Contemporary Moral Problems

Contemporary Moral Problems

Post as two asighnments

1:Contemporary Moral Problems – Ethics – Animals

Some nonhuman animals have physical and psychological capacities that are lacking in some human beings. Does this fact have implications for our treatment of nonhuman animals? Does it have implications for what we are morally permitted to do to human beings?

2:Basic APA Format
Depending on which field or academic discipline you choose, you will use a different
format for your papers. The American Psychological Association (APA) format is generally used
for behavioral and social sciences, which include psychology, education, anthropology, and
sociology, among others. Keep in mind that specific formatting is used for a number of reasons.
First, it sets a standard for the look and style of your paper, making it easier for a professor to
grade. It also allows for a method of citation and the documenting of your sources. The following
handout will provide a basic explanation of APA format as well as a sample document in APA
format. Along the way, there will be references to the most recent Publication Manual of the
American Psychological Association, Sixth Edition.
Basic Features of the APA Style
• Use Times New Roman or a similar font, 10-12 point size.
• Double space with standard size (8.5” x 11”).
• All margins should be set to 1 inch.
• Every page should have a header included at the top left side, along with page numbers
inserted at the top right side.
• You will have four major sections to the paper: a title page, abstract, main body, and
references page.
Features of the Title Page
• At the top of your title page, your paper will include a “Running Head”. For example,
“Running Head: EFFECTS OF ENGLISH HOMEWORK ON THE BRAIN”
o Don’t forget to insert the page number!
• In the top center of your paper, include your title (no bold, italics, or underline) with your
name and school affiliation.
Features of the Abstract
• Following your title page, each page (including the abstract) will include the heading
“EFFECTS OF ENGLISH HOMEWORK ON THE BRAIN”
o Don’t forget to insert the page number!
• At the top of the page and centered, type “Abstract” (no bold, italics, or underline)
• Under “Abstract” and without an indentation, write a brief and clear summary on the key
points of your research or paper. This should contain your topic, research questions,
methods, results, participants, data analysis, and conclusion based on your findings. You
can also tie it to other research or make predictions.
• Optionally, you can include keywords. If you choose to do so, skip to the next line, indent,
and type “Keywords:” followed by a list of words that best describe your work.
• Limit the abstract to 150 to 250 words.
Features of the Main Body
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• The main body will contain the same formatting as above in regards to font, header, and
spacing.
• There are specific rules for in-text citations, discussed below.
• While there are specific rules for subsections, most lower division courses won’t require
them. For more information, refer to section 2.06-2.10 in your APA Publication Manual.
In the Main Body of your paper, you will have an introduction followed by your main ideas
and analysis. Although there may be no ‘most important’ section in your paper, you should focus
on the Main Body greatly, because it is here that the majority of content will be found. As a part
of this, you want to be sure to write clearly and concisely. Some characteristics you’ll want to pay
attention to are organization, writing style, bias, grammar and usage, and mechanics. Check out
the reference guide to get a better idea of what each of these mean. Alternatively, feel free to
come into the Writing Center for a tutoring session based on these topics.
The next major feature of the Main Body will be your citations and sources. The single best
source for a complete guide on in-text citations is the APA Publication Manual. This style guide
provides users with detailed examples and explanations and it usually comes pretty cheap if you
can find a used or “lite” copy. There are two main ways instructors expect students to document
their sources: in-text, or parenthetical, citations throughout the essay and with a References page
at the end of the paper.
Parenthetical Citations
When using parenthetical citations, try to keep them brief and to the point. Whether you use a
direct quotation or choose to paraphrase, be sure to avoid having your sources make your point
for you. Remember, an abundance of information does not guarantee a good paper. In other
words, use sources only when they support your analysis and contribute something other than
adding space. Look at the sample APA paper to get a sense of how these citations work.
The main thing to remember is that after your citation, you will include the author’s
information in parentheses. Here are some styles of in-text citations:
Direct Quote – This is when you use the exact words that the author used.
Although some may disagree, the fact remains that “age is associated with an increased
motivation to derive emotional meaning from life and a simultaneous decreasing motivation to
expands one’s knowledge base” (Carstensen, 1992).
Paraphrasing – This is when you rephrase the quote in your own words.
According to Carstensen (1992), people become more inclined to find emotional meaning in
the later years of their life, but less inclined to expand their knowledge.
Ellipses, Brackets, and Broken Up Quotes
Ellipses show omitted (or left out) words in a quotation:
“Age is associated with…decreasing motivation to expand one’s knowledge base” (Carstensen, 1992).
Brackets show added words by you in order to interject information, correct a verb tense,
or add any necessary wording. The brackets tell readers that the words are yours, not the source’s:
“Gender is not the sole determinant of woman’s [nor man’s] identity” (Hooks, p. 77, 1994).
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Lastly, ‘broken up quotes’ refers to the action of separating one quote into two parts in one
sentence. Usually, this is done to add analysis between the quote sections:
Alfred North Whitehead (1927) exemplified this point, noting “the ideal of a University is not so much
