value analysis of law, ethics, and social
responsibility
Current, controversial, and narrowly focused topic involving business
directly or indirectly
Significance of topic
B. Background Information regarding topic

II.

Legal Section (20% of paper grade)

A.
B.
C.
D.

III.

Introduction to Legal Section

Statement of Relevant Legal Principles and Rules of Law
Application of Law to Topic and Legal Analysis
Legal Conclusion (and transition to Ethics Section)

Ethics Section (40% of paper grade as set forth below)

A. Utilitarian Ethical Analysis (20% of paper grade)
Introduction (brief) to ethics as a branch of philosophy
Introduction and brief explanation of Utilitarian theory
See Cavico and Mujtaba Business Ethics text Chapter 7 for discussion of
Utilitarianism
Stakeholder, pleasure v. pain, numerical model of Utilitarianism Utilitarian analysis as per required model (See required Utilitarian
model below)
Moral conclusion pursuant to Utilitarian model

B. Kantian Ethical Analysis (10% of paper grade)

Introduction and brief explanation of Kantian ethics
See Cavico and Mujtaba Business Ethics text Chapter 8 for discussion
of Kantian ethics
Statement of Kants Ethics Principle The Categorical Imperative
Application of the Three Tests of the Categorical Imperative to topic
(Universal Law Test; Kingdom of Ends Test; Agent-Receiver Test)
Kantian Moral Conclusion
C. Additional Ethical Analysis (10% of paper grade)
Selection by student(s) of additional third ethical theory for analysis
See Cavico and Mujtaba Business Ethics text Part I for suggested ethical
theories
Statement of ethical theory and key ethical principles
Application of ethical theory and principles to topic and ethical analysis
Moral Conclusion pursuant to additional third ethical theory
Overall Conclusion to Ethics section as a whole (and transition to Social
Responsibility section)
IV.

Social Responsibility Section (20% of paper grade)

A. Introduction to Social Responsibility section
B. Definition of term Social Responsibility and formulation of definitionalprinciple
C. Application of Social Responsibility definitional-principle to topic
D. Social Responsibility recommendations
E. Social Responsibility Conclusion

V.

Conclusion (5% of paper grade)

A. Restatement of Major 3 Value Conclusions
B. Overall Conclusions, Personal Opinions, Recommendations, and Predictions

References (5% of paper grade)

Research sources (six minimum; current; primary sources or strong
secondary)
APA style for sources and citations
Style (5% of paper grade)
Consistency of style among sections
Grammar, spelling, and punctuation
Lucidity and flow of writing
Integration of paper
.
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The Utilitarian Ethical Model

In order to determine the morality of an action, practice, rule, or law pursuant to the
stakeholder, pleasure v. pain, numerical model of the ethical theory of Utilitarianism:
1. Accurately and narrowly state the action to be evaluated (e.g., Is it moral
for a particular company or organization to...?);
2. Identify all people and groups who are directly and indirectly affected by
the action (including the company's or organizations constituent groups or
"stakeholders" as well as society as a whole);
3. Specify for each stakeholder group directly and indirectly affected all the
reasonably foreseeable good - pleasurable and bad - painful consequences
of the action, as far as into the future as appears appropriate, and consider
the various predictable outcomes, good and bad, and the likelihood of their
occurring;
4. For each stakeholder group, including society as a whole, measure and
weigh the total good consequences against the bad consequences, and
determine which predominates for each stakeholder group;
5. Quantify the good and bad consequences for each stakeholder group on a
numerical scale (-5, -4, -3, -2, -1, 0 +1, +2, +3, +4, +5) representing units
and extremes of pleasure and pain;
6. Sum up all the good and bad consequences assigned to the stakeholder
groups;
7. If the action results in an overall positive number, it produces more good
than bad, and is a morally right action; and if the action results in an
overall negative number, it produces more bad than good, and is morally
wrong; based on this model of the Utilitarian ethical theory.
Bibliography for Utilitarian model: Cavico, Frank J. and Mujtaba, B.G. (2010).
Business Ethics: The Moral Foundation of Effective Leadership, Management, and
Entrepreneurship (Second Edition). Boston, Massachusetts: Pearson Custom Publishing.
Presentation of the Paper
The presentation of the paper is the students means to share the results of their research
and analysis with their classmates and to share the learning about the topics they
researched and evaluated. Details are given about the paper presentation for each class
format in the appropriate syllabus Appendices: