Applying Theory: Ethics Across Generations Assignment: Interview Reflection

About Applying Theory

Why This Matters Every day, people make ethical choices, but we do not always stop to think about how we make them or why we see things the way we do. This assignment is about exploring that “why” by learning from someone else’s lived experience and comparing it to your own.

By applying ethical theories and reflecting on real conversations, you will sharpen your ability to think clearly, listen empathetically, and explain ethical reasoning in personal and professional contexts. These are skills that matter, no matter what your major or career.

Assessment Preparation Read the following scenario:

You have been invited to contribute to a community storytelling project called Ethics Across Generations. Your task is to interview someone in your life about how they make ethical decisions and write a reflection comparing their approach to your own using ideas from this course.

You will be graded on how clearly you explain both ethical perspectives, how well you connect them to theory, and how thoughtfully you reflect on differences and insights gained.

Step 1: Prepare for the Interview  Reflect on your values and decision-making style. Prepare 3–5 open-ended questions. You may use or adapt these: How do you figure out what is “right” when making a tough choice? What values guide your decisions? Describe a time when you faced an ethical dilemma. Do you think more about consequences, rules, relationships, or personal character when making a decision? Step 2: Conduct the Interview Choose someone you trust (family, friend, mentor, coworker) and schedule a time to interview them either in person or virtually. Take notes or ask for permission to record. Ask follow-up questions and listen for patterns, values, and moral language. Assessment Deliverable Write a 1,050- to 1,225-word report that follows the structure format below.

Use section headings and accessible language; no need for academic jargon. You may use a pseudonym instead of your interviewee’s real name. Cite any sources you use according to APA guidelines.

You do not need to include verbatim interview content; summarize key ideas instead.

Interview Report Structure

Introduction (about 1 paragraph)

Introduce your interviewee (use a first name or pseudonym). Explain your relationship and why you chose them. Share relevant background that may shape their perspective. Explain How They Make Ethical Decisions (about 2–3 paragraphs)

Assessed in Row 1, “Their Ethical Reasoning,” in the rubric.

Summarize how the interviewee tends to approach ethical decisions. What core values or beliefs shape their thinking? What kinds of reasoning or questions do they consider when facing difficult choices? Include one or more real-life dilemmas they shared. How did they think through the situation? Pay attention to whether they emphasize consequences, rules, personal relationships, or character. Apply Ethical Theories (about 2–3 paragraphs)

Assessed in Rows 2 and 3, “Applying Theory–Interviewee Perspective” and “Applying Theory–Your Perspective” in the rubric.

For your interviewee:

Identify one or more ethical theories (e.g., utilitarianism, virtue ethics, care ethics, relativism) that best describe how they make decisions. Use specific examples from the interview to support your reasoning. Do not just label their thinking; explain how their values, priorities, or reasoning patterns align with key principles of the theory (e.g., focusing on outcomes, duty, character, relationships, etc.). For yourself:

Choose one or more ethical theories that reflect your own approach to ethical decision-making. Use a personal example to illustrate how you apply that reasoning in a real-life context. Clarify how your values or thought process connect to the theory’s core ideas. Tip: Even if your interviewee does not know ethical theories, you can still analyze the patterns of reasoning and match them to ideas covered in the course. Focus on what guides the decision: outcomes? duties? relationships? personal character?

Compare Ethical Approaches (about 2–3 paragraphs)

Assessed in Row 4, “Comparison and Reflection,” in the rubric.

Compare your ethical approach with your interviewee’s. Consider the following questions: Where do your values, reasoning processes, or priorities align? Where do they differ? What ethical concepts or frameworks help explain these similarities or differences? What life experiences (e.g., background, age, culture, profession) might account for these differences in ethical thinking? Reflect on how hearing another person’s ethical reasoning challenged, confirmed, or expanded your own understanding. Use specific examples from the interview to support your insights. Think of this section as a way to classify, compare, and evaluate how different ethical approaches play out in real-life decision-making. Conclusion (about 1 paragraph)

Assessed in Row 5, “Summary and Future Application,” in the rubric.

Summarize what you learned about ethical reasoning and decision-making through this process. Explain how this experience might influence how you apply ethics to future personal, academic, or professional decisions. APA, Grammar, and Mechanics

Assessed in Row 6, “APA, Grammar, and Writing Mechanics,” in the rubric.

Use clear, polished writing and cite any sources you used according to APA guidelines

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