Option1:
Please select a topic from the list below (you may also select a topic of interest to you which is not on the list, as long as your assignment meets the specified criteria). Critically analyse the ethical issues and/or legal considerations associated with the topic you have chosen. This means that you must provide a general background to the issues you have chosen to discuss, followed by a balanced discussion of these issues, referring to relevant literature on the topic.
| List of topics: Ethical issues relating to preimplantation genetic diagnosisEthical issues relating to prenatal genetic testing (including genetic testing of minors)Ethical issues relating to withholding or withdrawing of life-sustaining treatment from patients in a critical conditionEthical and legal issues relating to supported decision-makingEthical and legal issues relating to assessing decision-making capacityEthical issues relating to medical assistance in dyingEthical issues relating to termination of pregnancyEthical issues relating to assisted reproductionEthical and legal issues relating to Advance Healthcare Directives |
Option 2:
Please select a legal case (from Ireland or from another jurisdiction) which has not been discussed in detail in the lecture or workshop setting. Critically analyse the ethical and legal issues arising from the case you have chosen to discuss.
Requirements:
Your essay should be no longer than 1,200 words long (excluding references and bibliography). All direct quotations should be placed in quotation marks and the source of the quotation should be acknowledged. The source of any indirect quotation or paraphrase should also be acknowledged. Please use the Harvard referencing system and provide a full bibliography. You may refer to websites as well as journal articles/ books as long as you use a proper system of referencing, but avoid Wikipedia as a source of information.
What you are being asked to do in this assignment is to gather, analyse and synthesise information. In other words, in addition to searching for the information, you need to be able to edit the information you have found in order to present it in a coherent fashion. In an essay of 1200 words, this means approximately four main paragraphs, each dealing with a one main issue or a related cluster of issues. The opening paragraph should provide a general background to the issue you have chosen to discuss. For maximum coherence, you should state the main point of each paragraph in the first line and spend the rest of the paragraph backing that point up (with reference to the literature or to relevant arguments). Try to avoid making too many individual points as this will compromise the coherence of your discussion. A minimum of seven references should be consulted.
Marking criteria:
Your assignment will be marked according to the following criteria:
- Knowledge: you must demonstrate an understanding of the issues you are discussing.
- Integration of information: within the word limit, you must be able to focus your discussion on the essential points at issue. To do this, you must be able to edit and synthesise the information you have gathered.
- Clarity: you must express your points in clear English. Marks will be deducted for poor grammar and punctuation.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is a serious offence. You MUST acknowledge the work of the authors you are quoting in your discussion. Please see the University’s policy on plagiarism, available at
