1. Chapter 22: Research and Ethos
ENG 113: Composition I
Chapter 22: Research and Ethos

2. Ethics
Ethics = standards of behavior that are valued by society, moral principles that are shared
Common ethical standard = don’t steal
Principle of academic integrity = don’t steal other people’s ideas

3. Ethos
Aristotle says ethos is the good character of someone who was engaged in presenting ideas honestly
Ethos is:
The author’s presentation of himself/herself as both knowledgeable and honest in an argument
Authority = the process of transforming information into knowledge
Character = academic integrity

4. Ethical Academic Writers
Being an ethical academic writer means writing with authority and character
Being careful and honest in using information from your sources is an important way of demonstrating your authority and character in your writing

5. Authoritative Source Use
To present yourself as an authority on a topic, you must understand it
Be open and honest about what you do or don’t understand
If you don’t understand the topic, you must do the research to undersant it
It’s your responsibility to become well informed about your subject before you write about it

6. Do Research! Understand the subject Build your own credibility
Become more informed before presenting your own ideas or opinions

7. Failure of Authority: Being Under-Informed
Use more than one secondary source in your research paper!
One source = relying too heavily on the ideas of a single source can be too close to plagiarism because even if you cite all the material from the source, you can come too close to presenting that writer’s ideas as your own
Note: this does not apply when analyzing a primary source

8. Avoid Patchwork Plagiarism
Patchwork Plagiarism = the result of the writer stringing together words, ideas, and data from multiple sources without really bringing in his or her own thoughts and ideas

9. Simply typing up someone else’s ideas is not writing an essay
It is plagiarism!

10. Integrity: Being Honest with Yourself
Integrity means not cheating
Integrity also means keeping an open mind
Integrity also means avoiding unintentional plagiarism

11. Integrity: Staying Open-Minded
Open minded = setting aside preconceived when researching a topic and give full consideration to what your sources are saying
Avoid biased arguments =
Going into research believing you already know the answer
Going out of your way to find only sources that support your preconceived ideas

12. Integrity: Staying Open-Minded
The Importance of Openness in Writing
Knowing the thesis can and will change as you learn
You are open to the assumptions of your reader
Avoid communicating in logical fallacies
Avoid committing fallacies of pathos

13. Integrity: Staying Open-Minded
Writers of good character demonstrate openness to all possible sides of an argument
Consider opposing viewpoints
Take into account what others have to say
Strengthens your own position
Make your point of view more inclusive
Provide you with an opportunity to explain your reasons for disagreeing

14. Integrity: Avoid Unintentional Plagiarism
How Unintentional Plagiarism Happens
Sloppy notes!
Find a great idea that is not your own – use it anyway without citing it – because you don’t know where it came from = plagiarism
Find a great phrase – use it – cite it – but don’t put it in quotation marks because you don’t realize that it is word for word from the source = plagiarism
Copy and paste a whole paragraph into your notes to paraphrase later = forget and insert the whole paragraph without paraphrasing because you forgot that you had not reworded it = plagiarism

15. Whenever you present the words, ideas, or data of a source as if they were your own, you’re committing plagisrism – whether you mean to or not!

16. Character: Being Honest with Your Reader
Fallacy of ethos: dishonest or misleading use of authority
The writer misuses the expert opinion to support claims in an argument

17. Fallacy of Ethos Faulty Use of Authority
Using a source as an authority that actually represents a “renegade” or generally unaccepted view
Using a biased source
Using a source who is respected in a subject but not in the subject you are writing about

18. Fallacy of Ethos Quoting Out of Context
Using a quote in a way that misrepresents its original meaning
Purposefully removing the content of the quote from its context
Accidentally misunderstanding the larger context of the original quote

19. Fallacy of Ethos
Card Stacking – a type of lying in which information is deliberately left out
Unfairly presenting one side of an issue in order to manipulate an audience
Cherry-picking evidence from sources – presenting only the pieces of evidence that supports the argument while leaving out evidence that does not

20. Fallacies of Authority (Ethos)
Faulty Use of Authority
Have you presented information from an unreliable source?
Quoting Out of Context
Have you misrepresented the meaning of a source?
Card stacking/cherry picking
Have you unfairly presented only one side of the argument by ignoring relevant evidence that hurts your position?

21. Intentional Plagiarism
Intentional plagiarism comes from
Procrastination
Confusion
Desperation
Just don’t
No really! Don’t
Definitely, absolutely, positively, DON”T

22. Ethics and Source Use: Citeation
Why cite sources?
Reason 1: Avoids plagiarism
Reason 2: Helps the reader
Look up information from sources
Reason 3: Shows proper respect for the author whose words, ideas, or data you are using

23. How to Cite Sources Components of Citation MLA Style
The reference = the acknowledgement of a specific use of source material within the essay
The bibliography = the list of complete information about each source at the end of the essay
MLA Style
Reference = in-text citation
Bibliography = Works Cited

24. The Ethical College Research Paper
Does the essay have a clear thesis, or main point, that is appropriate for the assignment?
Is that thesis well supported with relevant, meaningful, factual evidence?
Is the thesis developed through appeals to the reader’s needs and values?
Does the essay make use of valid, authoritative sources to back its claims?
Are source materials integrated fairly and understandably into the essay?
Are all borrowings of words, ideas, or data from sources cited clearly within the text?
Is the paper’s bibliography complete, accurate, and usefully presented according to format?

25. Ethos and Language Use Three components of Ethos Being well informed
Open-mindedness
Careful consideration of the reader
Employ tone (mood or attitude) that is appropriate to the reade, the topic, the situation, and the argument itself
Communicate as clearly and understandably as possible

26. Ethos and Language Use Writing Clearly
The more work you do to write clearly, the less work your reader has to do to understand what you’ve written
Tips
Proofread!
Use grammar effectively
Choose the right words
Fix sentence problems
Use punctuation carefully