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How to Write an Ethics Paper: Guide & Ethical Essay Examples

ethics-essay

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An ethics essay is a type of academic writing that explores ethical issues and dilemmas. Students should evaluates them in terms of moral principles and values. The purpose of an ethics essay is to examine the moral implications of a particular issue, and provide a reasoned argument in support of an ethical perspective.

Writing an essay about ethics is a tough task for most students. The process involves creating an outline to guide your arguments about a topic and planning your ideas to convince the reader of your feelings about a difficult issue. If you still need assistance putting together your thoughts in composing a good paper, you have come to the right place. We have provided a series of steps and tips to show how you can achieve success in writing. This guide will tell you how to write an ethics paper using ethical essay examples to understand every step it takes to be proficient. In case you don’t have time for writing, get in touch with our professional essay writers for hire . Our experts work hard to supply students with excellent essays.

What Is an Ethics Essay?

An ethics essay uses moral theories to build arguments on an issue. You describe a controversial problem and examine it to determine how it affects individuals or society. Ethics papers analyze arguments on both sides of a possible dilemma, focusing on right and wrong. The analysis gained can be used to solve real-life cases. Before embarking on writing an ethical essay, keep in mind that most individuals follow moral principles. From a social context perspective, these rules define how a human behaves or acts towards another. Therefore, your theme essay on ethics needs to demonstrate how a person feels about these moral principles. More specifically, your task is to show how significant that issue is and discuss if you value or discredit it.

Purpose of an Essay on Ethics

The primary purpose of an ethics essay is to initiate an argument on a moral issue using reasoning and critical evidence. Instead of providing general information about a problem, you present solid arguments about how you view the moral concern and how it affects you or society. When writing an ethical paper, you demonstrate philosophical competence, using appropriate moral perspectives and principles.

Things to Write an Essay About Ethics On

Before you start to write ethics essays, consider a topic you can easily address. In most cases, an ethical issues essay analyzes right and wrong. This includes discussing ethics and morals and how they contribute to the right behaviors. You can also talk about work ethic, code of conduct, and how employees promote or disregard the need for change. However, you can explore other areas by asking yourself what ethics mean to you. Think about how a recent game you watched with friends started a controversial argument. Or maybe a newspaper that highlighted a story you felt was misunderstood or blown out of proportion. This way, you can come up with an excellent topic that resonates with your personal ethics and beliefs.

Ethics Paper Outline

Sometimes, you will be asked to submit an outline before writing an ethics paper. Creating an outline for an ethics paper is an essential step in creating a good essay. You can use it to arrange your points and supporting evidence before writing. It also helps organize your thoughts, enabling you to fill any gaps in your ideas. The outline for an essay should contain short and numbered sentences to cover the format and outline. Each section is structured to enable you to plan your work and include all sources in writing an ethics paper. An ethics essay outline is as follows:

  • Background information
  • Thesis statement
  • Restate thesis statement
  • Summarize key points
  • Final thoughts on the topic

Using this outline will improve clarity and focus throughout your writing process.

Ethical Essay Structure

Ethics essays are similar to other essays based on their format, outline, and structure. An ethical essay should have a well-defined introduction, body, and conclusion section as its structure. When planning your ideas, make sure that the introduction and conclusion are around 20 percent of the paper, leaving the rest to the body. We will take a detailed look at what each part entails and give examples that are going to help you understand them better.  Refer to our essay structure examples to find a fitting way of organizing your writing.

Ethics Paper Introduction

An ethics essay introduction gives a synopsis of your main argument. One step on how to write an introduction for an ethics paper is telling about the topic and describing its background information. This paragraph should be brief and straight to the point. It informs readers what your position is on that issue. Start with an essay hook to generate interest from your audience. It can be a question you will address or a misunderstanding that leads up to your main argument. You can also add more perspectives to be discussed; this will inform readers on what to expect in the paper.

Ethics Essay Introduction Example

You can find many ethics essay introduction examples on the internet. In this guide, we have written an excellent extract to demonstrate how it should be structured. As you read, examine how it begins with a hook and then provides background information on an issue. 

Imagine living in a world where people only lie, and honesty is becoming a scarce commodity. Indeed, modern society is facing this reality as truth and deception can no longer be separated. Technology has facilitated a quick transmission of voluminous information, whereas it's hard separating facts from opinions.

In this example, the first sentence of the introduction makes a claim or uses a question to hook the reader.

Ethics Essay Thesis Statement

An ethics paper must contain a thesis statement in the first paragraph. Learning how to write a thesis statement for an ethics paper is necessary as readers often look at it to gauge whether the essay is worth their time.

When you deviate away from the thesis, your whole paper loses meaning. In ethics essays, your thesis statement is a roadmap in writing, stressing your position on the problem and giving reasons for taking that stance. It should focus on a specific element of the issue being discussed. When writing a thesis statement, ensure that you can easily make arguments for or against its stance.

Ethical Paper Thesis Example

Look at this example of an ethics paper thesis statement and examine how well it has been written to state a position and provide reasons for doing so:

The moral implications of dishonesty are far-reaching as they undermine trust, integrity, and other foundations of society, damaging personal and professional relationships. 

The above thesis statement example is clear and concise, indicating that this paper will highlight the effects of dishonesty in society. Moreover, it focuses on aspects of personal and professional relationships.

Ethics Essay Body

The body section is the heart of an ethics paper as it presents the author's main points. In an ethical essay, each body paragraph has several elements that should explain your main idea. These include:

  • A topic sentence that is precise and reiterates your stance on the issue.
  • Evidence supporting it.
  • Examples that illustrate your argument.
  • A thorough analysis showing how the evidence and examples relate to that issue.
  • A transition sentence that connects one paragraph to another with the help of essay transitions .

When you write an ethics essay, adding relevant examples strengthens your main point and makes it easy for others to understand and comprehend your argument. 

Body Paragraph for Ethics Paper Example

A good body paragraph must have a well-defined topic sentence that makes a claim and includes evidence and examples to support it. Look at part of an example of ethics essay body paragraph below and see how its idea has been developed:

Honesty is an essential component of professional integrity. In many fields, trust and credibility are crucial for professionals to build relationships and success. For example, a doctor who is dishonest about a potential side effect of a medication is not only acting unethically but also putting the health and well-being of their patients at risk. Similarly, a dishonest businessman could achieve short-term benefits but will lose their client’s trust.

Ethics Essay Conclusion

A concluding paragraph shares the summary and overview of the author's main arguments. Many students need clarification on what should be included in the essay conclusion and how best to get a reader's attention. When writing an ethics paper conclusion, consider the following:

  • Restate the thesis statement to emphasize your position.
  • Summarize its main points and evidence.
  • Final thoughts on the issue and any other considerations.

You can also reflect on the topic or acknowledge any possible challenges or questions that have not been answered. A closing statement should present a call to action on the problem based on your position.

Sample Ethics Paper Conclusion

The conclusion paragraph restates the thesis statement and summarizes the arguments presented in that paper. The sample conclusion for an ethical essay example below demonstrates how you should write a concluding statement.  

In conclusion, the implications of dishonesty and the importance of honesty in our lives cannot be overstated. Honesty builds solid relationships, effective communication, and better decision-making. This essay has explored how dishonesty impacts people and that we should value honesty. We hope this essay will help readers assess their behavior and work towards being more honest in their lives.

In the above extract, the writer gives final thoughts on the topic, urging readers to adopt honest behavior.

How to Write an Ethics Paper?

As you learn how to write an ethics essay, it is not advised to immediately choose a topic and begin writing. When you follow this method, you will get stuck or fail to present concrete ideas. A good writer understands the importance of planning. As a fact, you should organize your work and ensure it captures key elements that shed more light on your arguments. Hence, following the essay structure and creating an outline to guide your writing process is the best approach. In the following segment, we have highlighted step-by-step techniques on how to write a good ethics paper.

1. Pick a Topic

Before writing ethical papers, brainstorm to find ideal topics that can be easily debated. For starters, make a list, then select a title that presents a moral issue that may be explained and addressed from opposing sides. Make sure you choose one that interests you. Here are a few ideas to help you search for topics:

  • Review current trends affecting people.
  • Think about your personal experiences.
  • Study different moral theories and principles.
  • Examine classical moral dilemmas.

Once you find a suitable topic and are ready, start to write your ethics essay, conduct preliminary research, and ascertain that there are enough sources to support it.

2. Conduct In-Depth Research

Once you choose a topic for your essay, the next step is gathering sufficient information about it. Conducting in-depth research entails looking through scholarly journals to find credible material. Ensure you note down all sources you found helpful to assist you on how to write your ethics paper. Use the following steps to help you conduct your research:

  • Clearly state and define a problem you want to discuss.
  • This will guide your research process.
  • Develop keywords that match the topic.
  • Begin searching from a wide perspective. This will allow you to collect more information, then narrow it down by using the identified words above.

3. Develop an Ethics Essay Outline

An outline will ease up your writing process when developing an ethic essay. As you develop a paper on ethics, jot down factual ideas that will build your paragraphs for each section. Include the following steps in your process:

  • Review the topic and information gathered to write a thesis statement.
  • Identify the main arguments you want to discuss and include their evidence.
  • Group them into sections, each presenting a new idea that supports the thesis.
  • Write an outline.
  • Review and refine it.

Examples can also be included to support your main arguments. The structure should be sequential, coherent, and with a good flow from beginning to end. When you follow all steps, you can create an engaging and organized outline that will help you write a good essay.

4. Write an Ethics Essay

Once you have selected a topic, conducted research, and outlined your main points, you can begin writing an essay . Ensure you adhere to the ethics paper format you have chosen. Start an ethics paper with an overview of your topic to capture the readers' attention. Build upon your paper by avoiding ambiguous arguments and using the outline to help you write your essay on ethics. Finish the introduction paragraph with a thesis statement that explains your main position.  Expand on your thesis statement in all essay paragraphs. Each paragraph should start with a topic sentence and provide evidence plus an example to solidify your argument, strengthen the main point, and let readers see the reasoning behind your stance. Finally, conclude the essay by restating your thesis statement and summarizing all key ideas. Your conclusion should engage the reader, posing questions or urging them to reflect on the issue and how it will impact them.

5. Proofread Your Ethics Essay

Proofreading your essay is the last step as you countercheck any grammatical or structural errors in your essay. When writing your ethic paper, typical mistakes you could encounter include the following:

  • Spelling errors: e.g., there, they’re, their.
  • Homophone words: such as new vs. knew.
  • Inconsistencies: like mixing British and American words, e.g., color vs. color.
  • Formatting issues: e.g., double spacing, different font types.

While proofreading your ethical issue essay, read it aloud to detect lexical errors or ambiguous phrases that distort its meaning. Verify your information and ensure it is relevant and up-to-date. You can ask your fellow student to read the essay and give feedback on its structure and quality.

Ethics Essay Examples

Writing an essay is challenging without the right steps. There are so many ethics paper examples on the internet, however, we have provided a list of free ethics essay examples below that are well-structured and have a solid argument to help you write your paper. Click on them and see how each writing step has been integrated. Ethics essay example 1

Ethics essay example 2

Ethics essay example 3

Ethics essay example 4

College ethics essay example 5

Ethics Essay Writing Tips

When writing papers on ethics, here are several tips to help you complete an excellent essay:

  • Choose a narrow topic and avoid broad subjects, as it is easy to cover the topic in detail.
  • Ensure you have background information. A good understanding of a topic can make it easy to apply all necessary moral theories and principles in writing your paper.
  • State your position clearly. It is important to be sure about your stance as it will allow you to draft your arguments accordingly.
  • When writing ethics essays, be mindful of your audience. Provide arguments that they can understand.
  • Integrate solid examples into your essay. Morality can be hard to understand; therefore, using them will help a reader grasp these concepts.

Bottom Line on Writing an Ethics Paper

Creating this essay is a common exercise in academics that allows students to build critical skills. When you begin writing, state your stance on an issue and provide arguments to support your position. This guide gives information on how to write an ethics essay as well as examples of ethics papers. Remember to follow these points in your writing:

  • Create an outline highlighting your main points.
  • Write an effective introduction and provide background information on an issue.
  • Include a thesis statement.
  • Develop concrete arguments and their counterarguments, and use examples.
  • Sum up all your key points in your conclusion and restate your thesis statement.

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How to Write an Ethics Paper

Last Updated: May 16, 2023 Approved

This article was co-authored by Emily Listmann, MA . Emily Listmann is a private tutor in San Carlos, California. She has worked as a Social Studies Teacher, Curriculum Coordinator, and an SAT Prep Teacher. She received her MA in Education from the Stanford Graduate School of Education in 2014. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 100% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 251,501 times.

Writing an ethics paper can present some unique challenges. For the most part, the paper will be written like any other essay or research paper, but there are some key differences. An ethics paper will generally require you to argue for a specific position rather than simply present an overview of an issue. Arguing this position will also involve presenting counterarguments and then refuting them. Finally, ensuring that your reasoning is valid and sound and citing the appropriate sources will allow you to write an ethics paper that will satisfy any critic.

Getting Started

Step 1 Make sure that you understand the assignment.

  • What is the main objective of the assignment?
  • What specific things do you need to do in order to get a good grade?
  • How much time will you need to complete the assignment?

Step 2 Choose a topic for your ethics paper.

  • For example, you might begin with a topic of "ethical problems of euthanasia." This is very broad, and so forms a good starting point.

Step 3 Narrow down your topic.

  • Remember, you may refine your topic even further after you have begun writing your paper. This is perfectly acceptable, and is part of the advantage of writing a paper in multiple drafts.

Step 4 Outline the relevant issues to your topic.

  • For example, you might include issues such as: "describing specifically what is meant by 'extreme, constant pain.' "Other issues might include, "the rights and responsibilities of physicians regarding euthanasia," and "voluntary versus involuntary euthanasia."
  • After making this list, group or order them in some way. For example, you might imagine yourself taking the position that euthanasia is acceptable in this circumstance, and you could order the issues based on how you would draw supporting evidence and build your claim.

Developing Your Thesis Statement

Step 1 Draft your thesis statement.

  • In your thesis, you should take a specific stand on the ethical issue. For example, you might write your thesis as follows: "Euthanasia is an immoral option even when patients are in constant, extreme pain."

Step 2 Remove ambiguous language to clarify your exact position.

  • For example, this thesis statement is ambiguous: "Patients should not undergo euthanasia even when suffering constant, extreme pain." With how it's worded, it's unclear whether you mean that euthanasia should be outlawed or that it is morally wrong.
  • Clarify your position to create a strong thesis: "Euthanasia is an immoral option even when patients are in constant, extreme pain."

Step 3 Make sure the focus of your thesis aligns with your intended focus for the paper.

  • For example, in the thesis, "It is immoral for patients to choose euthanasia even when suffering constant, extreme pain," the moral burden is on the patient's actions. The author of this thesis would need to make sure to focus on the patient in the essay and not to focus on the moral implications of the doctor's actions.
  • If the thesis you have written does not reflect what you want to argue in your paper, start over and draft a new thesis statement.

Conducting Research

Step 1 Select sources to research before writing your ethics paper.

  • Ask a librarian for help finding sources if you are not sure how to access your library’s databases.
  • A simple way to strengthen your argument through citations is by incorporating some relevant statistics. Simple statistics can have a major impact if presented after you've made a bold assertion. For instance, you may claim that the patient's family members would be unduly traumatized if the patient chose euthanasia, and then cite a university study that catalogued a majority of families reporting trauma or stress in this situation.
  • Another helpful citation is one in which the broad issue itself is discussed. For instance, you might cite a prominent ethicist's position on your issue to strengthen your position.

Step 2 Evaluate your sources.

  • The author and his or her credentials. Does the source provide the author’s first and last name and credentials (M.D., Ph.D, etc.)? Steer clear of sources without an author attached to them or that lack credentials when credentials seem crucial, such as in an article about a medical subject. [3] X Research source
  • Type of publication. Is the publication a book, journal, magazine, or website? Is the publisher an academic or educational institution? Does the publisher have a motive other than education? Who is the intended audience? Ask yourself these questions to determine if this source is reliable. For example, a university or government website might be reliable, but a site that sells items may be biased toward what they're selling.
  • Citations. How well has the author researched his or her topic? Check the author’s bibliography or works cited page. If the author has not provided any sources, then you may want to look for a different source. [4] X Research source
  • Bias. Has the author presented an objective, well-reasoned account of the topic? If the sources seems skewed towards one side of the argument, then it may not be a good choice. [5] X Research source
  • Publication date. Does this source present the most up to date information on the subject? If the sources is outdated, then try to find something more recent. [6] X Research source

Step 3 Read your research.

  • To check for comprehension after reading a source, try to summarize the source in your own words and generate a response to the author’s main argument. If you cannot do one or both of these things, then you may need to read the source again.
  • Creating notecards for your sources may also help you to organize your ideas. Write the citation for the source on the top of the notecard, then write a brief summary and response to the article in the lined area of the notecard. [7] X Research source

Step 4 Annotate...

  • Remember to indicate when you have quoted a source in your notes by putting it into quotation marks and including information about the source such as the author’s name, article or book title, and page number. [8] X Research source

Writing and Revising Your Ethics Paper

Step 1 Work from your outline.

  • To expand on your outline, write a couple of sentences describing and/or explaining each of the items in your outline. Include a relevant source for each item as well.

Step 2 Make sure that you include all of the key parts of an ethics paper.

  • Check your outline to see if you have covered each of these items in this order. If not, you will need to add a section and use your sources to help inform that section.

Step 3 Plan to write your ethics paper using several drafts.

  • In your first draft, focus on the quality of the argument, rather than the quality of the prose. If the argument is structured well and each conclusion is supported by your reasoning and by cited evidence, you will be able to focus on the writing itself on the second draft.
  • Unless major revisions are needed to your argument (for example, if you have decided to change your thesis statement), use the second draft to strengthen your writing. Focus on sentence lengths and structures, vocabulary, and other aspects of the prose itself.

Step 4 Give yourself a break before revising.

  • Try to allow yourself a few days or even a week to revise your paper before it is due. If you do not allow yourself enough time to revise, then you will be more prone to making simple mistakes and your grade may suffer as a result. [10] X Research source

Step 5 Consider your paper from multiple angles as your revise.

  • Does my paper fulfill the requirements of the assignment? How might it score according to the rubric provided by my instructor?
  • What is your main point? How might you clarify your main point?
  • Who is your audience? Have you considered their needs and expectations?
  • What is your purpose? Have you accomplished your purpose with this paper?
  • How effective is your evidence? How might your strengthen your evidence?
  • Does every part of your paper relate back to your thesis? How might you improve these connections?
  • Is anything confusing about your language or organization? How might your clarify your language or organization?
  • Have you made any errors with grammar, punctuation, or spelling? How can you correct these errors?
  • What might someone who disagrees with you say about your paper? How can you address these opposing arguments in your paper? [11] X Research source

Step 6 Read printed version of your final draft out loud.

  • As you read your paper out loud, highlight or circle any errors and revise as necessary before printing your final copy.

Community Q&A

Community Answer

  • If at all possible, have someone else read through your paper before submitting it. They can provide valuable feedback on style as well as catching grammatical errors. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 1

how to write an ethical issue essay

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  • ↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/688/1/
  • ↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/553/03/
  • ↑ http://guides.jwcc.edu/content.php?pid=65900&sid=538553
  • ↑ http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice/reading-and-researching/notes-from-research
  • ↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/658/05/
  • ↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/561/05/

About This Article

Emily Listmann, MA

To write an ethics paper, start by researching the issue you want to write about and evaluating your sources for potential bias and trustworthiness. Next, develop a thesis statement that takes a specific stand on the issue and create an outline that includes the key arguments. As you write, avoid using words like “could” or “might,” which will seem ambiguous to the reader. Once you’ve finished your paper, take a break for a few days so your mind is clear, then go back and revise what you wrote, focusing on the quality of your argument. For tips from our Education reviewer on how to annotate source material as you research, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Write an Ethics Paper or Essay With Tips and Examples

22 December 2023

last updated

An ethics essay is one type of essays that students write to present their ideas about what is good or bad, right or wrong, white or black, and approved or prohibited in terms of various theories, approaches, techniques, practices, actions, behaviors, responsibilities, morals, results, obligations, virtues, and others, developing essential writing skills. When writing an ethics paper, students should understand that such an essay differs from other assignments in that it focuses on elaborating on issues with ethical or moral implications in philosophy. Basically, this elaboration entails writers arguing for a stand on an ethical or moral issue. Moreover, when writing an ethics essay, students should follow a basic essay structure: introduction-body-conclusion. In each of these sections, learners should capture critical elements, such as a thesis statement in the introduction part, topic sentences in body paragraphs, and a thesis restatement in the conclusion part. Hence, students need to learn how to write a good ethics paper or essay to demonstrate their knowledge of philosophy by using ethical and moral sides of an issue.

General Aspects of Writing an Ethics Paper or Essay

Academic writing is a broad discipline that exposes students to critical skills, including interpretation, explanation, reflection, and analysis of many essay topics . Basically, essay writing is one of the academic exercises that enable students to build these skills. In particular, one of the essay types that students write is a research paper on ethics. When writing ethics essays in philosophy, students address issues related to morality, such as aspects of right and wrong or good and bad. Then, such concepts of ethics and morals underlie the importance of the right behaviors. In various settings, such as workplaces, humans establish codes of ethics and conduct to guide behavior. Therefore, when writing an ethics paper, a student’s focus is on how humans embrace or disregard good morals in society.

How to write an ethics paper or essay

1. Defining Features or Characteristics of an Ethics Paper or Essay

Like all other types of essays , an ethics paper has features that define it as an academic text. To some extent, these features influence an essay structure of a paper. For example, the first feature is proof of the importance of a topic. In this case, students show this importance by constructing essay topics as challenging issues facing society, hence talking about it. Then, the second characteristic is a thesis statement that learners in philosophy formulate to shed light on a topic. Further on, the third feature is arguments that support a thesis, and the fourth characteristic is possible counterarguments. Moreover, the fifth feature is a rebuttal, where writers insist on the strengths of their arguments while acknowledging the counterarguments. In turn, the sixth characteristic is a sum-up of an ethics paper. Here, authors emphasize a thesis statement by justifying the arguments in its favor that they provide in a written document.

2. How Does an Ethics Paper Differ From Other Essays

There are many types of essays that students write under a discipline of philosophy. Basically, each essay type has unique characteristics that distinguish it from other papers. For an ethics essay, these characteristics include addressing an ethical issue, using an ethical lens to make arguments regarding a controversial matter, or explaining an ethical dilemma. Ideally, this type of paper focuses on elaborating on ethics and morality. In contrast, a narrative essay focuses on telling the writer’s story, while an informative essay focuses on educating the audience concerning a topic. Moreover, while some papers, like narrative or college application essays, utilize the first-person language, an ethics essay takes a formal approach to a third-person language.

3. How to Know if Students Need to Write an Ethics Paper or Essay

Generally, before students write some types of papers , they first consider the department or tutor’s requirements. Basically, these requirements can provide direct instructions, including a research topic, an essay outline , or a grading rubric. In this case, the latter helps students to understand the basic expectations of educational departments or tutors. Therefore, when students do not get direct instructions about their ethics topics, they can always know what type of essay they need to write by reading grading essay rubric requirements. For ethics papers, such prompts require students to take a stand on an issue of profound ethical or moral implications, such as fraud. In turn, key elements that tell students that they need to write an ethics paper or essay include providing an ethical argument, elaborating on an ethical dilemma, or expounding on ethical and legal implications.

4. How Do Students Know if They Need to Write an Ethics Paper by Looking at an Essay Topic

Students consider the instructions given by departments or tutors when writing essays. Basically, these instructions provide directions on essay topics that students should address when writing their papers. When writing an ethics paper, students can know that they need to write this type of essay by looking at the department or tutor’s topic. Moreover, this ethics topic may require learners to provide ethical arguments concerning a matter, elaborate on an ethical dilemma, or state whether an issue is ethical or legal. Hence, a central message of a topic should require students to address an issue via an ethical or moral lens.

5. The Meaning of an Ethical Argument, Ethical Dilemma, and Ethical v. Legal Implications

Key elements that define an ethics paper include ethical arguments, ethical dilemmas, and ethical and legal implications. For example, the term “ethical arguments” refers to a concept of taking a stand on an issue with ethical and moral implications and defending it. In this case, writers make ethical arguments to support their perspectives on an issue raising ethical or moral questions, such as fraud. Then, the term “ethical dilemma” refers to a situation that individuals find themselves whenever they face an issue raising ethical or moral questions, such as bribery. Also, authors are torn between two options, with one option having severe ethical or moral implications. In turn, the term “ethical versus legal implications” refers to a situation where a writer has to decide whether an issue, such as bribery, needs ethical or legal redress.

20 Examples of Ethics Topics for Writing Essays and Research Papers

  • Soaps and Deodorants as Potential Causes of Breast Cancer.
  • The Ethics and Legality of Child Adoption.
  • The Pros and Cons of Taking Vitamin Supplements.
  • Plastic Surgery and the Pursuit of Beauty.
  • Human Cloning: Is it Ethical?
  • Death Penalty: Key Pros and Cons.
  • Abortion as an Intervention Against Teen Pregnancy.
  • Is Voting a Moral or Legal Duty.
  • Does Driving an Electric Car Indicate Responsible Citizenship?
  • Social Media Use and Privacy.
  • Should Schools Enact Anti-Bullying Policies?
  • Does Social Media Use Enhance or Undermine Socialization?
  • Combating Music Piracy: Should Governments Get Involved?
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Writing Outline and Structure of an Ethics Paper or Essay

Like any other essay, an ethics paper follows a structure that underscores its outline. Basically, this structure comprises three sections: introduction, body, and conclusion. When writing these sections, students must ensure they address all the essential defining features stated previously in their ethics essays or papers. When doing so, writers should confirm that the introduction and conclusion sections take 10 percent of the total word count of an ethics paper or essay, while the body, which is the main text, should be 80 percent. Hence, an essay outline of an ethics paper should look as below:

I. Introduction

A. Hook sentence. B. Background information on an ethical dilemma. C. Writer’s claim – a thesis statement.

II. Body Paragraphs

A. Argument

  • state a position of an argument;
  • support this position with evidence;
  • explain how this evidence is right toward this argument and evidence;
  • conclude why this argument is valid.

