 | | Ethics 109 found. Page 1 of 5. |
In recent years, technical communicators have examined ethics, or the moral implications of their work, in increasing detail. Since the 1970s, when ethics first became a major topic of consideration in technical communication journals, more articles have appeared on the subject each year. With writers in the discipline expressing this pessimistic point of view, it is little wonder that practicing technical communicators tend not look to the discipline for ethical guidance.
#30163
After Enron: Integrating Ethics into the Professional Communication Curriculum 
Recent scandals in the business community have alerted professional writing teachers to the importance of highlighting ethics in the curriculum. From former experiences in teaching courses emphasizing ethics, the authors have adapted the curriculum to include a limited discussion of ethical approaches and terms and assigned group writing projects that consider the effects of business on the broader community. As a result of the integration of this ethical component into the entire course, students learn major ethical approaches; gain a vocabulary of ethical terms they can apply in the business world; interrogate the larger questions of business and its interactions with the local, national, and international community; and engage in the kind of dialectical discussions that require critical thinking.
Kienzler, Donna S. and Carol David. Journal of Business and Technical Communication (2003). Articles>Education>Ethics
#21183
#23226
This is a working draft of the code of ethics of the Association of Teachers of Technical Writing. As a work in progress, it is subject to substantial change and carries no authority from ATTW. It is meant only for inspection and comment by the ATTW Ethics Committee and general ATTW membership.
#30389
Authorship and Responsibility: The Problem of Special Knowledge 
The ethical questions that technical communicators face frequently present themselves obliquely, arising because the communicators depend heavily upon the special knowledge of other people who provide necessary information. The special knowledge that communicators lack and others possess may come from highly technical education, privileged access to information sources, or socially constructed access to information. Proponents of need-to-know policies may argue that limiting communicators' knowledge absolves them of responsibility for the information's veracity and effects; however, more ethically rigorous considerations of the issue consider communicators' authorial roles, their right to know, and their responsibility to their audiences.
Bryan, John G. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>TC>Ethics
#10769
Academic writing in American institutions is filled with rules that writers often don’t know how to follow. A working knowledge of these rules, however, is critically important; inadvertent mistakes can lead to charges of plagiarism, or the unacknowledged use of somebody else’s words or ideas. While other cultures may not insist so heavily on documenting sources, American institutions do. A charge of plagiarism can have severe consequences, including expulsion from the university. This handout, which does not reflect any official university policy, is designed to help writers develop strategies for knowing how to avoid accidental plagiarism.
Purdue University (1997). Academic>Writing>Ethics>Plagiarism
#29552
Banner Blindness: Old and New Findings
Users rarely look at display advertisements on websites. Of the four design elements that do attract a few ad fixations, one is unethical and reduces the value of advertising networks.
Nielsen, Jakob. Alertbox (2007). Design>Web Design>Ethics>User Centered Design
#23554
Beyond Plagiarism: Ethical Issues in the Technical Communication Classroom
Recent discussions of ethical issues that relate to technical communicators reflect the rise of interest in this topic. Although some journal articles do look at teaching ethics in the technical communication classroom, most concentrate on ethics in the workplace. Yet, for students to understand current and future ethical issues, we must heighten their awareness of potential problems before they encounter such problems in industry and business situations.
Horowitz, Renee B. STC Proceedings (1994). Articles>Writing>Ethics>Plagiarism
#29014
The ongoing antitrust battle between the U.S. Department of Justice and Microsoft Corporation presents technical communicators with two ethical questions: 1) Is it right, good, or fair for Microsoft to give away its Internet Explorer browser? 2) If Microsoft gains monopoly control over the PC browser market, will this be good for us? This article examines these questions using traditional rights-based ethical theory (Kant), utilitarianism, and John Rawls principles of justice, concluding that it is neither good nor fair for a company having a near-monopoly over a market to sell products below fair market value, nor is it good that one company stands to gain monopoly control over the PC browser market. When the discussion turned to Netscape, one Intel executive, who asked not to be identified, recalled Martiz [Paul Martiz, Microsoft Group Vice President, Platforms & Application] saying: "We are going to cut off their air supply. Everything they re selling, we re going to give away for free" [1]. "We re giving away a pretty good browser as part of the operating system. How long can they survive selling it?"--Statement by Steve Ballmer, Microsoft President and CEO [2]. "Our business model works even if all Internet software is free," says Mr. Gates. "We are still selling operating systems." <em>Netscape</em>, in contrast, is dependent upon its Internet software for profits, he points out.--Statements by Bill Gates, Microsoft Chairman [3]. Only a monopolist could study a competitor and destroy its business by giving away products--Statement by Scott McNealy, Sun Microsystems Chairman [4].
