Exploring Ethical Frameworks

Individual Activity (100 points)

Name: ______Lillian Blizzard_________

Case Study Title: _________Getting the A_______________________

Directions: Using the ethics case study you’ve selected or been given, discuss and answer the following
questions to the best of your ability.

Step One: Identify the Issue

1. What is the dilemma/problem to be solved in this case and ultimately, what is the key decision that must
be made? Write this so that a “stranger” could readily understand the dilemma. Include enough detail to
make sure the dilemma is clearly defined and include the key decision written in the form of a question.

Pete was put into a group with three other students for a calculus project. Each member of the group was
assigned a part of the project to complete. Pete finds out Valeria plagiarized most of her paper. He confronts
her but she says she’s too busy to correct it and Mr. Finley will never find out. If he does, she says she will take
the blame for it. Should Pete go to Mr. Finley and/or talk with the other group members? Or should Pete let it
be and see what happens?

2. Who are the stakeholders in this dilemma? (Note: Stakeholders are any individuals, written about in the
case or not, who may be affected by the decisions that are made; check the column that fits.)

STAKEHOLDER In the Also

Case possibly
affected
1. Pete 
2. Valeria 
3. Student 3 
4. Student 4 
5. Mr. Finley 
6. Other students in the class 
7.
8.
9.
10.

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Step Two: Outline the Options

3. Consider as many ways to resolve this dilemma as possible and list them below. It’s likely that you will want
to “solve” the problem, but this step asks you to extend your thinking beyond your initial reaction.
(Note: Step Four, Question 6 asks that you return to this question to label the frameworks associated with the
possible resolutions.)
Options for Resolving Dilemma Ethical Framework
(see Step Four,
Question 6)

Pete can talk with the other group members and split Valeria’s Utilitarian/Moral
assignment between the three of them to complete and not use her part. Rights

Pete can talk with Mr. Finley about discovering Valeria’s plagiarism. Justice/Practical

Pete can look at Valeria’s assignment and do it himself before it’s due Utilitarian
instead of using Valeria’s part.

Pete can talk with the other group members and go talk to Mr. Finley Practical/Justice/Uti
together about Valeria’s plagiarism. litarian

Pete can leave the project alone and hope for the best. Utilitarian

Pete can talk with the other group members and split Valeria’s Utilitarian/Moral
assignment between the three of them to complete and not use her part. Rights/ Practical/
Then, they can go talk to Mr. Finley about what happened. Justice

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Step Three: Gather Evidence/Interview Others

4. Using the key dilemma posed in Step One, interview 10 people on how they would resolve the problem and
why. (Note: As interviewer, please do not share your thoughts on how you would resolve the problem.) Use
the table located on page 6 of this worksheet to record their responses.

Step Four: Construct Ethical Arguments

5. Practice using the four ethical frameworks we have examined in class (utilitarian, moral rights, justice, and
practical) and list one resolution for each framework and explain why it fits there.
If you follow this rule when faced with a You will make a decision based on…
dilemma…

utilitarian the greatest good for the greatest

number (or the least harm to others)

moral rights the way you would want to be treated

justice what is fair and equal for all involved

practical whether or not the “typical person”

would find your decision to be acceptable

a. utilitarian:
A resolution under the utilitarian framework is Pete would go to the other group members about Valeria’s
plagiarism. Then going to Mr. Finley about it.

Why does this fit the utilitarian framework?

This scenario fits the utilitarian framework because it is the best for the whole group to know. Then by going to
Mr. Finley it saves their entire grades instead of letting it be.

b. moral rights:
A resolution under the moral rights framework is Pete would go to Mr. Finley about Valeria’s plagiarism.

Why does this fit the moral rights framework?

This fits the moral rights framework because it is the right thing to do since plagiarism is illegal and not
permitted at the school.
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c. justice:
A resolution under the justice framework would be Pete going to the other group members and letting them
know about Valeria’s plagiarism. Then making a group decision on what to do from there.

Why does this fit the justice framework?

You would want to know how your grade is going to be affected. By going to the other group members, you
are making sure everybody has the same information in order to make a decision together.

d. practical:
Going to the other group members and agreeing the right thing to do is going to Mr. Finley about Valeria’s
plagiarism and then they go to Mr. Finley together.

Why does this fit the practical framework?

The typical person knows that plagiarism is illegal and not permitted at school. You have to go to the teacher
once it is discovered.

6. Now, go back to your interviews with others and your own options to solve the dilemma (see question #3)
and label each with the appropriate ethical framework.

