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Assignment Instructions
This project will be composed of a Paper Submission and a Video Submission (Presentation).
• The Paper will be valued at 15%
• The Video/Presentation will be valued at 10%
________________________________________
Background:
The selling process (See Exhibit 6-1) has as its core, the sales presentation, but it includes a number of other steps as well. The presentation is the culmination of a significant amount of preparatory work by the salesperson.
This project will take the “selling process,” from prospecting through to the follow-up stage, and will highlight the techniques used by the professional salesperson to achieve his or her goal.
You will assume the role of the salesperson to both do the planning and to design a sales presentation.
Unlike an actual sales call, here you are guaranteed to make the sale. However, the customer will raise several objections that you will deal with in the course of your presentation. This is actually a good technique to “build” your project as dealing with objections ensures that you explain the FAB’s and that two-way communication is taking place.
Even though you can choose your buyer, you need to give them instructions as to the basic attitude toward you and your proposition. In general, the attitude should be to appear not to want to buy but does buy; must give a minimum of two objections and two times to say “will not buy”
As a salesperson you will take on the role of trying to sell a product. You will choose a buyer to who you will attempt to sell your product.
• You must create and turn in for grading, an original, typed, double-spaced assignment paper. The paper will include several items, as outlined below. The paper will not be returned to you, so you should keep a copy.

• You must also prepare, execute and record a Prospecting Call/Meeting, a Sales Presentation, and a Follow-up Call/Meeting – that you will forward to your instructor for grading. These videos should be submitted on either a Cd-Rom disk, a DVD disk, or SD media card. The total video should be a minimum of 15 minutes in length.
________________________________________
The Paper should contain:
• A Cover Sheet

• The “Calling Card” – you will create a business card for yourself. (On page(s) of its own – with title)

• A Customer Analysis. (On page(s) of its own – with title) (1) description of the customer – the individual- you are calling on, (2) internet road map and direction, (3) internet weather.

• Your Sales Calls Objectives (On page(s) of its own – with title)

• A “Customer Profile and Planning Sheet” (see chapter 7) containing: (On page(s) of its own – with title)

o Name of the company

o Address of company

o Type of business

o Name of buyer

o People who will influence the buying decision or aid in using or seeing your product

o Buying hours and best time to see buyer

o Receptionists name

o Buyer’s personality type (see chapter 3)

o Buyer’s important buying needs

• A Competitive Analysis. (On page(s) of its own – with title)

• The Customer Benefit Plan (FABs). (On page(s) of its own – with title)

• A Marketing Plan. (On page(s) of its own – with title)

• A Business Proposition, including “Profit Forecaster.” (On page(s) of its own – with title)

• A Suggested Order. (On page(s) of its own – with title)

• A Copy of your Visuals that you will use in your presentation. (On page(s) of its own – with title)

• The Script – containing buyer and seller dialogue, should be divided into three parts:

1. The Prospecting Script
2. The Sales Presentation Script
 Approach
 Product
 Marketing Plan
 Business Proposition
 Suggested Purchase Order
 Close
 Exit
 NOTE: Ensure that your presentation offers multiple trial closes, objection responses, and the meeting of these objections.
3. The Follow-Up Script
________________________________________
The Class Presentation should contain:
• A Prospecting Call or Meeting that results in a Sales Presentation Meeting.
• The Sales Presentation. This must be a face-to-face meeting.
• A Follow-Up Call or Meeting.
The Presentation will be made to the class and a Presentation Rubric Valued at 10% will be used as a guide for this presentation.
________________________________________
Assignment Notes:
• The key to making a good grade is to incorporate the selling techniques from the text. For example, creative demonstrations are a must; techniques to overcome objections are essential; the use of questions is extremely important; and you cannot make the grade without great visuals.

• One very important thing that I am looking for is for you to tie together the buyer’s needs uncovered in the pre-approach to the approach and the SELL sequences. This should ultimately form your presentation, handling of objections, and closes.
Other Points to Remember:
• Ensure that you have included a Cover Page for your paper.