B. Counterargument

  • provide a counterargument to a position in the first body paragraph;
  • include evidence that supports this counterargument, being opposite to an argument in the previous section;
  • explain how this counterargument and evidence in this paragraph are correct by using an opposite perspective;
  • finish why this counterargument is valid for this case.

C. Rebuttal

  • define the weaknesses of a counterargument;
  • cover credible evidence that supports such weaknesses;
  • write how these weaknesses make a counterargument irrelevant;
  • end with a statement that explains why a counterargument is not valid compared to an argument.

III. Conclusion

A. Restate a thesis. B. Sum up on the argument, counterargument, and rebuttal. C. State a final claim.

Explaining Each Section for Writing an Ethics Paper or Essay

When writing the introduction section, authors of an ethics paper should be brief and concise. Here, students should inform the audience about the purpose of writing by accurately expounding on an ethical issue that they intend to address. In essence, this aspect means highlighting their stand concerning an issue. Moreover, formulating a thesis statement helps to accomplish this goal. In this case, writers frame their minds and structure their ethics papers via the use of arguments that defend their stand on an issue of profound ethical or moral implications. Notably, when writing the introduction part, which signals the start of an ethical paper or essay, learners should begin with a hook to grab the readers’ attention. In turn, this sentence can be a popular misconception or a question that writers intend to answer when writing an ethics paper or essay.

II. Body Section

When writing the body of an ethics paper or essay, students should use a thesis statement as a reference point. In other words, they should use a thesis statement to come up with several ideas or arguments in defense of their stand on the ethical or moral issue identified in the introduction part. Basically, rules of academic writing dictate that students should begin each body paragraph with a topic sentence, whose purpose is to introduce a claim or idea that they intend to elaborate on in the section. Then, it is advisable that, when writing the body section, learners should use different paragraphs to separate arguments logically. Also, students should follow a sandwich rule when writing every body paragraph of an ethics paper or essay. In turn, such a paragraph structure means providing a claim, supporting it with evidence, explaining its relevance to the paper’s thesis, and ending with a transition sentence to be connected with the next paragraph logically.

The conclusion part is the last section of an ethics paper. In particular, an ethics essay should capture several themes in this section. Firstly, writers should restate a thesis statement. Secondly, they should summarize the main points made in body paragraphs. Also, this aspect means summarizing the writer’s arguments for their stands towards an issue with ethical or moral implications. In turn, authors should reiterate the paper’s topic and state why it was essential to address an ethical or moral issue. Besides, students need to avoid providing new information in this section.

Example of an Ethics Paper

Topic – Euthanasia: Is It Ethical?

I. Introduction Sample of an Ethics Paper

Terminal illness is a condition of profound pain and suffering for those affected, including the patients and their families. Today, some scientists support euthanasia, the aspect of assisting terminally ill patients in ending their lives. While health professionals should do everything to help their patients to avoid suffering, assisting them in ending their lives is unethical and immoral.

II. Examples of Body Paragraphs in an Ethics Paper

Life is a sacred thing, and no human being has any justification for ending it, regardless of whose it is. For example, the premise of a debate about euthanasia, which refers to assisted suicide, is the prevalence of terminal illnesses that subject individuals to a life of pain, suffering, and dependence. Without any hope of recovery, some individuals have opted to end their lives with the help of their loved ones or health professionals. While there is every reason to empathize with these individuals’ fate, there is no basis for supporting their desire to end their lives. In turn, the sanctity of life does not allow human beings to end life, no matter the circumstances.

If there seems to be no hope of recovery, ending life is counterproductive in an age of significant scientific and technological advancements. Basically, scientists are working round the clock to find cures for incurable diseases that have proven to be a threat to humanity. For example, today, smallpox is no longer a threat because a cure is found (Persson, 2010). Therefore, the fact that there may be no cure for a disease today does not mean that there will not be a cure tomorrow. Naturally, human beings rely on hope to overcome moments of darkness, such as a terminal illness diagnosis. Nonetheless, it is the effort of the scientific community that has always brought hope to humanity. In this light, there is no ethical or moral justification for euthanasia.

Euthanasia is not only a solution to terminal illness but also a sign of hopelessness and despair. When patients take the root of assisted suicide, it means that they give up on looking for alternatives in dealing with a problem. In this case, the fact that a terminal illness does not have a cure does not imply that it cannot be managed. Moreover, individuals who love a terminally ill person, such as family members and friends, hope to spend more time with them before an inevitable time happens. As such, terminally ill patients should use their families and health professionals to live longer. In essence, this aspect reflects true humanity – standing firm and determining amid of insurmountable odds. On that truth alone, euthanasia is an idea that deserves no thought or attention.

III. Conclusion Sample of an Ethics Paper

There is nothing more devastating than a terminal illness diagnosis. Basically, such news punctures the hope of many individuals, families, and communities. Nonetheless, patients should not lose hope and despair to the point of wanting to end their lives because of being diagnosed with a terminal illness. Because life is sacred and there is always a higher probability of medical breakthroughs in an age of scientific and technological advancement, euthanasia is an unethical and immoral solution to a terminal illness.

Persson, S. (2010). Smallpox, syphilis, and salvation: Medical breakthroughs that changed the world . East Gosford, New South Wales: Exisle Publishing.

Summing Up How to Write a Good Ethics Paper or Essay

Essay writing is an essential academic exercise that enables students to develop writing skills. When writing an ethics paper or essay, students focus on taking a stand on an issue with ethical or moral implications. In this case, writers create a thesis statement that expresses their perspective on a moral issue, which can be an ethical dilemma. In the main text, authors provide arguments that defend their thesis statements. Hence, when writing an ethics paper or essay, students should master the following tips:

  • develop the introduction-body-conclusion outline;
  • introduce a topic briefly and concisely in the introduction section;
  • develop a thesis statement;
  • Use separate body paragraphs to introduce and defend arguments;
  • Ensure to provide a counterargument and a rebuttal;
  • Restate a thesis statement in the conclusion section, including a summary of the main points (arguments that defend the paper’s thesis).

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101 Ethical Issues Examples

ethical issue examples and definition, explained below

An ethical issue is a situation, either personal or social, that requires the application of a moral or ethical framework to form a judgment or choose a course of action (Ferrell et al., 2018; Barrett, 2018).

Ethical issues are often presented as dilemmas (Ferrell et al., 2018). In such situations, the issue is not clear-cut. This may be because there is a balance of positives and negatives, trade-off between your options (such as in opportunity costs), or contrasting moral frameworks that each have their own internal validity .

Some contemporary issues that may be considered to have an ethical component are presented below.

Ethical Issues Examples

1. Animal Rights : Humans have greatly benefited from eating animals. However, through factory farming of animals, a conundrum has emerged about how much responsibility we have to animals that are used for human food. Dilemmas we may face may include deciding on whether to buy free-range eggs, how to ethically source our meat, or whether to become vegetarian – more on that below!

2. Vegetarianism/Veganism : Building on the above, some people choose not to consume animal products due to moral, health, or environmental concerns. Some philosophers, such as Peter Singer, argue that animals should have rights similar to humans and shouldn’t be harmed for food, clothing, or experimentation.

3. Fast Fashion : Buying inexpensive clothes can save us money, but it can have social ramifications. Often, fast fashion clothing is produced by people under poor working conditions (i.e. they’re underpaid) and can cause environmental costs because the clothing ends up in landfill very quickly.

4. Climate Change : While the evidence that humans are contributing to climate change is almost irrefutable, we still face a dilemma about what steps should be taken to combat it – solutions like carbon taxes, for example, may end up harming people short-term.

5. Genetic Engineering : Altering the genes of organisms raises concerns about unforeseen consequences and playing “God”. But it could also help us to eradicate evil diseases such as cancers and dramatically reduce child mortality.

6. Privacy in the Digital Age : Personal data, such as our location and search history, is used by companies to create targeted advertisements. Some think this is fine (we get relevant ads, for example), while others think it’s a violation of privacy that could be exploited.

7. Artificial Intelligence & Ethics : The potential misuse of AI, potential widespread job loss, and its power to cause harm in the hands of the wrong people, is a hot issue since the rise of GPT large language models.

8. Organ Transplants : Deciding who gets priority for organ donations is a tricky issue that could, if we’re not careful, make us prioritize some people over others – which in itself could be a violation of human rights.

9. Food Waste : One third of all food produced is thrown away each year. The ethics surrounding throwing away edible food in light of global hunger is a hot topic worthy of greater discussion.

10. Child Labor : The use of children for labor, often in harsh conditions, primarily in poorer countries, continues to this day. Sometimes, things we own have been produced by children far down the supply lune.

11. Euthanasia : This refers to allowing terminally ill patients to end their lives. Some people rely on religious frameworks to argue against this (such as my mother – a staunch Catholic), while others consider it a compassionate option so long as the person chooses that option with sound mind.

12. Deforestation : The removal of trees to build infrastructure is necessary, but it can also harm the climate and biodiversity. Finding an appropriate balance is a key ethical issue.

13. Water Usage : Some areas of the world are water rich, while others are water poor. Finding ways to ethically allocate freshwater is a matter of ethics. This is especially true when people upstream take the good water at the expense of people downstream (such as in the Murray-Darling Basin in Australia .

14. Single-Use Plastics : The environmental impact of items used briefly and discarded is enormous. Finding a way to address this is of importance to help reduce all our ecological footprints .

15. Cultural Appropriation : The borrowing or imitation of elements from another culture without respect or understanding can be harmful. The issue lies in whether it’s a form of appreciation or disrespectful theft, potentially perpetuating damaging stereotypes.

15. Overfishing: Fishing is a means of livelihood for many, yet, unsustainable practices are depleting fish populations at an alarming rate. The ethical challenge lies in finding a balance between livelihoods, consumer demand, and ecological sustainability.

16. Internet Censorship: Censorship can protect individuals from harmful content, but it also risks infringing upon freedom of speech and information. The question becomes who should control this and how far it should go.

17. Surveillance: While surveillance can enhance security and crime prevention, it raises concerns about privacy and misuse of data. Establishing limits and safeguards is vital, but the decision of who should set these rules is a major ethical contemplation.

18. Fair Trade: This movement advocates for better trading conditions and rights for producers in developing countries. However, the ethics of fair trade are complex, such as deciding fair prices and whether the system actually benefits the intended communities.

19. Stem Cell Research: This field holds the potential for major medical advancements but raises ethical issues due to the source of some stem cells—human embryos, posing questions about the value and sanctity of human life.

20. Child Privacy Online: Protecting personal data of children online is paramount but raises questions about who is responsible – parents, software companies, or government entities.

21. GMO Foods: Genetically Modified Organisms may solve food security issues, but they raise ethical concerns about biodiversity, as well as the ‘naturalness’ of food, and unforeseen public health issues .

22. Sports Doping: The use of performance-enhancing substances in sports poses ethical dilemmas about fairness, health effects, and the nature of competition itself. The tension lies where ambition counters fair play.

23. Advertising to Children: Children are impressionable, and advertising can manipulate their desires and behaviours. The ethical issue is whether and how businesses should be regulated in their marketing towards children.

24. Cyberbullying: This form of bullying can have severe psychological impacts. The ethical challenge lies in developing effective regulations to prevent it, whilst upholding freedoms of speech and expression.

25. Consumer Data Mining: The mining of consumer data can result in more personalized experiences but raises concerns about privacy, consent, and security. It sparks debates on who should control data and how it can be used.

26. Factory Farming: This method, emphasizing high-volume, low-cost meat production, generates ethical concerns about animal welfare, environmental impacts, and workers’ conditions.

27. Endangered Species: Protecting endangered species sometimes clashes with human development and livelihoods. The ethical concern lies in balancing conservation with societal advancement.

28. Land Rights: Disputes over land embody a range of ethical issues, including indigenous rights, historical injustices, and sustainable use; deciding who has a rightful claim can be a complex decision.

29. Digital Piracy: The unauthorized distribution of copyrighted material infringes intellectual property rights but is regularly justified as a rebellion against perceived corporate greed. The ethical discussion revolves around fairness, respect, and how entertainment should be valued.

30. Responsible Tourism: Traveling can stimulate economies and foster understanding, but it can also be harmful, both to the environment and local cultures. The ethical challenge is to promote responsible tourism that respects local customs and values ecological preservation.

31. Biased Algorithms: As AI becomes more integral in our lives, the issue of algorithms inadvertently perpetuating human biases arises. Addressing this requires broad collaborations to eliminate discriminatory results.

32. Renewable vs. Non-Renewable Energy: While renewable energy is better for the environment, transitioning from non-renewable sources could disrupt economies and livelihoods. Striking a balance is an ethical priority.

33. Planned Obsolescence: This business strategy involves deliberately designing products to become obsolete after a certain period. Ethics come into play when considering long term environmental impact and consumer rights.

34. Sweatshops: The operation of sweatshops involves human rights abuses but can provide jobs where few exist. The ethical concerns involve workers’ rights, consumer responsibility, and the role of global trade practice.

35. Censorship in Media: While done to protect people from harmful or sensitive content, it can lead to public misinformation and ignorance. The ethical debate revolves around security, free speech, and the power dynamics between governments and citizens.

36. Gene Editing for Enhancement: Altering human genes to get rid of harmful health conditions is one thing, but using it to enhance our physical or cognitive abilities is another. It raises questions about the line between ‘natural’ and ‘unnatural’, the potential widening of social inequalities and even what it means to be human.

37. Fair Taxation: The issue of taxation forms a key ethical dilemma: we need money to pay for public services, but excessive taxation can disincentivize work, business, and investment.

38. Body Image in Media: The ideal body image portrayed by the media can lead to unhealthy comparisons & behaviors, including eating disorders and body dysmorphia. This issue questions the responsibility media has in promoting a diverse and realistic range of body types versus its right to market aspirational content.

39. Child Soldiers: In some conflict zones, children are forced into fighting as soldiers. This practice not only robs them of their childhood but also exposes them to extreme physical and psychological harm.

40. Human Trafficking: Regrettably, human trafficking, a form of modern slavery, continues to occur on a global scale. The act of trading humans for forced labor or sexual exploitation poses serious ethical issues, not to mention gross human rights violations.

41. Digital Divide: The gap between those who have access to the internet and digital devices and those who do not is known as the digital divide. With growing reliance on digital technologies, addressing this gap is crucial to ensure equal opportunities for education, work, and communication (Reynolds, 2014).

42. Autonomous Vehicles: The use of AI in driving raises several ethical questions, from the algorithms used in decision-making during accidents to the security of these vehicles against hacking. Furthermore, job displacement due to automation is a significant concern.

43. Invasive Species: There’s a dilemma between controlling invasive species, which often involves methods that can harm them and the impact they have on native species and ecosystems. These decisions often weigh the preservation of biodiversity against animal welfare.

44. Girls’ Education: The education of girls in developing nations continues to be an issue of great important, with girls often afforded dramatically fewer rights than boys. This doesn’t only cause gender inequality – it also stifles nations’ economies.

45. Vaccination: While vaccines can protect society from deadly diseases, many also argue that they may infringe on an individual’s freedom of choice. Many people who choose not to be vaccinated are often convinced by nefarious actors and fake news perpetrators – such as, sadly, prominent politicians – who falsely claim links between vaccines and conditions such as autism.

46. Littering: Littering has a significant impact on the environment, wildlife, and our living spaces. The ethical considerations revolve around our individual and collective responsibilities to keep our planet clean.

47. Whistleblowing: Those who expose institutional malpractices or corruption often face risks, including job loss and physical danger. The ethical dilemmas involve finding a balance between ensuring the truth is heard and protecting the individual whistleblower’s rights.

48. Public vs. Private Education: Balancing the offered pros of private education—such as smaller classes and specialized programs—with the commitment to ensure high-quality public education for all students is a key ethical issue.

49. Preservation of Historical Sites: The clash between preserving architectural heritage and the demand for new, modern infrastructure poses an ethical problem. It brings into question the value we place on culture and history versus development and progress.

50. Child Marriage: Prevalent in certain cultures and societies, child marriage raises concerns about the violation of children’s rights, their physiological and psychological well-being, and the perpetuation of poverty and gender inequality.

51. Economic Inequality: The gap between the wealthy and the poor, both within countries and worldwide, poses ethical questions about fairness, social justice , and the roles and responsibilities of individuals, corporations, and governments.

52. Freedom of Speech vs. Hate Speech: While freedom of speech is a fundamental democratic right, it can sometimes intersect with promoting hate speech. Striking a balance between protecting individuals’ rights to express their views and preventing harm towards marginalized groups presents an ongoing ethical dilemma.

53. Animal Testing: Used in medical research and cosmetics testing, this practice raises ethical considerations of animal welfare, rights, and the justification of causing harm for potential human benefit.

54. Right to Internet Access: As the internet becomes more integral to daily life, the idea it should be a basic human right is suggested. But this opens up ethical discussions about access, affordability, and who should ensure these conditions are met.

55. Artificially Increasing Food Prices: This practice can make food inaccessible to poorer populations, leading to ethical questions about fairness, exploitation, and basic human rights to food and nourishment.

56. Zoos and Aquariums: While providing an educational opportunity for the public, and often acting as conservation centers, the business of keeping animals in captivity for entertainment faces moral questions. Balancing the welfare and quality of life for these animals against their conservation and our learning needs can be controversial.

57. Cultural Relativism : The premise that no culture’s ethics are superior to another means that potentially harmful practices such as female genital mutilation or child labor may be condoned in some societies. Deciding where to draw the line between respecting cultural differences and global human rights efforts can be challenging.

58. Right to be Forgotten: In our digital age, past mistakes can follow us forever. The ethical issue here is finding a balance between someone’s right to wipe their online slate clean, and the public’s right to information, particularly information which protects them.

59. Human Cloning: While the science is still premature, human cloning could potentially offer benefits such as organ transplants. However, concerns over the potential misuse of technology, the rights of clones, and unforeseen consequences present major ethical dilemmas.

60. Space Exploration vs. Earth Issues: It’s inspiring to reach for the stars, but allocating extensive resources to space exploration whilst Earth faces urgent crises such as poverty and climate change creates a significant moral debate.

61. Landfills: They keep our homes clean, but the environmental impact of dumping waste into land, including risks to local water supplies and wildlife, is of ethical concern. It forces us to evaluate our consumer habits and waste-management systems.

62. Colonialism’s Legacy : Divergent perspectives on whether to address past harms through restitution or reparation, or to focus on development on an individual country basis, and understandings of history, present significant ethical dilemmas.

63. Microtransactions in Gaming: Consumers, particularly young people, can spend substantial money on digital goods in games. Fairness and the potential exploitation of vulnerable consumers are pressing ethical concerns here.

64. Unpaid Internships: They may provide experience and a foot-in-the-door, but they can also favor those who can afford to work without pay, reinforcing socio-economic inequalities. Ethical dilemmas include combating this potential elitism and the exploitation of young workers.

65. Influencer Transparency: As influencers become major product pushers, issues such as undisclosed sponsorships and the manipulation of trust become critical ethical considerations.

66. Population Control: With increasing global population comes strain on resources and environmental systems. However, discussion of any form of population control often strikes chords of draconian tactics and human rights violations.

67. Redistribution of Wealth: Balancing economic inequality through wealth redistribution speaks to principles of fairness and social justice, but it also raises concerns about individual rights , especially those of the wealthy.

68. Monopolies : They can innovate and bring efficiencies, but they can also abuse their power, causing harm to consumers and potential competitors. Policies to regulate or dismantle them raise ethical considerations around business and consumer rights.

69. Preservation of Indigenous Languages: When a language dies, a way of understanding the world dies with it. Principles of cultural respect, diversity, and prevention of linguistic discrimination are central to this ethical issue.

70. Public Health vs. Personal Freedom: Measures such as mandatory vaccination infringe on individual liberties but protect public health. Striking a balance between community well-being and personal rights sparks complex ethical debates.

71. Habitat Destruction: Building for human needs often destroys local ecosystems. Ethical considerations include species rights, human wants, and ecological and climate impacts.

72. Media Bias : Media outlets have significant influence over public opinion, yet they are often accused of bias. Ethics here include a commitment to reporting truthfully and equitably, protecting democratic processes (Plaisance, 2017).

73. Ethical Consumption: It’s often difficult to make fully informed, ethical consumption choices. From product origin transparency issues to the potential costs of ethical goods, this issue raises questions about personal responsibilities, global inequalities, and market transparency.

74. Parental Rights vs. Child’s Best Interest: Balancing a parent’s rights to raise their children as they see fit creates challenging ethical questions, especially if the parents choose to hide important information from their children or raise them in an unsafe environment.

75. Work-Life Balance : Ensuring fair pay, humane working hours, and sufficient vacation while maintaining business’ profitability and productivity is at play here.

76. Right to Repair: The ethical dilemma is between a consumer’s right to repair their own purchased goods and a company’s right to control intellectual property, affecting affordability, sustainability, and consumer rights.

77. Religious Freedom: Freedom of religion is guaranteed in most democratic countries. However, ethical issues continue to arise around religion, such as whether religious institutions should pay taxes and separation of church and state.

78. Fake News: Dissemination of false information can mislead the public and shake trust in democratic institutions. Balancing free speech with informational integrity and societal repercussions ensues as a major ethical dilemma.

79. Captive Breeding: While captive breeding programs can help save endangered species from extinction, they raise ethical questions. Are we justified in limiting an animal’s freedom for the sake of their survival? How can we ensure adequate living conditions for captive-bred animals?

80. Public Surveillance: Public security aims to protect us, but what about our right to privacy? Striking a balance between guaranteeing public safety and upholding individual privacy, especially with technological advances in surveillance, paves the way to ongoing debates.

81. Circus Animals: While traditional circuses may provide entertainment, they confine animals to unnatural living conditions and often subject them to harsh training methods. Is our entertainment worth the potential suffering of animals?

82. Duty to Report: There can be moral dilemmas surrounding our duty to report illegal activities. Should we breach friendships, family ties or professional confidence to uphold the rule of law?

83. Economic Sanctions: Designed as a non-violent method to enforce international norms, economic sanctions can inadvertently harm innocent citizens, raising questions about their ethical value.

84. Native Advertising: Native ads, which blend with editorial content, can be deceptive and blur the line between entertainment and salesmanship. This raises ethical questions surrounding transparency and the consumer’s right to know.

85. Digital Detox: As technology permeates every aspect of our lives, the idea of consciously disconnecting feels increasingly rebellious. This raises ethical questions about the extent of our reliance on digital media and the length these companies go to retain our attention.

86. Preservation vs. Progress: Balancing the preservation of historical sites or natural environments against infrastructural and technological progress can provoke ethical and moral debates about respecting our past and catering to our future.

87. Ethical Banking: As some financial institutions are implicated in questionable practices such as supporting fossil fuels or oppressive regimes, the rise of ethical banking poses questions about financial responsibility and the role of money in supporting societal wellbeing or harm.

88. Welfare Programs: The allocation of welfare raises ethical questions. Who should be eligible, and how much support should they receive? Is it okay to let some people struggle if that means more money goes to the most vulnerable?

89. Healthcare: Some places in the world consider healthcare to be a right for all citizens, implementing universal access to all through progressive taxation. But many nations in the world do not guarantee this, causing it to become an area of ethical contention.

90. Access to Education: Disparities in the quality of, and access to, education fuels social inequality, raising ethical questions about fair and equitable opportunities for all children.

91. Captive Marine Life: The capture and captivity of marine life for entertainment, research or conservation purposes face ethical scrutiny, most particularly concerning animal welfare, ethics of captivity and conservation issues.

92. Child Stardom: Forcing or allowing children into the limelight at a young age can potentially rob them of a normal childhood and expose them prematurely to high-pressure situations. Balancing parental ambitions, child protections and artistic potential is a challenging ethical questions.

93. Cognitive Enhancements: The use of drugs or procedures to augment cognitive abilities presents ethical dilemmas. Do these advantages deepen societal inequalities ? Is it ethical to pathologize normal cognitive variations?

94. Food Labeling: Ethical issues arise when companies use misleading, false, or confusing language on food labels, which may compromise the consumer’s right to know what they’re consuming, especially in regard to health and environmental implications.

95. Charity Efficiency: While donating to charity is a noble cause, not all charities use donations efficiently. The ethical issue here is how much transparency there should be about how donations are used, and how efficiency should be measured.

96. Right to Clean Water: Despite being a basic human necessity, access to clean water isn’t universally granted. Ensuring equal access poses an ethical challenge, particularly when determining responsibility between citizens, corporations, and governments.

97. End-of-Life Care: Decisions around end-of-life care, such as palliative care and withholding treatment, raise profound ethical concerns about the value and quality of life, autonomy and dignity , and the role of medical professionals in these decisions.

98. Use of Drones: The use of drones raises ethical concerns, particularly around privacy – are we okay with potentially being watched without our consent? There are also issues of public safety and questions about the legality of their proliferation.

99. Upcycling vs. Recycling: Both are better for the environment than simply throwing things away, but which is better? Upcycling can create new, usable items, but it can use more resources than simply recycling the material.

100. Digital Accessibility: As our world becomes more digitized, it’s crucial to ensure everyone, including those with disabilities, can equitably access information and services. Failing to design for all users raises ethical implications about inclusivity and diversity in the digital era.

101. Isolationism: There is extensive debate over whether nations should participate in global institutions like the UN and attempt to support victimized nations like Ukraine and Taiwan, or whether to retreat from global politics.

Ethical issues are all around us, presenting conflicting courses of action that often diverge based upon differing worldviews and conflicting ideologies. Sometimes, our ethical issues are also simply based upon a trade-off between two good but different options, or two bad options (in which case you need to consider the lesser evil).

Ferrell, O. C., Fraedrich, J., & Ferrell, L. (2018).  Business ethics: Ethical decision making & cases  (12th ed.). Boston: Cengage.

Barrett, C. (2018).  Everyday ethics for practicing planners . London: Routledge.

Plaisance, P-L. (2017).  Media Ethics: Key Principles for Responsible Practice  (2nd ed.). Sage Publications.

