Ethics Case Study
Read this BEFORE you start writing your assignment!
A. Guidance for answering the assignment questions
1. Identify the topics that are relevant to each assignment question. Start by reading the
required readings, consulting your lecture notes, and working through the weekly activities
(including the suggested answers when available) for these topics. Then review all of the
learning material available for these topics on Blackboard to make sure that you have a
strong grasp on what the topics are about, what the various concepts mean and how the
relevant theories can be applied.
2. Pay attention to the mark allocation and the approximate number of words for each question
in the assignment. This gives you an indication of how much depth is required in providing
your answers.
3. Read through the criteria sheet, so that you know what is expected at the different grade
levels. Make sure to read over the marking matrix at the end of the assignment task.
4. This is not a research essay, and there is no minimum number of expected references. You
are not required to conduct extensive research in order to answer the questions, although
you are free to consult additional sources if you wish. You will be assessed based on how
well you understand the concepts and how you apply them to each of the questions. You are
expected to write your answers in your own words. Where you have referred to course
materials to put an explanation in your own words, you should make sure that you reference
your source. If you make use of direct quotations, these must be referenced correctly.
5. Focus on the application of the theories by following the theories key criteria, and processes.
While you should provide a brief overview of the theory (no more than a sentence) Do NOT
describe or re-write ethical theories in detail.
BSB111 Semester 3 2018 – Ethics Case Study Assignment Guidance, page 2
Specific questions:
1. Case 1(a): Using information from the case, your answer should cover all of the essential
elements of the utilitarian approach, and come to a clear conclusion. Do not use other
approaches. The word limit means that you will need to be concise, so avoid repetition and
make sure that each sentence is necessary. Your answer should have a short explanation
of the theory in your own words (one sentence only) and only refer to three stakeholders.
Then for each of the stakeholders you need to look at the positives and negatives before
determining an overall position on the basis of happiness points. Make sure that your
question has a conclusion.
2. Case 1(b): Using information from the case, your answer should cover all of the essential
elements of Kant’s deontological approach, and come to a clear conclusion with reference to
the elements. Do not use other approaches. The word limit means that you will need to be
concise, so avoid repetition and make sure that each sentence is necessary. Your answer
should have a short explanation of the theory in your own words (one sentence only)
followed by a statement of a maxim and the looking at whether there is a contradiction in
conception AND a contradiction in will. You should then look at whether there is respect for
humanity followed by a conclusion.
3. Case 1(c): In answering this question you should explain that ethics looks at right and
wrong and then identify moral principles that are relevant to the facts of the question.
4. Case 1(d): Your answer should provide two normative questions and two descriptive
questions. Make sure that the questions that you identify are different and not variations
of the same question.
5. Case 1(e): Make sure that you provide a brief explanation of the theory that you have
selected to answer (i) and (ii). Then for both (i) and (ii) apply the theory that you have
selected to the facts of the question. Finally, make sure that you have a clear conclusion
for both (i) and (ii).