• A Table of Contents would add to the presentation of your assignment (optional).

• The paper must be typed (12 size font and double-spaced).

• Provide the appearance, mannerism, and attitude adhered to by a professional; salesperson during your presentation.

• In your script, Title the selling techniques that you are using at different stages, i.e. objection #1, objection #2.

• Clearly label the sections of your script.

• Provide a sales demonstration of major benefit in your presentation. Simply showing your product is not a major benefit demonstration.

• Do not read from a script during your video presentation.

• Double-check the grammar, spelling, etc. in your final paper submission.

________________________________________

MR1600 Student Grading Checklist Sales Simulation Term Project Paper – 15%
Paper Components Value Assigned
Customer Analysis 5
Sales Call Objective 5
Customer Profile & Planning Sheet 3
Sales Situation 3
Plan Your Approach 3
Competitive Analysis
5
Customer Benefit Plan:
–

Features 3
Advantages 3

Benefits 3
Marketing Plan
5
Business Proposition 3

Suggested Order 3

Script 3
The Sales Presentation Script 3

Product using sell sequences 5
Marketing Plan using sell sequences
5
Follow-up Script
2
References 1

Appendix – Sales Presentation Script and PowerPoint Slides 2
Appendix – Detailed Price List
2
Appendix – Suggested Order Listing 2
Internet Road Map and Weather Map 1
Student Score above #/70 points
E.g. A student earning 62 points out of 70 total points: 62/70 points x 15% = 13.3% Final Grade #/15%

Example
Example of Maxwell House Coffee Sales Presentation Dialogue
APPROACH using SPIN (Name of your approach)
Buyer: Hello, I’m Ms. Arrona
Seller: Hello, I’m Melissa Albin, it’s nice to meet you. I appreciate you seeing me this afternoon.
Buyer: Please have a seat
Seller: Thank-you. Here let me give you one of my business cards. I understand that you are responsible for the fountain, juice, coffee, and water categories in the Stop n Go convenience stores. Is that correct?
Buyer: Yes, I buy for over 900 stores, and it can get pretty hectic
Seller: I can imagine. So how many of those Stop n Go’s currently have self-service setups? (SPIN-situation)
Buyer: There are 650 stores
Seller: As the Coffee buyer, I now you must keep a close watch on coffee self-service sales. Have you noticed any trends recently? (SPIN-situation)
Buyer: Yes, actually our coffee sales have been showing slight decreases over the least few months
Seller: Is that normal to be showing decreases this time of year? (SPIN-problem)
Buyer: No, coffee sales usually remain pretty consistent over the year with slight increases when the weather turns cold. Coffee drinkers usually purchase coffee year round keeping our sales at a constant rate.
Seller: So, your decreasing sales have obviously led to smaller profit. (SPIN-implication)
Buyer: Yes. I was just going over that (looking at computer printout). We are down about $150 per store in almost all of our stores.
Seller: Do you ever receive customer complaints on the quality of coffee Stop n Go sells?
Buyer: Yes, unfortunately we do receive such complaints mainly on the taste. It is difficult to keep a constant watch over our employees, or even provide the proper training on how to prepare the coffee.
Seller: In other words, not only are you losing coffee sales, but also sales of related products customers would have purchased. (SPIN-problem and implication)
Buyer: Yes!
Seller: Ms. Arrona, would you be interested in a coffee program providing you with a great tasting coffee to your customers, plus excellent profits to you? (SPIN-need payoff)
Buyer: Yes, I’m always interested in increasing our sales

PRODUCT USING SELL SEQUENCES
Seller: As you may know, Maxwell House has been selling coffee for one-hundred years. The “good to the last drop” slogan is synonymous with a superior cup of coffee (metaphor). Over 23 million Americans purchase Maxwell House for consumption in their homes (feature). Maxwell House Coffee holds the number one position and Maxwell House Decaffeinated holds the number 2 position in the decaf market (feature). These figures are based on a recent survey published by the American Council of Coffee Producers (proof statement).
What this means is brand imagery and an increased customer base. People love our coffee (advantage).
The Maxwell House name conveys the message to your customers that you care about consistent quality and reflects favorably on your operation. The real benefit to you is increased customer satisfaction and confidence which leads to greater sales and profits (benefits). And that’s what you’re interested in right? (trial close)
Buyer: You bet!