Meier, Dennis. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication (1999). Articles>TC>Ethics>Web Browsers
#31216
Building Your Personal Brand Online
It probably wouldn’t surprise you to know that we are operating in a distrustful world, and that both companies and individual executives are subject to suspicion. In 2005, a worldwide Gallup poll found that 40 percent of people believe that company leaders are “largely dishonest,” and a 2006 Watson Wyatt study says that only 56 percent of company employees believe their top management acts with honesty and integrity. These are worrisome figures, given that senior executives worry a great deal about their companies’ reputations but may spend little time on their own.
Fierman, Stephanie. Communication World Bulletin (2008). Articles>Business Communication>Ethics>Online
#20290
Cloning? Abortion? Social responsibility? Honesty? Legality? Loyalty? Trust? Privacy? You name it. 'The Case of Project Good-Bye, Dolly' immerses workshop participants in a maelstrom of value conflicts that swirl from bioethics to personal values. The presenters identify ten core values that un&rlie technical communication and show how these values can be used to support objective analysis and resolve ethical conflicts. Participants then explore ethical dilemmas 'hands-on' through small-group discussion and subsequent role-playing vignettes. This session is sure to spark lively debate.
Allen, Lori A. and Daniel W. Voss. STC Proceedings (1998). Articles>TC>Ethics
#26606
The Challenge of Plagiarism Control in Universities and Colleges
The Challenge of Plagiarism Control in Universities and Colleges discusses the complex issues involved with plagiarism such as defining the term and responding to the act of plagiarism. The paper also includes data detailing who is plagiarizing and why. Finally, the paper addresses university protocol and potential for uniformity in the tracking and response of universities and colleges. The perils of not finding a way to limit or eradicate plagiarism further endanger the authenticity of a college degree.
Smydra, Rachel V. Association for Business Communication (2004). Articles>Education>Ethics>Plagiarism
#29583
Code of Ethics for Professional Communicators
The IABC Code of Ethics is based on three different yet interrelated principles of professional communication that apply throughout the world. These principles assume that just societies are governed by a profound respect for human rights and the rule of law; that ethics, the criteria for determining what is right and wrong, can be agreed upon by members of an organization; and, that understanding matters of taste requires sensitivity to cultural norms.
#13854
There is much for technical communicators to learn from the burgeoning field of technology studies. Technical communicators, however, have an obligation to exercise patience as they enter this arena of study. Using interdisciplinary theory, this article argues that technical communication must assume the 'burden of comprehension': the responsibility of understanding the ideologies, contexts, values, and histories of those disciplines from which we borrow before we begin using their methods and research findings. Three disciplines of technology study--history, sociology, and philosophy--are examined to investigate how these disciplines approach technology. The article concludes with speculation on how technical communicators, by virtue of their entrance into this interdisciplinary arena, might refashion both their practical roles and the scope of their ethical responsibilities.
Johnson, Robert R. Technical Communication Quarterly (1998). Articles>Technology>Ethics
#21348
As computers and digital devices increasingly insert themselves into our lives, they do so on an ever increasing social level. Designers need to understand the context of use and include the whole of a user's experience into the solution when creating a computer interface.
Shedroff, Nathan. Boxes and Arrows (2002). Articles>Technology>Ethics
#10381
#30823
Designing Ethical Experiences: Social Media and the Conflicted Future
Questions of ethics and conflict can seem far removed from the daily work of user experience (UX) designers who are trying to develop insights into people's needs, understand their outlooks, and design with empathy for their concerns [2]. In fact, the converse is true: When conflicts between businesses and customers--or any groups of stakeholders--remain unresolved, UX practitioners frequently find themselves facing ethical dilemmas, searching for design compromises that satisfy competing camps. This dynamic is the essential pattern by which conflicts in goals and perspectives become ethical concerns for UX designers. Unchecked, it can lead to the creation of unethical experiences that are hostile to users--the very people most designers work hard to benefit--and damaging to the reputations and brand identities of the businesses responsible.
Lamantia, Joe. UXmatters (2008). Articles>User Experience>Community Building>Ethics
#26687
Digital Plagiarism: The Role of Society and Technology
Examines the application of the World Wide Web in class education and research and the ways in which the Internet has enabled cheating and given educators ways to fight plagiarism.