knowledge as power,” while also raising the essential issue that the true goal of the university “is to
convert the knowledge of a boy into the power of a man” (p. 27).
Features of the References Page
• Continue to use the same formatting for the references page in regards to font, header, and
spacing.
• All sources should be sorted alphabetically.
• All sources should have a hanging indentation:
o Under “Format” in Microsoft Word, click “Paragraph”. Click the drop down list
under the heading “Indentation” and choose “Hanging”. Alternatively, right click
the selection, choose “Paragraph” and follow the same steps.
The References page is one of the most important pages in the essay. Here, you provide
information based on the sources we used during the paper. For example, if you have used an
online resource for research help, then you must cite it in order to avoid plagiarism. Basically,
plagiarism is the use of another authors work without providing credit. The punishments vary,
but it can ultimately lead to suspension or even expulsion (see the Writing Center’s Plagiarism
handout for more information). Another good reason you should cite your sources is because it
adds a certain level of credibility to your work.
Finalizing Your APA Paper
By following these steps and guidelines, you will be adding a level of professionalism and
legitimacy to your papers. Keep in mind that while format doesn’t dictate the style of your writing
or the structure of paragraphing, many professors will look out for proper format as a sign of
academic competency. Throughout both your academic and professional career, being able to
hand in a clean, crisp, and standardized document will be an expected norm.
SEE THE NEXT PAGES FOR A SAMPLE APA PAPER AND REFERENCES PAGE
?
This handout was based on the following resources:
“APA: Reference List, Basic Rules.” Purdue Online Writing Lab. Retrieved January 5, 2011 from
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/05/
“Examples of APA Style.” Springfield Township Virtual Library. Retrieved December 12, 2011 from
http://www.sdst.org/shs/library/apa.html
Please visit our website at http://www.lavc.edu/WCweb for additional resources and services.
Rev. 1/24/11
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Figure 1. General features of APA style for final manuscripts. The figure follows the rules described in the Publication
Manual of the American Psychological Association (2009) as well as the suggestions found in chapter 6 of the previous fifth
edition of the Publication Manual (2001), “Material Other Than Journal Articles.” NOTE: The numbers indicate the section in
APA Lite where more information can be found. Find APA Lite at www.docstyles.com/library/apalite.pdf
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Edition
Sample References Page
Arnheim, R (1971). Art and the visual perception. Berkley, CA: University of California Press.
Roeder, K., Howdes, J., Fulton, L., Lockhead, M., Craig, K., Peterson, R, et al.(1967) Nerve Cell and Insect
Behavior. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Note: 2-6 authors list all authors, seven or more cite 1st six followed by the term “et al.”
Brockett, O. (1987). History of the Theatre (5th ed.). Boston: Allyn Bacon.
Rubenstein, J.P. (1967). The effect of television violence on small children. In B.F. Kane (Ed.), Television and
juvenile psychological development (pp. 112-134). New York: American Psychological Society.
Ewbank, I. (2001) Dickens, Charles. In Encyclopedia Americana (Vol. 9, pp. 75-79). Danbury, Connecticut: Grolier.
Passons, W. (1967). Predictive validities of the ACT, SAT, and high school grades for first semester GPA and
freshman courses. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 27 (3), 1143-1144.
Note that there is a comma between the issue number and the page numbers, but no comma between the italicized volume number
and the issue number. If the periodical does not use volume numbers, include “pp.” before the page numbers so the reader will
understand that the numbers refer to pagination. Use “p.” if the source is a page or less long.
Harder, B. (2005, October 1). Falling Influence: Influenza fighters have limited effects. Science News, 168, 211.
Stanley, A. (2005, October 25). Bringing Out the Absurdity of the News. The New York Times, pp.B1, B8.
Note: If no author is given, use the first significant word in the title.
Schneiderman, R. A. (1997). Librarians can make sense of the Net. San Antonio Business Journal, 11, 58+. Retrieved
January 27, 1999, from EBSCO Masterfile database.
Note: The second date which follows is the date the user retrieved the material. No period follows an Internet Web
address.
GWU’s 9th English Language Page. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2005, from
http://www.gwu.org/usersurver/survey2000
Brown, M. (2005, Dec.2). Martin Luther King, Jr.: A Biographical Sketch. Retrieved January 24, 2006, from
http://www.lib.lsu.edu/hvm/mlk/srs218.html
Crystal, L. (Executive Producer). (2004, June 10). The MacNeil/Lehrer news hour [Television broadcast]. New York
and Washington D.C.: Public Broadcasting Service.
Book:
One Author Book Title Place of Publication Last Name, First Initial Publisher
Book:
Multiple
Authors
Publication Date
Book:
Specific
Edition
Book:
Citing
Items/Chapters
Chapter/Item Title Identify Book/Anthology
Page Number
Last Name, First Initial
Last Name, First Initial Book Title
Place of Publication Publisher
Place of Publication Publisher
Last Name, First Initial
Place of Publication Publisher
Reference:
Dictionary/
Encyclopedia Last Name, First Initial
Title of Entry
Title of Reference Book Volume, Page # Place of Publication Publisher
Journals:
Dictionary/
Encyclopedia
Last Name, First Initial Article Title
Journal Title Volume # Issue # Page #s
Magazine:
Last Name, First Initial
Pub. Date and Month
Article Title
Newspaper Title
Magazine Title
Issue #
Page #s
Newspaper:
Last Name, First Initial
Pub. Date and Month
Article Title Page #s
Online
Database:
Last Name, First Initial Article Title Database Title Volume # Page #s
Retrieved Date Database Used
Webpage:
No author or
date
Title of Webpage Specify “No Date” Retrieved Date
Full URL
Webpage:
With author
Last Name, First Initial Retrieved Date
Full URL
Article Title
Film/Broadcast:
Last Name, First Initial Release Date Movie/Broadcast Title
Place of Publication Broadcast Service

Moral Problems