MARKETING PLAN USING SELL SEQUENCES
(The seller has mixed a cup of coffee for the buyer to sample – demonstration)
Buyer: Um, it tastes really good, and it has a very rich flavor
Seller: Maxwell House provides an extensive package when you purchase our product (feature). The first phase of the package is a comprehensive training package for your employees. You mentioned not having adequate time or resources to properly train your employees, correct? (trial close)
Buyer: Yes, that’s correct
Seller: The training program established by Maxwell House will include the following: (features)
• 1. A preventive maintenance video
• 2. Operations guide to proper brewing techniques-stressing the importance of always maintaining a fresh pot of coffee
• 3. Regional training seminars
• 4. Store maintenance checks including an incentive reward program for your employees
The advantage of this program is that your employees understand how to brew a perfect cup of coffee every time, and it ensures consistent quality (advantage). The real benefit is that it will prevent losing customers when they purchase a poor cup of coffee (benefit). See what I mean (trial close)?

BUSINESS PROPOSITION USING SELL SEQUENCE
Seller: Each case of Maxwell House is only $66.67.
Buyer: (interrupting) Wait a minute! That’s over $10.00 more than the price that our current supplier is giving.
Seller: Yes (yes, but acknowledges viewpoint) but we have a quantity discount. When you sign a three-year contract, I can lower that price to only $60.00 a case which is a savings of 10 percent on each case. (feature) Now my product is only $5.00 over your current price per case (advantage) and that additional $5.00 includes a national advertising campaign, a training program for your employees, and P.O.S. kits. (benefits) That’s a lot of benefits for only an extra few dollars a store, don’t you agree? (trial close)
Buyer: Yes
CLOSE
Seller: Ms. Arrona, you liked the national brand recognition Maxwell House offered as well as the comprehensive training program, the P.O.S. kits, and the national ad campaign, right? (close #1, summary of benefits)
Buyer: Yes, but I’ve had no real problems with my current supplier. (source objection)
Seller: I know how you feel (acknowledged viewpoint). Often we are satisfied with something because we have no chance to compare it with something better. I’ve studied your current supplier, and due mostly to their size, they are not able to offer the competitive services that Maxwell House is able to offer, such as the national promotional campaign. (direct denial) Is this service important to you? (trial close)
Buyer: Yes, I do see the benefits in a joint ad campaign
Seller: Why don’t we plan to have the product in the stores on January 1st and the national ad campaign rolling by March 1st (close #2 – assumptive close)
Buyer: I think I’ll wait and put off a decision until my current coffee contract runs out at the end of the month (stalling objection)
Seller: I understand how you feel. Another account of mine felt the same way but she found that after reviewing our total program of products and services she would be better off buying now. That way we could begin immediately with the training program, while your current contract runs out. How do you feel about that? (feel, felt, found objection handling technique, trial close)
Buyer: That is a valid point

CONTINUES SELLING
The seller eventually sells the product to the buyer

IF DOES NOT BUY
Buyer: It probably is a good opportunity but I can’t justify such in increase in spending during this recession. As I said, we are trying to keep our spending to a minimum. I’m sorry.
Seller: I understand, but will you do one thing for me?
Buyer: Yes, what is it?
Seller: I’m going to leave this sales material, as well as the coffee samples here for you to look over and sample. When you feel you are ready to incorporate Maxwell House into its coffee self service sales will you give me a call?
Buyer: Yes, I’d be glad to
Seller: Thank you, and again I appreciate your seeing me this afternoon. I hope yu have a nice afternoon.