Reynolds, G. (2014).  Ethics in Information Technology  (4th ed.). New York: Cengage Learning.

Chris

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

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Writing Ethical Papers: Top Tips to Ace Your Assignment

17 August, 2021

13 minutes read

Author:  Kate Smith

Writing a complex essay paper can be a tough task for any student, especially for those who do not have their skills developed well or do not have enough time for lengthy assignments. At the same time, the majority of college students need to keep their grades high to maintain their right to receive merit-based scholarships and continue their studies the next year. To help you with your ethical papers writing, we created this guide. Below, you will find out what an ethical paper is, how to structure it and write it efficiently. 

Ethical Papers

What is an Ethical Paper?

An ethics paper is a type of an argumentative assignment that deals with a certain ethical problem that a student has to describe and solve. Also, it can be an essay where a certain controversial event or concept is elaborated through an ethical lens (e.g. moral rules and principles), or a certain ethical dilemma is explained. Since ethics is connected to moral concepts and choices, a student needs to have a fair knowledge of philosophy and get ready to answer questions related to relationships, justice, professional and social duties, the origin of good and evil, etc., to write a quality paper. Also, writing an ethics paper implies that a student should process a great amount of information regarding their topic and analyze it according to paper terms.

General Aspects of Writing an Ethics Paper

Understanding the ethical papers’ features.

Every essay has differences and features that make it unique. Writing ethical papers implies that a student will use their knowledge of morality and philosophy to resolve a certain ethical dilemma or solve a situation. It can also be a paper in which a student needs to provide their reasoning on ethical or legal circumstances that follow a social issue. Finally, it can be an assignment in which an ethical concept and its application are described. On the contrary, a history essay deals with events that took place somewhen earlier, while a narrative essay is a paper where students demonstrate their storytelling skills, etc.

Defining What Type of Essay Should Be Written

Most of the time, ethical paper topics imply that a student will write an argumentative essay; however, ethics essays can also be descriptive and expository. Each of these essay types has different guidelines for writing, so be sure you know them before you start writing your papers on ethics. In case you missed this step in your ethical paper preparation stage, you would end up writing a paper that misses many important points.

Studying the Ethical Paper Guidelines

Once you get your ethical paper assignment, look through the guidelines that your instructor provided to you. If you receive them during the class, don’t hesitate to pose any questions immediately to remove any misunderstanding before writing an ethics paper outline, or ask for references that you need to use. When you are about to write your first draft, don’t rush: read the paper instructions once again to make sure you understand what is needed from you.

Paying Attention to the Paper Topic

The next thing you need to pay attention to is the ethical paper topic: once you are given one, make sure it falls into the scope of your educational course. After that, consider what additional knowledge may be needed to elaborate on your topic and think about what courses of your program could be helpful for it. Once you are done, read through your topic again to recheck whether you understand your assignment right.

Understanding the Notions of Ethical Arguments, Ethical and Legal Implications, and Ethical Dilemma

Last but not least, another important factor is that a student has to understand the basic terms of the assignment to write a high-quality paper. Ethical arguments are a set of moral rules that are used to defend your position on an ethical issue stated in your essay topic. We refer to ethical versus legal implications when we think about the compensation for certain ethical dilemma outcomes and whether it should be a moral punishment or legal judgment. An ethical dilemma itself refers to a problem or situation which makes an individual doubt what position to take: e.g, abortion, bribery, corruption, etc.

Writing Outline and Structure of an Ethics Paper

Every essay has a structure that makes it a solid piece of writing with straight reasoning and argumentation, and an ethics paper is not an exclusion. This paper has an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Below, we will describe how each part of ethical papers should be organized and what information they should contain.

First comes the introduction. It is the opening part of your paper which helps a reader to get familiar with your topic and understand what your paper will be about. Therefore, it should contain some information on your ethics paper topics and a thesis statement, which is a central statement of your paper.

The essay body is the most substantive part of your essay where all the reasoning and arguments should be presented. Each paragraph should contain an argument that supports or contradicts your thesis statement and pieces of evidence to support your position. Pick at least three arguments to make your position clear in your essay, and then your paper will be considered well-structured.

The third part of an ethics paper outline is a conclusion, which is a finishing essay part. Its goal is to wrap up the whole essay and make the author’s position clear for the last time. The thoughtful formulation in this essay part should be especially clear and concise to demonstrate the writer’s ability to make conclusions and persuade readers.

Also, don’t forget to include the works cited page after your writing. It should mention all the reference materials that you used in your paper in the order of appearance or in the alphabetical one. This page should be formatted according to the assigned formatting style. Most often, the most frequently used format for ethical papers is APA.

20 Examples of Ethical Paper Topics

  • Are there any issues in the 21st century that we can consider immoral and why?
  • What is corporate ethics?
  • Why is being selfish no longer an issue in 2023?
  • Euthanasia: pros and cons
  • Marijuana legalization: should it be allowed all over the world?
  • Is abortion an ethical issue nowadays?
  • Can we invent a universal religion appropriate for all?
  • Is the church necessary to pray to God?
  • Can we forgive infidelity and should we do it?
  • How to react if you are witnessing high school bullying?
  • What are the ways to respond to a family abusing individual?
  • How to demand your privacy protection in a digital world?
  • The history of the American ethical thought
  • Can war be ethical and what should the conflicting sides do to make it possible?
  • Ethical issues of keeping a zoo in 2023
  • Who is in charge of controlling the world’s population?
  • How to achieve equality in the world’s rich and poor gap?
  • Is science ethical?
  • How ethical is genetic engineering?
  • Why many countries refuse to go back to carrying out the death penalty?

Ethical Papers Examples

If you still have no idea about how to write an ethics paper, looking through other students’ successful examples is always a good idea. Below, you can find a relevant ethics paper example that you can skim through and see how to build your reasoning and argumentation in your own paper.

https://www.currentschoolnews.com/education-news/ethics-essay-examples/

https://sites.psu.edu/academy/2014/11/18/essay-2-personal-ethics-and-decision-making/

Ethical Papers Writing Tips

Choose a topic that falls into the ethics course program.

In case you were not given the ethics paper topic, consider choosing it yourself. To do that, brainstorm the ethical issues that fascinate you enough to do research. List all these issues on a paper sheet and then cross out those that are too broad or require expertise that you don’t have. The next step you need to take is to choose three or four ethical topics for papers from the list and try to do a quick search online to find out whether these topics are elaborated enough to find sources and reference materials on them. Last, choose one topic that you like the most and find the most relevant one in terms of available data for reference.

Do your research

Once the topic is chosen and organized, dive deeper into it to find the most credible, reliable, and trusted service. Use your university library, online scientific journals, documentaries, and other sources to get the information from. Remember to take notes while working with every new piece of reference material to not forget the ideas that you will base your argumentation on.

Follow the guidelines for a paper outline

During the preparation for your ethical paper and the process of writing it, remember to follow your professor’s instructions (e.g. font, size, spacing, citation style, etc.). If you neglect them, your grade for the paper will decrease significantly.

Write the essay body first

Do not rush to start writing your ethics papers from the very beginning; to write a good essay, you need to have your outline and thesis statement first. Then, go to writing body paragraphs to demonstrate your expertise on the issue you are writing about. Remember that one supporting idea should be covered in one paragraph and should be followed by the piece of evidence that confirms it.

Make sure your introduction and conclusion translate the same message

After your essay body is done, write a conclusion and an introduction for your paper. The main tip regarding these ethics paper parts is that you should make them interrelated: your conclusion has to restate your introduction but not repeat it. Also, a conclusion should wrap up your writing and make it credible for the audience.

Add citations

Every top-quality paper has the works cited page and citations to demonstrate that the research on the topic has been carried out. Therefore, do not omit this point when formatting your paper: add all the sources to the works cited page and pay attention to citing throughout the text. The latter should be done according to the formatting style indicated in your instructions.

Edit your paper

Last but not least is the editing and proofreading stage that you need to carry out before you submit your paper to your instructor. Consider keeping your first draft away from sight for a day or two to have a rest, and then go back to check it for errors and redundant phrases. Don’t rush to change anything immediately after finishing your writing since you are already tired and less focused, so some mistakes may be missed.

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how to write an ethical issue essay

How to Write an Ethics Essay: Unlocking the Roadmap to Success

How to Write an Ethics Essay

When students get assigned to ethics essay, most of them think, "I wish someone could just write an ethics essay instead of me." Indeed, writing an A-level paper can be tough. But our ' write my paper ' team has you covered. Read on to find handy ethics essay expert tips on writing a brilliant essay!

What Is Ethics Essay?

Ethical essays are common in schools and colleges. This is a short form of a writing assignment given to students to help them develop and improve essential writing skills. Typically, such papers are between 1-5 pages long and have a free composition.

Basically, an ethics essay is just another form of a regular essay. The only difference is its topics. As you can guess from its name, such essays focus on elaborating on issues that have moral or ethical implications in philosophy.

Now that you know the definition, let’s figure out how to write a killer essay on ethical issues.

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how to write an ethical issue essay

Ethics Essay Purpose

The main objective of an ethics essay is to articulate a compelling argument concerning a particular stance on a moral concern. Typically, this type of essay necessitates a discussion rather than a mere summary of an ethical quandary. Within this framework, an essay exhibits resemblances to the characteristics of argumentative writing. Specifically, an ethical issue should be open to debate, implying that you must be able to present arguments on the topic.

Key Elements

We all hold varying perspectives on the same set of rules and behavioral norms. Actions that might appear peculiar or unnatural to one person can be entirely routine and socially acceptable to another. Consequently, a ' write my paper for me ' writer must address both sides of the issue. While an ethical essay should not aim to persuade readers to endorse specific behaviors, nor should it resemble an opinion essay, the writer needs to leverage certain techniques commonly employed in argumentative writing. Given its purpose, a good ethics paper should encompass key elements that are typical of an argumentative essay, including:

Significance of the topic: Discussing an ethical matter that challenges societal norms.Thesis statement: Clearly stating the primary focus of the essay.

Strong argument: Serving as a thesis statement centered on moral principles.

Supporting evidence: Providing facts and examples to bolster the arguments regarding the ethical dilemma.Counterargument: Addressing opposing viewpoints and justifying the reasoning.

Rebuttal examples: Offering additional evidence to substantiate your position.

Ethical Essay Fundamental Considerations

Academic writing encompasses a wide-ranging discipline that acquaints students of an academic or educational institution with crucial skills, including the ability to interpret, elucidate, reflect upon, and analyze a myriad of essay topics. Essentially, essay composition is a vital academic exercise that empowers students to cultivate these proficiencies. Notably, one of the essay genres frequently encountered by students is the research paper on ethics. Within the realm of philosophy, writing ethics essays involves the exploration of moral concerns, delving into concepts of right and wrong, as well as good and bad. These ethical and moral principles form the bedrock of proper conduct. In diverse settings, such as workplaces, individuals establish ethical codes and standards to govern behavior. Therefore, when composing an ethical paper, a student's central focus centers on the extent to which individuals in society adhere to or deviate from these principles of ethical behavior. Is asking to write my homework for me an ethical question? Based on the above-mentioned analysis, the answer is - yes.

Key Attributes of an Ethics Essay

Let's answer the what is ethics essay question. The definition of an ethics paper characterizes it as a type of academic writing that explores and discusses ethical principles, moral dilemmas, and issues related to right and wrong behavior. In such an essay, the author typically delves into various ethical topics, ethical theories, and the application of ethical principles in different contexts, such as personal life, professional settings, or societal matters. These attributes mold the structure of the essay. For instance, the primary characteristic is the demonstration of a topic's significance.

The second distinctive feature is formulating a thesis statement by philosophy students to elucidate the chosen topic. The third aspect comprises the presentation of arguments that buttress the thesis statement, while the fourth attribute involves considering potential counterarguments.

Furthermore, the fifth feature involves a rebuttal, where writers assert the strength of their arguments while acknowledging opposing viewpoints. The sixth and final characteristic encompasses the conclusion of an ethics paper. In this section, authors underscore the thesis statement by validating the arguments articulated in their written work.

What Sets an Ethics Essay Apart from Other Essays?

Within the realm of philosophy, various essay types exhibit distinct features that differentiate them from one another. In the case of an essay on ethics, these characteristics encompass the exploration of an ethical and moral issue, the utilization of an ethical framework to construct arguments on contentious subjects, and the elucidation of ethical dilemmas. Primarily, this type of essay centers on the exposition of ethical principles and moral considerations.

In contrast, a narrative essay primarily revolves around recounting the author's personal story, while an informative essay focuses on imparting knowledge to the audience about a specific topic. Additionally, whereas certain essays, such as narratives or college application essays, employ first-person language, an ethics essay adheres to a formal approach, utilizing third-person language.

How to Understand Ethics Essay Requirements?

When composing essays, students typically heed the guidelines set forth by their academic departments or instructors. Essentially, these instructions offer specific directives on the essay topics students are expected to explore in their papers. In the context of writing an ethics paper, students can ascertain the need to write this particular type of class assignment by examining the topic provided by their department or tutor. Furthermore, the ethics-focused topic may necessitate students to present ethical arguments related to a specific matter, delve into an ethical dilemma, or determine the ethical and legal aspects of an issue. Before you begin writing, understand that the essence of the topic should prompt students to examine and address the matter from an ethical or moral perspective.

What Is an Ethical Argument, Ethical Dilemma, and Ethical vs. Legal Implications

The fundamental components of ethics essay writing encompass ethical arguments, ethical dilemmas, and the distinctions between ethical and legal implications. For instance, "ethical arguments" involve the articulation of a position on a matter imbued with ethical and moral considerations and the subsequent defense of that stance. In this context, writers construct ethical arguments to substantiate their viewpoints on issues that pose ethical or moral quandaries, such as fraud.

Conversely, an "ethical dilemma" represents a scenario in which individuals grapple with a situation that raises ethical or moral questions, such as bribery. Authors find themselves torn between two options, one of which carries significant ethical or moral implications.

Additionally, the concept of "ethical versus legal implications" pertains to a writer's need to determine whether an issue, like bribery, should be addressed through ethical or legal avenues. This entails considering whether the matter requires ethical rectification or falls under the purview of legal remedies.

Ethics Essay Writing Structure Explained

ethics essay elements

Introduction

‍ Ethics essay introduction is essential for authors to maintain brevity and clarity. At this juncture, students should give the readers a succinct overview of the paper's purpose, focusing on the specific ethical issue they plan to address. This entails presenting their stance on the issue, a task facilitated by the formulation of a thesis statement. Through this main point, writers outline their perspectives and structure their ethics papers around supporting arguments that defend their position on a matter imbued with profound ethical or moral significance.

It's worth noting that when initiating the introductory paragraph, which serves as the gateway to writing an ethics paper, students are encouraged to commence with a captivating hook. This opening sentence can take the form of a popular misconception or a thought-provoking question designed to pique the readers' interest and set the stage for the discussion to follow.

‍ In the main body of ethical essays, students should rely on their thesis statement and the main argument as a guiding reference. In essence, this statement serves as the foundation from which they generate a range of ideas or arguments to uphold their position on the ethical or moral issue introduced in the paper's opening section.Following the established conventions of academic writing, students must initiate each body paragraph with a clear and concise topic sentence. This sentence's purpose is to introduce a specific claim or idea that they intend to expound upon within the paragraph. Moreover, learners should employ separate paragraphs to segregate their arguments logically.

Furthermore, when composing the body section, students should adhere to a structured approach, often likened to a "sandwich rule," for every body paragraph in an ethics paper or essay. This structural framework involves presenting a claim, substantiating it with supporting evidence, explaining its relevance to the paper's overarching thesis, and concluding with a transition sentence that facilitates a seamless connection to the subsequent paragraph.

The conclusion section represents the final part of an ethics paper. In this phase, an ethics essay should encompass several key elements as a brief summary. Initially, writers should reaffirm their thesis statement, reinforcing the central point of their argument. Subsequently, they should encapsulate the main arguments presented in the body paragraphs, essentially summarizing the rationale behind their positions on issues laden with ethical or moral significance.This also entails a brief review of the writer's key arguments in support of their stance.

Furthermore, authors should revisit the paper's central topic, underscoring its significance in addressing ethical or moral concerns. It is crucial to elucidate why the exploration of this issue was imperative. Importantly, students should refrain from introducing new information in the conclusion, maintaining its focus on summarizing and reinforcing the previously presented content.

Ethics Essay Outline

‍ Ethics essay writing adheres to a structured format that outlines its organization. This structure primarily consists of three sections: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. When composing these sections, it is imperative for students to ensure that they address all the essential defining elements mentioned earlier in their ethics essays or papers. In this regard, writers should consider that the introduction and conclusion sections should collectively comprise approximately 10 percent of the total word count of the ethics paper or essay. The body, serving as the main content, should make up the remaining 80 percent.Consequently, the outline for an ethics paper should follow this format:

I. Introduction

A. Engaging hook sentence.

B. Background information on the ethical dilemma.

C. The writer's central claim – the thesis statement.

II. Body Paragraphs

A. Argument: Present a stance on an argument; support this position with evidence; clarify how this evidence aligns with the argument; conclude the validity of this argument.

B. Counterargument: Introduce a counterargument to the position presented in the first body paragraph; provide evidence supporting this counter argument, opposing the argument in the previous section; explain the correctness of this counterargument and its evidence from an opposing perspective; conclude the validity of this counterargument in the context.

C. Rebuttal: Identify the weaknesses in the counterargument; address substantial evidence that underscores these weaknesses; elucidate how these weaknesses render the counterargument irrelevant; conclude by explaining why the counterargument is not valid when compared to the original argument.

III. Conclusion

A. Restate the thesis statement.

B. Summarize the argument, counterargument, and rebuttal.

C. Present a final overarching claim.

How to Write an Ethics Essay in Five Steps

So, if you need to write a good essay on ethics, where do you start? You will be surprised, but it only takes five simple steps.

See a detailed writing guide below:

how to write ethics essay

  • Choose a Great Topic

Before you can start writing an essay on ethics, you have to pick a relevant topic that will relate to ethics or morals. To make a good choice, focus on something that you are personally interested in. And, don’t forget to make sure that there is enough information on the selected topic so that you can find enough supporting facts and materials to disclose your topic fully.

When you have a topic, your next step is research. Use the Internet, literature, and other resources to collect enough information for your ethical issue essay. Be sure to critically assess all resources and take notes to simplify the following steps.

  • Make an Outline

Next, to make the writing process simpler, you should create a detailed outline for your future essay. Be sure that the outline follows the common essay structure. Include all the major statements, arguments, and facts that you’d like to include in your essay. And don’t forget to formulate your main thesis statement.

  • Compose Your Essay

Writing essays about ethics can be somewhat tough. However, with a well-defined topic and a clear outline, the process of writing shouldn’t take much time. Follow your outline to create a solid introduction, body, and conclusion of your paper and move on to the final step.

Finally, the last stage of writing a brilliant ethical issues essay is revision. Ideally, you should give yourself a few hours/days to rest after writing and refresh your mind, and then get back to proofreading and editing your work. Check the final draft for style, punctuation, grammar, vocabulary, and other mistakes to make sure it is flawless.

If possible, ask someone else to take a look at the final piece. It will never hurt to have a second pair of eyes to look at your essay and (hopefully) help you notice any errors or issues that you could’ve missed.

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how to write an ethical issue essay

Ethics Essay Writing Tips

  • If you struggle too much or lack time, ask professionals to write an essay for you to prevent failure and reduce stress.
  • Don’t focus on rhetorical questions that you can’t really answer.
  • Don’t pick too narrow or broad topics.
  • Don’t hesitate to check out some samples of ethics essays before you start writing.
  • Make sure you understand the chosen topic (and related terms) well and have enough materials to use in your essay.
  • Keep everything simple, and don’t try to impress your professor with complex terms and formulations.
  • Make sure that your essay about ethics is concise and clear. Remove everything that doesn’t bring real value.
  • Use trusted sources to support the claims you make in your essay.
  • Feel free to use the opinions of proven experts, as well as common misconceptions related to your topic, to make your essay look complete.
  • Use scientific works of other authors to support your ideas.

Still Need Help With Ethics Essay?

Now that you have quality guidelines and tips, you should be able to handle the task.Still need help? No worries! Say, Please, write my essay , and our expert writers will help you get the highest grade. Get pro help and enjoy complete anonymity, zero plagiarism, around-the-clock support, and the lowest prices for high-quality academic help!

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Home » Ethical Considerations – Types, Examples and Writing Guide

Ethical Considerations – Types, Examples and Writing Guide

Table of Contents

Ethical Considerations

Ethical Considerations

Ethical considerations in research refer to the principles and guidelines that researchers must follow to ensure that their studies are conducted in an ethical and responsible manner. These considerations are designed to protect the rights, safety, and well-being of research participants, as well as the integrity and credibility of the research itself

Some of the key ethical considerations in research include:

  • Informed consent: Researchers must obtain informed consent from study participants, which means they must inform participants about the study’s purpose, procedures, risks, benefits, and their right to withdraw at any time.
  • Privacy and confidentiality : Researchers must ensure that participants’ privacy and confidentiality are protected. This means that personal information should be kept confidential and not shared without the participant’s consent.
  • Harm reduction : Researchers must ensure that the study does not harm the participants physically or psychologically. They must take steps to minimize the risks associated with the study.
  • Fairness and equity : Researchers must ensure that the study does not discriminate against any particular group or individual. They should treat all participants equally and fairly.
  • Use of deception: Researchers must use deception only if it is necessary to achieve the study’s objectives. They must inform participants of the deception as soon as possible.
  • Use of vulnerable populations : Researchers must be especially cautious when working with vulnerable populations, such as children, pregnant women, prisoners, and individuals with cognitive or intellectual disabilities.
  • Conflict of interest : Researchers must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that may affect the study’s integrity. This includes financial or personal relationships that could influence the study’s results.
  • Data manipulation: Researchers must not manipulate data to support a particular hypothesis or agenda. They should report the results of the study objectively, even if the findings are not consistent with their expectations.
  • Intellectual property: Researchers must respect intellectual property rights and give credit to previous studies and research.
  • Cultural sensitivity : Researchers must be sensitive to the cultural norms and beliefs of the participants. They should avoid imposing their values and beliefs on the participants and should be respectful of their cultural practices.

Types of Ethical Considerations

Types of Ethical Considerations are as follows:

Research Ethics:

This includes ethical principles and guidelines that govern research involving human or animal subjects, ensuring that the research is conducted in an ethical and responsible manner.

Business Ethics :

This refers to ethical principles and standards that guide business practices and decision-making, such as transparency, honesty, fairness, and social responsibility.

Medical Ethics :

This refers to ethical principles and standards that govern the practice of medicine, including the duty to protect patient autonomy, informed consent, confidentiality, and non-maleficence.

Environmental Ethics :

This involves ethical principles and values that guide our interactions with the natural world, including the obligation to protect the environment, minimize harm, and promote sustainability.

Legal Ethics

This involves ethical principles and standards that guide the conduct of legal professionals, including issues such as confidentiality, conflicts of interest, and professional competence.

Social Ethics

This involves ethical principles and values that guide our interactions with other individuals and society as a whole, including issues such as justice, fairness, and human rights.

Information Ethics

This involves ethical principles and values that govern the use and dissemination of information, including issues such as privacy, accuracy, and intellectual property.

Cultural Ethics

This involves ethical principles and values that govern the relationship between different cultures and communities, including issues such as respect for diversity, cultural sensitivity, and inclusivity.

Technological Ethics

This refers to ethical principles and guidelines that govern the development, use, and impact of technology, including issues such as privacy, security, and social responsibility.

Journalism Ethics

This involves ethical principles and standards that guide the practice of journalism, including issues such as accuracy, fairness, and the public interest.

Educational Ethics

This refers to ethical principles and standards that guide the practice of education, including issues such as academic integrity, fairness, and respect for diversity.

Political Ethics

This involves ethical principles and values that guide political decision-making and behavior, including issues such as accountability, transparency, and the protection of civil liberties.

Professional Ethics

This refers to ethical principles and standards that guide the conduct of professionals in various fields, including issues such as honesty, integrity, and competence.

Personal Ethics

This involves ethical principles and values that guide individual behavior and decision-making, including issues such as personal responsibility, honesty, and respect for others.

Global Ethics

This involves ethical principles and values that guide our interactions with other nations and the global community, including issues such as human rights, environmental protection, and social justice.

Applications of Ethical Considerations

Ethical considerations are important in many areas of society, including medicine, business, law, and technology. Here are some specific applications of ethical considerations:

  • Medical research : Ethical considerations are crucial in medical research, particularly when human subjects are involved. Researchers must ensure that their studies are conducted in a way that does not harm participants and that participants give informed consent before participating.
  • Business practices: Ethical considerations are also important in business, where companies must make decisions that are socially responsible and avoid activities that are harmful to society. For example, companies must ensure that their products are safe for consumers and that they do not engage in exploitative labor practices.
  • Environmental protection: Ethical considerations play a crucial role in environmental protection, as companies and governments must weigh the benefits of economic development against the potential harm to the environment. Decisions about land use, resource allocation, and pollution must be made in an ethical manner that takes into account the long-term consequences for the planet and future generations.
  • Technology development : As technology continues to advance rapidly, ethical considerations become increasingly important in areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and genetic engineering. Developers must ensure that their creations do not harm humans or the environment and that they are developed in a way that is fair and equitable.
  • Legal system : The legal system relies on ethical considerations to ensure that justice is served and that individuals are treated fairly. Lawyers and judges must abide by ethical standards to maintain the integrity of the legal system and to protect the rights of all individuals involved.

