As a major part of completing the course requirements for ENVR-E-120, students are expected to submit a research paper on a particular topic that represents their best reflections on a selected problem of environmental ethics. Further, students will be required to make an oral presentation in one of the class sessions toward the end of the term. The papers should not be in excess of 20 type-written pages of text (250 w/page or 5,000 word limit), plus a supporting bibliography. The class presentations should be thought of as a 5 to 8-minute, stand-up exposition of your best thoughts on the subject you chose.

        Three broad types of paper topics are acceptable for the term paper.  First, papers can address a "subject area" of environmental ethics and land management, such as the environmental ethics of rangeland management, or northern forest management, etc.  Secondly, students can explore the environmental ethics of a self-identified group or community -- for example, the "Environmental Ethics of North American Buddhists."  Finally, it is acceptable to explore the stated or implied environmental ethics of a major historical or contemporary environmental figure -- an individual who has made a recognized contribution to environmental thought or management practice in this country or abroad.

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        It is recognized that students come to the course with a wide variety of disciplinary backgrounds and writing experience, and it is expected that the papers will reflect that diversity of orientation. Given that diversity, each will have to be crafted with the particularities of the specific problem under investigation. Further, it is recognized that people have widely differing writing styles, and any of a number of modes of presentation may be used in discussing the variety of issues involved in environmental ethics.

        Nevertheless, those papers that are likely to be judged to be the best are those that have most of the following components:

• a clear exposition of the factual issues involved in the selected issue (perhaps 4 to 5 pages out of the full 20 pages);

• a succinct presentation of the major ethical dilemmas or choices to be faced in resolving the problem discussed (perhaps 2 to 3 pages);

• a brief review of the main approaches that have been taken to this issue either in public discourse, academic writing, judicial decisions, legislative language, activist literature, etc. (perhaps 6 to 8 pages);

• a crystal clear presentation of your own assessment of the issue, highlighting what principles in your judgment should be brought to bear in deciding upon the ethical dilemma discussed and emphasizing how you would reach a resolution of the problem at hand.

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        In preparation for the term essay, students are to submit a Prospectus with an Annotated Bibliography by Thursday, 2 November 2006.  This Prospectus will outline what subject you intend to undertake for the term paper and discuss the main sources you expect to bring into focus for the topic you are treating.  This paper and bibliography is to be no longer than five (5) typwritten pages.  Distance learners may submit this Prospectus via e-mail according to procedures that will be specified.

        In the most general terms, it is true that in this kind of work there are no "right" or "wrong" answers, but there are empirical facts, modes of reasoning and styles of presentation that prove to be more or less persuasive. Remember, this paper is essentially an essay -- that is, a statement of opinion about a given problem supported by empirical evidence and logical argumentation. It may not be possible to define a good essay, but it is possible to identify poor argumentation, faulty, inappropriate or insufficient evidence and bad writing.

        In the past, students have addressed a number of different issues that have enabled them to reflect upon disputes in environmental ethics. Titles from previous papers can give some idea of the range of topics covered, but in any case, you should choose an issue that you find most compelling. You will need to demonstrate that you understand how to analyze a variety of different ethical positions that have been taken in regard to the issue you choose, and you will be expected to forward and support your own ethical assessments and judments on the topic.

        It will be important to keep in mind that merely a factual exposition of an environmental dilemma -- however intricate and fascinating in itself -- will not be considered sufficient for the purposes of this paper. You must also give evidence of having considered and evaluated the alternate ethical approaches to the dilemma, and they must express a judgment about how, in their own opinion, the dilemma of ethical choice that the problem reflects could best be resolved. Thus, it should be clear from the outset that although research is required to lay out the problem for the reader, the burden of the paper will be expected to focus not upon extensive research per se but rather upon the ethical reasoning surrounding the issue and what in your judgment is the best solution to the problem under consideration.