Customer Profile and Planning Sheet

1. Name: ____________________________________________________________________

Address: __________________________________________________________________

2. Type of business:___________________________________________________________

Name of Buyer:_____________________________________________________________

3. People who influence buying decision or aid in
using or selling our product:___________________________________________________

4. Buying hours and best time to see buyer:________________________________________

5. Receptionist’s name:_________________________________________________________

6. Buyer’s profile:______________________________________________________________

7. Buyer’s personality style:_____________________________________________________

8. Sales call objective:_________________________________________________________

9. What are customer’s important buying needs:____________________________________

10. Sales presentation:__________________________________________________________

a. Sales approach: _________________________________________________________
b. Features, advantages, benefits: _____________________________________________
c. Method of demonstrating FAB: ______________________________________________
d. How to relate benefits to customer’s needs: ___________________________________
e. Trail close to use: ________________________________________________________
f. Anticipated objections: ____________________________________________________
g. Trial close to use: ________________________________________________________
h. How to close this customer: ________________________________________________
i. Hard or soft close: _________________________________________________________

11. Sales made – product use/promotional plan agreed on: _____________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

12. Post-sales call comments (reason did/did not buy; what to do on next call;
follow-up promised):__________________________________________________________

 

Write a 6-8 page paper (does not include title page or reference page/pages) providing a “summary” of your actions.
You are the HR Manager for each scenario.
Read through each scenario.
Read through the Plan-Do Check-Act (PDCA) process that is located in DocSharing. This will be helpful in your analysis of the issues as well as offering viable recommendations.
Outline your various alternatives in responding to the union organizing drive.
Develop and support a specific recommended course of action to present to upper management.
Follow APA format guidelines.
You should be able to cover the alternatives and recommended actions in 1 1/2 to 2 pages for each scenario.
The paper should include theory application. In other words, once you have conducted your analysis, what theories link to the Labor Relations processes/functions? For example, spend a little time justifying the recommendations you made to upper management. Why should management pursue your suggestions? What analysis have you done that makes your recommendations viable? What are the pros and cons of the recommendations?
These are the 4 topics that need to be discussed:
ACME AUTO PARTS

Acme Auto Parts is a small nonunion manufacturer of auto parts located in a small town in the South. The work is repetitive and routine. There are no particular skill or educational requirements for the production employees. Acme sells nearly all its parts to the Big Three automakers (Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler) according to the specifications they provide. The highly unionized Big Three have largely outsourced the manufacturing of parts. Many of their traditional parts suppliers have closed their unionized operations in Michigan and opened nonunion plants in the South and in Mexico. The Big Three, however, continue to face competitive cost pressures from the Japanese car companies and therefore are continually trying to wring cost concessions from their suppliers.

The parts workers at various companies that are still represented by the United Auto Workers (UAW) face demands for concessions during every contract negotiation. The UAW is therefore trying to organize the nonunion parts factories. You have seen UAW organizers in town trying to contact Acme workers for the past few weeks. This morning you overheard two workers talking about the UAW.

THE ZINNIA

The Zinnia is a 300-room hotel in the central business district of a major Midwestern metropolitan area. This is a full-service hotel—a hotel providing a wide variety of services including food and beverage facilities and meeting rooms—that caters to individual business travelers, convention attendees, and local businesspeople who need meeting space. The Zinnia emphasizes outstanding service and amenities and is owned by a prominent local real estate magnate, Ms. Lucy Balder-cash, who closely monitors the management and financial performance of her diversified properties.

Many of this city’s major hotels are unionized, and the Zinnia’s wage rates are equal to the local union wage scale. You feel that while the Zinnia’s employee benefit package is modest compared to what the union has been able to extract from your unionized competitors, it is competitive with other low-skilled occupations in the area—and is particularly generous for the undocumented immigrants that you have quietly hired to fill the dishwashing and room cleaning positions. You also feel that your unionized competitors are saddled with myriad work rules that restrict flexibility.