Examples of Ethical Considerations

Here are a few examples of ethical considerations in different contexts:

  • In healthcare : A doctor must ensure that they provide the best possible care to their patients and avoid causing them harm. They must respect the autonomy of their patients, and obtain informed consent before administering any treatment or procedure. They must also ensure that they maintain patient confidentiality and avoid any conflicts of interest.
  • In the workplace: An employer must ensure that they treat their employees fairly and with respect, provide them with a safe working environment, and pay them a fair wage. They must also avoid any discrimination based on race, gender, religion, or any other characteristic protected by law.
  • In the media : Journalists must ensure that they report the news accurately and without bias. They must respect the privacy of individuals and avoid causing harm or distress. They must also be transparent about their sources and avoid any conflicts of interest.
  • In research: Researchers must ensure that they conduct their studies ethically and with integrity. They must obtain informed consent from participants, protect their privacy, and avoid any harm or discomfort. They must also ensure that their findings are reported accurately and without bias.
  • In personal relationships : People must ensure that they treat others with respect and kindness, and avoid causing harm or distress. They must respect the autonomy of others and avoid any actions that would be considered unethical, such as lying or cheating. They must also respect the confidentiality of others and maintain their privacy.

How to Write Ethical Considerations

When writing about research involving human subjects or animals, it is essential to include ethical considerations to ensure that the study is conducted in a manner that is morally responsible and in accordance with professional standards. Here are some steps to help you write ethical considerations:

  • Describe the ethical principles: Start by explaining the ethical principles that will guide the research. These could include principles such as respect for persons, beneficence, and justice.
  • Discuss informed consent : Informed consent is a critical ethical consideration when conducting research. Explain how you will obtain informed consent from participants, including how you will explain the purpose of the study, potential risks and benefits, and how you will protect their privacy.
  • Address confidentiality : Describe how you will protect the confidentiality of the participants’ personal information and data, including any measures you will take to ensure that the data is kept secure and confidential.
  • Consider potential risks and benefits : Describe any potential risks or harms to participants that could result from the study and how you will minimize those risks. Also, discuss the potential benefits of the study, both to the participants and to society.
  • Discuss the use of animals : If the research involves the use of animals, address the ethical considerations related to animal welfare. Explain how you will minimize any potential harm to the animals and ensure that they are treated ethically.
  • Mention the ethical approval : Finally, it’s essential to acknowledge that the research has received ethical approval from the relevant institutional review board or ethics committee. State the name of the committee, the date of approval, and any specific conditions or requirements that were imposed.

When to Write Ethical Considerations

Ethical considerations should be written whenever research involves human subjects or has the potential to impact human beings, animals, or the environment in some way. Ethical considerations are also important when research involves sensitive topics, such as mental health, sexuality, or religion.

In general, ethical considerations should be an integral part of any research project, regardless of the field or subject matter. This means that they should be considered at every stage of the research process, from the initial planning and design phase to data collection, analysis, and dissemination.

Ethical considerations should also be written in accordance with the guidelines and standards set by the relevant regulatory bodies and professional associations. These guidelines may vary depending on the discipline, so it is important to be familiar with the specific requirements of your field.

Purpose of Ethical Considerations

Ethical considerations are an essential aspect of many areas of life, including business, healthcare, research, and social interactions. The primary purposes of ethical considerations are:

  • Protection of human rights: Ethical considerations help ensure that people’s rights are respected and protected. This includes respecting their autonomy, ensuring their privacy is respected, and ensuring that they are not subjected to harm or exploitation.
  • Promoting fairness and justice: Ethical considerations help ensure that people are treated fairly and justly, without discrimination or bias. This includes ensuring that everyone has equal access to resources and opportunities, and that decisions are made based on merit rather than personal biases or prejudices.
  • Promoting honesty and transparency : Ethical considerations help ensure that people are truthful and transparent in their actions and decisions. This includes being open and honest about conflicts of interest, disclosing potential risks, and communicating clearly with others.
  • Maintaining public trust: Ethical considerations help maintain public trust in institutions and individuals. This is important for building and maintaining relationships with customers, patients, colleagues, and other stakeholders.
  • Ensuring responsible conduct: Ethical considerations help ensure that people act responsibly and are accountable for their actions. This includes adhering to professional standards and codes of conduct, following laws and regulations, and avoiding behaviors that could harm others or damage the environment.

Advantages of Ethical Considerations

Here are some of the advantages of ethical considerations:

  • Builds Trust : When individuals or organizations follow ethical considerations, it creates a sense of trust among stakeholders, including customers, clients, and employees. This trust can lead to stronger relationships and long-term loyalty.
  • Reputation and Brand Image : Ethical considerations are often linked to a company’s brand image and reputation. By following ethical practices, a company can establish a positive image and reputation that can enhance its brand value.
  • Avoids Legal Issues: Ethical considerations can help individuals and organizations avoid legal issues and penalties. By adhering to ethical principles, companies can reduce the risk of facing lawsuits, regulatory investigations, and fines.
  • Increases Employee Retention and Motivation: Employees tend to be more satisfied and motivated when they work for an organization that values ethics. Companies that prioritize ethical considerations tend to have higher employee retention rates, leading to lower recruitment costs.
  • Enhances Decision-making: Ethical considerations help individuals and organizations make better decisions. By considering the ethical implications of their actions, decision-makers can evaluate the potential consequences and choose the best course of action.
  • Positive Impact on Society: Ethical considerations have a positive impact on society as a whole. By following ethical practices, companies can contribute to social and environmental causes, leading to a more sustainable and equitable society.

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Business Ethics Journal Review

Edited by alexei marcoux & chris macdonald — issn 2326-7526.

  • About BEJR — Now 10 years in!
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  • Past Issues
  • The Editors

how to write an ethical issue essay

Student’s Guide to Writing Critical Essays in Business Ethics (and beyond)

how to write an ethical issue essay

Here is some advice for writing critical essays, in business ethics but also in other fields. There is of course much more to say on the topic, but this is a start.

Writing your own critical essay:

What kinds of criticisms should you offer in your essay? There are a nearly infinite number of errors or problems that you might spot in an essay or book that you want to critique. Here are a few common ones to look for, to get you started:

  • Point out one or more logical fallacies. Did the author present a false dilemma , for example? Or an argument from ignorance ? Has the author presented a false analogy or a hasty generalization ?
  • Critique the scope of the author’s claim. For example, does the author claim that his or her conclusion applies to all cases, rather than just to the small number of cases he or she has actually argued for?
  • Point out unjustified assumptions. Has the author made questionable assumptions about some matter of fact, without providing evidence? Alternatively, has the author assumed that readers share some questionable ethical starting point, perhaps a belief in a particular debatable principle?
  • Point out internal contradictions. Does the author say two things that, perhaps subtly, contradict each other?
  • Point out undesirable implications / consequences. Does the author’s position imply, perhaps accidentally, some further conclusion that the author (or audience) is unlikely to want to accept, upon reflection?

In general, a good critical essay should:

  • Describe and explain in neutral terms the article or book being critiqued. Before you start offering criticism, you should demonstrate that you understand the point of view you are critiquing.
  • Be modest. Your goal should be to offer some insight, rather than to win a debate. Rather than to “show that Smith is wrong” or “prove that Sen’s view is incorrect,” you should set your aims on some more reasonable goal, such as “casting doubt” on the view you are critiquing, or “suggesting reason why so-and-so should modify her view.”
  • Be fair. Sometimes this is referred to as the “principle of charity.” It has nothing to do with donating money. Rather, it is about giving the other side what you owe them, namely a fair reading. Your goal is not to make the author whose work you are criticizing sound dumb. Rather, the goal is to make her sound smart, but then to make yourself sound smart, too, but showing how her view could be improved.
  • Be well structured . Professors love structure. Remember: a critical essay is not just a bunch of ideas; it is an orderly attempt to convince someone (in most cases, your professor) of a particular point of view. Your ideas will only have real punch if you put them in a suitable structure. That’s not all that hard. For example, make sure your opening paragraph acts as a roadmap for what follows — telling the reader where you’re going and how you propose to get there. Make sure each paragraph in the body of your essay has a main point (a point connected to the goal of your essay!) and that its point is clearly explained.
  • Stick to two or maybe three main arguments . “The three main problems with Jones’s argument are x, y, and z.”
  • Be clear. That means not just that your essay should be clearly structured, but also that each sentence should be clear. Proof-reading is important: get someone with good writing skills to proof-read your essay for you. If you can’t do that before your deadline, you can proof-read your essay yourself by reading it out loud. We’re serious. It is much easier to spot errors in your own writing if you read out loud.

A few more tips:

  • Cite your sources carefully. Use whichever citation method your professor says to use. If in doubt, use one of the established methods (such as APA or Chicago ). But whatever you do, make sure to give credit to the people whose ideas you use, if you want to avoid being charged with plagiarism.
  • Use what you’ve learned in class. Your professor would love nothing more than to know that you’ve been paying attention. So try to make use of some of the concepts discussed in class, or in your course textbook.
  • Don’t try to sound like an author. Just say what you want to say. Trying to sound like an author just leads people to use big words they don’t understand and to write complex sentences that overshoot their grammatical skills. Just write it more or less the way you would say it out loud, in short, clear sentences.
  • Follow instructions. Failing to follow instructions is easily the most common way students screw up when writing critical essays. Read the assignment instructions through carefully — twice! — and then if anything is unclear, ask your professor for clarification.

Looking for essay topics? Check out Business Ethics Highlights .

See also: The Concise Encyclopedia of Business Ethics

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3 comments on “student’s guide to writing critical essays in business ethics (and beyond)”.

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This is a useful resource – thanks Chris

“Shack”

Arthur Shacklock (Griffith University Queensland, Australia)

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I’m currently a student at Arizona Christian University taking a Business Ethics course. I’m in the midst of completing an assignment that requires me to post on an open blog forum. It was very difficult for me to find something interesting and that pertained to my class. Then I stumbled across your blog then more specifically, this article. The purpose of this specific assignment is to share my individual and collective experiences derived from collaborative learning and expressed through the narrative, as “actionable knowledge.” Actionable knowledge reflects the learning capability of individuals and organizations to connect elements including; social, political, economic, technological.

Knowing how to write critical essays in Business Ethics is an important element of success. I enjoyed reading through these helpful tips. This is useful information that will help in college and beyond.

Supporting evidence is an important part of writing a sound paper. Like you mentioned in the blog, it can’t be based on bias or ignorance. Rather, backed up by factual evidence to help support your claim. I love the general key points as well. Describe and explain, be modest, be fair, be well structured, and be clear. I am very familiar with these key elements as we have spoken on them in class. They are very important components of business ethics. We’ve learned things about leading in the business world, Capitalism, Socialism, and Communism, Business advertising, and more. In the essay I write in this course, I will refer back to this blog.

Like any other course, it is important to cite your sources like you’ve mentioned above as well as use information that we’ve learned in class. Sound like yourself and speak from your own understanding. The last tip was to follow instructions WHICH IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS! It’s all in the fine print. Read until you understand and ask questions if you don’t.

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Good luck with your studies, Deon!

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221 Ethical Dilemma Essay Topics & Examples

An ethical dilemma essay has become an essential part of education for many professions that involve working with people. Below, we’ve collected topics for writing a paper on this subject.

🏆 Best Ethical Dilemma Essay Examples & Topics

📌 simple & easy ethical dilemma essay topics, 💡 most interesting ethical dilemma topics to write about, 🎓 good research topics about ethical dilemma, ✍️ ethical dilemma essay topics for college, ❓ questions for ethical dilemmas.

The concepts of ethics and moral dilemmas have originated long ago. They heavily influence the process of decision-making in a variety of fields, from social work and healthcare to a simple office workplace. Thus, you have to approach the ethical dilemma topic carefully. Writing a paper on the phenomenon should rely on locating the available evidence and citing the latest sources.

In this article, our team has gathered titles for your academic essay. Besides, with our tips and ethical dilemma paper examples, you will understand how to research and write it.

Emotional intelligence essays are an essential part of education for many professions that involve working with people, such as managers and teachers.

The concept is somewhat new, having been first introduced half a century ago and popularized at the end of the last century.

As such, you have to approach the topic carefully and rely on the latest available evidence to avoid citing outdated ideas.

Furthermore, as with any psychology-related topic, you should exhibit general caution and avoid the numerous pitfalls associated with the study of the human mind.

This article will help you understand what you should or should not do to write an excellent paper.

Here are some further tips for your work:

  • Psychology relies on scenarios where a person’s behavior can be as free of outside factors as possible. Toddler observation and scholarly experiments with carefully selected conditions are excellent examples of such situations, and you should use them to ground your descriptions in reality.
  • Be sure to adhere to academic guidelines, avoiding the use of first person, calls to action, and other additions that do not match the format. This approach is useful in general, as it applies to most essays and will be beneficial for future reports and similar submissions.
  • Write an emotional intelligence essay introduction and conclusion at the end of your paper. They make your work easier to read by giving it structure and direction. The introduction should contain a description of the topic and a thesis statement, and the conclusion should sum up the main points.
  • Try to set a central theme and address it in your essay instead of providing a general overview of the topic. There are many emotional intelligence essay questions that can be answered in considerable detail. As such, you should concentrate on one of them without getting distracted and sidetracked.

Come to IvyPanda for ethical dilemma essay examples as well as various titles that will help you begin your writing process!

  • BP Oil Company Ethical Dilemma The damages caused by the spill originated from the effects of the oil on the environment and the damaging effects of the cleanup activities.
  • An Ethical Dilemma Faced by Nestle: Case Analysis International staffing and development help Nestle to organize human resources in accordance with the needs of the company and its strategic goals.
  • Ethical Dilemmas in Criminal Justice If one is to discuss the issue with the senior management of the organization in which the crime occurred, there is a high chance that the issue will not be taken as seriously due to […]
  • Ethical Dilemma: Example, Problem, and Solution | Essay Example Secondly, I was supposed to show other employees that no one is above the policies of this company and if anyone commits a mistake the individual must be punished.
  • Family Therapy: Ethical Dilemmas One of the ethical dilemmas in the case is that of deciding whether or not to disclose the information about Breen’s relationship with her boyfriend to her parents.
  • Samsung’s Ethical Dilemma of Child Labor The paper will critically analyze the ethical dimensions of the dilemma from the perspective of the utilitarian ethical theory. It will be argued that according to the fundamental principles of the theory, the company’s behavior […]
  • Ethical Dilemmas Facing Teachers The proponents of this system claim that it is authentic and offers a first hand experience to the learners. The needs in this system include having a strong foundation in the areas that the knowledge […]
  • Ethical Dilemma of Child Abuse In the above example, a nurse has to apply rational judgment to analyze the extent and threats when making decisions in the best interest of the victim of child abuse.
  • Early Childhood Education Center’s Ethical Dilemma Therefore, it is necessary to involve different people in the discussion of this case because there are several ethical responsibilities applied to a new child, the children of the class, the staff, parents, and the […]
  • Richard Angelo: A Serial Killer and His Ethical Dilemma The convicted claimed he made the injections to cause crises to be able to revive patients and become a hero in front of his colleagues.
  • The Ford Pinto Case and Ethical Dilemma Lee Iacocca, the Ford company’s president, was accused of disregarding the need to improve the safety of Pinto cars due to the increased cost.
  • Ethical Dilemma in Nursing: Case Study Today, being a nurse is associated with a number of complexities due to the need to comply with diverse obligations in social, political, and healthcare segments.
  • Ethical Dilemma: Counselors Engaging in Relations with Clients They should keep a boundary in the way they relate to the clients to ensure that their relationship with the client does no harm or pose potential harm to the clients.
  • The Ethical Dilemma: Siemens In relation to the above dilemmas, the bounded bribery applies to the psychological tendency of the conspirators to fulfill selfish interests of self enrichment at the expense of the shareholders’ goals and objectives.
  • Ethical Dilemmas in Counselling and Treatment Methods The case of Brett has become an ethical issue based on the following; questions are revolving around what information can be released to the parents and parents request to review the diagnosis since no procedure […]
  • Public Administration Ethical Dilemma and Theories Smith should take the responsibility of ensuring that the needs of the majority are upheld since the welfare of the community, and the organization is of importance.
  • Ethical Dilemmas in Social Workers’ Practice In order to resolve the emerging dilemma, it is necessary to identify the involved stakeholders, model two possible courses of events, evaluate the implications of each and come to a conclusion regarding the preferential option […]
  • Ethical Dilemma of Patient Care Delivery However, the administration of more pain depressants is likely to escalate the addiction problem while the denial of the medication will aggravate the patient’s suffering.
  • Ethical Dilemma in Healthcare Administration Ethical concerns root for the distinction and separation of clinical ethics and business ethics in order to avoid complications of the responsibilities in the health care system.
  • Decision Making Challenges Facing Ethical Dilemma In the same way the performance of line managers is judged by the quality of the decisions they make. From the management of Herbs garden products, the following steps could be taken: State the problem […]
  • Domestic Violence Ethical Dilemmas in Criminal Justice Various ethical issues such as the code of silence, the mental status of the offender, and limited evidence play a vital role in challenging the discretion of police officers in arresting the DV perpetrators.
  • Ethical Dilemma With the Bank Teller On the other hand, the bank calls for honesty in service and client protection, and given that the teller took the money without permission from an inactive account belonging to a customer it is professionally […]
  • Ethical Dilemma in Journalism A good example is the clause in the code of ethics that states that reporters are supposed to show reverence to the privacy and dignity of the public.
  • Hyundai Dispatch Workers and Ethical Dilemma According to the workers, the leadership of Hyundai was responsible for the safety of the employees at the workplace. The representatives of the temporary employees occupied the company requiring changes in the employment terms.
  • The Unocal Firm’s Ethical Dilemma in Burma The oil corporation was eager to investigate oil potential in Burma, a place that the rest of the world had abandoned due to several problems.
  • Solving Ethical Dilemmas in Public Relations In the case study, the main problem arises from the client’s deceit concerning the independent nature of the scientist testing the products in a bid to ensure a favorable public image of the products to […]
  • Ethical Dilemma- The Fate of Opel Foreign direct investment has a number of benefits to the economy of the host countries. In case the host countries do not have adequate labor necessary in the accomplishment of organizational goals, the multinational companies […]
  • Abortion: An Ethical Dilemma and Legal Position The core concerns in the controversy are whether women should have the right to decide to terminate a pregnancy or whether the unborn child has the right to life.
  • “Ethical Dilemmas and Decisions in Criminal Justice” by Pollock If hunting is the primary means of survival of a particular society, the euthanasia of the elderly and the sick can be deemed acceptable.
  • Kazuo Ishiguro’s “Never Let Me Go” and Major Ethical Dilemmas Raised Some claim that since clones are created in a laboratory with the help of specific tools and with the number of certain genes, they cannot be regarded as humans. In conclusion, it is necessary to […]
  • International Satellite Images Ethical Dilemma Comprehensively, when the code of ethics is entrenched as part of ISI’s business culture, the company would have a seamless process for managing ethical dilemmas.
  • Ethical Dilemmas: An Analysis of Two Cases In the case of IVF, such a procedure is prohibited according to Joe and Mary’s religion which means that they must not engage in it.
  • Ethical Dilemmas Surrounding Self-Driving Cars The video taken showed that the driver in the car was shocked and could not do anything to save the woman.
  • Ethical Dilemma Analysis: Easyriders v. Hannigan Hunnigan represents the case of California motorcyclists filing a suit against the Commissioner of California Highway Patrol for the purpose of permanent injunction against stopping motorcyclists on the ground of officer’s subjective opinion that helmets […]
  • Drug-Testing: Utilitarian Theory Ethical Dilemma This is because, given the fact that Utilitarian theory’s foremost theoretical premise is being concerned with the notion of amaximization of benefits’ 1, it will only be logical, on my part, to assume that the […]
  • Ethical Dilemma: The Missing Needle Protector Health care professionals and patients have to develop a level of trust to support the recovery process for patients and the status of the hospital.
  • Abortion: Ethical Dilemma in Pope John Paul II’s View This paper tries to examine the abortion ethical dilemma from the lens of the Pope’s thoughts and proposals. Towards the end of the 20th century, new ideas and thoughts began to emerge in different parts […]
  • Ethical Dilemma of Law Enforcement Code of Ethics Police officers are the example for citizens of the country which they serve, and they should correspond to the position which is occupied.
  • Post-Dated Cheque Ethical Dilemma in Accounting First, the recipients of the delayed check will lose interest corresponding to the duration of the delay. In this scenario, Tabitha will be held responsible for the unethical actions and the incurrence of losses by […]
  • Patient’s Secret Revelation: Ethical Dilemma She had to choose whether to hide the information, which she had received from a cancer patient and which was relevant to the treatment, from other nurses and doctors or to reveal it despite the […]
  • Ethical Dilemmas in Workplace Analysis Therefore, the main purpose of this project is to explore the types of dilemmas and the factors that affect the workers response to the dilemmas in a workplace.
  • Joe Smith and Bill Bateman: Ethical Dilemma Analysis Indeed, their cooperation is attributed with the features of gray zone business conduct where the boundaries between the personal and the business issues are blurred.
  • The Legal and Ethical Dilemma in Dental Health The objective side of the crime in the case of silencing the incompetence of a colleague in dentistry is expressed in the failure to fulfill the duties of the statement to the appropriate authorities.
  • An Ethical Dilemma and Lapse in Business An ethical dilemma and lapse differ in the people’s motivation driving decisions. Meanwhile, an ethical lapse occurs due to an unethical conversation involving selective quoting and misleading audiences.
  • Ethical Dilemma Concepts on Example Phoebe’s Case In order to protect her rights, the council should not interfere with her applications on the basis of what Phoebe did. In addition to punishment, she should be made to repeat the assignment and submit […]
  • Ethical Dilemmas in Healthcare Institutions The interviewee outlined the major strategies used to handle ethical dilemmas in the healthcare facility. The supervisor will be required to assess the impact of the ethical or legal dilemma.
  • Ethical Dilemma in Medical Practice The particular ethical principles that are inherent in this case include the following: Justice: the doctor, in this case, feels a strong sense of duty to serve the patient, though the patient cannot clearly satisfy […]
  • Ethical Dilemma in Law Enforcement: Confidentiality and Misuse of Information Additionally, Badpenny’s choice to reveal private information was affected by the organizational structure of the University City Police Department and the Grantham County Sheriff’s Office.
  • Ethical Dilemma of Stopping City Authority In this scenario, the ethical dilemma is balancing the duty to enforce the law with the potential harm that could be caused by a public arrest of a fellow officer.
  • Ethical Dilemma Analysis: Criminal Justice Case The publicity of the case added another layer of complexity to the decision, as either verdict would alienate a part of the population.
  • The Ethical Dilemma of Navigating Disagreements in Nursing Care Disputes arise when nurses have different opinions on the type, frequency, and effectiveness of specific care options for a patient due to the differences in their scope of practice and focus.
  • Ethical Dilemma in Healthcare: Privacy and the Right to Know Moreover, the staff cannot ignore the fact that Tina is likely to be wrong in her decision not to reveal the diagnosis to Victoria.
  • Ethical Dilemmas Regarding Rape and Abortion Therefore, this paper discusses the module 8 case study and related cases regarding rape and abortion, applying dialectical thinking to the module 8 case and why Mary in the case study should not undergo abortion […]
  • Hiring the Previously Convicted Cybercriminals: Ethical Dilemma The deontological theory focuses not on the consequences of an act but on the intentions and desire of a person to act for the benefit of others.
  • Ethical Dilemmas Hindering Provision of Health Services in Tanzania The strikes have always been linked to two issues: 1) the working conditions of doctors, including infrastructure, the availability of medicines, equipment, and other medical supplies, and 2) the underpayment of wages and benefits.
  • Analysis of Ethical Dilemma: Euthanasia One of these is the right to live, which includes much more than the ability to simply exist, and suggests an adherence to a minimum of quality and self-determination.
  • Researching of IT Ethical Dilemmas In addition, there are Notified Data Breach Laws that oblige businesses and CSPs to report the incident to the government and all users of the service and customers in the event of a data breach.
  • Ethical Dilemmas: Cases Analysis In the case of Joe and Marie, natural law theory also demonstrates that ethically the IVF procedure is morally justified for several reasons.
  • Ethical Dilemma of Parental Refusal From Children’s Vaccination Kerry attempts to convince the Smiths of the relevance of vaccination in preventing infection by chronic diseases. Autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice are ethical principles applicable in resolving the moral issue of whether or not […]
  • Ethical Dilemma of Saving Customers’ Personal Information The key point of the action was to be in line with the company’s code of ethics and, at the same time, show the wrongdoing of the colleague’s action to himself.
  • Truth vs. Loyalty: Tinkov’s Ethical Dilemma Moreover, his pacifist text and critique of the Russian aggression and dictatorship made Tinkov’s life unsafe. He chose truthfulness and freedom from greed over political loyalty and the well-being of his business.
  • Ethical Dilemma: Gun Violence Discussion The teaching of access or locked on the presence of weapons in people for a long time is a reason for discussion.
  • Legal-Ethical Dilemma in Nursing An example of an urgent legal-ethical dilemma is the one reported and described by a practicing nurse and a patient, Marylyn.
  • Global Poverty: The Ethical Dilemma Unfortunately, a significant obstacle to such global reforms is that many economic systems are based on the concept of inequality and exploitation.
  • Ethical Dilemma of a 2016 TV Commercial for Milk by Juhayna At the end of the ad, the creators claim that Juhayna’s milk is the best in Egypt after Dondou. The message presented in the advertisement can influence the decision of mothers to stop breastfeeding, which […]
  • Nurses’ Ethical Dilemmas in the Work Environment According to the scenario of Mr. According to the scenario of Mr.
  • The Concept of Ethical Dilemmas To evaluate this, such professionals should be subject to constant psychological and physical monitoring, observing the degree of their suitability for work.
  • Ethical Dilemma of Abortion Triumphalism In this issue and other matters, the affected person’s experience may not be a determining factor for the expression of opinion but is unique.
  • Self-Determination and Ethical Dilemma of Assisted Suicide The reason for both euthanasia and assisted suicide, the difference between which is in who actively ends the life, the doctor or the patient, is ending unbearable pain.
  • Ethical Dilemma Regarding Forced Vaccination It seems that people are already used to restrictive measures from the government and have accepted the need to use masks in public places, but the introduction of compulsory vaccination and the resulting bans proved […]
  • Ethical Dilemma: The Case Study Thus, a difficult dilemma emerged for Ali, who by eating the meal would violate his religious obligations and by refusing it would show disrespect to the hosts, and especially the mother of the colleague.
  • Ethical Dilemmas in Public Health Such an action could be unwelcomed by the health agencies, and their employees, but, at the same time, the research needs to depict an accurate analysis of the performance of the health programs.
  • The Ethical Dilemma in Guantanamo Bay Prison in the USA In Guantanamo Bay, it is the role of soldiers to ensure justice and protection of human rights. However, the housing of these prisoners and the condition of the Guantanamo Bay detainee camp is ethical.
  • Ethical Dilemma and Ethics and Honest Reporting And adhering to the principle of rights, professions have an ethical duty to evaluate the consequences of a particular decision they make in relation to the rights of other people.
  • The Ethical Dilemma on Abortion From the perspective of the Christian philosophy, a person is a product and manifestation of the love of God, hence the sanctity of any human life.
  • Ethical Dilemma at Abura Petrol Station He felt grateful to his friend for offering a job and wanted to meet the hopes of the petrol network’s owner.
  • Civil-Military Tension as Ethical Dilemma The first is to accept the situation as it is without questions, strictly following the orders and observing the limitations of their inferior position as consultants to the government.
  • Aspects of Media Ethical Dilemmas While all three sources have a goal of informing the audience of Burrous’s passing, the extent to which they unveil the details differs depending on the context, the source’s relation to the anchor, and the […]
  • Ethical Dilemma: Benefiting from High-Conflicting Personality The primary reason for the potential ignorance of one’s wrongdoing is the positive consequences of their actions that outweigh the total harm they bring.
  • Ethical Dilemma. Legal Protection for Employee On the other hand, the leaving colleague might have a change of heart and remain with the original company, so revealing the plans to the boss will affect his opportunities.
  • Abortion as Moral and Ethical Dilemma Despite the conflicting approaches to solving the moral and ethical dilemma of abortion, experts agree that it is possible to reduce the severity of the problem with the help of more excellent sexual education of […]
  • “Ethical Dilemmas in MNCs’ International Staffing Policies” by Banai and Sama The paper assumes that in the age of the rise of global international corporations international staffing policies acquire the top priority because of their impact on outcomes.
  • Contemporary Ethical Reflection: Ethical and Legal Dilemmas in Health Care The counties also blamed the state for being ignorant of the problem of adequate financing of the Medicaid program on supporting the poor and disables.
  • Ethical Dilemmas in the Hiibel Legal Case in Nevada The search had a reasonable suspicion since, during the investigation of the assault, Hiibel was within the area of search, and when he was asked his name, he failed to answer the police officer.
  • Baby and Mother: End of Life Ethical Dilemma To sum the above mentioned, it should be mentioned that patients, physicians, and caregivers face a lot of dilemmas in regards to life situations.
  • Unethical Practices: Michael Jackson, Ethical Dilemma The case between the people and the king of pop, Michael Jackson, elicited two main ethical concerns: the passion of the prosecutor to convict the defendant and the possibility of the prosecutor to be an […]
  • Noting the Error in Projections: Scott Bestor’s Ethical Dilemma The second ethical issue is balancing the expectations of the management and the consequences of reporting the error in projections. Scott is aware that reporting the error to the management might result in disciplinary action […]
  • Behavior of a Police Officer Within an Ethical Dilemma First and foremost, one should note that one of the most typical ethical concerns in the relevant field is the cases of discrimination on the ground of the national origin.
  • Ethical Dilemma in Nursing Practice The psychologist can help the patient deal with the emotional aspect of pain. These skills empower the patient to cope with the pain and the side effects of treatment.
  • Accounting: Ethical Dilemmas Equally, I will consider the repercussions of agreeing to the command. I will also consider being a whistleblower and report the matter to the relevant authorities.
  • The Ethical Dilemma in Nursing One of the most common ethical dilemmas that advanced practice nurses face is the lack of consent on the part of the patient.
  • Ethical Dilemma in Nursing Finding a solution to the ethical issues in Max’s case was important because failure to do so would have different consequences for the patient, the parents, and the caregivers.
  • Moral, Ethical and Legal Dilemmas of Suicide Since it is a duty of medical practitioners to treat and care for patients, it would be immoral to allow a patient to commit suicide.
  • Asthma and Medications: The Ethical Dilemma in Treating Children One of the major causes of dilemma, however, is the inability to manage and treat the condition in children under the age of 7 years due to ethical dilemma.
  • Ethical and Moral Dilemmas in Accounting and Business Entities This may paint a wrong picture of the actual position of the company and may lead to collapsing if irregularities are not addressed as in the case of Enron.
  • An Ethical Dilemma – Religious Belief Versus Medical Practice In the first step, the ethical dilemma is between the principle of beneficence in the treatment of meningitis and the principle of autonomy with respect to the decision of the parents.
  • Ethical Dilemma for Sam Torres In this case, it is possible to distinguish several ethical issues: 1) the conflict between Sam’s professional principles and his private interest such as desire to retain his job; 2) the interests of Bull & […]
  • Ethical Dilemmas That Practitioners Face in the Company According to the findings of the commission, it was discovered that ethical issues affecting the police body has to do with process corruption, issue of gratuities and improper associations, substance abuse, fraudulent practices, assaults and […]
  • Ethical Dilemmas in Business Processes Henry on the other hand is a manager and we are not told whether his organization is prepared to allow all staff to make use of such offers as that which Claire has provided in […]
  • Virtue Ethics: One Way to Resolve an Ethical Dilemma Other members of the usability team argue that although there was a clear loophole that the external members can choose to exploit so that they can be released from the work that they need to […]
  • Ethical Dilemmas Within Organisations During the COVID-19 The moral analysis of the acts of the management of Britannia Hotel can also be analyzed based on the ethics of duties with an emphasis on the individual.
  • Ethical Dilemma: Parental Notification The main issue that is to be addressed is that the boy asks the counselor not to notify his parents about the drug problem, but is it ethical to keep this information confidential?
  • LinkedIn Ethical Dilemma The candidates most likely to be recruited by the employers using the LinkedIn website are the premium account holders whose applications appear at the top of the applications pile.
  • The Ethical Dilemma: Aborting Babies With Handicaps The standard for such a condition is the elimination of the fetus and the doctor prescribed it as the only solution that would save the other of the twins.
  • NASW Code of Ethics: Social Workers and Ethical Dilemmas As part of my action, I accessed her files and changed the date that she was to leave the facility by adding a month to it. However, I had acted professionally because it was in […]
  • Ethical Dilemmas Overview and Analysis This student should be advised to report the matter to a teacher so that the owner of the iPod can be traced.
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  • Ethical Considerations in Research | Types & Examples

