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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Google是一个什么样的公司？对于大多数人来说，对这个问题的回答会是“搜索”。虽然说Google确实是一个关注搜索的公司，它却并不靠搜索来生存。与之相反，和其它公司一样，由利益来决定。并且就像John Gruber所指出的，它通过出售广告来生存。 这使得Google成为一家广告公司。这意义也许比你一开始猜测的要深远的多了。 不过让我们不要走得太远。让我们来谈一会儿可用性。我将要向您解释Google对于广告的必要关注可以让我们学到很多可用性的内容。更严格的讲，这篇文章将描述一个困境，一个与Google对于发布商如何防止广告的建议紧密相关的困境。可用性解决了这个困境，也因此告诉我们许多如何将商务与用户体验结合起来。
Rhodes, John S. uiGarden (2006). (Chinese) Articles>Web Design>Ethics>Search
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A hypothetical example to help technical communicators think through ethical issues in the workplace.
Bryan, John G. Intercom (2003). Articles>Graphic Design>Ethics>Charts and Graphs
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GRAYSCALE: A Workshop in Ethics and Technical Communication 
Increasingly, technical communicators are confronting ethical issues in the workplace. Conflicts arise that appear to defy black-and-white solutions. To render every verdict as “gray,” however, begs the question. This workshop exposes participants to the use of value analysis to clarify ethical conflicts in technical communication. The presenters use a framework of 10 common values, based on the initial work of the STC Ethics Committee, to support objective analysis and resolution of such ethical conflicts. The workshop gives participants the opportunity to explore ethical dilemmas “hands-on” through small-group discussions and a series of role-playing vignettes on selected conflict scenarios.
Allen, Lori A. and Daniel W. Voss. STC Proceedings (1996). Presentations>TC>Ethics
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Handling Ethical Dilemmas on the Job
Experts in ethics will suggest approaches to ethical dilemmas in the field of technical communication and on the job with the 'Ten (+/-) Commandments of Ethics.'
Epp, Barbara E., Shirley A. Hancock, Jeffrey L. Hibbard, Connie Kiernan, Lawrence D. Kunz and Daniel W. Voss. STC Proceedings (1998). Articles>TC>Ethics
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Hiding Humanity: Verbal and Visual Ethics in Accident Reports
Located at the critical intersection of technology and humanity, technical communicators must always try to avoid human injury and promote sensitivity to the needs of human beings. The reporting of human injuries and fatalities in accident reports, however, often strips victims of their humanity and hides the tragic human consequences of technological failures from individuals trying to devise appropriate public policy, establish effective safety regulations, and modify or abolish dangerous industrial processes—government officials, company executives, labor representatives, community activists, and ordinary citizens. Technical communicators have the rhetorical ability, the requisite editorial and graphic skills, and the moral responsibility to bring humanity to the verbal and visual display of information.
Dragga, Sam and Daniel W. Voss. STC Proceedings (2003). Articles>Writing>Ethics>Reports
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Hiding Humanity: Verbal and Visual Ethics in Accident Reports 
The work of technical communicators transcends the purely technical—it has implications for real human beings. Located as they are at the critical intersection of technology and humanity, technical communicators direct traffic to avoid human injury and to promote sensitivity to the needs of human beings. When technology fails human beings, it is the ethical obligation of the technical communicator to sustain the humanity of the victims of that failure—to make those victims visible.
Dragga, Sam and Daniel W. Voss. Technical Communication Online (2003). Articles>Writing>Ethics
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In this hypothetical dilemma, a senior technical writer at a pharmaceuticals firm must choose between honoring his company's nondisclosure policy or publishing the results of a usability study that could greatly improve patient compliance with written instructions for prescription drugs, thereby saving lives.
Bryan, John G. Intercom (2002). Articles>Workplace>Ethics
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A fictional account of an in-house newsletter editor pressured to serve his bosses' interests raises important questions about the ethics of office politics.
