INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OF MARAWI ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES

EXAMPLE OF CONCEPT PAPER

1st Example:
What's Wrong with Filipino Art and Why is It Under-appreciated? (An excerpt)
We're surrounded by art every day, but how much of it do we notice?
Art is present in so many of the places we go to and the things we do. We might scroll past most Instagram
posts that we see, without thinking how each photo or video has several elements in it that make it look appealing
to people. We weave our paths through the city every day, and we rarely see how the buildings are carefully
designed and how the billboards are strategically done. We use and consume so many products per day, yet we
fail to really appreciate the way they are presented to us. We listen to music, we appreciate the aesthetics of a
post, we read books, we watch endless videos on our suggested list. But how much of it do we really pay attention
to?
There are those who are still unaware of how it will always have a presence in our daily lives, from the
packaging of our favorite products to the shows we enjoy. Art has been looked down on, especially local art. We
may have been educated again and again about colonial mentality and its effects, yet we still do not have enough
appreciation for our own.
First, let's identify why this is a problem. Filipino art hasn't entirely been put on a high pedestal in years.
There are great artists like Fernando Amorsolo and Juan Luna, who will always be remembered in history books
and will always be familiar names. But these artists and their work, albeit should not be forgotten, aren't the only
ones that we should know about. More recent artists are often shunned, saying that their work is unoriginal or not
meeting a certain standard or not as good as their Western counterparts. It's seen as if our art is only limited to a
certain template, and cannot be more, cannot be as interesting, cannot be worth our time.
Another problem is how we limit our artists. Oftentimes, original or unconventional ideas are not accepted,
since they are not what people are used to. Corporations think that if this idea is not the usual thing that people
gobble up, it is not worth the risk. So here, we strip the artist of its freedom of expression, forcing him/her to keep
making a similar output just because it sells. We are not really allowed to show controversial topics, when art
should be a means of communicating with other people and getting a message across. Artists are forced to do as
the higher-ups tell them to do, and their potential is never known.
They couldn't make a change in our viewpoints even if they wanted to, because our expression is
silenced…

Reference: Abinuman, A. (2017). What's wrong with Filipino art and why is it under- appreciated? Retrieved on
07 December 2018, from: [Link]
and-why- is-it-under-appreciated-a1580-20170722

2nd Example:
Essay on Business Ethics and Social Responsibility
Business ethics (also known as Corporate ethics) is a form of applied ethics or professional ethics that
examines ethical principles and moral or ethical problems that arise in a business environment. It applies to all

IAM-SHS HANDOUT - EAPP

INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OF MARAWI ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES

aspects of business conduct and is relevant to the conduct of individuals and business organisations as a whole.
(Wikipedia) Most people agree that high ethical standards require both businesses and individuals to conform to
sound moral principles. However, some special aspects must be considered when applying ethics to business. To
survive, businesses must make a profit. If profits are realised by misconduct then the life of the business may be
short lived. The business must balance their desires for profits against the needs and desires of society.
Maintaining this balance can be difficult. To help with this, society has developed rules – both legal and implicit
– to guide the business in their efforts to earn profits in ways that will not harm individuals or society as a whole.
(Ferrell, Fraedrich, Ferrell, 2002.)
One difference between an ordinary decision and an ethical one lies in “the point where the accepted rules
no longer serve, and the decision maker is faced with the responsibility for weighing values and reaching a
judgement in a situation which is not quite the same as any he or she faced before”. (Ferrell, Fraedrich, 1994)
Ethics is not simply a glorified intellectual game, of no practical relevance. We become moral individuals by
practice; good at being truthful by habitually telling the truth; becoming honest by trying always not to be
dishonest. There is nothing abstract about business ethics. It is simply another tool to help the practical business
man or woman deal with the endlessly recurring moral dilemmas of business life. There is a connection between
our perception of the world and the way in which we make decisions in the world. If managers believe that they
are and ought to be rational egoists, concerned only with maximising profit, they will take the decisions
accordingly. If, on the other hand, they are aware of moral theories and social policies that affect their own
societies and the wider world, then they will be likely to make rather different and more sophisticated judgements,
(Vallance, 1995).
The idea of ethics in business focuses on the moral or ethical actions of individuals. It is in this sense that
many people, when discussing business ethics, immediately raise examples of immoral or unethical activity by
individuals. (Richard T De George) Many business people are strongly influenced by their religious beliefs and
the ethical norms that they have been taught as part of their religion, and apply these norms in their business
activities. A prime example is Aaron Feuerstein, whose actions after fire destroyed almost all of his Malden Mills
factory complex kept his workers on the payroll until he could rebuild. He has stated often and publicly that he
just did what his Jewish faith told him was the right thing to do.