Ethical Considerations in Research | Types & Examples

Published on October 18, 2021 by Pritha Bhandari . Revised on June 22, 2023.

Ethical considerations in research are a set of principles that guide your research designs and practices. Scientists and researchers must always adhere to a certain code of conduct when collecting data from people.

The goals of human research often include understanding real-life phenomena, studying effective treatments, investigating behaviors, and improving lives in other ways. What you decide to research and how you conduct that research involve key ethical considerations.

These considerations work to

  • protect the rights of research participants
  • enhance research validity
  • maintain scientific or academic integrity

Table of contents

Why do research ethics matter, getting ethical approval for your study, types of ethical issues, voluntary participation, informed consent, confidentiality, potential for harm, results communication, examples of ethical failures, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about research ethics.

Research ethics matter for scientific integrity, human rights and dignity, and collaboration between science and society. These principles make sure that participation in studies is voluntary, informed, and safe for research subjects.

You’ll balance pursuing important research objectives with using ethical research methods and procedures. It’s always necessary to prevent permanent or excessive harm to participants, whether inadvertent or not.

Defying research ethics will also lower the credibility of your research because it’s hard for others to trust your data if your methods are morally questionable.

Even if a research idea is valuable to society, it doesn’t justify violating the human rights or dignity of your study participants.

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Before you start any study involving data collection with people, you’ll submit your research proposal to an institutional review board (IRB) .

An IRB is a committee that checks whether your research aims and research design are ethically acceptable and follow your institution’s code of conduct. They check that your research materials and procedures are up to code.

If successful, you’ll receive IRB approval, and you can begin collecting data according to the approved procedures. If you want to make any changes to your procedures or materials, you’ll need to submit a modification application to the IRB for approval.

If unsuccessful, you may be asked to re-submit with modifications or your research proposal may receive a rejection. To get IRB approval, it’s important to explicitly note how you’ll tackle each of the ethical issues that may arise in your study.

There are several ethical issues you should always pay attention to in your research design, and these issues can overlap with each other.

You’ll usually outline ways you’ll deal with each issue in your research proposal if you plan to collect data from participants.

Voluntary participation means that all research subjects are free to choose to participate without any pressure or coercion.

All participants are able to withdraw from, or leave, the study at any point without feeling an obligation to continue. Your participants don’t need to provide a reason for leaving the study.

It’s important to make it clear to participants that there are no negative consequences or repercussions to their refusal to participate. After all, they’re taking the time to help you in the research process , so you should respect their decisions without trying to change their minds.

Voluntary participation is an ethical principle protected by international law and many scientific codes of conduct.

Take special care to ensure there’s no pressure on participants when you’re working with vulnerable groups of people who may find it hard to stop the study even when they want to.

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Informed consent refers to a situation in which all potential participants receive and understand all the information they need to decide whether they want to participate. This includes information about the study’s benefits, risks, funding, and institutional approval.

You make sure to provide all potential participants with all the relevant information about

  • what the study is about
  • the risks and benefits of taking part
  • how long the study will take
  • your supervisor’s contact information and the institution’s approval number

Usually, you’ll provide participants with a text for them to read and ask them if they have any questions. If they agree to participate, they can sign or initial the consent form. Note that this may not be sufficient for informed consent when you work with particularly vulnerable groups of people.

If you’re collecting data from people with low literacy, make sure to verbally explain the consent form to them before they agree to participate.

For participants with very limited English proficiency, you should always translate the study materials or work with an interpreter so they have all the information in their first language.

In research with children, you’ll often need informed permission for their participation from their parents or guardians. Although children cannot give informed consent, it’s best to also ask for their assent (agreement) to participate, depending on their age and maturity level.

Anonymity means that you don’t know who the participants are and you can’t link any individual participant to their data.

You can only guarantee anonymity by not collecting any personally identifying information—for example, names, phone numbers, email addresses, IP addresses, physical characteristics, photos, and videos.

In many cases, it may be impossible to truly anonymize data collection . For example, data collected in person or by phone cannot be considered fully anonymous because some personal identifiers (demographic information or phone numbers) are impossible to hide.

You’ll also need to collect some identifying information if you give your participants the option to withdraw their data at a later stage.

Data pseudonymization is an alternative method where you replace identifying information about participants with pseudonymous, or fake, identifiers. The data can still be linked to participants but it’s harder to do so because you separate personal information from the study data.

Confidentiality means that you know who the participants are, but you remove all identifying information from your report.

All participants have a right to privacy, so you should protect their personal data for as long as you store or use it. Even when you can’t collect data anonymously, you should secure confidentiality whenever you can.

Some research designs aren’t conducive to confidentiality, but it’s important to make all attempts and inform participants of the risks involved.

As a researcher, you have to consider all possible sources of harm to participants. Harm can come in many different forms.

  • Psychological harm: Sensitive questions or tasks may trigger negative emotions such as shame or anxiety.
  • Social harm: Participation can involve social risks, public embarrassment, or stigma.
  • Physical harm: Pain or injury can result from the study procedures.
  • Legal harm: Reporting sensitive data could lead to legal risks or a breach of privacy.

It’s best to consider every possible source of harm in your study as well as concrete ways to mitigate them. Involve your supervisor to discuss steps for harm reduction.

Make sure to disclose all possible risks of harm to participants before the study to get informed consent. If there is a risk of harm, prepare to provide participants with resources or counseling or medical services if needed.

Some of these questions may bring up negative emotions, so you inform participants about the sensitive nature of the survey and assure them that their responses will be confidential.

The way you communicate your research results can sometimes involve ethical issues. Good science communication is honest, reliable, and credible. It’s best to make your results as transparent as possible.

Take steps to actively avoid plagiarism and research misconduct wherever possible.

Plagiarism means submitting others’ works as your own. Although it can be unintentional, copying someone else’s work without proper credit amounts to stealing. It’s an ethical problem in research communication because you may benefit by harming other researchers.

Self-plagiarism is when you republish or re-submit parts of your own papers or reports without properly citing your original work.

This is problematic because you may benefit from presenting your ideas as new and original even though they’ve already been published elsewhere in the past. You may also be infringing on your previous publisher’s copyright, violating an ethical code, or wasting time and resources by doing so.

In extreme cases of self-plagiarism, entire datasets or papers are sometimes duplicated. These are major ethical violations because they can skew research findings if taken as original data.

You notice that two published studies have similar characteristics even though they are from different years. Their sample sizes, locations, treatments, and results are highly similar, and the studies share one author in common.

Research misconduct

Research misconduct means making up or falsifying data, manipulating data analyses, or misrepresenting results in research reports. It’s a form of academic fraud.

These actions are committed intentionally and can have serious consequences; research misconduct is not a simple mistake or a point of disagreement about data analyses.

Research misconduct is a serious ethical issue because it can undermine academic integrity and institutional credibility. It leads to a waste of funding and resources that could have been used for alternative research.

Later investigations revealed that they fabricated and manipulated their data to show a nonexistent link between vaccines and autism. Wakefield also neglected to disclose important conflicts of interest, and his medical license was taken away.

This fraudulent work sparked vaccine hesitancy among parents and caregivers. The rate of MMR vaccinations in children fell sharply, and measles outbreaks became more common due to a lack of herd immunity.

Research scandals with ethical failures are littered throughout history, but some took place not that long ago.

Some scientists in positions of power have historically mistreated or even abused research participants to investigate research problems at any cost. These participants were prisoners, under their care, or otherwise trusted them to treat them with dignity.

To demonstrate the importance of research ethics, we’ll briefly review two research studies that violated human rights in modern history.

These experiments were inhumane and resulted in trauma, permanent disabilities, or death in many cases.

After some Nazi doctors were put on trial for their crimes, the Nuremberg Code of research ethics for human experimentation was developed in 1947 to establish a new standard for human experimentation in medical research.

In reality, the actual goal was to study the effects of the disease when left untreated, and the researchers never informed participants about their diagnoses or the research aims.

Although participants experienced severe health problems, including blindness and other complications, the researchers only pretended to provide medical care.

When treatment became possible in 1943, 11 years after the study began, none of the participants were offered it, despite their health conditions and high risk of death.

Ethical failures like these resulted in severe harm to participants, wasted resources, and lower trust in science and scientists. This is why all research institutions have strict ethical guidelines for performing research.

If you want to know more about statistics , methodology , or research bias , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

  • Normal distribution
  • Measures of central tendency
  • Chi square tests
  • Confidence interval
  • Quartiles & Quantiles
  • Cluster sampling
  • Stratified sampling
  • Thematic analysis
  • Cohort study
  • Peer review
  • Ethnography

Research bias

  • Implicit bias
  • Cognitive bias
  • Conformity bias
  • Hawthorne effect
  • Availability heuristic
  • Attrition bias
  • Social desirability bias

Ethical considerations in research are a set of principles that guide your research designs and practices. These principles include voluntary participation, informed consent, anonymity, confidentiality, potential for harm, and results communication.

Scientists and researchers must always adhere to a certain code of conduct when collecting data from others .

These considerations protect the rights of research participants, enhance research validity , and maintain scientific integrity.

Research ethics matter for scientific integrity, human rights and dignity, and collaboration between science and society. These principles make sure that participation in studies is voluntary, informed, and safe.

Anonymity means you don’t know who the participants are, while confidentiality means you know who they are but remove identifying information from your research report. Both are important ethical considerations .

You can only guarantee anonymity by not collecting any personally identifying information—for example, names, phone numbers, email addresses, IP addresses, physical characteristics, photos, or videos.

You can keep data confidential by using aggregate information in your research report, so that you only refer to groups of participants rather than individuals.

These actions are committed intentionally and can have serious consequences; research misconduct is not a simple mistake or a point of disagreement but a serious ethical failure.

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  • How to Write an Ethics Essay: Step-by-Step Guide

How to Write an Ethics Essay: Step-by-Step Guide

  • What is an Ethics Essay

The Purpose of Ethics Paper

Key elements, how to write an ethics essay step by step.

  • Choosing an Ethics-Related Topic

Ethics Essay Topics

Ethics paper structure, introduction, thesis statement, body paragraphs.

  • Bottom Line

When you're writing an ethics essay , you should have more than simply an intriguing topic on a moral dilemma to make your piece impactful. In fact, good content goes beyond beautiful writing. A paper also needs to have an organized structure containing all essential elements to effectively communicate the writer's ideas. This guide will shed more light on this critical task and show how to compose a brilliant ethics essay in 5 simple steps. Learn what features your paper should include and what examples to provide to ensure sound reasoning. Or simply entrust your assignment to our experts, and they will write an essay for you . 

What is an Ethics Essay 

An ethics essay is a piece of writing that argues both sides of a moral issue or ethical dilemma. Basically, an ethics paper focuses on issues of philosophical concern , such as the principles of right and wrong. In the essay on moral principles, a writer elaborates on the standards that govern human behavior.

Ethics includes a number of rules and practices, which are conventionally accepted and followed by people. It takes into account the moral principles and behavior of a human being in the social context. For example, most modern organizations have established a code of conduct to regulate how people should act. Thus, when writing an ethical paper, one needs to explain what attitude people hold towards such ethical principles. To be precise, a writer's task is to highlight the significance of the chosen issue and explain whether society follows or neglects specific standards.

An ethics essay's primary purpose is to set forth an argument for a specific position on a moral issue. As a rule, this type of paper requires a debate instead of a simple overview of an ethical dilemma. In this context, an ethics essay shares similar features with those of argumentative writing . In particular, a moral problem should be debatable, meaning that you need to be able to argue the subject.

Different people have different opinions regarding the same rules and norms of behavior. Some actions may be weird and unnatural for you, but quite common and acceptable to someone else. As a result, a writer should cover both sides of the problem . Even though an ethical essay shouldn't convince a reader to accept some behavior, nor should it remind an opinion essay; however a writer should exploit some techniques used in argumentative writing . Given its purpose, an ethics paper must contain such key elements common for an argumentative essay:

  • Topic's significance : discusses an ethical issue that challenges society
  • A thesis statement : covers the main focus of writing
  • A firm argument : serves as a thesis statement on moral principles
  • Evidence : supports the arguments for a dilemma 
  • Counterargument : justifies the reasoning
  • Rebuttal examples : additionally proves your position

The essay writing process includes only 5 simple steps , but it's crucial to follow each step to craft an excellent paper. The following guide explains how to compose an ethics essay that will immediately draw your reader's attention. Consider these steps to communicate your ideas clearly and concisely.

  • Choose an ethics-related topic . Since writing an ethics paper involves building an argument, it is suggested to pick a debatable moral issue. Ideally, this should be a subject that can be discussed from opposing perspectives. Focus on the topic that evokes different opinions on the matter. This way, you will be able to provide the arguments and counterarguments concerning the issue. Remember to research to make sure there is enough supporting evidence.
  • Create a question-based title . One suggestion is to pose a question in the title of your ethical paper. As an alternative, you can include a question in the introduction. One way or another, it should be thought-provoking to draw the reader's attention. For instance, you may want to ask an audience whether all humans are inherently selfish. Read one of our blogs that will tell you how to create good titles for essays . 
  • Present a strong argument . This step involves writing a compelling thesis statement that will make the readers agree with your argument. Excite your reader with a provocative thesis. Make sure to build a claim based on the query in a title or the opening line. For example, you may write that all people are inherently selfish.
  • Craft an essay outline . A good outline serves as a ground plan for your writing. A well-drafted structure will help you stay on track. Write down all critical points to fully cover information related to the chosen topic.
  • Provide examples and counterarguments . This step is where you include all findings of research to demonstrate your reasoning. Each argument should be backed up accordingly. Populate your writing with supporting evidence followed by an explanation of how given examples prove your statement. Where applicable, introduce a counter argument and discuss why you refute it. Don't forget to cite the sources to build up credibility.

Choosing an Ethics-Related Topic 

A thought-provoking topic is a defining factor in crafting an excellent ethics essay. It should sound captivating and promising. When choosing a topic, you should focus on the ethical issues that concern modern society the most. According to statistics, the vast majority of readers appeal to emotions , so it would be a great idea to write an ethics paper on the challenging situations that humans face daily. Besides, the topics should have the following features :

  • Problem-solving
  • Informative

The combination of these qualities potentially turns any idea into the powerful weapon of an author. Basically, your research should be targeted at finding the answers, which bring benefits to other people .

To make the process easier for you, we have decided to suggest a selection of great ethics essay ideas .

  • Should desperate times call for desperate measures?
  • Is it possible to overcome jealousy?
  • Can people refute personal egoism?
  • Current ethical issues in healthcare.
  • The importance of a moral code in the workplace.
  • How do social background and family shape our ethical principles?
  • Should people follow the same moral code ?
  • Does ethics affect education?
  • Is it right to speak the truth all the time?
  • Should we forbid abortion?

You're welcome to choose any of the ethics essay topics mentioned above and craft your own concepts on their basis.

As with any other type of academic writing, an ethics paper should be properly organized . This being said, a writer needs to follow a straightforward ethics essay structure so that a piece is easy to read. The student's task is to state a moral dilemma and provide sound reasoning in a logical order. A good ethics paper should include an introduction, body part, and conclusion.

The introductory paragraph of your ethics paper should contain a brief synopsis of the topic and some background information that will logically lead to the argument. Besides, in the introduction, you also should outline the supporting examples you will give and state your thesis.

A thesis is a concise, one-sentence summary of your arguments. This single sentence should entirely reflect your main purpose , so your readers instantly understand whether it's worth their attention. Besides, it provides a writer with a narrow range of possible alternatives. A well-written thesis will help you stay focused on a specific topic in a broad field such as ethics. Try to compose a clear and informative thesis. Remember that every point should be tightly related to the thesis statement .

A standard ethics essay contains three body paragraphs that provide your main ideas on the issue of moral concern. Each body paragraph needs to focus on a different point or example. Start each paragraph with a topic sentence that clearly specifies why the reader should accept a particular point. (If you wonder how to write a topic sentence , read one of our blogs dedicated to this topic.) The body part of your essay is where you prove your arguments with evidence, facts, statistics, findings, and text citations. If it's possible, you should address the issue from opposing perspectives and then refute counterarguments. Researching an ethical problem from different angles and including supporting facts ensures credibility and reader's trust.

In the concluding part of an ethics paper, a writer should restate the thesis statement and sum up all of the points explained in the body paragraphs. Rather than presenting new ideas, an effective conclusion should evoke emotions. A great way to conclude an ethics essay is to end it with a personal opinion on the moral issue explaining how it impacts you.

Bottom Line 

In a nutshell, an ethics essay differs from other types of academic writing. Instead of introducing a personal opinion, a student should remain objective and build an unbiased argument. Make sure to follow these general tips to compose a great paper on ethics.

  • Write about the topic you care
  • Add a strong thesis statement
  • Make sure there is introduction, main body, and conclusion
  • Be specific and avoid wordiness
  • Provide evidence and counterarguments
  • Avoid contradicting points of view
  • Discuss one idea per paragraph
  • Restate your thesis in the conclusion part 

Now you know the peculiarities of writing an ethics essay. The main point is to write about things you are familiar with and follow a logical structure. But, if essay writing is rather challenging for you, it’s a good idea to rely on professional academic assistance. Trust us with any type of assignment, and our expert writers will take care of your task.

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An Ethical Issue, Essay Example

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Introduction

Ethical dilemmas require individuals to make important decisions that may ultimately impact their lives in different ways. It is important to address an ethical issue with an open mind and to reflect upon the best interests of the individuals who are involved, as this will support the development of a probable solution that will lead to favorable outcomes. In the healthcare community, ethical dilemmas arise on a daily basis and require further examination in order to make decisions that will lead to negative minimal impact. This process requires the involved parties to take note of the circumstances and to recognize how their contributions might have a positive influence. A situation involving a patient and an error in dispensing medication will now be addressed and will consider the ethical dilemma, the complications that arose, and the outcomes that occurred.

On a recent shift, a patient was administered the incorrect dosage of pain medication that did not cause any direct harm to the patient. However, this was an error that required reporting and the appropriate documentation because the patient was put in a position where she incurred unnecessary risk that required further evaluation. Since the patient did not experience any harm, one option was to not report the incident at all, for which other nurses and the management team would not have realized that there were any issues with the patient and the situation that took place. This would have been an option that would have serious and potentially permanent ethical implications for the nurse because it is not a true representation of the facts of the patient’s case. Therefore, this was not a feasible option and would not benefit any of the involved parties under any circumstances. In this cases, it was necessary to fully disclose the facts of the situation and to address the consequences accordingly.

In this case, in spite of the patient not facing any additional risk, it was inappropriate to allow the situation to be ignored or forgotten because this would be an ethically irresponsible way of managing the actions that took place. Nurses are trained to maintain a high standard of ethics at all times; therefore, they must adhere to a specific set of rules and regulations that possess ethically appropriate outcomes. In this context, it is important to identify the specific challenges that might have occurred if the nurse did not disclose the activities that took place with the patient, including likely disciplinary action in the future if the situation were to be discovered at a later date, along with the impact of having the situation on the nurse’s conscience. This is not a favorable situation to be in, nor does it provide any real benefit to the parties involved directly in the case or others with an indirect impact. Therefore, it was in the best interests of the nurse, the patient, the nursing unit, and the entire nursing profession to have full disclosure and to share information with the management team so that the case could be properly addressed in a timely manner.

In this case, the nurse was required to fully disclose the circumstances of the situation in order to ensure that others might learn from the situation and so that any disciplinary action would be taken accordingly as deserved. Although this was an error and was purely accidental in nature, it was the responsibility of the nurse to share the information and the facts from her perspective in order to promote full disclosure and to be recognized as an honest and truthful nurse in all of her activities. This was an essential step for the nurse to take in order to accomplish the required objectives and to demonstrate a clear understanding of her role as a professional nurse and her responsibility to be an effective communicator and to share her experiences with others, even if they might have negative consequences. It is important to address all ethical issues that involve patients or that compromise their care in different ways because they support an honest and truthful approach to nursing practice that will demonstrate a high level of ethical responsibility and support for other nurses, patients, and the profession as a whole. These efforts require nurses to be proactive in addressing concerns and issues that occur on the nursing unit and to provide others with less experience with an example to follow.