Kennedy, Ryan. Orange Journal, The (2005). Articles>Publishing>Ethics>Plagiarism
#24210
This unique and lively workshop is based on an ingenious board game developed by the Office of Ethics and Business Conduct for the Lockheed Martin Corporation, under a special copyright agreement with Scott Adams. It uses the famous characters in the cartoon strip, including celebrated ethicist Dogbert™, to inject a spirit of fun into the heavy debate that often swirls around the thorny ethical dilemmas we confront in the workplace. Here, teams of technical communicators will compete to see who can best balance ethical values with business realities and come out with practical, honest solutions. While the vehicle is rather lighthearted, the content is anything but. The case histories are carefully designed to cut to the moral chase. There are no right or wrong answers—only good, better, best, not so good, and Dogbert™. Yes, there's an answer key, but that, too, is controversial. What? No clear answers? Of course not. That's the whole point.
Voss, Daniel W. STC Proceedings (1999). Careers>Workplace>Ethics
#31673
Distortion and the Politics of Pain Relief: A Habermasian Analysis of Medicine in the Media
This article invokes Habermas's ideal speech situation to analyze the controversy surrounding a recent study of pain relief for women in labor. Using Habermas's concepts, the authors argue that distortion of scientific and medical information originated in the New England Journal of Medicine article that first reported the study's results. Thus, their analysis aims to complicate the assumption that such distortion starts only with public reporting and to expose the ways that scientific or medical research from the beginning can be reported to either facilitate or preclude public debate and understanding of complex issues.
Koerber, Amy, E. Jonathan Arnett and Tamra Cumbie. Journal of Business and Technical Communication (2008). Articles>Publishing>Biomedical>Ethics
#30489
Electronic Image Manipulation - Technological Advances and Ethical Considerations
Electronic imaging has enabled the desktop publisher to capture and manipulate images to produce documents that are both attractive and cost-effective. In addition to making basic corrections such as balancing colors and improving highlight and shadow detail, the desktop publisher can retouch photographs and other artwork to repair damaged areas, eliminate distracting elements, or alter composition. However, the ease of manipulation has, in some cases, overshadowed the many ethical issues that desktop publishers need to consider. Integrity of the image, ownership of artwork, and copyright laws are some of the issues that desktop publishers must confront.
Adams, Rae and Stephanie S. Babbitt. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Graphic Design>Image Editing>Ethics
#14507
Ethical Aspects of Writer-Client Relationships
Experts in the field have defined the essential criteria of ethical behavior in a number of fields. This presentation attempts to translate those criteria to the typical working environment of full-time writers. It examines these criteria in terms of the skills, task, and responsibilities of those individuals who create the documentation and directives by which America does its work.
Vaughan, David K. STC Proceedings (1994). Presentations>Writing>Ethics
#24169
Are the ethical issues affected by a vendor's status as an offshore operation? By the prospect of Internet gambling becoming illegal in the U.S. (bill pending in the U.S. House of Representatives)? By the presumption of shady morals in the gambling industry? Should one's choices be affected by his/her rocky employment history?
Bryan, John G. Intercom (2004). Articles>Business Communication>Ethics
#26702
Ethical Implications of Intercultural Audiences
Argues that it is crucial that technical writing courses raise the awareness of the implications of intercultural communication, and specifically, how to include the translator as the target audience.
Heitzman, Lisa. Orange Journal, The (2005). Articles>Language>Ethics>Rhetoric
#13117
Ethical Insights on XML and Single Sourcing
Newer, more efficient technology for developing and disseminating information is rolling our way at a rapid pace. And, as always, we’re ready and eager to give new technology a try. Today, we’re investing in XML. But what is the ethical impact of this investment? And how should it aid the quest to align processes with technical capability? This paper focuses on the ethical accountability inherent in XML deployment and proposes an ethical platform for investing in this new technology.
Wiles, Debbie. STC Proceedings (2001). Presentations>Content Management>Ethics>XML
#26417
Ethical Lessons Learned from Computer Science
In this article, we will address the question 'How can computer science methods help us to better understand ethics?'
Bergmair, Richard. ACM Crossroads (2004). Articles>Technology>Ethics
| Copyright © 2001-08 by the EServer. All rights reserved. | Add a Work | Site Preferences | Discussion Forum | Habitués |