Bryan, John G. Intercom (2000). Articles>Workplace>Ethics
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A Web developer experiences uncertainty upon being asked to develop a site for a questionable start-up company.
Schroer-Motz, Leeanne. Intercom (2007). Articles>Web Design>Ethics
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International Technical Communication Programs and Global Ethics 
International technical communication program developers may face globalization either with fear or exhilaration. Is globalization primarily an economic process that will bring unprecedented opportunity, prosperity, democracy, and health to everyone in the world? Or is it a process that will usurp the autonomy of national and local governments, colonize the cultural diversity of the world, lay waste to ecosystems, and gobble up the resources of the entire planet?
Savage, Gerald J. CPTSC Proceedings (2001). Articles>Education>Ethics>International
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Interpreting Ethics as a Daily Mandate
There is much discussion in today’s corporate environment about accountability and responsibility. This rich debate has led me to consider at length the subject of applied or “operationalized” ethics. As lead counselors of senior management, and as the primary liaison to the public, we are in a position of great influence. Our behavior must be credible for our organizations to foster a positive image and reputation.
Silver, Gillian. Communication World Bulletin (2008). Articles>Business Communication>Ethics
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Intuitive Ethics: Understanding and Critiquing the Role of Intuition in Ethical Decisions
This article examines the role intuition plays in forming ethical decisions. First, the article reviews examples of intuitive ethics in professional communication research. Second, the article suggests that intuition is the naturalization of dominant cultural values and beliefs. Third, the article considers naturalized values within institutions and organizations, demonstrating how naturalized values can lead to unquestioned and oppressive institutional practices. Ethical inquiry, according to this view, investigates and denaturalizes those assumptions that are carried forth by intuition. Fourth, the article offers a pedagogical example of this theory, demonstrating how a group of business communication students investigated the intuitive practices of a non-profit organization. The article concludes by suggesting the value that a “critique of intuition” may have for the teaching, study, and practice of professional ethics.
Faber, Brenton D. Technical Communication Quarterly (1999). Articles>TC>Ethics
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Smith presents a hypothetical dilemma in which a technical writer discovers that a product she's documenting falls short of the extravagant claims published in her company's marketing materials.
Smith, Charlsye J. Intercom (2002). Articles>Workplace>Ethics
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Google's necessary focus on advertising can teach us a lot about playing the usability game. Specifically, this article will characterize a dilemma that is tied to Google's advice to publishers on how to place advertisements. The dilemma is resolved through usability, which in turn will teach us a lot about how to mix business and the user experience.
Rhodes, John S. uiGarden (2006). Articles>Web Design>Ethics>Search
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Limitations in Technical Communication Ethics: Mastering the Shades of Gray
Technical Communication is changing rapidly due to the new global business community. Many of the ideologies and standard practices that have long been used to teach and guide technical communicators are not entirely effective. A new approach to ethical dilemmas in technical communication involves accepting limitations in order to overcome them. Most technical communicators are the liaison between many forces but rarely have the power for final decisions. When responsibilities collide it is often difficult to know what the best ethical choice is, given that most communicators learn about ethics in a controlled context or environment, such as academia. For a more realistic preparation, educators should acknowledge the limitations placed on ethics, such as politics, conflicting interests, and time constraints.
Witta Colosky, Jacelin. STC Proceedings (2001). Articles>TC>Ethics
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Mentoring the Next Generation: Ethics and Professionalism for Engineers
Freshman engineering students are bombarded with classes in chemistry, physics, math and other highly technical and demanding courses. This intense schedule leaves little time for learning other important subjects critical to future engineers such as ethics and professionalism. The College of Engineering and the Writing Program at the University of California Santa Barbara offer a unique sequence of courses that meet general education requirements while also addressing the development of ethics and professionalism in future engineers by using a combination of case studies, practical applications and readings.