The local union organizes aggressively and isn’t afraid to have public marches and demonstrations in support of its goal of social justice. But you thought your workers were content, and you were astonished to learn this morning that Zinnia workers have been quietly signing authorization cards. You received notice from the NLRB that a petition was filed by the local hotel union requesting an election covering back-of-the-house workers (kitchen, laundry, and room cleaning employees—not front-of-the-house employees like bellhops, bartenders, and waitresses) and that this petition was supported by signed authorization cards from 40 percent of the workers.

SCHOOL DISTRICT 273

School District 273 is a medium-sized public school district in a Northeastern state with a comprehensive bargaining law that includes teachers. The bargaining law allows strikes (except for police, firefighters, and prison guards) and also allows unions to be recognized through a card check recognition procedure if the employer does not object. Otherwise a representation election will be conducted when a petition is supported by 30 percent signed authorization cards. No employees in District 273 are represented by a union, though teachers in many neighboring districts are.

District 273 receives 75 percent of its funding from the state based on a statewide per-student funding formula; the remainder comes from local property taxes and fees. To balance the state budget, school funding was re

SCHOOL DISTRICT 273

School District 273 is a medium-sized public school district in a Northeastern state with a comprehensive bargaining law that includes teachers. The bargaining law allows strikes (except for police, firefighters, and prison guards) and also allows unions to be recognized through a card check recognition procedure if the employer does not object. Otherwise a representation election will be conducted when a petition is supported by 30 percent signed authorization cards. No employees in District 273 are represented by a union, though teachers in many neighboring districts are.

District 273 receives 75 percent of its funding from the state based on a statewide per-student funding formula; the remainder comes from local property taxes and fees. To balance the state budget, school funding was reduced by 10 percent. School budgets are also being squeezed by rising health care costs. And teachers are frustrated by the state’s emphasis on standardized test scores; they feel they are losing control over educational standards and curriculum. A grassroots unionization effort started among some teachers at the district’s high school near the beginning of the school year. It is now the middle of the school year, and the leaders of this grassroots effort—which they are now calling the District 273 Teacher’s Association—claim to have signed authorization cards from 70 percent of the teachers, including large numbers at all the district’s schools. They have asked the school board to voluntarily recognize their union and schedule bargaining sessions to hear their concerns and negotiate a contract that preserves teachers’ input into the educational process.

WOODVILLE HEALTHCARE

Woodville HealthCare is a for-profit health care provider formed through the merger of several networks of physicians. It operates 50 managed care clinics and employs 400 doctors in the West. The merger has resulted in a major restructuring of operations. Several clinics have been closed, and a number of new operating guidelines have been implemented. Doctors are now required to see more patients; specialty medical procedures and nongeneric prescriptions must be approved by the medical authorization department; and expensive procedures can negatively affect a doctor’s salary.

Some doctors contacted a national doctors’ union that is affiliated with one of the largest U.S. unions, and an organizing drive was launched. After a petition was filed with the NLRB, Woodville filed objections and argued that the doctors were supervisors and therefore excluded from the NLRA. The NLRB eventually ruled that 100 of the doctors had supervisory responsibilities, but that 300 were nonmanagerial doctors. Woodville then spent $200,000 (plus staff time) on an antiunion campaign leading up to last week’s election for the 300 nonmanagerial doctors. The election results were 142 voting in favor of the union, 128 against.

This is a slim seven-vote margin, and you have until tomorrow to decide whether to appeal the results of the election by filing objections with the NLRB. Several days before the election, the union’s website reported salary figures for Woodville’s top executives that were grossly inflated. You have also investigated several allegations of inappropriate union campaigning on the day of the election but have uncovered only weak evidence. Your attorney predicts that there is a 20 percent chance an appeal would succeed.

 

 

Reference groups are an important part of consumer behavior. Define the types of reference groups using the literature. Discuss how brand personalities and consumers perception of self work with congruency theory. Discuss how reference groups play a role in all these theories and in application according to the literature. Discuss the role do luxury products play in relation to perception of self and reference groups? Discuss the role fake luxury products play in relation to reference groups and aspiration groups and attached out groups.

Law

After reading “A Line in the Sand: Countering Crime, Violence and Terror at the Southwest Border,” discuss the threats we face at the Southwest Border.

