Ethical Issue Research Paper: The goal of this paper is for you to develop a well-considered, well-researched response to an ethical issue from a Scriptural and theological perspective. Students identify an ethical issue they wish to analyze, develop a clear question about the issue, use Logos Bible Software to determine what the Scriptures say (directly or indirectly) about the issue, consult other relevant scholarly literature, and then develop and defend a clear thesis. This is to be a scholarly paper that defends a thesis (argumentative) and takes account of multiple sides of the issue (research). It is not merely an opinion piece.
Project Outline.
1. Explain the ethical issue, carefully identifying the main question.
2. Develop a theological response using Scripture, appropriate doctrines, and relevant scholarly literature.
3. Explain and respond to at least one theological objection to your position.
4. Reach a conclusion.
Project Specifications. The project should be 10-12 pages long (12-point Times New Roman font, 1-inch margins all around, double spacing, Turabian style). It should cite relevant Scriptural passages, bring relevant doctrines to bear on the issue, and engage at least five relevant scholarly sources. Run your paper through Grammarly before submitting it, and double check your citations.
Introduction
Gets right to the point (no brief history of the world intros)
Clearly identifies the main issue
Has a clear, interesting thesis statement
Sources
Cites relevant Scriptural passages
Uses relevant, academic sources (at least two books on the subject, footnotes with page number, use Chicago Manuel Style)
Uses relevant quotations that support the point being made
Adequately explains quotations
Makes the overall flow and intent of each authors argument clear
Argument
Develops a Scripturally based, theologically sensitive argument for its thesis
Engages relevant doctrines
Critically engages the sources arguments
Is a unified, single line of reasoning rather than a list of reasons
Addresses the topic with depth and specificity
Persuasively defends its thesis against alternative positions
Objections
Identifies a substantive objection to its argument
Provides a clear, charitable argument for the objection (at least a paragraph)
Develops a persuasive response to the objection (at least one paragraph)
Organization
Paragraphs are well-formed and focused with good transitions
All paragraphs support the thesis statement
The argument flows logically and sequentially from paragraph to paragraph
Conclusion ties up loose ends, offers a sense of closure
Last Completed Projects
| topic title | academic level | Writer | delivered |
|---|