1. Essentials of Technical Communication
Chapter 3: Writing Ethically

2. "It has become dramatically clear that the foundation of corporate integrity is personal integrity."
(Sam DiPiazza, CEO of Price Waterhouse Coopers. May 13, It’s All Down to Personal Values.

3. Your Professional Obligations
To yourself 
To your discipline and profession
To your academic institution 
To your employer
To your colleagues
To the public

4. Recognizing Unethical Communication
Plagiarism and Theft of Intellectual Property
Deliberately Imprecise or Ambiguous Language
Manipulation of Statistics
Use of Misleading Illustrations
Promotion of Prejudice
Uncritical use of Information

5. Intellectual Property
Copyrightable Material
Trademark
Trade Secret
Invention
Tangible Research Property

6. Ethics Dilemma Checklist
What is the nature of the ethical dilemma?
What are the specifics of this dilemma that make you uncomfortable?
What are your competing obligations in this dilemma?
What advice does a trusted supervisor or mentor offer?
Does your company’s code of conduct address this issue?
Does your professional association’s code of conduct address this issue?
What are you unwilling and willing to do?
How will you explain or justify your decision?

7. When Asked to Act in a “Questionable Way”
Ask questions
Explain your dilemma
Ask for clarification
Explain and negotiate
Research applicable professional and company codes of ethics
Suggest alternatives
Discuss situation with supervisor or mentor
“Always make the decision that you could live with if your decision were made public.”

8. Corporate Codes of Conduct

10. Discussion: The link below leads to an article on ethics that begins with the quotation that opened this slide presentation—but uses that quotation without attribution. What are the ethical implications of that use?

11. Elizabeth Tebeaux and Sam Dragga Essentials of Technical Communication Oxford University Press