*** Please note, you can send me an update after each questions done so I can review them.

This is the guidelines for this comprehensive exam, please read this carefully before starting to work on questions/cases:

The Questions
• The exam has six questions to be answered and submitted separately, dealing with Strategy, Marketing, Operations Management, Managerial Economics and Quantitative Analysis, Finance, and Human Resource Management.
• Read the case, all of the questions, and any specific instructions that accompany them. The requirements of the question will usually determine the general structure of your essay.
• Sort question requirements into major and minor points.
• Determine if there are clues to the type of analysis or presentation to be used and whether you are required to give a recommendation or conclusion.
Case Information
• One case is used for the exam, and all questions are based on this case.
• Organize the case information. First read the case and immediately start answering questions. This is inadvisable. Organize the information according to the functional areas – Strategy, Human Resource, Marketing, Finance, Operations and Managerial Economics.
• Rely on data that is in the case even if you know what happened later or elsewhere. Unless otherwise noted, assume you are writing at about the same time as the events in the case occur.
• Finding more information about the organization in the case usually is not productive unless specifically requested in an exam question. Outside references may be used to make reasonable assumptions about the general business environment.
• Find a focus or filter for analyzing the relevant material from the case. For instance, are chains of causality evident? Can points of view be contrasted and compared? Are there trends, gaps, or blind spots?
Course Methods and Frameworks
• Identify what concepts and theories from your textbook(s), courseware, and discussions can be brought to bear on the particular question.
• Select methods or frameworks with which to organize your case data.
• Limit yourself to material from the specific course the question is based upon.
Organization and Presentation
• Review the information below:
 Remember that exceeding the 1,000-word limit by more than 5% will result in a penalty. The marker/evaluator will delete the excess words from the end of the document and will then evaluate the assignment. For example, if the “Recommendations” section is deleted, no marks will be given for “Recommendations.”
 A cover sheet, executive summary, table of contents, and bibliography are not required, but a list of references is required
 Presentations in tables or any other format placed in the main part of the paper are included in the word count.
 Appendices are not included in the word count, but it is important that they are used appropriately and in a limited way. The markers will not peruse the appendices to find important answers. For instance, having a table detailing calculations in an appendix is fine as long as the important points are distilled and included in the main body of the response. If there is an error, these details help the coach to see whether the error was a conceptual error or a simple calculation or typing error.
 Likewise, endnotes and footnotes are not included in the word count. Like appendices, they should not provide critical content information, but only non-essential information that may be referenced by the reader.
 While the percentages for each part and sub-question are a guide, how you want to divide the work limit among the various parts of a question is up to you, unless otherwise specified in the exam question.
 Where point form or bulleted lists are used, make sure that these adequately communicate your thoughts.
 Save your answers for each question of the exam in separate MS Word documents using the following file name format: Q#.docx (where Q# refers to the question number). For example, your answer to Question 1—Strategy would be saved as Q1.docx.

• It is helpful to prepare an outline of your answer, using the parts and sub-questions to create headings and sub-headings in the outline. List the major points of your answer to each part or sub-question along with notes on the sources you wish to cite from your course materials and relevant parts of the case. This outline can keep you on track when you begin writing your answer so that key points are not missed and minor points do not derail your thought process. Noting your sources helps you check that you have the correct facts and figures from the case, that you are drawing on the relevant concepts and theories from your course materials, and that you have referenced your sources properly.
• Use the précis style when writing your answers:
 Keep introductions and conclusions short.
 Clearly state any assumptions.
 Make each paragraph one complete unit of thought. The first sentence of each paragraph should state what it is about. Break up long paragraphs.
 Avoid copying long passages into your essay. Incorporate them by reference.
 Use the active voice (good resources are Strunk’s The Elements of Style [4th ed.] referred to in your MBAO Study Guide or your Prentice Hall Reference Guide for Canadian Writers).
 Use grammar and spell checkers as necessary. Review and edit your work as needed.
• Check your citations for correct APA format and prepare a Reference list (for only those sources you actually cited, a bibliography is not needed).
Ways to Increase Your Mark
• Each question must be awarded a 70% grade to be considered a pass. Students are allowed only one sub-70% mark to successfully pass the exam. It is acceptable to submit only five answers. Any answer not submitted will be treated as a fail.
• Based on marker feedback, papers receiving lower marks typically have the following problems:
 Do not display a logical thought process that proceeds from statement of the issue to presentation and analysis of relevant data and then to a firm conclusion.
 Fail to differentiate between highly important and less important issues. As a result, too many objectives are addressed. Read the question carefully to understand what is being asked.
 Indicate that students have difficulty reading or following instructions – for example, adhering to word limits or using appropriate font and font size.

