AcademicIntegritySeminar.com

Below is a sample Academic Integrity Seminar. Our seminars normally consist of one novel or short story, one film, several online readings, and an optional interview (at the discretion of the referring institution). In addition to the standard format, we sometimes add additional readings and questions selected for each individual student depending on his or her educational background and interests.

For more information about how the seminar works or how your school might take advantage of the services offered by AcademicIntegritySeminar.com, please see the Frequently Asked Questions page. Inquiries should be directed to inquiries@academicintegrityseminar.com.

Greetings!

Thanks for your message. I am your assigned tutor for the academic integrity seminar. It's my job to evaluate the work you complete and to respond to any of your questions about our assignments. It will be a pleasure to get to know you.

As you were probably told, our seminar is conducted online. Your answers to seminar questions and our responses will be shared with your academic administrator.

We do not impose deadlines, but you want to make sure you adhere to deadlines that may have been set by your school.

Here are your assigned readings:

[A] Tolstoy, The Death of Ivan Illyich

(This is a short reading with many small chapters).

[B] Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan's 1999 Harvard University Commencement speech

[C] Book One of Meditations of Roman Emperor and Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius.

[D] Dialogue: A Case of Cheating

[E] "Lincoln's Great Depression" by Joshua Wolf Shenk

[F] Excerpts from the book An Anatomy of Life in the Death Camps by Terrence Des Pres (the focus is on what we can learn about human behavior and adaptation in the most extreme conditions).

In one separate e-mail addressed to _____@academicintegrityseminar.com please give concise, thoughtful answers to all of the questions below. Your answers should be appropriately numbered and placed in the body of your e-mail. No attachments, please.

Please make reference to the readings in your answers. IMPORTANT: We'll want to see, for example, that you've given careful thought to Alan Greenspan's views about the ''value added'' characteristic of business ethics.

There are no length requirements, although high quality will be expected. Please print and keep a copy of your answers. We reserve the right to confirm the originality of any work you submit to us.

Remember to place all your answers in the body of one e-mail. If you do not use your school e-mail address please be sure to identify your school in the message subject line.

**********

QUESTIONS

1. Is it naive for business leaders to try to be honest?

Please pay particular attention to Alan Greenspan's Harvard Commencement Speech. Provide a key quotation from the speech. You are not obligated to agree with any perspectives in Mr. Greenspan's speech, but you are expected to consider the question with care; state a clear conclusion; and support your conclusion with convincing arguments.

2. Please read and think about this quotation:

"The mind is fickle and flighty, it flies after fancies and whatever it likes; it is difficult indeed to restrain. But it is a great good to control the mind; a mind self-controlled is a source of great joy."

--Buddha's Teachings (Penguin Classics, p. 8).

Identify three strategies you use (or recommend) to strengthen self-control. This optional reading may give you some ideas: An interview conducted with Roberto Assagioli by Sam Keen.

3. Please read Book One of the Meditations of Roman Emperor and Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius. Then write a concise statement of gratitude (400 words or less) identifying the ethical and intellectual debts you owe to family members, teachers, or friends. Fictitious names are permitted, but the statement of gratitude should be genuine.

4. What is the thesis of Joshua Wolf Shenk's article about Abraham Lincoln? Identify three of Lincoln's coping strategies (skills, habits, or ways of thinking) that helped him use depression to achieve his greatness.

5. The Declaration of Independence refers to the ''pursuit of happiness.'' Should the word ''pleasure'' be substituted for ''happiness''? Why/why not? Explain your answer.

6. Read Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilyich.

6 (a) What do you think is Tolstoy's core message about how to define "a good life?" Be sure to provide a pertinent quotation from the reading.

6 (b) Identify a key character in the story (not a member of Ivan's family) who leads what Tolstoy would define as a good life. Please explain your answer.

7. Read the ''sample dialogue'' and answer questions 7 (a), (b), and (c), referring to the appropriate question number and letter at the beginning of your answer.

7 (a). What do you find convincing in the dialogue? Why? What is unconvincing? Why?

7 (b). On a scale of 1-10 (10 being excellent), how would you rate the dialogue? Please explain your answer.

7 (c). Pick any one of the dean's answers or comments in the dialogue. Rewrite the answer or comment to reflect a better argument, from the dean's point of view.

8. What advice do you have for your fellow students about the best way to avoid committing an act of academic dishonesty?

9. Please review the assigned excerpts from An Anatomy of Life in the Death Camps by Terrence Des Pres. Kindly respond to this question:

"Does Terrence Des Pres think the human moral sense is an idealistic illusion or an evolutionary survival strategy?"

Please explain your answer, agreeing or disagreeing with Des Pres' analysis. Cite at least one of the numbered paragraphs for support.

10. How is a good life defined, and what is your plan to achieve it? Please refer to the assigned readings (above) to support your answers.

**********

The aim of the seminar is to encourage serious thought and reflection. It's not designed to be drudgery or a punishment.

IMPORTANT: If you encounter any delays or do not receive a prompt response please send a new e-mail inquiry to this address. All student work is graded personally and individually. We try to give you evaluations within three business days.

Sincerely,

Your tutor