Kryder, LeeAnne G. and Janet L. Mizrahi. STC Proceedings (2004). Articles>Education>Ethics>Engineering
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A few months ago, I read with interest an article that indicated that executives are influenced more by the court of public opinion as a catalyst for making positive behavior changes than they are by even a court of law. So what contribution do we make to this discussion, as public relations and media relations practitioners? Do we shove our heads in the sand and say, "It's not up to us to influence the ethical behavior of our internal and external clients"?
Bergman, Eric. Communication World Bulletin (2006). Articles>Business Communication>Public Relations>Ethics
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The New Atlantis is an effort to clarify the nation’s moral and political understanding of all areas of technology—from stem cells to hydrogen cells to weapons of mass destruction.
New Atlantis, The. Journals>Technology>Cultural Theory>Ethics
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The New STC Ethical Guidelines: A Practical Interpretation
Technical communicators with less than 3 years of experience face a special challenge: not only must they continue to assimilate technological change at a dizzying rate, but they must begin to effectively chart a course toward professional growth. Having established (or having faith in) their ability to survive in the profession, new and intermediate communicators must move beyond survival and begin to pursue success. This three-hour workshop is based on the premise that it's not enough to be a good writer with a strong technical background. You must possess multi-disciplinary skills to excel as a technical communicator and as a business person focused on the value you bring to your company.
Benson, Nancy C., Nancy L. Hoft, Janice M. King, Karen A. Steele and Mary Zoll. STC Proceedings (1995). Careers>TC>Ethics
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A Peircian Approach to Professional Ethics Instruction
Registered Professional Engineers (PEs) in most states have a continuing professional development requirement that specifies that in addition to taking a certain number of short courses in their area of technical competence each year, PEs must also take a professional ethics refresher course at least once every two years. Because the PEs in these ethics courses are forced to attend and because the subject matter is often perceived as legalistic, repetitive, and unnecessary, these courses tend to elicit less-than-enthusiastic responses from participants. Furthermore, since the duration of these courses (1 or 2 hours) is so short, it is difficult to give a meaningful treatment of the very broad field of ethics and also apply it to real-world ethical situations in the time frame allotted.
Chambers, Terrence L. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication (2001). Articles>Education>Ethics
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Personal Values and Professional Ethics
We consider the effects of personal values systems on codes of ethics and how community and professional standards of behavior may reinforce professional codes. We suggest that a professional code of ethics is strengthened and reinforced as it more closely follows this rich history.
Stoner, Russell B. and Ann Marie LaBara. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>TC>Ethics>Professionalism
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Plagiarism is defined in the Ohio University Student Handbook as 'presenting the ideas or writing of someone else as one's own'. It is a form of academic misconduct. Even if you change a few words of someone else's sentence, it is still plagiarism if the same idea is presented in essentially the same style. Plagiarism by students is often unintentional, but still unacceptable.
Young, V.L. and K.J. Sampson. Ohio University (2004). Articles>Writing>Ethics>Plagiarism
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Plagiarism: A Misplaced Emphasis
Plagiarism is conventionally seen as a serious breach of scholarly ethics, being a theft of credit for ideas in a competitive intellectual marketplace. This emphasis overlooks the vast amount of institutionalized plagiarism, including ghostwriting and attribution of authorship to bureaucratic elites. There is a case for reducing the stigma for competitive plagiarism while exposing and challenging the institutionalized varieties.
Martin, Brian. University of Wollongong (1994). Articles>Writing>Ethics>Plagiarism
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Predicting Intended Unethical Behavior of Business Students
What is the likelihood that our students will perform unethical behavior in the work environment? This study measures students’ intended behavior for four hypothetical unethical situations by investigating the following determinants: attitude toward the behavior (belief), subjective norm (pressure), perceived behavioral control, perceived personal outcome (benefit), and perceived social acceptance by others. Using the Fishbein model of planned behavior, belief was consistently the most powerful predictor of intent in all four situations. Perceived behavioral control, perceived personal outcome, and perceived social acceptance by others were moderately good predictors of intent. Subjective norm was the weakest predictor of intent.
Wilson, Barbara A. Association for Business Communication (2004). Articles>Education>Ethics>Business Communication