you can write about any package. please answer the following questions to assist you in generating content for your essay.
1.if your package has logo, what does it mean? if your finding difficulty identifying the nature of it, recommend you to research to find its significance.
2. what does your logo connote/suggest?
3. what does the color of the logo connote?together,(the logo and color) what does it suggest?
4. what does it look like, resemble or imitate?
5. what emotions are associated with the package?
6. what kind of audience is the package attempting to attract based upon is aesthetics?
7. what does the name imply? how does the font connote, help establish its identity. t

One page response per essay question. One source per page at minimum.

1. Do you think that there are cases in which the death penalty is justified? Why/Why not? If your answer is ‘Yes,’ explain which kinds of

cases, and why those and not others.

2. Do you think that mental illness should be considered a mitigating factor in determining punishment? Explain why/why not, focusing on

the specific types of mental illness you
think are relevant, and how you think they ought to be factored into sentencing.

 

Pastry Chef
In somewhere between 600-800 words of TNR 12-point font, your essay should clearly and compellingly introduce us to a pre-approved subject-person,

people, or group. It should provide us with enough detail about the subject’s role that we understand, at least in part what it is like to be

him/her/them. Your essay should perform enough analysis and exposition to do two things: clarify your own position/relationship with the subject, and

provide context that makes it clear how and why the subject and his/her/their role is interesting, useful, or otherwise important to you, and should be

to us.

 

Literature
Please answer the following questions, noting specific textual evidence to support your position.

Your answers should run at least 2 paragraphs. You may use your textbook to complete theanswers.

Toni Morrison, “Recitatif”

1. In what way does Toni Morrison tease out society’s tendency to place racial categories onindividuals? In what way does Morrison’s text strip itself of racial categories?

2. Why does “Recitatif” continually return to references of the orchard and to Maggie?What is significant in these continual references? What are we to make of the confusionTwyla experiences in her memories of these things?

3. If the story can be divided into 5 sections (5 encounters between Twyla and Roberta),what are these and what do they mean?Hemingway, “Hills Like White Elephants”

4. What, ultimately, does Jig decide to do? Support your position with textual evidence.

5. Briefly describe the setting and its significance.

6. Identify 2 key symbols in the story and what they mean.
Modernism and Poetry

7. Define modernism and apply this term to poetry written during the early to mid 20thcentury. Cite specific examples to support your position.

 

GENERAL GUIDELINES AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR AN ESSAY IN ETHICS

This page gives you general information on the essays required for this course. Specific information or instructions for each of the three required essays is given in the “topics” handouts(“Essay 1 Topics”, etc.) found in this module. You must consult the “topics” handouts, for only the topics listed in those handouts are pre-approved and do not require getting approval from me. Any topic not on the list of pre-approved topics has to be explicitly approved by me or you will get no credit for writing on it. Please do not ask me whether you can write on a pre-approved topic.

