NEW COLLEGE CAPSTONE COURSE: ONLINE VERSION
A-CAPS 4360
MORAL ISSUES IN SOCIETY
Spring 2014
INSTRUCTOR: Joe O'Neal, Ph.D.
OFFICE: HCH 206
OFFICE PHONE: 448-8705
FAX: 448-8767 or 448-8492
OFFICE HOURS:Th 3-6
EMAIL:
PREREQUISITES
This course is open only to students who have at least 90 credit hours and have completed A-PHIL. 2329 (Ethical Analysis) and a Critical Issues course.
REQUIRED READING
Moral Issues in Society (New College Capstone Course Handbook) is available for download at Please print a copy since we will refer to the book constantly throughout the course. Resources, including sample papers, are also available on this site.
Hacker, Diane. A Writer’s Reference. 7th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Marrtin’s, 2011. Other writing guides can be substituted for this one but make sure they have a copyright date no earlier than 2011.
Moral Reasoning: Value -;Morality-Ethics. New College, Philisophy, 2002.
You may want to review two videos: Moral Reasoning and Ethical Theory (50 min.), and Moral Reasoning and the Capstone Project (20 min.). The ethics videos listed on the syllabus can be found at ttp://faculty.stedwards.edu/ursery/audiolect.htm
COURSE OBJECTIVES
The student should be able to:
- Apply the liberal arts competencies associated with the analysis of values, ethical principles and critical thinking.
- Develop a systematic and integrated problem solving procedure, based on scholarly research.
- Recognize interdisciplinary perspectives.
- Demonstrate the ability to think critically and to explain ideas clearly, in both written and oral communication.
- Work responsibly and effectively in the tutorial mode with the professor
- Form conclusions about ethical issues from experiential as well as researched perspectives.
- Develop and action plan for implementation of your conclusion.
This course focuses on civic engagement through the action plan with which you will conclude your 2nd and 3rd papers. See the Handbook, p. 40.
COURSE SUPPORT
Check out the Capstone web site at This site contains sample papers and other useful information. Students are encouraged to work at the Writing Center or use the Online Writing Lab and the reference librarians can be an enormous help. The instructor will meet with you at your request and will review drafts of the papers.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
1. The nature of this class requires that you become an independent researcher. It will be essential that you be very disciplined and stay on task. Because you will not be attending face-to-face classes, you must establish a research timeline and be vigilant about sticking to it. Blackboard Q & A forums will be established to support you in your research effort; however, ultimately this is about you and your ability to execute a sizeable project largely by yourself while accessing available resources to enhance the quality of the project. A considerable array of help is available for library research, writing, and moral reasoning. See the capstone web site,Your instructor will also help with any aspect of the course. Regular meetings are not usually necessary, but please call or email for a meeting any time you think some direction from the instructor might help.
2. Students are expected to become familiar with the course objectives and are responsible for working toward achieving them.
3. Students are expected to complete all assignments on time. Late assignments do not receive full credit. Assignments up to one week late of the original due date or the negotiated due date will be penalized 20%. Assignments will not be accepted for a grade beyond a week after the due date, barring exceptional circumstances.
During the course, posts to Blackboard are required. The first post must be made by Friday of the “week” (for the purposes of the class, our weeks begin on Tuesdays, so you have three days to post after the discussion question is printed) and replies to the posts of at least three other students by the end of the day on Monday. End of the day means midnight on Sunday, but don’t wait until the last minute.
5. All work should be presented in the most professional way; well written, word processed , and proofread. Be sure that your work always represents college-level learning.
6. Participation and Withdrawal.Students are responsible for officially withdrawing from the course if they are unable to continue. After the official withdrawal date, students can petition for withdrawal through their CAP advisor. This must be done prior to the end of the course. Students may be withdrawn from the course by the instructor for non-participation. Because this course is an online course, non-participation is defined as failing to make contact with the instructor through e-mail, telephone, or Blackboard for up to two consecutive weeks.
7.Papers. Three cumulative papers, prepared according to the instructions in the New College Capstone Course Handbook, must be submitted at the times indicated on the course schedule.
a.. Format: All papers must be neatly typed, error-free, double-spaced and properly documented, using MLA guidelines. (You may use APA documentation style; please let me know if this is your preference.
b. Length: Excluding the "Works Cited" (15 sources other than popular periodicals and encyclopedias; 12 for service learning option), the minimum length of the final paper is 20 pages; the maximum length is 30 pages. These limits allow for adequate discussion and well-focused analysis of an appropriately limited topic.
c. Due Dates: All papers must be submitted on the dates specified in the course schedule.
