Rubric for Team Engineering Ethics Analysis

Could be stronger

Satisfactory

Great

Team effectively introduces and identifies an ethical dilemma relevant to a co-op, internship, other work, volunteer activity, or other experience in engineering. 

Team provides sufficient background so that listeners can fully understand the ethical dimensions of the case and understand what is at stake for different stakeholders. 

Team supports factual claims with specific evidence where appropriate – for example, if a law governs a particular act described in the case, team should cite that law specifically; if the company’s compliance code covers a particular issue, the team should cite that element in the code.  The case description is not vague but instead quite specific about any facts pertaining to the case.  The team may also creatively apply disciplinary knowledge from the field of engineering wherever it may be appropriate and helpful to explain the central dilemma.

Team provides at least three different options for resolving the case, including options that explore the creative middle ground between two extremes.  Teams need to strive for creative solutions here.

Team effectively analyzes the ethical dimensions of the case – by discussing cognitive biases or other obstacles to ethical decision-making, but also by thinking about short and longterm impacts on the different stakeholders.  Efforts are made to apply a range of ethical tests to the options, explaining and interpreting the options in light of the tests.  Teams may also refer to codes of ethics, laws, and compliance codes that are relevant to the case.  Analysis should make significant efforts to anticipate consequences of the solutions. Assumptions must be carefully analyzed.

Team meaningfully engages the audience by soliciting their questions about the analysis, or by entertaining suggested changes to the options offered, or by voting on the solutions offered.  Creative engagement of the audience is encouraged.

Team concludes with memorable take-home points without oversimplifying the complexities of the case.  Clarifies how they would address any communication challenges associated with resolving the dilemma.

Team moderates class discussion effectively; manages dissent fairly and sensitively.

Slides follow assignment specifications and help emphasize key parts of the presentation; bullets and text do not overwhelm.  Appropriate and useful images are used.

Teamwork:  well functioning.  Time management – effectively managed so that every team member has an opportunity to participate meaningfully within the time limit.

For written team case:  Use clear style, mechanics, and punctuation and show attention to standards of written English.  Efficient, specific language should be a priority.

Written document meets assignment length and formatting specifications:

Approximately 1500-2000 words.

12-pt font with at least 1-inch margins.

Single-spaced, with a lineskip between each paragraph.

A meaningful and specific title and team names on the first page.

Headings/subheadings/bullets to help make the document more readable and well-organized.

Page numbers.