FORMAT AND STYLE

1. Since this is an online course, you will have no choice but to type your paper. Be sure to double-space, and allow for at least one-inch margins on all four sides. Use 12-point type. Put your name and the course name on your paper. Prepare your essay as a .doc or a .docx.
2. Proof for spelling, punctuation and appropriate vocabulary. Run spellcheck and grammar check.
3. Appropriately cite sources, including internet sources, and page numbers of quotes and page numbers of any references to texts. (MLA style.) Put page numbers on your own paper.
4. Indent and single-space any quotes more than three lines long.
5. Strive for clarity throughout your paper. Make sure the reader knows what your topic is, knows what your thesis is, and can understand your support for your thesis or your criticisms of competing theses. To this end, it is important that your first paragraph clearly states what you intend to do in your essay. An example of a good introductory paragraph is this:

“In this essay, I intend to defend the thesis that promises should always be kept. My essay is divided into three sections. In the first, I shall develop my reasons for my thesis. In the second, I shall consider objections to my thesis and show that they are not good enough to defeat my thesis. In the final section, I shall review what I believe I have shown in this essay.”

SUBSTANCE AND CONTENT

1. Work out a view on your topic that you find true or plausible, and defend that view against relevant objections. Some of these objections might have been voiced in lecture, some in the readings, some in the discussions we’ve had, etc. In any case, it is your task to learn about them, think about them, and respond adequately to them. In some cases, this may require recourse to a library or to an internet site.
2. Your essays are not primarily research papers, so don’t focus on doing a lot of research. Do not slight necessary research, however. You need to be aware of important views on the topic you are addressing and aware of at least some of the arguments people put forward in support of their views. This will almost certainly require research. In some cases, this may simply mean revisiting some of the sites on the net that you’ve visited as you’ve gone through the lectures or re-reading one of the assigned articles in the text or reviewing portions of a lecture or lectures.

 

GRADING GUIDELINES

1. Failure to adhere to the required format and style will be penalized. In extreme cases, papers will be returned unread.
2. Substance is of the essence. I will ask the following sorts of questions:
a. Is this paper informed by relevant points from the assigned readings, the lectures, or from class discussions?
b. What view or position is being defended here? Is it well-defended?
c. Does this paper reveal a good and independent attempt to grapple with its topic? An attempt that is not merely a rehearsal or summary of class readings, discussions, or lectures, and is not merely a hash of someone else’s opinions?

PAGE REQUIREMENTS

Adhering to the above format, the bare minimum is four pages. Most “A” papers I receive are at least four or five pages long, not including the “works cited” page. There is no maximum, but papers that go past six pages have probably not been well-edited.
Topics for Essay 2

You may choose your own topic; however, you must clear the topic with me. Failure to clear it with me will mean no credit for the assignment.

Otherwise, here are possible topics for your second essay. Be sure to address all the questions in the given topic area. (Don’t write on more than one topic.)

A general note: don’t forget about Hobbes or Kant or Mill as you think about and write your essay, regardless of your topic. I am not saying that you must bring their thinking to bear in your essay, but keeping them in mind might well help you write a good essay on your topic.

1. Since your last essay was due, we’ve discussed a variety of “applied ethics” issues: abortion, capital punishment, assisted suicide/euthanasia, animals and ethics, world poverty, etc. You could pick one of these issues and work out, and defend, your view on it. So, for example, you may think homosexual sex is morally right or good and may wish to defend its rightness or goodness against its critics. You’d develop your arguments for your position, then state and rebut the arguments against your position. capital punishment under certain conditions. Ditto for the other topics.

2. You have been exposed to some of the moral thinking of Hobbes, Kant, and Mill, among others. You could pick some of their major theses or arguments, and either attack them or defend them. For example, you could focus on Kant’s thesis that there is what he calls a Supreme Principle of Morality(SPM), and that it is what I’ve called the Universalizability Principle(UP), and attack or defend his thesis of a SPM and his thesis that it is the UP. For another example, you could attack or defend Hobbes on the origin or purpose of the moral rules and on how questions about legitimate violations of them are to be handled.

3. You have also been exposed to the issue whether morality varies somehow from society to society and perhaps from time to time. You could write on the issue of morality’s varying from society to society, or a more specific issue like female circumcision–whether it’s somehow morally OK for the people of Togo, say, but definitely not OK for us, and why. if you were to choose to write on an issue like female circumcision, make sure that you understand the rationale that its practitioners offer in defense of it.