Nursing ethics encompasses a number of situations that require constant attention and focus because there are significant issues that may arise that may impact patient care and treatment in different ways. From this perspective, nurses who find themselves in an ethical dilemma must be able to understand the perspective of the nursing unit, the patient, and any other parties who might be impacted by the case and the decisions that are made. From this perspective, nurses must be able to recognize the value of full disclosure and in sharing the circumstances surrounding a situation that could pose risk or harm to other persons. This is a critical component of nursing practice and requires nurses to maintain honestly and truthfulness so that they are able to address their own actions and their consequences openly and honestly to have a positive impact on others and to acquire a new learning experience in the process.

This experience provides a number of learning tools and opportunities because it demonstrates that nurses are not infallible and that different actions may occur even under unintentional circumstances that have a significant impact on individual nurses and the unit as a whole. In addition, depending on the circumstances, these actions may have a direct impact on patients, and this is a challenging scenario that requires further consideration and evaluation because it may have lasting complications for nurses. Nonetheless, the art of truthfulness and full disclosure must be considered because it will serve the best interests of the nurse, her patients, and her colleagues over the long term. This process encourages nurses to be proactive in addressing ethical dilemmas and in considering the complications that may arise and that will contribute to other challenges for nurses. These situations are positive learning experiences for nurses because they support a culture of ethical responsibility and greater attention to the activities that are performed. This is also an important reminder of the challenges related to nursing practice that require nurses to pay close attention to all actions that they take so that they do not compromise the lives of their patients at any time. This is an important reminder that nurses are essential contributors to high quality care and treatment for all patients, and they serve as an example of the necessity for nurses who possess a high level of integrity and ethical responsibility for their actions at all times. This approach supports the growth of the practice setting and the opportunity to examine new ideas to improve outcomes for all nurses and their patients.

In the example provided, the nurse who committed a medication error had a responsibility to bring this matter to the attention of her manager in order to address any possible disciplinary action that was required. In addition, this situation serves as a learna role in ing experience for others on the unit so that they are aware of possible issues that may arise when they face similar actions and their ethical implications. Most importantly, it is the responsibility of the nurse to tell the truth and to fully disclose the circumstances of the case so that she is able to support her profession and to be aware that some actions, even if accidental, may lead to consequences that must be accepted. This set of circumstances is critical to a nurse’s personal and professional growth and her ability to be an effective nurse in administering high quality care to her patients. Therefore, this learning experience requires a high level of ethical responsibility and an examination of the different requirements that might play a role in shaping outcomes for individuals and in supporting an ethically appropriate workplace environment.

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how to write an ethical issue essay

Introduction

Writing an ethics paper requires critical thinking, reflection, and the ability to form a well-structured argument. This type of essay entails exploring a specific ethical issue, dilemma, or concept and presenting the writer’s point of view on the topic with evidence-based reasoning. An ethics paper is not merely a matter of personal opinion but should present a structured argument supported by credible research and analysis. Here is a comprehensive guide to help you write an impeccable ethics paper.

1. Choose a Topic

The first step in writing an ethics paper is to choose a relevant and engaging topic. The subject should be interesting to you and raise thought-provoking questions that can fuel debate. Avoid overly broad issues that would make it challenging to present a coherent argument. Instead, focus on specific areas within the field of ethics such as bioethics, business ethics, or environmental ethics.

2. Conduct Research

After selecting your topic, conduct extensive research to gather as much information as possible about the issue at hand. Refer to scholarly articles, books, and other trusted sources for credible material that lends both depth and substance to your paper. Be sure to take notes on source materials and their authors for proper citation later in your essay.

3. Develop Your Thesis Statement

A clear and concise thesis statement is essential for focus and direction throughout your paper. Your thesis should communicate the central point or argument you will make in your ethics paper – this is often expressed as a claim backed up by reasons. Make sure your statement is specific enough to be manageable within the scope of your assignment but broad enough to give room for interpretation.

4. Prepare an Outline

Developing an outline can help you organize your thoughts and plan how you will make your argument step by step. This structure should include:

– Introduction: A brief overview of the topic along with your thesis statement

– Background: Contextualize your argument by providing necessary background information

– Main Arguments: Present your main points and support them with evidence

– Counterarguments: Address potential objections and opposing viewpoints

– Conclusion: Summarize your arguments and restate your thesis

5. Write Your Ethics Paper

With your outline in place, begin drafting your ethics paper following the structure you have devised. Make sure to cite sources as you present evidence for your arguments, using standard citation formats (such as APA, MLA, or Chicago) depending on your assignment requirements. Remember to maintain clarity and flow in your writing by using smooth transitions between sentences and paragraphs.

6. Address Counterarguments

Including counterarguments enhances the credibility of your ethics paper by demonstrating your awareness of opposing views. When addressing counterarguments, present the opposing viewpoints fairly and objectively while simultaneously providing reasons why your position is preferable or holds a stronger evidence base.

7. Revise and Edit

After completing the first draft of your ethics paper, take some time to revise and edit it thoroughly. This step ensures that your essay is free from grammatical, stylistic, and structural errors. Ask for feedback from peers or instructors to gain insight into any areas that may need improvement.

Writing an ethics paper requires careful analysis, thoughtful consideration of different perspectives, and a clear articulation of your own point of view. By following these steps – choosing a topic, conducting research, developing a thesis statement, preparing an outline, writing the paper itself, addressing counterarguments, and revising – you will be well-equipped to craft a captivating and persuasive ethics paper that will engage readers and spark meaningful debate on important ethical issues.

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Addressing ethical issues in your research proposal

This article explores the ethical issues that may arise in your proposed study during your doctoral research degree.

What ethical principles apply when planning and conducting research?

Research ethics are the moral principles that govern how researchers conduct their studies (Wellcome Trust, 2014). As there are elements of uncertainty and risk involved in any study, every researcher has to consider how they can uphold these ethical principles and conduct the research in a way that protects the interests and welfare of participants and other stakeholders (such as organisations).  

You will need to consider the ethical issues that might arise in your proposed study. Consideration of the fundamental ethical principles that underpin all research will help you to identify the key issues and how these could be addressed. As you are probably a practitioner who wants to undertake research within your workplace, consider how your role as an ‘insider’ influences how you will conduct your study. Think about the ethical issues that might arise when you become an insider researcher (for example, relating to trust, confidentiality and anonymity).  

What key ethical principles do you think will be important when planning or conducting your research, particularly as an insider? Principles that come to mind might include autonomy, respect, dignity, privacy, informed consent and confidentiality. You may also have identified principles such as competence, integrity, wellbeing, justice and non-discrimination.  

Key ethical issues that you will address as an insider researcher include:

  • Gaining trust
  • Avoiding coercion when recruiting colleagues or other participants (such as students or service users)
  • Practical challenges relating to ensuring the confidentiality and anonymity of organisations and staff or other participants.

(Heslop et al, 2018)

A fuller discussion of ethical principles is available from the British Psychological Society’s Code of Human Research Ethics (BPS, 2021).

You can also refer to guidance from the British Educational Research Association and the British Association for Applied Linguistics .

Pebbles balance on a stone see-saw

Ethical principles are essential for protecting the interests of research participants, including maximising the benefits and minimising any risks associated with taking part in a study. These principles describe ethical conduct which reflects the integrity of the researcher, promotes the wellbeing of participants and ensures high-quality research is conducted (Health Research Authority, 2022).  

Research ethics is therefore not simply about gaining ethical approval for your study to be conducted. Research ethics relates to your moral conduct as a doctoral researcher and will apply throughout your study from design to dissemination (British Psychological Society, 2021). When you apply to undertake a doctorate, you will need to clearly indicate in your proposal that you understand these ethical principles and are committed to upholding them.  

Where can I find ethical guidance and resources? 

Professional bodies, learned societies, health and social care authorities, academic publications, Research Ethics Committees and research organisations provide a range of ethical guidance and resources. International codes such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights underpin ethical frameworks (United Nations, 1948).  

You may be aware of key legislation in your own country or the country where you plan to undertake the research, including laws relating to consent, data protection and decision-making capacity, for example, the Data Protection Act, 2018 (UK).  If you want to find out more about becoming an ethical researcher, check out this Open University short course: Becoming an ethical researcher: Introduction and guidance: What is a badged course? - OpenLearn - Open University  

You should be able to justify the research decisions you make. Utilising these resources will guide your ethical judgements when writing your proposal and ultimately when designing and conducting your research study. The Ethical Guidelines for Educational Research (British Educational Research Association, 2018) identifies the key responsibilities you will have when you conduct your research, including the range of stakeholders that you will have responsibilities to, as follows:   

  • to your participants (e.g. to appropriately inform them, facilitate their participation and support them)
  • clients, stakeholders and sponsors
  • the community of educational or health and social care researchers
  • for publication and dissemination
  • your wellbeing and development

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (no date) has emphasised the need to promote equality, diversity and inclusion when undertaking research, particularly to address long-standing social and health inequalities. Research should be informed by the diversity of people’s experiences and insights, so that it will lead to the development of practice that addresses genuine need. A commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion aims to eradicate prejudice and discrimination on the basis of an individual or group of individuals' protected characteristics such as sex (gender), disability, race, sexual orientation, in line with the Equality Act 2010.  

The NIHR has produced guidance for enhancing the inclusion of ‘under-served groups’ when designing a research study (2020). Although the guidance refers to clinical research it is relevant to research more broadly.  

You should consider how you will promote equality and diversity in your planned study, including through aspects such as your research topic or question, the methodology you will use, the participants you plan to recruit and how you will analyse and interpret your data.    

What ethical issues do I need to consider when writing my research proposal?

Camera equipment set up filming a man talking

You might be planning to undertake research in a health, social care, educational or other setting, including observations and interviews. The following prompts should help you to identify key ethical issues that you need to bear in mind when undertaking research in such settings.  

1.     Imagine you are a potential participant. Think about the questions and concerns that you might have:

  • How would you feel if a researcher sat in your space and took notes, completed a checklist, or made an audio or film recording?
  • What harm might a researcher cause by observing or interviewing you and others?
  • What would you want to know about the researcher and ask them about the study before giving consent?
  • When imagining you are the participant, how could the researcher make you feel more comfortable to be observed or interviewed? 

2.     Having considered the perspective of your potential participant, how would you take account of concerns such as privacy, consent, wellbeing and power in your research proposal?  

[Adapted from OpenLearn course: Becoming an ethical researcher, Week 2 Activity 3: Becoming an ethical researcher - OpenLearn - Open University ]  

The ethical issues to be considered will vary depending on your organisational context/role, the types of participants you plan to recruit (for example, children, adults with mental health problems), the research methods you will use, and the types of data you will collect. You will need to decide how to recruit your participants so you do not inappropriately exclude anyone.  Consider what methods may be necessary to facilitate their voice and how you can obtain their consent to taking part or ensure that consent is obtained from someone else as necessary, for example, a parent in the case of a child. 

You should also think about how to avoid imposing an unnecessary burden or costs on your participants. For example, by minimising the length of time they will have to commit to the study and by providing travel or other expenses. Identify the measures that you will take to store your participants’ data safely and maintain their confidentiality and anonymity when you report your findings. You could do this by storing interview and video recordings in a secure server and anonymising their names and those of their organisations using pseudonyms.  

Professional codes such as the Code of Human Research Ethics (BPS, 2021) provide guidance on undertaking research with children. Being an ‘insider’ researching within your own organisation has advantages. However, you should also consider how this might impact on your research, such as power dynamics, consent, potential bias and any conflict of interest between your professional and researcher roles (Sapiro and Matthews, 2020).  

How have other researchers addressed any ethical challenges?

The literature provides researchers’ accounts explaining how they addressed ethical challenges when undertaking studies. For example, Turcotte-Tremblay and McSween-Cadieux (2018) discuss strategies for protecting participants’ confidentiality when disseminating findings locally, such as undertaking fieldwork in multiple sites and providing findings in a generalised form. In addition, professional guidance includes case studies illustrating how ethical issues can be addressed, including when researching online forums (British Sociological Association, no date).

Watch the videos below and consider what insights the postgraduate researcher and supervisor provide  regarding issues such as being an ‘insider researcher’, power relations, avoiding intrusion, maintaining participant anonymity and complying with research ethics and professional standards. How might their experiences inform the design and conduct of your own study?

Postgraduate researcher and supervisor talk about ethical considerations

Your thoughtful consideration of the ethical issues that might arise and how you would address these should enable you to propose an ethically informed study and conduct it in a responsible, fair and sensitive manner. 

British Educational Research Association (2018)  Ethical Guidelines for Educational Research.  Available at:  https://www.bera.ac.uk/publication/ethical-guidelines-for-educational-research-2018  (Accessed: 9 June 2023).

British Psychological Society (2021)  Code of Human Research Ethics . Available at:  https://cms.bps.org.uk/sites/default/files/2022-06/BPS%20Code%20of%20Human%20Research%20Ethics%20%281%29.pdf  (Accessed: 9 June 2023).

British Sociological Association (2016)  Researching online forums . Available at:  https://www.britsoc.co.uk/media/24834/j000208_researching_online_forums_-cs1-_v3.pdf  (Accessed: 9 June 2023).

Health Research Authority (2022)  UK Policy Framework for Health and Social Care Research . Available at:  https://www.hra.nhs.uk/planning-and-improving-research/policies-standards-legislation/uk-policy-framework-health-social-care-research/uk-policy-framework-health-and-social-care-research/#chiefinvestigators  (Accessed: 9 June 2023).

Heslop, C., Burns, S., Lobo, R. (2018) ‘Managing qualitative research as insider-research in small rural communities’,  Rural and Remote Health , 18: pp. 4576.

Equality Act 2010, c. 15.  Available at:   https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/introduction   (Accessed: 9 June 2023).

National Institute for Health and Care Research (no date)  Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) . Available at:  https://arc-kss.nihr.ac.uk/public-and-community-involvement/pcie-guide/how-to-do-pcie/equality-diversity-and-inclusion-edi  (Accessed: 9 June 2023).

National Institute for Health and Care Research (2020)  Improving inclusion of under-served groups in clinical research: Guidance from INCLUDE project.  Available at:   https://www.nihr.ac.uk/documents/improving-inclusion-of-under-served-groups-in-clinical-research-guidance-from-include-project/25435  (Accessed: 9 June 2023).

Sapiro, B. and Matthews, E. (2020) ‘Both Insider and Outsider. On Conducting Social Work Research in Mental Health Settings’,  Advances in Social Work , 20(3). Available at:  https://doi.org/10.18060/23926

Turcotte-Tremblay, A. and McSween-Cadieux, E. (2018) ‘A reflection on the challenge of protecting confidentiality of participants when disseminating research results locally’,  BMC Medical Ethics,  19(supplement 1), no. 45. Available at:   https://bmcmedethics.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12910-018-0279-0

United Nations General Assembly (1948)  The Universal Declaration of Human Rights . Resolution A/RES/217/A. Available at:  https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights#:~:text=Drafted%20by%20representatives%20with%20different,all%20peoples%20and%20all%20nations . (Accessed: 9 June 2023).

Wellcome Trust (2014)  Ensuring your research is ethical: A guide for Extended Project Qualification students . Available at:  https://wellcome.org/sites/default/files/wtp057673_0.pdf  (Accessed: 9 June 2023).

More articles from the research proposal collection

Writing your research proposal

Writing your research proposal

A doctoral research degree is the highest academic qualification that a student can achieve. The guidance provided in these articles will help you apply for one of the two main types of research degree offered by The Open University.

Level: 1 Introductory

Defining your research methodology

Defining your research methodology

Your research methodology is the approach you will take to guide your research process and explain why you use particular methods. This article explains more.

Writing your proposal and preparing for your interview

Writing your proposal and preparing for your interview

The final article looks at writing your research proposal - from the introduction through to citations and referencing - as well as preparing for your interview.

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180 Ethics Topics & Ethical Questions to Debate

Our code of ethics is derived from what we think is right or wrong. On top of that, we have to agree to the moral standards established by the society we live in. Conventional norms generally label theft, murder, or harassment as bad. However, there are many influences that impact our considerations and understanding of ethics.

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Ethics is a branch of philosophy that studies moral issues. This article outlines the three different types of ethics and presents a list of compelling ethics topics for essays and research papers, as well as ethical questions to debate.

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🔝 Top 10 Ethical Topics

  • 🧑🤝🧑Types of Ethics
  • 🤔 Ethical Issues
  • 🖥️ Computer Ethics
  • 🧬 Bioethics
  • 🚓👮 Criminal Justice
  • ⚖️ Ethical Dilemmas

⭐ Top 10 Ethics Topics to Debate

😈 ethical questions to debate, 🔍 references.

  • Religious beliefs vs. medical care
  • Issues behind unpaid internships
  • Toxic environment at the workplace
  • The dilemma of reporting an accident
  • Should one’s political leanings be private?
  • The limits of doctor-patient confidentiality
  • Is it ethical to pay children for good grades?
  • Ethics at the workplace and discrimination
  • Should social media be allowed at the workplace?
  • Promotion of environmental responsibility in business

🧑🤝🧑 Types of Ethics

Modern philosophy splits ethics into three groups: metaethics, normative ethics, and applied ethics.

  • The core question of metaethics is: “What is morality, and where does it come from?” It is also concerned with the emergence of human values, motivation, and reasoning.
  • Normative ethics seeks to answer the question, “How should I act?” An example of a normative moral theory is Kant’s Categorical Imperative: Act only according to that maxim whereby you can, at the same time, will that it should become a universal law . In other words: be kind.
  • Applied ethics seeks to apply moral considerations into real-life controversial subjects. Its contents can vary greatly and touch bioethics as well as criminal justice. It studies specific actions and practices from the point of moral acceptance.

Virtues are necessary.

However, ethics does not end with these three types. Over the centuries, philosophers have proposed various ethical theories. Their four general categories are deontological, utilitarian, right, and virtue ethics.

  • A deontologist is a person with a set of moral duties from which they will not adhere. When faced with an ethical conflict, they will always act according to their self-proclaimed obligations.
  • For a utilitarian , a decision needs to yield the greatest benefit for the majority.
  • If rights are the root of an ethical theory, these are the highest priority. A person’s rights can either be established in a society by law or bestowed from one individual upon another.
  • Judging someone by virtue means considering a person’s character rather than their actions. Here, an individual’s reputation, motivation, and ethics play a crucial role.

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🤔 Ethical Topics for an Essay

Ethical issues are situations in which an individual needs to evaluate which course of action is morally right. Essays on this topic shine a light on difficult questions. Therefore, students need to defend their position convincingly.

  • Discuss what we should do about climate change . 
  • What are the moral problems surrounding abortion ? 
  • Can we still justify eating meat? 
  • Investigate the use of plastic in the beauty industry. 
  • Is it unethical to be extremely rich? 
  • Should you buy Nestlé products despite the fact that the company privatizes water? 
  • Is the unequal distribution of wealth unethical? 
  • Discuss how workplace ethics should take sexism into account. 
  • What can we do to combat racism ? 
  • Why are LGBT + people discriminated against? 
  • Should euthanasia be legal? 
  • Can war be ethical? 
  • Should schools punish students for attending the Fridays for Future protests? 
  • Would drug use be unethical if it were legal? 
  • Explain the moral problems that come with automating jobs . 

The Ten Commandments.

  • Is it ethical to hire someone to do assignments for you? 
  • How far should everyone’s right to privacy go? 
  • Is using animals for scientific testing unethical? 
  • How should governments deal with refugees ? 
  • Discuss the carbon impact of having children. 
  • Can modern societies still be held accountable for what their nation did in the past? 
  • Analyze the benefits and disadvantages of universal income . 
  • How much control should the state have on the press? 
  • Should schools teach religion ? 
  • What are ethical concerns regarding downloading media from the internet? 

🖥️ Computer Ethics Essay Topics

The advent of information technology has altered every aspect of our lives. Computer ethics applies traditional moral theories to everything surrounding computers and cyber security. The list below contains enthralling ethical topics concerned with the realm of computing.

  • How much work should we leave entirely to computers? 
  • Discuss the dangers of storing vulnerable data online. 
  • Are computers secure enough to contain so much information about our lives? 
  • Discuss if hacking can be morally justified. 
  • Examine privacy-related concerns regarding computers . 
  • Should all software be free? 
  • How can you legitimize the possession of a computer algorithm patent? 
  • What can be done to prevent cyberbullying ? 
  • Investigate the moral effects anonymity has on internet users. 
  • Whose laws apply if you wish to protect your rights online? 
  • Discuss how the necessity to own a computer impacts poorer nations and people. 
  • Which ethical problems can people face due to the internet’s possibilities? 
  • When is sabotaging another person’s computer justified? 
  • Analyze the social responsibility that comes with developing new software. 
  • Are computer crimes less harmful than crimes against humans? 
  • Who owns information that is distributed online? 
  • What is more important: easy accessibility or privacy? 
  • Investigate the moral problems associated with AI . 
  • If a computer makes a critical mistake, whose fault is it? 
  • Discuss the importance of netiquette. 
  • How should tech companies deal with ethical problems? 
  • Can AI algorithms ensure ethical behavior? 
  • Why do tech companies need ethics boards? 
  • Which ethical conflicts appear when using drones ? 
  • Investigate racial bias in facial recognition systems. 

🏅 Sports Ethics Topics for a Paper

Morality in sports is based on integrity, respect, responsibility, and fairness. Often, this puts athletes into a dilemma: do I want to be ethical, or do I want to win? Answering these questions is not always easy. The following list compiles sports topics for a research paper on ethics.

  • What are moral complications when using enhancement drugs? 
  • Is gamesmanship unethical? 
  • How important is ethics in sports? 
  • Discuss the moral responsibilities of athletes . 
  • What are ethical reasons to pay college athletes ? 
  • Investigate the ethical implications of kneeling for the national anthem . 
  • Can college sports and the principles of higher education go hand in hand? 
  • Investigate the sexist bias in sports. 
  • Was it selfish when the American female soccer team went to court to demand equal pay? 

Thomas A. Edison quote.

  • What moral obligations do universities have towards their athletes? 
  • When can you justify cheating ? 
  • Concerning the environment, how can professional sports events be ethical? 
  • Which ethical issues do healthcare workers have concerning sportspeople? 
  • Which moral duties do teams’ coaches have? 
  • Are the extremely high salaries of sports professionals justified? 
  • In 2003, the Olympics abolished the wild card system. Was that fair? 
  • Because of the Paralympics, disabled athletes cannot take part in the real Olympics. Is that discriminatory? 
  • Discuss how money influences the fairness of a sport. 
  • Debate if and how children are exploited to become elite athletes. 
  • Which moral duties should a good sport follow? 
  • How much should parents get involved in their child’s physical education ? 
  • Investigate if everyday codes of ethics should apply to sports. 
  • Discuss the ethical implications of motorsports. 
  • Who is responsible if a player gets injured? 
  • Are referees always fair? 

🧬 Bioethics Topics for an Essay

Bioethics comes into play when we talk about life and health. It expands from genetics to neurology and even plastic surgery. In the name of the common good, researchers often find themselves in conflicting positions. This makes bioethics an especially exciting topic to write about.

  • Discuss the moral conflicts of genetic engineering . 
  • What are the ethical responsibilities associated with using CRISPR ? 
  • Investigate the problems of stem cell research . 
  • When can humans be used for drug testing ? 
  • Should vaccinations be mandatory for everyone? 
  • Investigate the ethics that apply to a medical worker. 
  • Discuss the harmful effects of plastic surgery . 
  • Should a person who is brain dead be kept alive? 
  • Is it just that medical care is linked to an individual’s ability to pay? 
  • Should everyone be an organ donor by default? 
  • What is more important: a person’s right to privacy or the information of at-risk relatives? 
  • Is prenatal invasive testing ethical? 
  • Should neuroenhancement drugs be legal? 
  • Discuss ethical conflicts concerning Disclosure and Barring Service. 
  • Is it ethical to improve memory functions with brain stimulation ? 
  • Analyze the ethical issues concerning precision medicine. 
  • What are the problems of surrogacy ? 
  • Should medical personnel collect healthy tissues of a deceased person without their consent? 

Bioethics is closely connected with the fields of technology, medicine, politics, philosophy, and law,

  • What should be done with the child of a brain-dead pregnant woman? 
  • How important is a subject’s anonymity during research? 
  • Discuss the ethics of shared decision-making . 
  • How much responsibility do mentally challenged people carry for their actions? 
  • Was Sweden right not to impose strict lockdown rules during the COVID-19 pandemic? 
  • To what extent are businesses responsible for their employees’ health? 
  • Should universal healthcare be free? 

🚓👮 Criminal Justice Ethics Topics to Write About

Law enforcers should always act ethically. Unfortunately, it is not always the case. Police officers and attorneys often end up in morally ambiguous situations. In many cases, they don’t do what the public deems the right thing. Below are the examples of criminal justice ethics topics.

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  • When is it legitimate for a police officer to use violence? 
  • How can an officer remain impartial? 
  • Should law enforcement visibly wear guns in public? 
  • How much force is too much? 
  • Investigate possible ethical implications associated with true crime podcasts. 
  • Should prostitution be legal in the US? 
  • How ethical is interrogation ? 
  • Can torture be justified? 
  • Discuss the ethical consequences of lying when working in criminal justice . 
  • Is working undercover deception? 
  • Debate whether it is an American citizen’s moral duty to participate in jury duty. 
  • Should the police be allowed to access everyone’s data? 
  • Discuss the moral complications of “innocent until proven guilty.” 
  • Should convicted pedophiles be allowed to see their children? 
  • Can teaching ethics at schools prevent crime? 
  • Analyze ethical problems of the Stanford Prison Experiment . 
  • Should NATO have become involved in America’s Afghan war ? 
  • What are the ethical implications of shooter drills at school? 
  • Was Edward Snowden morally in the wrong? 
  • How should we deal with child soldiers ? 
  • Discuss if the prosecution of Julian Assange is justified. 
  • Examine the ethical problems of private prisons . 
  • What moral obligations should someone consider when granting prisoners the right to work? 
  • When is capital punishment justified? 
  • Is it ethical to incarcerate juvenile offenders ? 

