PUBLIC SPEAKING Chapter 4 Speaking Freely and Ethically Chapter 4 Speaking Freely and Ethically

Why Ethical Communication? “Ethical communication enhances human worth and dignity by fostering truthfulness, fairness, responsibility, personal integrity and respect for self and others.” -- National Communication Association Credo for Communication Ethics “Ethical communication enhances human worth and dignity by fostering truthfulness, fairness, responsibility, personal integrity and respect for self and others.” -- National Communication Association Credo for Communication Ethics

What are Ethics?  Values and moral principles by which we determine what is right or wrong. Examples of ethical actions:  Refusing to cheat on exams  Not calling in sick when healthy  Property owner who does not overstate storm damage to insurance company  Values and moral principles by which we determine what is right or wrong. Examples of ethical actions:  Refusing to cheat on exams  Not calling in sick when healthy  Property owner who does not overstate storm damage to insurance company

Ethics in Public Speaking The privilege of free speech carries with it the responsibility of ethical speaking. 1.Your speech goals, arguments and evidence must take into account the morals, values, and beliefs of your audience. 2.Ethical speaking is audience-centered. 3.Ethical speaking is honest and is not plagiarized. The privilege of free speech carries with it the responsibility of ethical speaking. 1.Your speech goals, arguments and evidence must take into account the morals, values, and beliefs of your audience. 2.Ethical speaking is audience-centered. 3.Ethical speaking is honest and is not plagiarized.

Unethical Speaking  Brainwashing as in Adolph Hitler’s speeches inciting German people to genocide.  Chinese speeches exhorting citizens to reveal the whereabouts of student Leaders of the 1989 uprising.  Sen. Joseph McCarthy’s false claims in the Communist “wish hunt.”  Brainwashing as in Adolph Hitler’s speeches inciting German people to genocide.  Chinese speeches exhorting citizens to reveal the whereabouts of student Leaders of the 1989 uprising.  Sen. Joseph McCarthy’s false claims in the Communist “wish hunt.”

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Speaking Freely  Have a Clear, Responsible Goal  Give listeners choices.  Do not keep your agenda hidden from your listeners.  Have a Clear, Responsible Goal  Give listeners choices.  Do not keep your agenda hidden from your listeners. bogners.typepad.com/.../06/hidden_agendas.html

Speaking Ethically  First Amendment guarantees free speech.  ACLU helps protest free speech  Supreme court: flag burning protected under free speech  Patriot Act sparks controversy between national security & free speech  First Amendment guarantees free speech.  ACLU helps protest free speech  Supreme court: flag burning protected under free speech  Patriot Act sparks controversy between national security & free speech

Use sound Evidence & Reasoning tp speak ethically  Do not make false claims  Do not substitute emotions for logic  Keep quality of evidence high.  Do not make false claims  Do not substitute emotions for logic  Keep quality of evidence high. Image from: headrush.typepad.com/.../05/can_ marketing_b.html

Be Sensitive to & Tolerant of Differences  Be willing to listen to opposing sides (accommodation).  Avoid language that might be biased or offensive.  Be willing to listen to opposing sides (accommodation).  Avoid language that might be biased or offensive. Image from:

Be Honest  Offering false or misleading information is unethical.  Give credit for ideas and types of information that is not your own.  Offering false or misleading information is unethical.  Give credit for ideas and types of information that is not your own.

Do Not Plagiarize  Plagiarizing: presenting someone else’s ideas or words as though they were yours.  Plagiaphrasing: failure to give credit for compelling phrases taken from another source.  Plagiarizing: presenting someone else’s ideas or words as though they were yours.  Plagiaphrasing: failure to give credit for compelling phrases taken from another source. Image from: /index.html

Do Your Own Work  Think of an original approach.  Avoid articles that can be converted into speeches.  Edit your own work.  Think of an original approach.  Avoid articles that can be converted into speeches.  Edit your own work.

Acknowledge Your Sources YOU MUST CITE:  Direct quotes, no matter how short.  Opinions or ideas of others, even if paraphrased.  Statistics.  Non-original visual materials, graphs, pictures & tables).  Give oral and written citations. YOU MUST CITE:  Direct quotes, no matter how short.  Opinions or ideas of others, even if paraphrased.  Statistics.  Non-original visual materials, graphs, pictures & tables).  Give oral and written citations.

Listen Ethically  Listeners share responsibility for ethical communication.  Ethical Listeners:  Communication expectations and feedback.  Are sensitive to and tolerant of differences.  Critically evaluate the speaker.  Listeners share responsibility for ethical communication.  Ethical Listeners:  Communication expectations and feedback.  Are sensitive to and tolerant of differences.  Critically evaluate the speaker.

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