Plan for Today
- Analyzing Ethics
- Review your Ethical Dilemma Assignment (Due April 19th)
Analyzing Ethics
We could study ethics related to technical communication for an entire semester much like many of our other topics. Unfortunately, we only have time to scratch the surface. Many overlook ethics in technical communication because they mistakenly see “technical communication” as transmitting “truth” from the expert (engineer, scientist, or technician) to the reader. However, like all communication, we must make choices concerning what to include and what not to include…hmm…that can get a bit tricky.
- If you include something, why?
- All writers/communicators pick and choose what to include in a message.
- If you don’t include something, why not?
- Additionally, all writers/communicators pick and choose what not to include in a message.
- The act of picking and choosing what to convey and how to convey it makes it difficult to claim any communication is 100% objective.
- Do you have a naturally bias-free disposition?
- Nope.
But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let’s look at how ethics form. I hope if you haven’t had a class related to ethics in your major, you soon will. I’d hate to be your only “ethical” perspective in college. Let’s jump on over to our ethical analysis webpage.
Ethical Dilemmas for You
Take a look at these dilemmas for class. To whom are technical communicators responsible in business settings? Are there any non-business technical writing (or communicating) settings?
And what class assignment would be complete without having a homework assignment to follow up? Exactly–none. Here’s your Ethical Dilemmas Assignment–due Wednesday 4/19 on Canvas.
Next Class
On Wednesday, 4/12, and all next week, we’ll be continuing our ethics discussion, so make sure to keep up with the syllabus readings.