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.
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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
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Ethics and Etiquette of Internet Resources
This document tracks online materials relevant to ethics and etiquette of the use and development of networked information resources.
Ciolek, T. Matthew. Ciolek.com. Resources>Directories>Ethics
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Ethics and Rationality in Information-Enriched Decisions: A Model for Technical Communication 
Although experienced decision makers depend on valid and reliable information, exactly how information plays into decisions is not always clear. Because decision making is an information function, technical communicators can make important contributions in decision-support roles. Decisions that are effective, efficient, and ethical must be rational. That is, we must be able to determine and present good reasons for our actions. Information relates to good reasoning and thereby affects the best decisions.
Carlson, Patricia A., Susan B. Dressel and M. Jimmie Killingsworth. STC Proceedings (1994). Articles>Management>Ethics
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Ethics and Technical Communication: The Past Quarter Century 
Ethics as a topic in technical communication has grown in interest in the past quarter century as the field itself has matured. We now understand technical communication as involved in communicating not only technical information but also values, ethics, and tacit assumptions represented in goals. It also is involved in accommodating the values and ethics of its many audiences. This understanding is linked to an awareness of the social nature of all discourse and the root interconnectedness of rhetoric and ethics. This article presents an introduction and annotated bibliography of articles from technical writing and communication journals over this period, arranged in categories of professional, academic, and systematic approaches. Ethics is broadly conceived to include not only particular theories but also systems of values and principles.
Dombrowski, Paul M. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication (2000). Articles>TC>Ethics>History
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Twenty million people worldwide are using the Internet, which began as as computer network service for the United States military. By 1998, more than 100 million are projected to be using the Internet. From TuppNet (where you can e-mail in your Tupperware order) to alt,flame, where its readers will abuse you us a matter of course, the Internet offers people information on almost any topic. However a number of issues have come to the forefront of Internet discourse. In this discussion, we will address some of these issues and how they can affect technical communicators and companies using the Internet. Topics to be discussed include courtesy; bandwidth use; marketing and advertising; copyright; and privacy, confidentiality, and censorship.
Adams, Rae, Stephanie S. Babbitt and Susan Farrell. STC Proceedings (1995). Articles>Internet>Ethics
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As the Internet permeates ever more domains of social and political, and even personal, life, and as its technological capabilities expand, the problem of Internet ethics will become ever more central, perhaps even more so than in 'ordinary' life. The potential for abuse grows with use, as well as with technological power.
Ornatowski, Cezar M. Lore (2002). Articles>Web Design>Ethics
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Ethics du Jour: A Model for Ethical Decision Making in Technical Communication
The purpose of this presentation is to introduce general guidelines or rules that technical communicators can use to deal with their specific ethical situations.
Slaughter, George. STC Proceedings (2001). Presentations>TC>Ethics
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Ethics in Action: A "No-Talk" Workshop
This workshop takes the study of ethics in technical communication to the next level—translating values into action. In recent years, the presenters have conducted numerous workshops focusing on the use of value analysis to clarify and resolve ethical dilemmas. Participants analyzed scenarios involving value conflicts in technical communication, formulated potential solutions, and dramatized the scenarios in role-playing. This approach remains valuable; indeed, it is one of the tools the STC Ethics Committee uses to help members bring our values into the workplace. The core values have not changed much since last year: honesty, legality, cultural sensitivity, and the like can hardly be expected to fluctuate from conference to conference. This workshop, however, starts where the others left off. Participants had better bring pencils along with philosophy—because this time they won’t just talk about solving thorny ethical dilemmas, they will actually solve them!
Allen, Lori A. and Daniel W. Voss. STC Proceedings (1996). Articles>TC>Ethics
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Ethics in Scientific and Technical Communication
Discusses many ethical issues including: taking personal responsibility for one's actions, Behaviour toward colleagues, subordinates and others,Dealing with experimental subjects, interviewees, etc, Telling the 'truth', and choosing between advocacy and objectivity.
Weber, Jean Hollis. WISENET Journal (1998). Careers>Advice>Ethics
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Ethics in Technical Communication 
The key to ethical action is to behave with integrity that is based on sound core of personal values.
Gokhale, Sunil. STC India (2003). Articles>TC>Ethics
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Ethics in Technical Communication: A Consensus?
Ethics within Technical Communication, as found in the literature, is discussed to determine whether a meaningful code of ethics exists or can exist within STC. Authorities are cited to support a tentative conclusion to this question.
LaBara, Ann Marie and Russell B. Stoner. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>TC>Ethics
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Ethics in Technical Communication: Copyleft and the Open Source Movement
A collection of resources about open-source software, innovation in copyright, and their implications for technical communicators.
Lannon, John M. Pearson Education. Resources>Intellectual Property>Ethics>Open Source
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Because the role of the modern technical writer and communicator is expanding rapidly and will continue to do so, the ethical scope of the technical writer's responsibility is comparably expanded too. The technical writer is now seen as an information developer in the formative stages of creating technical information, as a communicator in disseminating information, as an interpreter in explaining information, and as a usability expert in guiding the application of information. As a result, ethics becomes in involved in technical writing in many ways both traditional and new, obvious and non-obvious. In this course we will study the role of ethics in technical writing and communication at various levels. Ethics is the study of what is right and good, whether as abstract theories or as concrete actions, usually involving deciding a course of action in a dilemma offering several possibilities. Ethics here is understood broadly as encompassing both conventional theories of ethics and values and value systems.
