Assessment item 3
Applying Ethical Theory
Value: 20%
Due date: 22-April-2017
Return date: 06-May-2017
Length: 1200-1300 words
Submission method options
Alternative submission method
Task
Your lecturer will place several links in Interact to a number of relevant articles and/or case studies. These will be available to you just after your second assignment has been submitted.
Choose one of the media articles or case studies listed by the lecturer in your Interact 2 subject site.
Use the title of the article/case study provided in interact 2 as the title of your essay, so that the lecturer knows which article you are analysing.
Undertake further research about your chosen case, to assist you in analysing and discussing it in your essay.
You are required to complete the following:
Write an essay:
The word limit for the essay is 1200-1300 words. Headings, citations and references do not count towards the word limit, but quotations do.
Analyse the article/case study from the perspective of four classical ethical theories including utilitarianism, deontology, virtue and contract. Present well reasoned arguments for your assessments and recommendations.
Write an overall conclusion that justifies your recommendations made in your essay.
Include a Reference list at the end of your work, in the correct APA referencing style, corresponding to in-text citations.
Rationale
This assessment extends the skills practiced in Assessment item 1 and 2, to help you to achieve all the learning objectives.
In addition to identifying a contentious situation in ICT and dissecting the argument(s) about it, you must also now demonstrate the ability to evaluate the elements of the argument by introducing classical ethical principles where appropriate.
Since Assessment item 1 and 2, your knowledge will have grown, and you will now realise that almost all ICT ethical dilemmas can be classified under one of the main ICT ethical issues that are discussed in this subject; for instance, surveillance is a sub-issue of privacy, harmful software is a sub-issue of ICT professionalism, and piracy is a sub-issue of intellectual property.
In ICT, the main ethical issues are taken to be:
ICT professionalism
Privacy
Security
Cyber-crime
Intellectual property
Regulation on the internet
Social inclusion
Community and identity
Pervasive and convergent computing.
The assessment item is designed to help you to build skills towards achieving the learning objectives, by requiring you to:
identify an ICT-related ethical issue from a media article or case study;
apply classical ethical theory to the analysis of an ethically questionable situation to determine the rightness or wrongness of actions/decisions made therein;
derive logical and justifiable conclusions to resolve the ethical issue(s);and,
apply proper academic referencing.
Marking criteria
The following marking sheet will be used to assess students' submissions.
Please check that you have met all the criteria before you submit your assignment.

Criteria
Standards
High Distinction (HD)
Distinction (DI)
Credit (CR)
Pass (PS)
Fail (FL)
Classical Ethical Theory
(Value 60%)
Demonstrates an excellent ability at applying ethical theories to the ethical issues.
Demonstrates a good ability at applying ethical theories to the ethical issues. Makes a genuine attempt at applying the ethical theories to the ethical issues. The ethical theories do not link well with the ethical issues. The ethical theories are not properly applied to the ethical issues.
Writing & structure
(Value 20%)
Language features and structures are used to convey meaning effectively, concisely, unambiguously, and in a tone appropriate to the audience and purpose with no spelling, grammatical, or punctuation errors.
Well developed skills in expression & presentation of ideas.

Fluent writing style appropriate to assessment task/document type.

Grammar & spelling accurate.
Good skills in expression & clear presentation of ideas.

Mostly fluent writing style appropriate to assessment task/document type.

Grammar & spelling contains a few minor errors.
The text contains frequent errors in spelling, grammar, word choice, and structure, lacks clarity, and is not concise, but the meaning is apparent to the reader with some effort.
Rudimentary skills in expression & presentation of ideas.
Not all material is relevant &/or is presented in a disorganised manner.
Meaning apparent, but writing style not fluent or well organised.

Grammar & spelling contains many errors.
Conclusion
(Value 10%)
Superior conclusion that ties the results of the analysis together into a coherent, logically valid & convincing argument. Very high standard conclusion that ties the results of the analysis together into a coherent, logically valid & convincing argument. High standard conclusion that ties the results of the analysis together into a coherent, logically valid & convincing argument. Rudimentary conclusion that provides a convincing argument. Sub-standard (or no) conclusion.
Referencing
(Value 10%)
Referencing is comprehensive, demonstrates academic integrity, and conforms exactly to APA style conventions.
Very good referencing, including reference list and citations.

Evidence of high quality references.
Good referencing, including reference list and citations.

Evidence of good quality references.
Referencing is comprehensive, mostly accurate according to APA style conventions, and demonstrates academic integrity. Some minor errors or omissions in style and formatting choices (e.g. italics, punctuation, etc) don’t impact on the transparency and traceability of the source, or demonstration of academic integrity. Sub-standard (or no) referencing.
Poor quality (or no) references.