An Ethical Position Paper is when you take a position (pro or con) on a topic and argue why your position is the correct one. This is done by writing a persuasive argument.
A position paper is similar to a scientific experiment. You state a hypothesis (thesis) and then provide evidence that proves your hypothesis. Instead of running an experiment to collect data, your evidence is in the form of arguments (think of these as sub-hypothesis. Also defined as statements that “prove” your position is correct); factual evidence (from literature, philosophical theories, and other studies).

For this assignment you though all you need to do is and Annotated Bibliography for the ethical position paper you will do later. You may choose one of the following topics.
1) The state of Illinois ought not to permit students, faculty and staff to carry concealed weapons on campus.
2) The U.S. [ought to/ought not to] allow the creation of 3-parent embryos
3) Th U.S ought not to permit philosophical exemptions for mandatory vaccinations

You are expected to turn in a comprehensive reference list of the sources that you have read so far for the position paper. While there is no minimum for number of articles and books to appear on this list, you should show evidence of having performed significant research on the topic. A good rule of thumb for this point in the process is 8 to 10 references. Number of pages does not matter. It can be anywhere from a page to 4 pages. ( I will pay extra if number of pages exceeds)

Listings should be academically acceptable (peer-reviewed, government data, scholarly). Thus, a website put out by a narrow politically oriented group is unlikely to pass muster. In general, citations should be from strong sources meaning unbiased, with strong academic credentials. This means that the Hastings Center Report, American Journal of Bioethics, and Journal of the American Medical Association would be good references. People magazine, the Heritage Foundation Website, and any encyclopedia (including wikipedia) would be poor references. (You need to upload these references for me)

You are not expected to include all materials on the Annotated Bibliography in their final paper. Nor are all papers used in the final paper expected to be on the Annotated Bibliography. This assignment is meant to show that you are actively engaged in researching your topic and collecting resources. Do not use the abstract to write your annotation. You are expected to get the actual books and articles and read them before writing the annotations. Such materials should come mainly (80%) from academic library journals (paper and ejournals) and books, not from internet sites.

The bibliography should follow a standard citation style (APA). Be sure to use the style consistently and indicate which style you chose at the top of the assignment.
An annotated bibliography, however, is more than just a list. The assignment requires the citation and under each listing, a two to three sentence statement describing what the article is about and a statement about how you plan to use the material.

Examples:

Rowling, J. K. (2002). Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. New York: Scholastic.
This book follows the continuing adventures of Harry Potter, a young wizard attending a wizarding school, Hogwarts. Harry comes face-to-face his with his nemesis once again and nearly loses his life while unknowingly bringing his rival back to power. This book examines the issues of good and evil and will provide background material for this philosophical debate.

Smith, John (2017). Why Reproductive Cloning is Good. New York: Cloned Press.
Smith examines several reasons why cloning is a good thing including the possibility of a sort of genetic immortality and a chance to right past wrongs. He discusses several cases of imminent clone births in humans and what implications these may have for a brave new world. This book will provide evidence for my claims.

Please do not hesitate to ask questions any time.
Please give enough time in case of revisions.