8. Plagiarism, Collusion and Deception: The Academic Dishonesty section of the New College Handbook states:
The penalty for a student who is dishonest in any work is to receive a grade of "F" for that course. In case of mitigating circumstances, the instructor has the option to assign a lesser penalty. If the instructor has sufficient evidence that such dishonesty has occurred, the instructor will discuss the matter with the student and inform the Dean of New College that the grade has been assigned. The student has the right to appeal this decision.
Refer to the Handbook for further information.
9. Grading. Because completion of requirements in this course is incremental, the process is as important as the product. A student's final paper grade may be "A" quality, but because of unsatisfactory performance in the other aspects of the course, a lower final grade may be assigned. Successful completion requires adherence to deadlines for posting and papers and regular contact with the instructor.
Grading Weights:
a. Posting: 20%
b. Papers One and Two: 10% each
c. Final Paper: 60%
Grading Scale (this course cannot be taken as Pass/Fail)
A
90-100
B
80-89
C
70-79
D
60-69
F
0-59 (may also be assigned due to excessive absences)
Academic Integrity Policy
Per the Student Handbook, “St. Edward’s University expects academic honesty from all members of the community, and it is our policy that academic integrity be fostered to the highest degree possible. Consequently, all work submitted for grading in a course must be created as a result of your own thought and effort. Representing work as your own when it is not a result of such thought and effort is a violation of our code of academic integrity. Whenever it is established that academic dishonesty has occurred, the course instructor shall impose a penalty on the offending individual(s). The maximum penalty for a first offense is failure in the course, and if that penalty is imposed, the student does not have the option of withdrawing from the course.”
Dropping/ Withdrawing Policy
- It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of add/drop/withdraw and refund deadlines. See web link:
- Students should also communicate with their instructor, academic advisor, and financial aid advisor.
- State policy on “WAs” (withdrawal due to absences). Some instructors choose to WA a student after a specified number of absences; other instructors never issues WAs. If you choose to, you may include this language:
Incomplete Grades Policy
The grade of I (Incomplete) is given at the sole discretion of the instructor and with the approval of the dean. A grade of I must always be requested by the student; it is not automatically earned. To qualify for an Incomplete, students must have completed no less than one-half of the work in a course and have attended no fewer than one-half of the scheduled class meetings. The student must be able to document that the situation qualifies as exceptional. Exceptional circumstances include but are not restricted to a death in the immediate family; the onset of a serious medical condition; or an unexpected change in job or family circumstances. Exceptional circumstances do not include situations that can be considered a normal part of living. Course work must be completed and a grade submitted by the instructor to the Office of the Registrar no later than October 1 for summer courses, March 1 for fall courses and July 1 for spring courses, or a grade of F will be entered on the transcript.
Disability Services/Special Circumstances
St. Edward’s University complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act in making reasonable accommodation for qualified students with a disability. If you have an established disability as defined in the Americans with Disability Act and would like to request accommodation, please let me know early in the semester or as soon as you are eligible. Students will need to present documentation of their disability to the disability coordinator in Academic Planning and Support Services located in Moody Hall.
Computer Competencies
All Undergraduate and New College students are required to satisfy the Computer Competency Requirement. New College students will not be allowed to register for Moral Reasoning, a CGI class, or Capstone until all competencies are completed.LATE WORK POLICY
Late work will be accepted under exceptional circumstances with permission from the instructor. Late work will be penalized by one letter grade for each week late.
TIME NEEDED TO COMPLETE COURSE For the first six weeks, you will need to spend about 4 hours a week writing, 4 hours researching, and 2 hours posting; for week five, about 10 hours writing; for weeks six through ten, about 8 hours a week researching and 6 hours writing; and for weeks eleven through fourteen, about 2 hours researching and 2 hours writing and posting.
COURSE CALENDAR AND ASSIGNMENTS______
Week One (January 14): Post introductions, review course syllabus and sample papers
Assignment for Week Two: Review ch. 1 in Handbook.
Week Two (January 21): Post Capstone Issue Identification Exercise
Assignment for Week Three: Consider your selection of topic
Week Three (January 28): Post preliminary thoughts on your topic
Assignment for Week Four: Complete Topic Issue Identification Worksheet and three
Documentation of Resource logs; Review ch. 2 in Handbook
Paper One due February 11
Week Four (February 4): Post Worksheet and Logs
Assignment for Week Five: Complete Paper One
Week Five (February 11): Submit Paper One
Assignment for Week Six: Review ch. 3 in Handbook
Assignment for Week Eight: Review ch. 4 in Handbook
Assignment for Weeks Six through Ten: Work on Paper Two due March 25
Weeks Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten: Work on Paper Two
Week Ten (March 25): Submit Paper Two
Assignment for Week Eleven: Review chs. 5-6 in Handbook
Assignment for Weeks Ten through Thirteen: Work on Final Capstone Paper due April 22
Week Twelve(April 8): Post abstract and works cited to Blackboard
Week Fourteen: Submit Final Paper due April 22