Step Five: Evaluate the Arguments

7. Reviewing the responses from the individuals interviewed in Step Three as well as your own options to solve
the dilemma, consider how stakeholders you have identified in the case might best benefit. Then, rank the
frameworks below according to their perceived merit, with “1” being the highest ranking. (Note: Often we
“stick” to our first thoughts on how we would resolve the dilemma; this step asks that you expand your
thinking to be more inclusive of others’ perspectives when ranking the frameworks.)

#1______Justice_______________ framework

#2________Utilititarian_________ framework

#3________Moral Rights________ framework

#4________Pratical____________ framework

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Step Six: Make a Decision/ Evaluate the Impact
8. Considering all the possible outcomes that you and those you have interviewed have associated with each
ethical framework, make a decision on how you would resolve the case.

To resolve the case, Pete should use the moral rights framework. The moral rights framework means that I
would treat people the way I would want to be treated. Pete should resolve the case by going to Mr. Finley
after discovering Valeria is not going to change her part.

9. Explain in some detail why you made your decision.

Pete should make this decision because he knows it is illegal to commit plagiarism. By going to Mr.
Finley, it saves Pete’s grade, his other group members’ grades, and from them getting kicked out of
the school. This falls under the moral rights ethical framework because it respects all of the rights the
group members have at stake from Pete being able to make the choice to report the plagiarism himself.
This even protects the rights Valeria choose to plagiarize because she is in charge of making her own
choices, but she has to live up to the consequences when Mr. Finley finds out about it.

10. Explain how each of the stakeholders you listed in Question #2 might be affected by your decision.

STAKEHOLDER How might they be affected?

1. Pete If Mr. Finley finds out that Pete knew and didn’t come to him, then Pete could fail
the project or get kicked out of school.

2. Valeria She could fail the class and be dismissed from the school from academic
dishonesty.

3. Student 3 Affect his/her grade if he/she knew about the plagiarism. He/she could also get
kicked out of school.

4. Student 4 Affect his/her grade if he/she knew about the plagiarism. He/she could also get
kicked out of school.

5. Mr. Finley If he doesn’t report the plagiarism and the school finds out, he could be fired.

6. Other If Mr. Finley gets fired from not reporting the plagiarism, then the students don’t
students in have a teacher which affects their education.
the class
7.

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8.
9.
10.
Person What would they do?
1 Go to the professor, Mr. Finley.
Explain to him that everyone had an
individual part to do and Valeria has
committed plagiarism and is not willing
to change it.
2 Go talk to Mr. Finley.
3 Confer with the other group
members. Rewrite Valeria’s part
without plagiarizing. Notify the
professor afterwards.
4 Give Valeria another chance to redo
her part. If she doesn’t, split the
assignment between the three
members and inform the teacher
about what happened.
5 Say something to the other group
members. Work together to revise the
project. Tell Mr. Finley that Valeria did
not contribute.
Why? Which ethical
framework did
they use?
I don’t want the plagiarism to Justice/practical
affect my grade. Plagiarism is
illegal and wrong to do.
By talking to Mr. Finley, it covers Justice/Practical
my grade and from getting
kicked out of school.
Since Pete knows there’s Utilitarian/
plagiarism, he cannot put his Moral Rights/
name on the project; better to Justice/
correct it. It’s your duty to Practical
know a project with your
name on it has plagiarism, so
you confer with your group
members.
She offered to do her part of the Utilitarian/
project, so she should get Moral Rights/
another chance. If she doesn’t Practical
then it saves the group from
committing plagiarism if they
split up her part.
It’s the group’s grade too, so it’s Utilitarian/
their responsibility. Justice/
Practical
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6 Revise with other group members.
7 Go to the group members. Make a
decision on what to do together. If the
group members do not want to do
anything about it, go talk to the Mr.
Finley.
8 Talk to the teacher.
9 Let her get in trouble and take the
blame.
10 Go to the group members and split
the work between the three of them.
Inform the teacher about what
happened.
So, the whole group doesn’t get Utilitarian
in trouble for the plagiarism.
We should be able to fix the Moral Rights/
problem as a group. If the group Justice/
doesn’t want to fix the problem Practical
then it’s your responsibility to go
to the teacher.
Plagiarism is illegal and wrong Justice
so you have to report it.
Doesn’t want to be a part of the Utilitarian
situation.
Doesn’t want to get a bad grade Utilitarian/
but the teacher should still know Moral Rights/
since it’s illegal. Justice/
Practical