Dombrowski, Paul M. SUNY Institute of Technology (2002). Academic>Courses>Ethics>Technical Writing
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Ethics in the 20th Century and the 21st
Ten to twenty Fellows of the Society share their stories of ethical dilemmas from their collective storehouse of experience. Their experiences come from virtually every major industry, many minor industries, the military and academia. In just two minutes, each speaker will tell of his or her most poignant ethical challenge. Subjects vary from business ethics to communication ethics—see Code for Communicators.
Malcolm, Andrew. STC Proceedings (1999). Presentations>TC>Ethics
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Ethics in the City: How Talk about Ethics Leads to an Ethical Culture
Democracy depends upon trust in public officials; yet, trust in government has been steadily falling as instances of local, state, and federal corruption fill the pages of our newspapers.
Jovanovic, Spoma and Roy V. Wood. Communication Currents (2006). Articles>Communication>Ethics>Civic
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The Ethics of Electronic Image Manipulation
Desktop-publishing software and hardware have become affordable, powerful, and relatively user-friendly. Consequently, with reasonable investments in time and money, communications professionals can now manipulate photographs and create visual images relatively easily in their publications. However such images may be used in ways that are, aside from legal concerns, not ethical. Technical-communications professionals need to be able to recognize manipulated images and to explore the ethical implications of creating or being asked to use such images.
Adams, Rae and Stephanie S. Babbitt. STC Proceedings (1994). Design>Graphic Design>Image Editing>Ethics
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The Ethics of Information Architecture
Are you aware that the practice of information architecture is riddled with powerful moral dilemmas? Do you realize that decisions about labeling and granularity can save or destroy lives? Have you been designing ethical information architectures?
Morville, Peter. Argus Center (2000). Articles>Information Design>Ethics
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Ethics of Online Information Design
The beginning ethical issue of information design is access, which occurs in a unique context for each learner.
Smith, Sue. University of Arizona. Articles>Information Design>Ethics>Online
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The Ethics of Special Needs: It's a Matter of Fairness 
The American Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 cites 43 million Americans as having disabilities. Despite the progress the ADA represents in improving equality of opportunity for those with disabilities, much remains to be done--as evidenced by the fact that only 27.8% of working-age people with work disabilities have jobs, compared to 76.8% of those without disabilities. The statistics are even bleaker for minorities.
Voss, Daniel W. STC Proceedings (2007). Articles>Accessibility>Ethics
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The Ethics of Technical Publishing: Trust Yourself
A researcher needs grit and self-trust to do this kind of work in the first place. Letting someone other than a ghostwriter or a reviewer do it for you will be self-defeating. An unethical deal here will corrupt you, the project, and your employer. You must finish the job in a straightforward accountable manner.
Delm, Jay. WritersWrite.com (2007). Articles>Publishing>Technical Writing>Ethics
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Ethics Online: Looking Toward the Future
As the profile of the average Internet user changes from academicians, scientists, and computer specialists and hackers to the general populace, the increased usage is beginning to show the weaknesses of the system and the vulnerabilities of its users. An ethical understanding of the issues can help to address concerns. Privacy and access are two main areas that must be explored as new codes of ethics are designed and implemented.
Turner, John R. STC Proceedings (1995). Articles>Web Design>Ethics
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The use of corporate proprietary information is a major ethics issue in technical communication classrooms and practitionersâ*™ workshops. Some students and practitioners treat these settings as safe and sterile bubbles in which all present will honor confidences. Their actions cause ethical and legal dilemmas for fellow students, colleagues, and professors. Methods of preventing such dilemmas include student-employeesâ*™ following the codes of conduct established by their employers, practitionersâ*™ observing the behavioral codes set out by their professional organizations, and professorsâ*™ stressing ethical behavior in the classroom.
Jennings, Ann S. STC Proceedings (1998). Articles>TC>Ethics
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Ethics, Critical Thinking, and Professional Communication Pedagogy
Critical thinking pedagogy offers a supportive environment for teaching ethics in the professional communication classroom. Four important aspects of critical thinking which particularly encourage ethical thought and behavior are identifying and questioning assumptions, seeking a multiplicity of voices and alternatives on a subject, making connections, and fostering active involvement. Focusing on these behaviors allows an ongoing incorporation of ethics into many different aspects of the classroom.
Kienzler, Donna S. Technical Communication Quarterly (2001). Articles>Education>Ethics>Methods
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What if a disclaimer seems to be more than just a disclaimer? Readers are invited to consider the fictitious case presented and to share their thoughts for publication in an upcoming issue of Intercom.
Bryan, John G. Intercom (2006). Articles>TC>Ethics>Case Studies
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In this ethics case, O'Neill presents a fictional scenario in which a technical communicator is asked to modify copyrighted materials from a training program. Readers are asked to forward their opinions concerning the scenario to be published in a later issue of Intercom.
O'Neill, Michael T. Intercom (2000). Articles>Workplace>Ethics