Reference: George, R. (2017). Essay on business ethics and social responsibility. Retrieved on: 07 December
2018,from: [Link]
[Link]

IAM-SHS HANDOUT - EAPP

INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OF MARAWI ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES

EXAMPLE OF POSITION PAPER

1st Example:
Should Homework be Mandatory?
I can almost see many students nodding along with me as I ask this question. Younger generations
overloaded with home tasks and numerous assignments have already raised this issue many times.
Yet, homework remains mandatory.
Is it fair or should it be cancelled?
I believe that homework should not be viewed as a mandatory part of education for several reasons.
First, children spend seven hours every single work day at school. That is a huge chunk of life, and with
homework added on top of these hours, a child is left with no time to live his life to the fullest, socialize, or grow
in other areas.
Second, sitting at your desk solving problems does no good to your health. Kids need time to get outside
and have some fun, join a football league, or ride their bikes with friends around the block. Otherwise, children
will be very smart but surprisingly weak physically.
Another argument against this position is that homework is not always the best way to obtain knowledge
quality-wise. Students tend to ask their parents or siblings for help whenever facing difficulties. Busy parents not
always willing to spend extra time explaining school material to their little one solve the problems themselves
aiming to have more time for family, not lessons. As a result, the child will have the homework done. But that’s
really not his work. So, the whole idea of dedicating time to selfeducation is lost here.
Finally, knowing that after classes you would still have to work at home makes a kid less concentrated at
school. This results in short attention spans and difficulty to concentrate on something for too long.
All in all, homework should rather be an option. Students understanding that they are left behind at some
subjects will take their time to go over the material at home. However, in other cases, they should have time after
school for other activities.

Accessed from: ([Link]

2nd Example:
Smart Technology is Here
- Francis J. Kong (The Philippine Star) - June 24, 2018 - 12:00am

Technology is changing things. Sometimes, we are so enamored with all the new gadgets and other shiny
objects; we scrape up a lot of money from our hardearned savings just to make sure we have them lest we lag
behind.
Technology does not only change things, it has transformed the way we lived and the rate of change is
accelerating. Consider the changes that have happened over the years. After the years following the Civil War,
there were a handful of technologies that reconfigured existence.
IAM-SHS HANDOUT - EAPP
INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OF MARAWI ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES

Thomas Edison’s light bulb extended the working day and may have created the workaholic.
The air-conditioner provided cool and comfort for hot and humid days and it pushed us indoors all day,
causing the reduction of our vitamin D levels.
The jet engine have shrunken distance but increased the scope of business as in warfare.
Radio and television spread information on massive scales which penetrated homes and private spaces,
and shaped culture.
Appliances sped up our tasks and chores, but reduced our physical strength.
Computers reduced outdoor activities but, in its stead, created an industry called fitness gyms.
Smart phones become the universal device for almost every technology application, and at the same time
have raised our stress and tension levels.
Social media has been able to bridge people from across the world, yet has isolated the people nearest
them.
This is strange but it seems like the more social media one uses, the less social he or she becomes.
Technology has now created new businesses that the world has never seen before. Suddenly, YouTube
stars that would ever have had the slightest opportunity to flash their faces on the TV or movie screens and become
overnight stars, and earn millions to the consternation of their parents who still believe that they should get a “real
job.”
Even the way I go to sleep and the way I wake up from my sleep has been altered by technology. For the
past two to three years, I have not physically set my alarm clock to the time I need to get up to start the day. I
have always said, “Alexa, wake me up tomorrow morning at 6:15 a.m. to the sound of classical music.” And then,
my A.I.-enabled cylinder that I purchased from [Link] will respond: “Alarm set tomorrow morning at 8
o’clock to classical focus on amazon music.” And it does.
Now, expect more of this to happen. More people will be talking to their devices. Google home products,
Apple’s Home pod, and Amazon’s Echo are all competing in this field. This might pose as a challenge for people
to be reminded that when they talk to humans, they should still communicate with grace and respect. With
machines, one can be rude, impatient and be ill-mannered wanting to get the information we want but humans are
not machines. I can be awakened by Alexa with its classical music playing and in my still foggy mind and half-
wakefulness say, “Alexa, shut up: and it does stop. But can you imagine me talking this way to my clients or my
family?
Smart technology is now similar to media in its ability to shape our lives in a thousand ways and in even
more pervasive means. We have even witnessed the rise of fake news and false content, and have seen how many
young people have become bashers and bullies, cussing and cursing in loud voices instead of improving their
arguments through intelligent conversations to the benefit of no one but perhaps, to a handful of marketing people
whose sole mission in life is to create noise, traffic, and click counts to raise up ad revenues for their sites.
Technology can diminish emotional intelligence as those who are immersed in it become socially and emotionally
lazy, thanks to all the screens in our lives.

IAM-SHS HANDOUT - EAPP

INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OF MARAWI ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES

Geoffrey Fowler already has a sinister name for this fake news and false contents in social media as he
calls it: “counterfeit reality.” I guess what has happened over the years is that civilization driven by mass media
and technology has replaced our preference from a culture of character to a culture of personality.
Technology will not go away. It is not a passing fad. Businesses will be challenged, jobs will possibly be
replaced, and so we should learn it, know more about it and most importantly use it for good and not as a means
to justify the means and in many case….the “mean-ness.”
Famous book author and professor Adam Grant whom I had the privilege of meeting and interviewing
years ago says this beautifully:
“We could” – refers to the creativity we can employ through smart technology.
“We should” – refers to the ethical and moral decisions we need to consider in its usage. I am interested
in technology developments.
I am sure it will improve many people’s lives, but the same materials can also be used to advance evil and
harm. Therefore, we need to be reminded that technology is moral-neutral. It is still the heart of the person using
it that matters. Use technology for what matters most and that is for the good — for everyone’s sake.

Source:
[Link]

IAM-SHS HANDOUT - EAPP