In paper format, analyze one of the many engineering ethics case studies provided by the Texas A&M University (TAMU) Civil Engineering Ethics workshop, “Teaching Engineering Ethics: A Case Study Approach.”[1] The written description of the case study may include a discussion of the underlying ethical issues and courses of action. You are not simply copying these down as part of your paper, they are only food for thought to the problem. Consider all the information presented in the case study, synthesize it, and answer the questions provided in the outline below.
Half of this assignment will be graded on how well you addressed the fundamental ethical questions. The second half will be graded on writing quality. This assignment should not exceed 5 pages at 1.5 spacing and 12 point font.
- Project and Scenario Introduction
1.1. Identify your ethical scenario and how it relates to your project that answers the following:
– Who are the stakeholders?
– What are the relevant facts to the scenario?
– What do you feel is missing from the information provided that you would like to know?
- Ethical Codes and Theories
2.1. Identify relevant professional codes of ethics related to your scenario
2.2. Identify relevant ethical theories related to your scenario
- Alternatives Generation and Comparison
3.1. Identify at least three alternative actions to your scenario
– What are the consequences to each action?
3.2. Discuss how this scenario and your alternative actions might affect the stakeholders
3.3. Evaluate those alternative actions by applying the professional codes of ethics and ethical theories
– Note: each could have competing reasoning based on the code/theory selected
- Action Selection and Justification.
4.1. After carefully evaluating your options, select an action
4.2. Justify your decision thoroughly
National Science Foundation/Bovay Fund Sponsored Workshop, “Teaching Engineering Ethics: A Case Study Approach,” 1992, Zachery Department of Civil Engineering Ethics, Texas A&M, [Online]. Available: http://ethics.tamu.edu/NSFWorkshop.aspx Accessed March 28, 2013.