Describe your interviewee’s sense of personal purpose and core values.

General Instructions
Label the sections of your paper with the numbering and exact headings below.
Never write a paragraph more than half a page long.
If you use direct quotes, do so sparingly (see Syllabus for details).
Length of paper: 10 pages
Points possible: 50
1. Meet My Interviewee
Include a sentence stating that all names in your paper have been changed.
First paragraph: Describe the interviewee’s background and work experience
Second paragraph: Describe your interviewee’s sense of personal purpose and core values.
Conducting the Interview
Let the interview proceed naturally. Let your subject tell his or her story as he or she wants to. But listen closely and ask good follow-up questions. Ask for clarification or elaboration. Don’t accept everything your subject says at face value; ask for pertinent background information, dig beneath the surface of the story for deeper themes or ideas. Ask your subject how he or she feels or felt about the issue described. If it is helpful, you can broadly organize your interview to make sure it includes the three “juggling” questions from class: (1) What’s going on [in the situation presented by the subject]? (2) Which values matter here? and (3) What is/was the fitting response to this situation [from the perspective of your subject]? However, these won’t be the only questions you will ask. In part, what you ask, especially as follow-up, will depend on what your subject says.
Before your wrap up your interview, be sure to ask about your subject’s sense of purpose. What impact do they want to have in their work? What makes them want to get up in the morning? What role does their purpose play in how they decide what to do? What virtues are needed to achieve their purpose? I will look for material about your subject’s sense of purpose in the introduction of your paper.
Length: 1 page
Points possible: 2

2. Descriiption
In your own words and with rich detail, tell one or more stories you heard from your interviewee, emphasizing key ethical issues.
If you have too much material, focus on what’s most relevant to our course topics.
If you have too little material, either (a) ask your interviewee for more detail; or (b) include more descriiption of what your interviewee was wrestling with, the emotions they felt at the time, the thought process they went through, etc.
Length: 4 pages
Points possible: 10

3. Analysis
Relate elements of your descriiption section to course topics.
Define and explain all course terms and concepts that you use in your analysis.
Keep this section descriiptive. You will have a chance to take a normative position in your formal argument.
Example:
Your interview tells you about a time they witnessed sexual harassment at work. In your analysis, explain the concept of sexual harassment. Then relate your explanation to what your interviewee told you. Was what they witnessed actually sexual harassment? Why or why not?
Citations
Your appendix will serve as the citation for your interview.

Cite Brewing Up a Business as BUB and give the page number.

Cite our Business Ethics textbook as BE and give the page number.

Cite course videos, Prezis and PowerPoint presentations by their title and format, as in ‘”Best Person for the Job?’ video.”

Cite other online resources by their URL.

Cite other sources in whatever format is most convenient for you. Provide enough info to allow me to look up the source.

Points possible: 20
Length: 4 FULL pages. Points will be deducted if this section is shorter than the prescribed length.

4. Formal Argument
Write a Claim taking a normative position about an aspect of your interviewee’s story, and support the Claim with both a consequential argument and a non-consequential argument.
Use the template provided at the end of these instructions.
Develop your Rebuttals into full paragraphs, not just 2-3 sentences, to demonstrate your thorough consideration of an opposing perspective.
Formal Argument Template
Claim:

CONSEQUENTIAL ARGUMENT

Grounds1:

Warrant1:

Backing1:

Rebuttal 1 (A full paragraph):

Explanation of why Argument1 is consequential (one sentence): “This argument is consequential because it ____”

NON-CONSEQUENTIAL ARGUMENT (same Claim as above)

Grounds2:

Warrant2::

Backing2:

Rebuttal2: (A full paragraph)

Explanation of why Argument2 is non-consequential (one sentence): “This argument is non-consequential because it____.”

Points possible: 14
Length: 1 to 1.5 pages

5. Appendix
Describe your meeting(s) with your interviewee — how many meetings, whether you met in person or remotely, length of time, any follow-up contacts.

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