Case Analysis Instructions

You will analyze 5 cases during this course. Note that each case can be found in your textbook’s required readings. In evaluating your case analyses, instructors will apply the Case Analysis Grading Rubric. Each case analysis should be a 5–7 pages and follow the current APA guidelines. Title page and reference page in current APA formatting is required.

The basic guidelines for analyzing ethical cases are as follows:

1. Issues

a. What are the major moral or ethical issues raised by the case?

b. What are the major factual issues raised by the case?

c. What are the major conceptual issues raised by this case?

d. Who are the major stakeholders in this case?

e. How are the issues in this case related to making ethical decisions?

2. Options

a. What are the major views on the conceptual issues raised by this case?

b. What are the main alternative actions or policies that might be followed in responding to the ethical issues in this case?

c. What facts are unknown or disputed that might be relevant to deciding this case (may require research to determine some facts)?

3. Ethical Arguments

a. Determine which of the four moral standards (egoism, natural law, utilitarianism, and respect for persons) apply to this case.

b. Identify the moral principles that can be invoked to support a conclusion as to what ought to be done ethically in this case or similar cases.

c. Determine whether the different moral standards yield converging or diverging judgments about what ought to be done.

4. Decision or Conclusion

a. Decide which of the identified options you would recommend or judge to be the ethically best way to deal with the issue presented in this case based upon which option has the strongest ethical reasons behind it.

b. Determine how a critic of your position might try to argue against it using other ethical reasons, and present a rebuttal or counter-argument in defense of your judgment.

c. Include a scripture to support your decision.

Guidelines for Preparing Ethical Case Analyses

It is useful to discuss your case with at least one other person before you sit down to write up your case analysis. Following your case discussion, you are required to prepare a short analysis of the case in which you develop and defend your own ethical analysis of the case.

The purpose of these reports is to give you a chance to work out your own view about the issues raised by each case and to practice the procedure for analyzing ethical dilemmas. It is important that you include biblical references to defend your stance.