MEDICAL ETHICS (PHL/RST*) (RST_4110_WB_58_00_2011_10) > ASSIGNMENTS > ORIENTATION > GETTING STARTED

September 13, 2010 - September 20, 2010

Mon, Sep 20, 2010 -- Welcome! Welcome to RST4110-Medical Ethics. This course will examine some of the moral issues that arise from various medical procedures which affect all of us. Your success in this course depends on a very careful reading of the assigned pages so be sure to give yourself enough time to thoughtfully understand the material. Check out the syllabus that you will find in "Course Syllabus" and then carefully read the material found the the "Orientation" folder that you will find under "Assignments." Be sure to list all of your sources for the material you use in answering the discussion questions. Have a wonderful semester!

Getting started
Beginning

Since our primary means of communication in this class is through email, be sure that Madonna has your current and correct email address. Success in this course depends on your selfdirection and a very careful reading of the textbook. Be sure to give your self enough time to be able to read through the material carefully before an assignment is due. The course will be presented in weekly folders that will be posted on Monday and closed at midnight of Tuesday of the following week. (For example: Week One will open on Monday, January 7 and close at midnight on Tuesday, January 15.) The weekly assignments must be completed within that time window. If there is a serious reason for your not being able to complete the assignments, please email me to see if we can make arrangements for you to complete the week. All communication with me should be through Blackboard and email. Phone calls to my office often result in missed messages. I encourage questions throughout the course.

There is no such thing as a stupid question!

Have a great semester

How to send your answers

Posting info

How to Submit an Assignment in Five easy steps. 1. Compose your answer in your work processor and save it either as a Microsoft Word (not Works) document or as a "rich text format" file. (If you are not sure how to do this contact the Madonna IT help desk and they will walk you through it). Only Word (.doc or .docx) or "rich text format" (.rtf) files can be accepted. 2. To upload your assignment back to me, come back to the page where you got the assignment and click on ">>View/Complete" at the bottom. 3. Scroll down to Part 2 and type a comment in the Comments Box if you wish. Do not type your answer in this space!. Then go to the section below Comments titled "Attach Local File", click on the Browse button and select your file to upload. 4. If you have partially completed your file or wish to send a second file (one for each discussion question, for example) click on the "Save" button. You will be able to complete your file or send additional files at a later date. 5. When you are certain that you don't want to make any more changes, and are REALLY ready to turn this in, then click on the "Submit" button on the bottom right corner of this screen. File Naming Conventions: No spaces in filenames No control characters such as &, #, etc. Keep your file name concise

Quizzes
Quiz info

You will have quizzes during the course of the semester. The quizzes will consist of objective type questions (multiple choice, true/false, matching, etc.) The number of questions may vary from quiz to quiz and I will tell you at the beginning how many questions there are. You will see the questions one at a time and you will not be able to go back to questions you have already answered. Once you start the quiz, you will have to complete it. Be sure, therefore, that you have studied the material carefully before you begin the quiz. There is no time limit as such, but you will have to complete it in one session. Blackboard has a "timed out" limit but I don't know how long it is. If you get kicked out of the quiz for one reason or another (and there are mysteries in abundance) you will not be able to continue the quiz until I unlock it. I usually check in the morning and unlock the quizzes that have frozen up. So if you do get kicked out check the next day and you should be able to retake the quiz. Be prepared and good luck!

Exams
Tests

You will have a final exam. This is an essay type exam, so once it is posted (about a week before they are due), you will be able to look at it even before you are ready to take it. Instructions for the test will be included in the

text of the exam itself.

Discussion Questions
Answer info

You will be expected to answer discussion questions weekly. Be sure to read the assignment carefully to see how many questions you are to answer that week (usually two). Begin your answer by repeating the question you are answering. Each answer should be about three hundred words long (one typewritten page). Spelling, grammar, organization and cohesion all count! Most of the questions will require factual answers and are not personal opinion questions. (Personal opinion questions will be clearly marked.) You must support your answer using evidence. For most of your answers you will not need to go beyond the information contained in your textbook. The only citation you need to give for information taken from your textbook is the page number in parentheses. Information coming from any other sources must be properly credited. Plagiarism is not tolerated. Check the following folder for directions on getting your answers back to me. Be thoughtful!

Week of Sep 20-28

Reading

Read pages 1-22 in your text book. Post an answer to the discussion questions below. Do Quiz 1

DQ 1

Develop an essay of approximately 300 words on ONE of the following topics:

1. Explain the statement: It does not follow

even from a relativity of standards that there is no ultimate norm or set of norms in

2.

3. 4.

5.

6.

which everyone ought to believe. (page 8) Show how normative relativism is inconsistent with many of our most cherished moral beliefs. (cf. page 9) Present in your own words the basic elements of a utilitarian moral theory. Show how Kantian ethics is really a restatement of the golden rule Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. What do virtue ethics and an ethics of caring add to morality? Does casuistry create moral principles or simply clarify elements of our common morality.

>> View/Complete Assignment: DQ 1 Quiz 1