We are supposed to write a short essay in response to this question after readin

Question

We are supposed to write a short essay in response to this question after reading this article: http://archive.seattleweekly.com/2003-08-06/news/ethics-ain-t-rocket-science/

What effect(s) do you think an ethically-minded technical writer (communicating clearly, sharing all relevant information) might have on a company, if any?

I guess what my question is, what is your opinion? Im having a hard time collecting my thoughts and writing about this topic. I definitely think they would have some effects on a company.

Explanation / Answer

Answer:

I am of the opinion that every company should have ethical minded technical writer on it. Please refer below my justifications.

1.       Ethical writing

In the professional setting of a company, a technical writer generally employed for developing different types of professional, business, product, operation, or commercial related documents. Some of these documents may be simple and straightforward, some may be difficult and involve questionable objectives. For developing such documents the technical writer who follows ethical mindset should adhere to following areas

·         Don't mislead

·         Don't manipulate

·         Don't stereotype

Don't mislead

This has more than one meaning to the professional writer. The main point is clear. When writing persuasively, do not write something that can cause the reader to believe something that isn't true. This can be done by lying, misrepresenting facts, or just "twisting" numbers to favor your opinion and objectives. This is clearly different from the resume ethics. Once you are on the job, you cannot leave out numbers that show you're behind or over-budget on a project, no matter how well it may work once it is completed. Facts are facts and they must be represented in that way. Be cautious when using figures, charts and tables, making sure they are not misleading. While this may seem easy to read about, when the pressure is on and there are deadlines to meet, taking shortcuts and stretching the truth are very common.

The other, less frequently used component is plagiarizing. While it may seem like this is something students learn to avoid after they graduate, it remains an important guideline for all professionals. Plagiarizing is misrepresenting the source or facts, most commonly when you claim the ideas you are writing about are yours. When you are researching professional documents, make sure you are using material with permission. If you are writing about what you've researched, make sure you are citing the sources of your information and giving credit to all the necessary researchers. This rule also extends beyond writing to what is referred to as intellectual property. Intellectual property includes the following:

Patents - Items whose credit for creation is protected

Trademarks - Company names (WalMart), logos (the Target bulls-eye), or slogans (I'm lovin' it)

Copyright law - Items whose distribution is protected by law (books, movies, or software)

None of these things can be used without proper recognition of or approval from the appropriate company or individual involved.

This law extends beyond the major companies. Any written document in your own company is copyrighted by law once produced. That means if you are borrowing a good idea from a friend at another company, you must cite them as a source. Also, although not required by law, it is a good idea to cite sources from inside your own company as well. You wouldn't want some one else taking credit for your ideas. Why should you treat others any differently?

The legal consequences are most notable when one considers writing in the professional world. While plagiarizing may give you a failing grade in a class, plagiarizing in the workplace can not only get you fired, but could result in a costly lawsuit or possibly even jail time. It is not only ethical to follow these rules, it is an enforced law. Make sure you properly document all sources so as not to mislead a reader.

Don't manipulate

If you are holding a professional job, it is understood that you have a decent ability to write persuasively, even if your first persuasive document was your resume. Do not use your ability to persuade people to do what is not in their best interest. While this may not always seem easy, a good writer with a bad motive can twist words to make something sound like it is beneficial to all parties. The audience may find out too late that what you wrote only benefited you and actual ended up hurting them. This goes back to the stakeholders. Make sure they are not only considered and cared for when writing a persuasive document. It is easy to get caught up in the facts and forget all the people involved. Their feelings and livelihood must be considered with every appropriate document you create.

Don't stereotype

Most stereotyping takes place sub-consciously now since work places are careful to not openly discriminate. It is something we may not even be aware we are doing, so it is always a good idea to have a peer or coworker proofread your documents to make sure you have not included anything that may point to discriminatory assumptions.

2. Stakeholders:

When writing any professional document, it is important to identify the potential stakeholders. A stakeholder is anyone who will be affected by what you are intending on writing. How you choose to word your document or even the choice to write the document becomes an ethical matter to stakeholders. It is crucial to consider your main objective(s) before writing. If you are writing a document that would be used to harm other living things (like writing a manual for a handgun) you have to weigh the implications to all stakeholders impacted. According to the Paul Anderson text, there are three types of stakeholders: direct, indirect, and remote. In professional writing, ethical dimensions begin to surface especially in persuasive writing. When you are trying to persuade other people to make a certain decision or to take action, stay clear of manipulation and misconceptions. At times, you may be misleading someone unintentionally. In persuasive writing, you must respect the readers values and viewpoints. Do not use false or skewed facts or argue from such premises because you may deceive the reader(s) and cause them to make an unlawful decision.

Avoiding manipulation when writing persuasively is also key. Sometimes you may be aware of the readers point. If so, you must make sure not to use this personal information against them in your writing. It is unethical to persuade readers to make a decision that benefits yourself and not them. Most times, people try to manipulate others to receive some type of reward or gain.

To avoid using misleading or manipulating words and phrases, it is important to be open to alternative viewpoints. In preparing any type of persuasive writing, you will come across conflicting viewpoints, so being aware of other views should not be hard. Keep your readers' ideas and goals in mind and consider what lies behind their concerns. To help solve these problems it may also be good to make statements based on human values. Discussing several opinions and ideas on the subject will make you more persuasive, because most viewpoints will be included to prevent you from appearing biased.

Therefore, I would like to conclude that without ethically minded technical writer it will be very difficult to develop professional document ensuring all the above requirements or necessities.

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