⚖️ Ethical Dilemma Topics to Write About

An ethical issue becomes a dilemma when different moral standards clash with each other. In this situation, it is impossible to find a path to an ethically permissible solution that is unambiguous. The following sample topics are a solid base to start a discussion on morals.

  • Should parents watch over what their children do on the internet? 
  • Would you report an accident you caused if there are no witnesses? 
  • What should a doctor do if a patient refuses life-saving treatment for religious reasons? 
  • Should you turn down a client if their political views do not match yours? 
  • Would you promote something you are not convinced of to get money? 
  • Should you lie to land a job that gets you out of poverty? 

Ethical dilemmas.

  • Your partner cheated on you. Now, you get the chance to take your revenge with someone you really like. Would you do it? 
  • Should students use automated writing tools like free thesis generators , summarizers, and paraphrasers? 
  • Your teacher is continuously mocking your classmate. You are a teacher’s pet. Would you speak up? 
  • Your son likes to wear dresses. One day, he asks if he can wear one to school. Will you let him? 
  • You are very religious. Your daughter wants to get married to another woman and invites you to her wedding. What will you do? 
  • Prenatal testing showed that your unborn child has a disability. Would you terminate pregnancy? 
  • You are in a long-term relationship. Suddenly, your partner gets a job offer in another part of the world. What would you do? 
  • You have a terminal illness . This makes you a financial burden to your relatives. Are you obliged towards them to quit your treatment? 
  • You have a red and a blue candy bar. Blue is your favorite, but you also know that it’s your friend’s favorite. Will you give it to them? 
  • A friend asked you for a loan. Since then, they have not given you anything back. They are still not wholly stable financially. Will you ask them to return the money? 
  • Your grandma passed away and bequeathed her favorite mink coat to you. You are a vegan. What do you do? 
  • A few years ago, you borrowed a gun from a friend. Now, they ask for it back, but their mental state seems to be rapidly deteriorating. This makes you scared they are going to shoot someone, or themselves. What do you do? 
  • You find out that your friend cheats on their spouse. You are close friends with their family. Will you tell on them? 
  • For your birthday, your friend gave you a sweater they’ve made themselves. You think it’s ugly. Do you tell them? 
  • You are a vegan . Should you buy vegan products which are highly problematic to produce? 
  • You are in a restaurant. Your order arrives too late. The waitress looks stressed. Will you make her take it back? 
  • You went to the store and bought a new, expensive item. The clerk gives you too much change. Do you give it back? 
  • You are walking with a friend and find $50 on the floor. Would you share it with them? 
  • Your child firmly believes in Santa Claus. One Christmas , they start suspecting that he is not real. What do you do? 
  • Is having pets ethical?
  • Can eating meat be justified?
  • Should we defund the police?
  • Should atomic bombs be banned?
  • Can discrimination be justified?
  • Is it ethical to ask someone’s age?
  • Should children get paid for chores?
  • Is it unprofessional to send voice messages?
  • Should children be allowed to vote?
  • Should influencers promote products they don’t use?
  • Should there be any limitations to doctor and patient confidentiality?
  • Should physician-assisted suicide be allowed?
  • Can teenagers get plastic surgery?
  • What to do when you find out that your relative has committed an offense?
  • What to do when you see your friend cheating on the exam?
  • Should sportsmen be paid more than teachers?
  • Should gender quotas be used during parliamentary elections?
  • Do companies have the right to collect information about their customers?
  • Can politicians appeal to religious issues during electoral campaigns?
  • Should fake news be censored in a democratic society?

We hope that in this list you’ve found the ethics topic that fits you the best. Good luck with your assignment!

Further reading:

  • 430 Philosophy Topics & Questions for Your Essay
  • 226 Research Topics on Criminal Justice & Criminology
  • 512 Research Topics on HumSS (Humanities & Social Sciences)
  • 204 Research Topics on Technology & Computer Science
  • What’s the Difference Between Morality and Ethics?: Britannica
  • What is Ethics?: Santa Clara University
  • Ethics: Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
  • Metaethics: Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
  • Ethical Issues: Idaho State University
  • The Problem with AI Ethics: The Verge
  • Sports Ethics: Santa Clara University
  • What Is Bioethics?: Michigan State University
  • Ethics in Criminal Justice: Campbellsville University
  • Kant’s Formula of Universal Law: Harvard University
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Home — Essay Samples — Philosophy — Ethics and Moral Philosophy — Ethical Dilemma

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Ethical Dilemma Essays

Understanding how to write an ethical dilemma essay.

If you're tasked with writing an ethical dilemma essay, it's essential to start with a clear understanding of the topic. Here are some prompt samples to help you grasp the key aspects:

  • Prompt 1: Analyze a personal ethical dilemma you have faced and the decision-making process involved.
  • Prompt 2: Discuss an ethical dilemma in a real-world professional setting and propose a solution.
  • Prompt 3: Explore the ethical dilemmas surrounding advancements in technology and their impact on society.
  • Prompt 4: Investigate the moral conflicts arising from environmental conservation efforts and economic development.

Brainstorming and Choosing a Compelling Essay Topic

Now that you have some prompts to work with, it's time to brainstorm and select a captivating essay topic. Consider the following points:

  • Personal Experience: Reflect on personal ethical dilemmas you've encountered, as they can provide unique insights.
  • Relevance: Ensure your topic is relevant to the prompt and highlights the complexity of ethical decision-making.
  • Moral Ambiguity: Choose a topic that involves conflicting values or principles, making the dilemma truly ethical.
  • Contemporary Issues: Explore current events or situations where ethical choices play a crucial role.

Unique Ethical Dilemma Essay Topics

Here's a list of unique essay topics that go beyond the ordinary:

  • The Ethical Dilemma of Artificial Intelligence in Autonomous Vehicles
  • Ethical Decision-Making in Healthcare: The Case of Allocating Limited Resources During a Pandemic
  • The Moral Implications of Genetic Editing and Designer Babies
  • Corporate Responsibility: Balancing Profit and Ethical Practices in the Pharmaceutical Industry
  • Environmental Ethics: The Conflict Between Conservation and Indigenous Rights
  • The Ethical Challenges of Privacy and Surveillance in the Digital Age
  • The Use of Torture in Interrogation: An Examination of the Ticking Time Bomb Scenario
  • Ethical Dilemmas in Journalism: Reporting on Sensitive Subjects and the Public's Right to Know
  • Animal Testing in Scientific Research: Balancing Scientific Advancement and Animal Welfare
  • The Ethical Considerations of Assisted Suicide and End-of-Life Care
  • Police Use of Force: Balancing Public Safety and Individual Rights
  • Environmental Conservation vs. Economic Development: The Case of Deforestation
  • AI and Employment: The Ethical Dilemma of Automation and Job Displacement
  • The Ethics of Human Cloning and Its Potential Consequences
  • Refugee Crisis: Ethical Obligations and National Sovereignty
  • Ethical Challenges in Artificial Intelligence Research: Bias and Fairness
  • Food Industry Ethics: The Dilemma of Factory Farming and Sustainable Alternatives
  • Medical Trials in Developing Countries: Balancing Scientific Progress and Informed Consent
  • The Ethical Implications of Space Exploration and Colonization
  • Ethics of AI-Powered Deepfake Technology: Implications for Privacy and Misinformation

Paragraph and Phrase Inspiration

When crafting your essay, here are some sample paragraphs and phrases that can inspire your writing:

  • Introduction: "Ethical dilemmas are the moral crossroads where our values and principles clash with real-life decisions."
  • Main Body: "In the case of AI in autonomous vehicles, the ethical dilemma centers around the choice between prioritizing passenger safety or minimizing harm to pedestrians."
  • Counterargument: "While some argue that sacrificing individual privacy for national security is justified, it's crucial to consider the potential abuses and erosion of civil liberties."
  • Conclusion: "In conclusion, ethical dilemmas are not mere theoretical exercises; they shape our society and define our values. By examining these complex issues, we can strive for a more ethical and compassionate world."

Now that you have these tips and unique ideas in mind, go ahead and write an engaging ethical dilemma essay that leaves a lasting impact. Dive deep into the complexities of moral choices and spark thoughtful discussions.

A Critical Analysis of Ethical Dilemmas in Education and Beyond

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An ethical dilemma refers to a situation or scenario in which an individual or group is faced with a complex decision that involves conflicting moral principles or values. It is a challenging predicament where there is no clear-cut right or wrong choice, and the decision-maker must carefully navigate the moral and ethical implications of their actions.

Personal Ethical Dilemmas: These arise when an individual faces conflicting moral values or principles in their personal life. For example, choosing between honesty and protecting a loved one's reputation. Professional Ethical Dilemmas: These occur in the workplace and involve conflicts between ethical responsibilities and professional obligations. For instance, deciding whether to blow the whistle on unethical practices that may harm others but jeopardize one's career. Societal Ethical Dilemmas: These pertain to broader societal issues and involve conflicting values or interests. Examples include debates on topics like euthanasia, abortion, or genetic engineering, where different ethical perspectives clash. Organizational Ethical Dilemmas: These dilemmas arise within organizations when employees face conflicting values or ethical standards. For instance, deciding between loyalty to the company and reporting unethical behavior by a colleague. Technological Ethical Dilemmas: With advancements in technology, ethical dilemmas have emerged, such as privacy concerns, AI ethics, or the impact of automation on employment.

Conflict of Values: Ethical dilemmas arise when individuals encounter conflicting values or principles, where there is no clear right or wrong answer. These conflicting values create a sense of moral uncertainty. Difficult Decision-Making: Ethical dilemmas require individuals to make difficult choices between competing options, each with their own ethical implications. The decision-making process involves weighing the potential consequences and considering the moral implications of each choice. No Perfect Solution: Ethical dilemmas often lack a perfect or ideal solution that satisfies all ethical considerations. Regardless of the decision made, there may be negative consequences or ethical trade-offs involved. Personal and Moral Significance: Ethical dilemmas are deeply personal and have significant moral implications for the individuals involved. They often challenge personal integrity and moral values, making the decision emotionally and morally burdensome. Ethical Reasoning: Resolving ethical dilemmas requires careful ethical reasoning, analysis, and consideration of different ethical theories or frameworks. It involves examining the principles, values, and potential consequences involved in order to make an informed and morally justifiable decision. Contextual Nature: Ethical dilemmas are influenced by the specific context in which they occur. Factors such as cultural norms, social expectations, legal considerations, and professional codes of conduct can further complicate the decision-making process.

Utilitarianism: Utilitarianism asserts that the ethical choice is the one that maximizes overall happiness or utility for the greatest number of people. When faced with an ethical dilemma, individuals utilizing this theory would weigh the potential consequences of each option and choose the one that leads to the greatest net benefit. Deontological Ethics: Deontological ethics focuses on adhering to moral duties and principles regardless of the outcomes. This approach emphasizes the inherent rightness or wrongness of actions rather than the consequences. Individuals using deontological reasoning would consider universal moral principles, such as honesty or respect for autonomy, when making ethical decisions. Virtue Ethics: Virtue ethics centers on the development of moral character and emphasizes the importance of virtuous traits and intentions in ethical decision-making. When faced with an ethical dilemma, individuals using this theory would consider which action aligns with virtuous qualities, such as honesty, compassion, or justice.

Film: In the movie "12 Angry Men," a jury must decide the fate of a young man accused of murder. Jurors face an ethical dilemma as they confront their biases, prejudices, and the weight of the evidence, ultimately questioning their responsibility to deliver a just verdict. Literature: In the novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, the character Atticus Finch faces an ethical dilemma when defending an innocent black man accused of rape in a racially divided society. He confronts the moral choice between upholding justice and challenging deeply ingrained prejudices. Television: The series "The Good Place" revolves around ethical dilemmas and moral philosophy. Characters navigate complex ethical situations as they question the nature of good and bad, exploring themes such as utilitarianism, deontology, and moral relativism.

The topic of ethical dilemmas is crucial to explore and discuss in essays due to its profound impact on individuals, societies, and decision-making processes. Ethical dilemmas present complex situations where individuals face conflicting moral choices, and examining them allows for a deeper understanding of ethical principles, values, and the complexities of human behavior. Writing an essay on ethical dilemmas offers several benefits. Firstly, it encourages critical thinking and ethical reasoning by presenting real or hypothetical scenarios that challenge one's moral compass. It prompts individuals to analyze different perspectives, weigh the consequences of actions, and navigate moral gray areas. Secondly, exploring ethical dilemmas fosters ethical awareness and character development. By examining these dilemmas, individuals gain insights into their own values, biases, and decision-making processes. It promotes self-reflection and the cultivation of moral virtues such as empathy, integrity, and responsibility. Lastly, the topic of ethical dilemmas is relevant to various fields, including medicine, business, law, and technology. Essays on this subject provide an opportunity to explore how ethical frameworks and principles can guide professionals in making ethically sound decisions within their respective domains.

1. Beauchamp, T. L., & Bowie, N. E. (2020). Ethical theory and business (10th ed.). Pearson. 2. Bredeson, D. (2017). Ethical dilemmas and decisions in criminal justice (10th ed.). Cengage Learning. 3. Davis, M. (2016). Ethics and the university. Routledge. 4. Kidder, R. M. (2005). How good people make tough choices: Resolving the dilemmas of ethical living. Harper Perennial. 5. Lo, B., & Field, M. J. (Eds.). (2009). Conflict of interest in medical research, education, and practice. National Academies Press. 6. May, L., & Vandekerckhove, W. (Eds.). (2019). Routledge handbook of whistleblowing studies. Routledge. 7. Resnik, D. B. (2015). Playing politics with science: Balancing scientific independence and government oversight. Oxford University Press. 8. Singer, P. (2015). Ethics in the real world: 82 brief essays on things that matter. Princeton University Press. 9. Treviño, L. K., & Nelson, K. A. (2020). Managing business ethics: Straight talk about how to do it right (8th ed.). John Wiley & Sons. 10. Velasquez, M. (2018). Business ethics: Concepts and cases. Pearson.

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TOOLS FOR WRITING – THE ETHICAL DILEMMA ESSAY

Table of contents, defining an ethical dilemma, ethical dilemma essay topics, how to write an ethical dilemma essay, ethical dilemma essay examples.

We all have a sense of ethics – moral principles that are a part of who we are . Some people are fully opposed to the death penalty; others are opposed to abortion; some support mercy killing, or the “right to die.” But what happens when our moral principles are put to the test through an ethical dilemma?

Basically, an ethical dilemma is facing a decision that, in making that decision, violates a moral principle in order to follow another one . Either decision will mean violating one of your moral principles. 

An ethical dilemma is facing a decision that, in making that decision, violates a moral principle in order to follow another one

A simple and often used example of a moral dilemma is this: You are on a ship that is sinking, and you must get into a lifeboat. That lifeboat can only hold 10 people without sinking, and there are 11 of you that need to get into it. Your moral principle is the preservation of life at all costs. How do you determine who does not get into that lifeboat? Or do you put all 11 in the lifeboat which will kill all of you? Any decision you make will compromise your principle of preserving life at all costs. 

If you are assigned an ethical dilemma essay, chances are you are given a question or a prompt for that essay, but if not you can always search for a write my paper help on our web-site

Sample Ethical Dilemma Essay

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Writer144311 has a background in marketing, technology, and business intelligence. S/he enjoys writing about data science, BI, new marketing trends and branding strategies. On TrustMyPaper s/he shares her practical experience through academic writing.

Have you ever faced an ethical dilemma? Write a personal ethical dilemma essay about one such dilemma and how you handled it. It will be in the first person and will not have to follow the formal writing rules of academic writing .

Here are several potential topics of an ethical dilemma essay. You will note that most provide scenarios in which a person will have to make a decision.

Best ethical dilemma essay topics:

  • You are a nurse who is committed to providing the best possible care according to the protocols that have been established. You have a patient who is dying. He is in extreme pain. You are charged with administering pain medication on a set schedule, but the patient remains in extreme pain and is asking for more pain medication on a shorter schedule. Do you follow your moral principle of relieving pain or the protocols that have been established?
  • You are the spouse of a woman who has gone into labor. There are complications. The doctor has informed you that you must make a decision to save the life or your wife or your as yet unborn child. What is your decision-making process, and how does either decision compromise your moral principles of the sanctity of life? Do you abort the child and condemn it to death or do you preserve the life of your wife?
  • You have witnessed your best friend cheating on an exam. Do you let loyalty to your friend prevail and not report this, or do you abide by your sense of what is right and report the incident to your instructor?
  • You are an animal rights advocate, believing that all life is sacred. A biological research company is conducting research using animals as subjects. The goal of this research is to eliminate a horrible disease that is afflicting many people all over the world., but animals will suffer even die, in the process. Can you reconcile your advocacy of animal rights with the greater good of saving human lives?

While your essay will follow the standard format – introduction, body, and conclusion – it may be of different types. You may be writing a narrative of personal experience; you may be writing a more academic piece on an ethical dilemma in a conceptual way; you may be writing an argumentative piece on a specific ethical dilemma. And some of these types of essays may require some research.

Once you have completed your mind map, and consolidated the items into specific points that you want to make, you are ready to craft at least a rough outline of the body paragraphs you will compose.

Develop your thesis statement based upon your points. What is it that you are trying to “prove” to your audience? What do you want your reader to take away from this essay? Your answer to these questions will help you to form your thesis statement.

Write your body paragraphs first. These must be well-formed, with topic sentences and lots of detail to support them. 

One the body paragraphs are constructed, you are ready to craft your introduction – a part of your essay that will introduce the topic and provide your thesis for the essay. Work to create a “hook” for your reader – something that will pique their interest and motivate them to read on. This might be a startling statistic, a quote from a famous person, or a short anecdote to which they can relate. 

Carefully think about your conclusion. You will want to re-state your thesis , of course, but you also may need to encourage those who are dealing with moral dilemmas , as they struggle with their own.

There are plenty of ethical dilemma essay examples out there on the web. And they will give you great ideas about structure and format. But understand this: your essay must be uniquely yours. You must insert your own style, your own ideas, your own style into your essay, or it won’t be compelling or engaging to your reader. Take the ideas; take the points. But make the essay yours alone.

External links

How to Mind Map with Tony Buzan. (2015). [YouTube Video]. In  YouTube . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5Y4pIsXTV0

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3 Key Tips to Writing a Great Ethics Case Study

Table of Contents

Writing an ethics case study is one of the most effective ways to explore an ethical dilemma or research any topic. Studying real-life scenarios and their circumstances might help you understand what went wrong and how to avoid similar problems. Read on if you’re ready to learn about writing an honest and informative ethics case study.

What Is an Ethics Case Study?

An ethics case study analyzes a specific ethical dilemma or situation that presents a moral conflict . Ethics case studies demonstrate how moral concepts apply in real life and how to make ethical decisions. A good ethics case study includes extensive research, numerous views, and an emphasis on the ethical implications of each possible action. It must include enough information about the circumstance and the people involved to let readers understand the intricacy of the issue. In an ethics case study, it’s essential to remain impartial and present all sides of the argument without bias. This case study style encourages critical thinking and meditation on complicated ethical dilemmas rather than persuasion. A well-written ethics case study might make us question our ideals as we meet ethical issues in our personal and professional lives.

Why Write an Ethics Case Study?

Ethics case studies help people understand how moral ideas apply in real life and make good decisions. These case studies help readers grasp complex ethical issues by researching, considering various views , and evaluating the ethical consequences of potential actions. Ethics case studies encourage critical thinking and reflection on complex ethical dilemmas by remaining impartial and presenting all sides of an argument without bias. These case studies enable readers to explore their values and views when facing ethical issues in their personal and professional lives. Ultimately, an ethics case study is a powerful way to help others navigate the complexities of ethical decision-making. Writers can aid their readers in making morally sound decisions by thoroughly understanding the situations and people involved. Doing so may create a more just and equitable world that respects honesty, integrity, and human dignity.

person wearing brown sweater writing with pen in book

How to Write an Ethics Case Study in Steps

Ethics is a complex and subjective topic, making it challenging to navigate ethical dilemmas. Writing an ethics case study is one way to help people understand the intricacies of ethical decision-making. When writing one, it’s essential to remain impartial and present all sides of the argument without bias. This approach encourages critical thinking and reflection on complex ethical issues.

1. Select an Ethical Issue

Begin by selecting a specific ethical issue that you want to explore in depth. You can recall ethical issues from memory, society, a book, a movie, or a similar experience.

2. Gather Relevant Information

Once you have gathered all relevant information and analyzed the situation thoroughly, it’s time to write your case study. Include details about their backgrounds, motivations, and values. It’s essential to consider the impact on everyone involved, including any potential stakeholders affected by the outcome.

3. Writing Format

The format should include an introduction, background information, an analysis of the issue, alternative solutions, recommendations, and a conclusion.  Remember to remain objective throughout the process and avoid inserting personal biases or opinions.

In conclusion, writing an ethics case study can be a challenging but rewarding task. It allows you to explore complex ethical dilemmas and develop critical thinking skills. However, it is essential to remember that the output must comply with specific rules to communicate your ideas effectively. This means using clear and concise language and avoiding jargon or technical terms whenever possible. Furthermore, when writing an ethics case study, it is essential to remember your target reader.

3 Key Tips to Writing a Great Ethics Case Study

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

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March 19, 2024

Evidence Does Not Support the Use of the Death Penalty

Capital punishment must come to an end. It does not deter crime, is not humane and has no moral or medical basis

By The Editors

A woman protesting, holding a sign showing the Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

A death penalty vigil, held in 2021 outside an Indiana penitentiary.

Bryan Woolston/Reuters/Redux

It is long past time to abolish the death penalty in the U.S.

Capital punishment was halted in the U.S. in 1972 but reinstated in 1976, and since then, nearly 1,600 people have been executed. To whose gain? Study after study shows that the death penalty does not deter crime, puts innocent people to death , is racially biased , and is cruel and inhumane. It is state-sanctioned homicide, wholly ineffective, often botched, and a much more expensive punishment than life imprisonment. There is no ethical, scientifically supported, medically acceptable or morally justifiable way to carry it out.

The recent execution of Kenneth Eugene Smith demonstrates this barbarity. After a failed attempt at lethal injection by prison officials seemingly inexperienced in the placement of an IV, the state of Alabama killed Smith in January using nitrogen gas . The Alabama attorney general claimed that this method of execution was fast and humane , despite no supporting evidence. Eyewitnesses recounted that Smith thrashed during the nitrogen administration and took more than 20 minutes to die.

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Opposition to the death penalty is growing among the American public , and the Biden administration must follow through on its promise to end this horror. The Department of Justice must heed its own admission that the death penalty doesn’t stop crime, and our legislators must continue to take up the issue on the congressional floor. The few states that still condemn people to death must follow the lead of states that have considered the evidence and rejected capital punishment.

Programs such as the Innocence Project have shown, over and over, that innocent people have been sentenced to death. Since 1973 nearly 200 people on death row have been exonerated, based on appeals, the reopening of cases, and the entrance of new and sometimes previously suppressed evidence. People have recanted testimony, and supposedly airtight cases have been poked full of evidentiary holes.

Through the death penalty, the criminal justice system has killed at least 20 people now believed to have been innocent and uncounted others whose cases have not been reexamined . Too many of these victims have been Black or Hispanic. This is not justice. These are state-sanctioned hate crimes.

Using rigorous statistical and experimental control methods, both economics and criminal justice studies have consistently found that there is no evidence for deterrence of violent crimes in states that allow capital punishment. One such study, a 2009 paper by criminology researchers at the University of Dallas, outlines experimental and statistical flaws in econometrics-based death penalty studies that claim to find a correlated reduction in violent crime. The death penalty does not stop people from killing. Executions don’t make us safer.

The methods used to kill prisoners are inhumane. Electrocution fails , causing significant pain and suffering. Joel Zivot, an anesthesiologist who criticizes the use of medicines in carrying out the death penalty, has found (at the request of lawyers of death row inmates) that the lungs of prisoners who were killed by lethal injection were often heavy with fluid and froth that suggested they were struggling to breathe and felt like they were drowning. Nitrogen gas is used in some veterinary euthanasia, but based in part on the behavior of rats in its presence, it is “unacceptable” for mammals , according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. This means that Smith, as his lawyers claimed in efforts to stop his execution, became a human subject in an immoral experiment.

Courts have often decided, against the abundant evidence, that these killings are constitutional and do not fall under the “cruel and unusual punishment” clause of the 8th Amendment or, in Smith’s appeal , both the 8th Amendment and the due process protection clause of the 14th amendment.

A small number of prosecutors and judges in a few states, mostly in the South, are responsible for most of the death sentences being handed down in the U.S. today. It’s a power they should not be able to wield. Smith was sentenced to life in prison by a jury before the judge in his case overruled the jury and gave him the death sentence.

A furious urge for vengeance against those who have done wrong—or those we think have done wrong—is the biggest motivation for the death penalty. But this desire for violent retribution is the very impulse that our criminal justice system is made to check, not abet. Elected officials need to reform this aspect of our justice system at both the state and federal levels. Capital punishment does not stop crime and mocks both justice and humanity. The death penalty in the U.S. must come to an end.

This is an opinion and analysis article, and the views expressed by the author or authors are not necessarily those of Scientific American .

Ethical Issues in AI

Last updated Winter/Spring 2023

Other pages on this site discuss, in purely practical terms, how instructors might approach crafting course policies around AI , designing AI-resistant writing assignments , and designing assignments that incorporate AI tools . This page seeks to complicate those considerations a bit by addressing some of the ethical factors around AI tools and their use in academic work.

The purpose of this page is not to draw clear boundaries around “ethical” and “unethical” uses of AI in the classroom, nor is it to encourage or discourage certain practices around AI. The goal here is simply to recap a few of the major issues raised by AI, to help instructors make informed and nuanced decisions about how to engage it in their classes.

