Assignment. The history of research with human subjects is replete with ethical dilemmas and
controversies. To develop a deeper knowledge about some of these ethical concerns, particularly
when vulnerable people are involved, we will be reading and discussing The Immortal Life of
Henrietta Lacks and your assignment is to write a book review that outlines and critically
analyzes the ethical issues raised by the book, including a discussion/application of two of
the classical ethical theories discussed in class (e.g., Utilitarianism, Deontology, Virtue
Ethics, Ethics of Care/Feminist Ethics, Casuistry). The book review must be 500-800 words,
typewritten, double-spaced, and focus on the book. If you choose to use external sources in your
book review (remember you have a limited amount of space), please cite such sources using
either APA format (preferred) or MLA format. The reference page for your sources cited will
not count toward your word limit, however. Here is a discussion of book review essentials
(thanks to Brianne Stanback):
Essentials for Writing a Book Review
Do not confuse a book review with a book report. Books reviews briefly summarize the book
(usually no more than a single paragraph) & then require you to critically analyze its relevant
content/issues (in this case the ethical issues raised in the book). A book report gives basic details
about characters, plot, and setting only.
You must read the entire book; you are only ready to begin writing once the reading is done. It is
hard to have a very successful review without completely reading & understanding the book. You
should consider the book as your main source for the review; outside research is generally not
necessary. Ground your work in it and avoid “fluff” at all costs.
As you read you might want to think about the following questions:
– Who are the characters/ main people portrayed?
– What ethical themes are present in the book and how are they developed?
– What is the author trying to argue and how successful is that argument?
– Have you identified key points and passages/quotations?
– Why this work is important, novel, or significant?
When considering strengths & weaknesses of the substantive issues (in this case ethical issues) for
any book, you should focus your discussion on the actual content of the work, not whether you
enjoyed reading it, its writing style, and/or its effect on your experience as a reader. Those items
are about preferences, rather than reasoned and objective analyses.
Deadlines. Your review is due in Module 7 of this course. You will be uploading the review
via CANVAS by going to the “Assignments” tab, then click on Book Review Submission and
follow the instructions. You can submit it in the following formats: MS Word (*.doc or
*.docx), Portable Document File (*.pdf), or Rich Text Format (*.rtf). CANVAS will check
the paper against all online document sources using the Turnitin service.
Evaluation. The book review is worth 30 points (14% of the final course grade) and will be
evaluated according to the following criteria:
Excellent
(28-30
points)
The student’s work shows active mastery of the subject and is well written. Not only
does the student understand the concepts and ethical issues raised in the book but
clearly discusses and integrates major themes including two classical ethical theories
discussed in class. All formatting requirements are met. The work shows creativity and
original thinking.
Good
(24-27
points)
The student’s work shows basic mastery of the subject. He/she understands the
concepts and information conveyed in the book, shows clear evidence of integrating
issues and themes, but may not be as original or creative, or writing style may be less
clear and/or developed. Discussion of the two classical ethical theories may be
incomplete. Formatting requirements may not be followed well
Satisfactory
(20-23
points)
The student’s work in general shows understanding of basic concepts and information,
but has occasional lapses, and more important formatting requirements may be lacking.
The review shows satisfactory, but incomplete mastery/comprehension of the ethical
issues raised by the book. Classical ethical theories may be incomplete or missing.
Poor
(<20 points)
The student’s work shows enough understanding of the subject to be just barely
adequate. The work shows major gaps in understanding and/or effort.