Copyright and Intellectual Property

Generative AI tools like ChatGPT work by synthesizing content that’s publicly available online, which means that any actual substance in AI-generated writing is really a pastiche of ideas expressed by human writers elsewhere on the internet. This arguably makes anything these tools produce a work of mosaic plagiarism. Most users understand this conceptually, but actually working with AI tools makes it easy to overlook in practice, because the algorithms that power these tools deliberately conceal the sources they draw from in order to make the writing they produce read like original content. Nevertheless, it’s important to keep in mind that everything “written” by an AI using material generally available on the internet reflects the uncredited intellectual labor of multiple human beings.

Legally, the questions surrounding AI and copyright are just beginning to work their way into the courts, and no concrete resolutions are expected in the immediate future. Pedagogically, though, instructors should consider how the emerging discourse around AI use can complicate or even undermine the ways that students understand their obligations to engage and document their sources. We might also consider more broadly the ways we teach students to understand, value, and acknowledge the contributions of other authors to their work and the ways that AI writing can complicate this.

Additional reading:

  • Meehan, “ When AI is writing, who’s the author? ”
  • Mitrano, “ Coping with ChatGPT–law, policy, and IT? ”

Availability and Equity

Many commentators have argued that AI editing tools — that is, tools that can proofread and correct students’ writing without necessarily generating text for them — can be used to improve equity in education. The hope is that, if these tools can allow all students to produce clear and relatively error-free English prose, this will level the playing field for students who enter college with below-average skills English writing skills. This presents obvious benefits for English language learners and students from underprivileged educational backgrounds (who are, statistically, more likely to be BIPOC and/or low-income students), as well as students with disabilities such as dyslexia and ADHD. Mastering the language skills necessary to write standard written English at a college level while simultaneously learning how to engage their course material at a college level steepens the difficulty curve for these students, exacerbating the “achievement gap” between them and their peers.  

This argument does, however, raise multiple questions that are difficult to answer, particularly while this technology is so new. If students are allowed or even encouraged to use AI editing tools, to what extent is their writing their own? Will students who rely on AI editors ever actually learn higher-order writing skills, and, if not, will that skill deficit hinder them in other ways as they move through and past their college careers in a world where AI is commonplace?

Regardless of how one approaches these questions, though, it’s also important to keep in mind that AI tools are rarely free. Most of the major tools operate on a subscription model, offering no or minimal services for free and a more sophisticated set of services for paid users. This means that, in practice, the availability of AI might exacerbate equity issues rather than improve them, as students with greater financial resources have access to increasingly powerful tools that can assist them with their academic writing, while lower-income students have less access to the same resources. 

On the individual course level, instructors might consider the degree to which their expectations for student writing are based in surface-level qualities of grammar, diction, and tone, and the degree to which students who can afford it might raise their grades through AI use alone. This is, admittedly, a complicated issue with no easy resolutions. It’s neither desirable nor realistic for an instructor to simply declare that grammar and surface-level writing qualities “don’t matter” in their writing assignments. But simply ignoring the fact that AI tools allow a privileged subset of our students to produce reliably error-free prose in an “academic” register much more easily than their peers would overlook an increasingly significant factor in the achievement gap between affluent and low-income students.

On an institutional level, the uneven availability of these tools raises the question of if and how the college should help low-income students access the AI resources their more affluent peers can afford. This, too, is not a simple question, but it’s likely one that colleges will face increasing pressure to address as these tools become more common and their impact on student writing is more fully understood by schools, students, and the general public.

Finally, on the detection side of AI, a recent study at Stanford discovered that AI detection tools such as GPT-Zero have an alarmingly high false positive rate when evaluating writing by non-native writers of English. This makes it imperative to use these tools with discretion, and to not assume that a report which states that a given piece was “likely” written by AI is conclusive proof.

Additional Reading:

  • Grammerly, “ Championing Student Equity: How to Help Today’s Diverse Student Body Communicate ”
  • Knox and Pardos, “ Toward Ethical and Equitable AI in Higher Education ”
  • Melo, “ ChatGPT as an assistive technology ”
  • Southgate, “ Artificial intelligence, ethics, equity and higher education:A ‘beginning-of-the-discussion’ paper ”
  • Stanberry, Bernard, and Storch, “ In an AI World, Let Disability Access Lead the Way ”
  • Mathweson, “ AI Detection Tools Falsely Accuse International Students of Cheating “

Privacy and Data Mining

All major AI tools require users to create an account in order to access their services. This means that any personal information users enter will be available to the owners of that service and to any parties with whom they share data. Instructors should keep this in mind if they design assignments that require students to use AI, particularly if the AI tools in question resist or prevent the creation of anonymous accounts. (Some tools, for example, require only an email address to create an account, while others require a verified phone number and/or a credit card number, even for free accounts.)

Additionally, many AI companies stipulate that the content users generate with their tools and the text they enter into the tool to generate that content are available for the company to use thereafter. This content is often used to train the AI itself, but it may be sold to third parties as well. This raises some concern for students if an assignment requires them to feed their own writing into an AI’s database, but it might also raise concerns for instructors who use AI in their assignments. Many AI-based assignments (including some suggested on this very site) involve feeding writing prompts into an AI tool so that students can examine the results, and instructors should be aware that, in doing so, they are handing their own intellectual property—i.e. the writing prompt—over to the AI’s owners, while simultaneously teaching the AI to generate better and more “authentic” responses to that assignment.

Further Reading:

  • Open AI, Privacy Policy for ChatGPT  
  • Gai, “ ChatGPT is a data privacy nightmare. If you’ve ever posted online, you ought to be concerned ”
  • Koch, “ ChatGPT, AI, and the future of privacy ”
  • McGowan, “ Is ChatGPT’s use of people’s data even legal? ”
  • Germain, “ Google Says It’ll Scrape Everything You Post Online for AI “

When AI tools remix content on the internet, they can inadvertently replicate both implicit and explicit biases in that content (see “Further Reading” below for some examples of this bias in action). This is a problem that human writers face as well, of course, but humans can make their writing and research methods more transparent than an AI can, which makes it easier to look for, critically examine, and address bias in human writing. Since both the writing and the “research” done by AI tools happens inside the machine, users can only see the results, with little to no insight into the sources that the AI used or overlooked to shape its words.

Furthermore, the fact that an AI is technically incapable of having an ideology of its own can often lead readers to assume that AI-written text is more likely to be objective or unbiased, which can make them less likely to scrutinize facts and ideas espoused by the AI than they would the work of a human writer.

How much of a concern this raises for instructors depends on the kind of work they allow or encourage students to do with AI. But, if nothing else, it underscores the importance of teaching critical reading skills and training students how to look for implicit biases in the material they read, whether it was written by a human or an AI.

  • Biddle, “The Internet’s New Favorite AI Proposes Torturing Iranians and Surveilling Mosques”
  • Bloomberg, “ Buzzy ChatGPT chatbot is so error-prone that its maker just publicly promised to fix the tech’s ‘glaring and subtle biases ”
  • Getahun, “ ChatGPT could be used for good, but like many other AI models, it’s rife with racist and discriminatory bias ”
  • Nkonde, “ ChatGPT: New AI system, old biases? ”

What to know about the crisis of violence, politics and hunger engulfing Haiti

A woman carrying two bags of rice walks past burning tires

A long-simmering crisis over Haiti’s ability to govern itself, particularly after a series of natural disasters and an increasingly dire humanitarian emergency, has come to a head in the Caribbean nation, as its de facto president remains stranded in Puerto Rico and its people starve and live in fear of rampant violence. 

The chaos engulfing the country has been bubbling for more than a year, only for it to spill over on the global stage on Monday night, as Haiti’s unpopular prime minister, Ariel Henry, agreed to resign once a transitional government is brokered by other Caribbean nations and parties, including the U.S.

But the very idea of a transitional government brokered not by Haitians but by outsiders is one of the main reasons Haiti, a nation of 11 million, is on the brink, according to humanitarian workers and residents who have called for Haitian-led solutions. 

“What we’re seeing in Haiti has been building since the 2010 earthquake,” said Greg Beckett, an associate professor of anthropology at Western University in Canada. 

Haitians take shelter in the Delmas 4 Olympic Boxing Arena

What is happening in Haiti and why?

In the power vacuum that followed the assassination of democratically elected President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, Henry, who was prime minister under Moïse, assumed power, with the support of several nations, including the U.S. 

When Haiti failed to hold elections multiple times — Henry said it was due to logistical problems or violence — protests rang out against him. By the time Henry announced last year that elections would be postponed again, to 2025, armed groups that were already active in Port-au-Prince, the capital, dialed up the violence.

Even before Moïse’s assassination, these militias and armed groups existed alongside politicians who used them to do their bidding, including everything from intimidating the opposition to collecting votes . With the dwindling of the country’s elected officials, though, many of these rebel forces have engaged in excessively violent acts, and have taken control of at least 80% of the capital, according to a United Nations estimate. 

Those groups, which include paramilitary and former police officers who pose as community leaders, have been responsible for the increase in killings, kidnappings and rapes since Moïse’s death, according to the Uppsala Conflict Data Program at Uppsala University in Sweden. According to a report from the U.N . released in January, more than 8,400 people were killed, injured or kidnapped in 2023, an increase of 122% increase from 2022.

“January and February have been the most violent months in the recent crisis, with thousands of people killed, or injured, or raped,” Beckett said.

Image: Ariel Henry

Armed groups who had been calling for Henry’s resignation have already attacked airports, police stations, sea ports, the Central Bank and the country’s national soccer stadium. The situation reached critical mass earlier this month when the country’s two main prisons were raided , leading to the escape of about 4,000 prisoners. The beleaguered government called a 72-hour state of emergency, including a night-time curfew — but its authority had evaporated by then.

Aside from human-made catastrophes, Haiti still has not fully recovered from the devastating earthquake in 2010 that killed about 220,000 people and left 1.5 million homeless, many of them living in poorly built and exposed housing. More earthquakes, hurricanes and floods have followed, exacerbating efforts to rebuild infrastructure and a sense of national unity.

Since the earthquake, “there have been groups in Haiti trying to control that reconstruction process and the funding, the billions of dollars coming into the country to rebuild it,” said Beckett, who specializes in the Caribbean, particularly Haiti. 

Beckett said that control initially came from politicians and subsequently from armed groups supported by those politicians. Political “parties that controlled the government used the government for corruption to steal that money. We’re seeing the fallout from that.”

Haiti Experiences Surge Of Gang Violence

Many armed groups have formed in recent years claiming to be community groups carrying out essential work in underprivileged neighborhoods, but they have instead been accused of violence, even murder . One of the two main groups, G-9, is led by a former elite police officer, Jimmy Chérizier — also known as “Barbecue” — who has become the public face of the unrest and claimed credit for various attacks on public institutions. He has openly called for Henry to step down and called his campaign an “armed revolution.”

But caught in the crossfire are the residents of Haiti. In just one week, 15,000 people have been displaced from Port-au-Prince, according to a U.N. estimate. But people have been trying to flee the capital for well over a year, with one woman telling NBC News that she is currently hiding in a church with her three children and another family with eight children. The U.N. said about 160,000 people have left Port-au-Prince because of the swell of violence in the last several months. 

Deep poverty and famine are also a serious danger. Gangs have cut off access to the country’s largest port, Autorité Portuaire Nationale, and food could soon become scarce.

Haiti's uncertain future

A new transitional government may dismay the Haitians and their supporters who call for Haitian-led solutions to the crisis. 

But the creation of such a government would come after years of democratic disruption and the crumbling of Haiti’s political leadership. The country hasn’t held an election in eight years. 

Haitian advocates and scholars like Jemima Pierre, a professor at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, say foreign intervention, including from the U.S., is partially to blame for Haiti’s turmoil. The U.S. has routinely sent thousands of troops to Haiti , intervened in its government and supported unpopular leaders like Henry.

“What you have over the last 20 years is the consistent dismantling of the Haitian state,” Pierre said. “What intervention means for Haiti, what it has always meant, is death and destruction.”

Image: Workers unload humanitarian aid from a U.S. helicopter at Les Cayes airport in Haiti, Aug. 18, 2021.

In fact, the country’s situation was so dire that Henry was forced to travel abroad in the hope of securing a U.N. peacekeeping deal. He went to Kenya, which agreed to send 1,000 troops to coordinate an East African and U.N.-backed alliance to help restore order in Haiti, but the plan is now on hold . Kenya agreed last October to send a U.N.-sanctioned security force to Haiti, but Kenya’s courts decided it was unconstitutional. The result has been Haiti fending for itself. 

“A force like Kenya, they don’t speak Kreyòl, they don’t speak French,” Pierre said. “The Kenyan police are known for human rights abuses . So what does it tell us as Haitians that the only thing that you see that we deserve are not schools, not reparations for the cholera the U.N. brought , but more military with the mandate to use all kinds of force on our population? That is unacceptable.”  

Henry was forced to announce his planned resignation from Puerto Rico, as threats of violence — and armed groups taking over the airports — have prevented him from returning to his country.  

An elderly woman runs in front of the damaged police station building with tires burning in front of it

Now that Henry is to stand down, it is far from clear what the armed groups will do or demand next, aside from the right to govern. 

“It’s the Haitian people who know what they’re going through. It’s the Haitian people who are going to take destiny into their own hands. Haitian people will choose who will govern them,” Chérizier said recently, according to The Associated Press .

Haitians and their supporters have put forth their own solutions over the years, holding that foreign intervention routinely ignores the voices and desires of Haitians. 

In 2021, both Haitian and non-Haitian church leaders, women’s rights groups, lawyers, humanitarian workers, the Voodoo Sector and more created the Commission to Search for a Haitian Solution to the Crisis . The commission has proposed the “ Montana Accord ,” outlining a two-year interim government with oversight committees tasked with restoring order, eradicating corruption and establishing fair elections. 

For more from NBC BLK, sign up for our weekly newsletter .

CORRECTION (March 15, 2024, 9:58 a.m. ET): An earlier version of this article misstated which university Jemima Pierre is affiliated with. She is a professor at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, not the University of California, Los Angeles, (or Columbia University, as an earlier correction misstated).

how to write an ethical issue essay

Patrick Smith is a London-based editor and reporter for NBC News Digital.

how to write an ethical issue essay

Char Adams is a reporter for NBC BLK who writes about race.

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Summer 2024 Courses

Study writing online this summer.

WRTG 10600 Academic Writing I

This introductory writing course teaches academic writing as a craft that includes multiple genres and technologies. Students locate, evaluate, and integrate information into projects that see them forming and supporting their own arguments and positions. Academic writing as a craft is anchored in rhetorical situations of audience, context, purpose, language, and image. It is also an ethical practice that grapples with questions of diversity, equity, and inclusion. The course therefore enables students to enter academic, civic, and professional conversations with rhetorical awareness. (F,S,Y) Attributes: 3A, HU 4 Credits

WRTG 17500 Introduction to Creative Writing

This class offers a hands-on exploration of what creative writing is and why we write it. Students experiment with genres of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry while also challenging the boundaries of genre. Students analyze strategies used by other writers from a diverse range of cultural experiences and reflect on how creative writing engages identity in intentional ways that unveil systems of power. (F,S,Y) Attributes: 3A, CA, FA, HM, MC, TIDE, TIII 4 Credits

WRTG 20500 Personal Essay

Introduction to writing essays in which students explore their own memories, experiences, observations, perspectives, and identities. Emphasis is placed on self-interrogation and inquiry, as well as craft techniques such as narration, description, reflection, and analysis. Course material will provide examples of the personal essay form and help students examine the insights and limitations of personal experience as they consider the self within the context of the larger world. Prerequisites: ICSM10800 , ICSM 11800, or WRTG10600 . (F,S,Y) Attributes: 3A, CA, HM, HU, TIDE, WRCW, WRRC 4 Credits

WRTG 21100 Writing for the Workplace

Basic on-the-job writing necessary to join, manage, and promote any organization, whether profit or nonprofit. Focus is primarily on short forms: résumés, memos, business letters, summaries, brochures, newsletters, press releases, informal proposals, and reports. Course also explores how various social, economic, and ethical issues affect workplace writing. Prerequisites: ICSM10800 , ICSM 11800, or WRTG10600 . (F,S,Y) Attributes: ESTS, HU, WI, WRPW 4 Credits

WRTG 21700 Inquiry, Research, and Writing Across the Disciplines

Prepares students across the disciplines to engage in inquiry-based research, examining questions relevant to their fields and interests and producing substantial formal writing in a range of research genres. Emphasizes writing and research as recursive processes. Focuses on development of effective research practices, including identifying, locating, evaluating, and integrating sources ethically and effectively. Prerequisites: ICSM10800 , ICSM 11800, or WRTG10600 . (F,S,Y) Attributes: HM, TIII, WI, WRRC 4 Credits

WRTG 25200 Sophomore Internship

Work and study project designed by the student early in undergraduate career, in consultation with a faculty sponsor and a practicing professional. The H&S internship proposal includes learning objectives, a detailed work plan, and a description of the student's plans for reports to the faculty sponsor. May be repeated up to 3 cr total. Offered on demand only. Prerequisites: Two WRTG courses. (F,S,U,Y) 1-3 Credits

WRTG 29400 Writing Heals: Self Reflection as Daily Practice

Engage in a daily practice of contemplative writing as a way to return to our bodies, to be IN our bodies, to make sense of our past traumas/conflicts or current stressors as told by the narrator, the body. Write in multiple genres to better understand past traumas or stressors (e.g., poetry, short story, research presentation, reflection essay). Build a theoretical and practical foundation for writing as a healing practice, but more importantly, participate in an inclusive community of writers to process the emotional, physical, and psychological stress of college. Prerequisites: WRTG 10600, ICSM 10800, or ICSM 11800.

WRTG 35400 Selected Topics in Creative Writing: Writers’ Practice

This advanced creative writing workshop leads students to experiment with writing, creative, and revising new work in a series of directed exercises. Participants will share emerging drafts for peers’ and professor’s response toward improvement. Prerequisites: Junior standing and WRTG 20500; or permission of instructor.

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COMMENTS

  1. PDF A Guide to Writing in Ethical Reasoning 15

    evaluating ethical arguments. Whenever you consider an ethical argument, you are likely to have your own intuitions about the moral issue at stake. It might be your intuition, for instance, that it is never morally acceptable to take the life of another human being. Although your intuitions may guide your approach to evaluating a

  2. How to Write an Ethics Essay: Guide & Paper Examples

    An ethics essay is a type of academic writing that explores ethical issues and dilemmas. Students should evaluates them in terms of moral principles and values. The purpose of an ethics essay is to examine the moral implications of a particular issue, and provide a reasoned argument in support of an ethical perspective.

  3. How to Write an Ethics Paper (with Pictures)

    2. Choose a topic for your ethics paper. If you're writing the paper as a class assignment, the topic may already be given to you. If not, choose a topic that is both interesting to you and that you know a good deal about. Your topic should be very broad at first, after which you can develop it into a specific inquiry.

  4. How to Write an Ethics Paper or Essay With Tips and Examples

    II. Body Section. When writing the body of an ethics paper or essay, students should use a thesis statement as a reference point. In other words, they should use a thesis statement to come up with several ideas or arguments in defense of their stand on the ethical or moral issue identified in the introduction part.

  5. 101 Ethical Issues Examples (2024)

    An ethical issue is a situation, either personal or social, that requires the application of a moral or ethical framework to form a judgment or choose a course of action (Ferrell et al., 2018; Barrett, 2018). Ethical issues are often presented as dilemmas (Ferrell et al., 2018). In such situations, the issue is not clear-cut.

  6. Ethical Papers Writing Guide with Examples and Topic Ideas

    An ethics paper is a type of an argumentative assignment that deals with a certain ethical problem that a student has to describe and solve. Also, it can be an essay where a certain controversial event or concept is elaborated through an ethical lens (e.g. moral rules and principles), or a certain ethical dilemma is explained.

  7. Ethics Essay: The Ultimate Writing Guide for Students in 2024

    Ethical essays are common in schools and colleges. This is a short form of a writing assignment given to students to help them develop and improve essential writing skills. Typically, such papers are between 1-5 pages long and have a free composition. Basically, an ethics essay is just another form of a regular essay.

  8. Ethical Considerations

    Here are some steps to help you write ethical considerations: Describe the ethical principles: Start by explaining the ethical principles that will guide the research. These could include principles such as respect for persons, beneficence, and justice. ... Avoids Legal Issues: Ethical considerations can help individuals and organizations avoid ...

  9. Student's Guide to Writing Critical Essays in Business Ethics (and

    The editors of the Business Ethics Journal Review hope that BEJR provides good examples of how to write a critical essay. Each of the Commentaries we publish is a short critical essay aimed at a single paper published in another scholarly journal. In each of the Responses we publish, the author whose work was critiqued…

  10. How to Write an Ethics Paper and Do It Right

    How to write an ethics paper in 5 easy steps. Step 1. Pick a topic connected to ethics. Browse the internet or check the list of ideas in the sections below. Consider the fact that an ethics essay is not a description of your point of view on the moral-ethical issue.

  11. Issues of Ethics in the Workplace Essay

    Workplace ethics refers to moral principles and values governing proper behavioral conduct in the place of work (Barry & Shaw, 2013). Work ethics guide the managers as well as employees to do the right thing even if doing the wrong thing can equally be rewarding and satisfying. Therefore, workplace ethical issues involve a plethora of ethical ...

  12. Ethical Issues in Academic Writing

    Ethical Issues in Academic Writing. Communicating Research. Nov 28, 2022. Ethical decisions are present throughout the process of academic writing and publishing. This collection of open-access articles offers insights about some of the issues writers face.

  13. 221 Ethical Dilemma Topics & Essay Samples

    221 Ethical Dilemma Essay Topics & Examples. Updated: Feb 28th, 2024. 24 min. An ethical dilemma essay has become an essential part of education for many professions that involve working with people. Below, we've collected topics for writing a paper on this subject. We will write.

  14. Ethical Considerations in Research

    Ethical considerations in research are a set of principles that guide your research designs and practices. These principles include voluntary participation, informed consent, anonymity, confidentiality, potential for harm, and results communication. Scientists and researchers must always adhere to a certain code of conduct when collecting data ...

  15. Ethics Essay: Expert Tips on Writing a Brilliant Paper

    What is an Ethics Essay. An ethics essay is a piece of writing that argues both sides of a moral issue or ethical dilemma. Basically, an ethics paper focuses on issues of philosophical concern, such as the principles of right and wrong. In the essay on moral principles, a writer elaborates on the standards that govern human behavior.

  16. An Ethical Issue, Essay Example

    Introduction. Ethical dilemmas require individuals to make important decisions that may ultimately impact their lives in different ways. It is important to address an ethical issue with an open mind and to reflect upon the best interests of the individuals who are involved, as this will support the development of a probable solution that will lead to favorable outcomes.

  17. How to Write an Ethics Paper

    1. Choose a Topic. The first step in writing an ethics paper is to choose a relevant and engaging topic. The subject should be interesting to you and raise thought-provoking questions that can fuel debate. Avoid overly broad issues that would make it challenging to present a coherent argument. Instead, focus on specific areas within the field ...

  18. Addressing ethical issues in your research proposal

    Principles that come to mind might include autonomy, respect, dignity, privacy, informed consent and confidentiality. You may also have identified principles such as competence, integrity, wellbeing, justice and non-discrimination. Key ethical issues that you will address as an insider researcher include: Gaining trust.

  19. 180 Ethics Topics & Ethical Questions to Debate

    ⚖️ Ethical Dilemma Topics to Write About. An ethical issue becomes a dilemma when different moral standards clash with each other. In this situation, it is impossible to find a path to an ethically permissible solution that is unambiguous. The following sample topics are a solid base to start a discussion on morals.

  20. Free Ethical Dilemma Essay Examples & Topic Ideas

    Understanding How to Write an Ethical Dilemma Essay. If you're tasked with writing an ethical dilemma essay, it's essential to start with a clear understanding of the topic. Here are some prompt samples to help you grasp the key aspects: Prompt 1: Analyze a personal ethical dilemma you have faced and the decision-making process involved.

  21. Learn How to Write an Ethical Dilemma Essay on Trust My Paper

    An ethical dilemma is facing a decision that, in making that decision, violates a moral principle in order to follow another one. A simple and often used example of a moral dilemma is this: You are on a ship that is sinking, and you must get into a lifeboat. That lifeboat can only hold 10 people without sinking, and there are 11 of you that ...

  22. 3 Key Tips to Writing a Great Ethics Case Study

    Select an Ethical Issue. 2. Gather Relevant Information. 3. Writing Format. Conclusion. . Writing an ethics case study is one of the most effective ways to explore an ethical dilemma or research any topic. Studying real-life scenarios and their circumstances might help you understand what went wrong and how to avoid similar problems.

  23. Evidence Does Not Support the Use of the Death Penalty

    There is no ethical, scientifically supported, medically acceptable or morally justifiable way to carry it out. The recent execution of Kenneth Eugene Smith demonstrates this barbarity.

  24. Ethical Issues in AI

    Last updated Winter/Spring 2023. Other pages on this site discuss, in purely practical terms, how instructors might approach crafting course policies around AI, designing AI-resistant writing assignments, and designing assignments that incorporate AI tools.This page seeks to complicate those considerations a bit by addressing some of the ethical factors around AI tools and their use in ...

  25. Fall 2024 Courses

    WRTG 10600: Academic Writing IThis introductory writing course teaches academic writing as a craft that includes multiple genres and technologies. Students locate, evaluate, and integrate information into projects that see them forming and supporting their own arguments and positions. Academic writing as a craft is anchored in rhetorical situations of audience, context, purpose, language, and ...

  26. The Haiti crisis, explained: Violence, hunger and unstable political

    Chaos has gutted Port-au-Prince and Haiti's government, a crisis brought on by decades of political disruption, a series of natural disasters and a power vacuum left by the president's assassination.

  27. Summer 2024 Courses

    WRTG 10600 Academic Writing IThis introductory writing course teaches academic writing as a craft that includes multiple genres and technologies. Students locate, evaluate, and integrate information into projects that see them forming and supporting their own arguments and positions. Academic writing as a craft is anchored in rhetorical situations of audience, context, purpose, language, and ...