Ethics in Technical Communication
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What is the role of ethics in technical communication? List at least four examples of ethical responsibilities you have as a technical writer. How could you incorporate them into your career?
A technical writer conveys a tonal message in the language of written communication, for multi-level audiences. Ethical responsibility for a technical writer is part of the requirement for producing all communication materials. Todays communication necessitates a writer to communicate with multicultural audiences, with an ethically guided manner and form.
Four examples of ethical responsibilities are:
Honesty
Every form of technical writing involves honest representation for both the writer and the materials ownership. According to Dobrin, “Another aspect of honesty requires that workplace writers always identify the sources that inform their documents. If they rely on, reference, or borrow someone elses work, they must obtain permission to use that work and then acknowledge that permission,” (Dobrin, Keller, & Weisser, 2010, p. 81).
Integrity of the writer is important for professional business communication. A writers reputation is represented in the materials the writer produces. The writers integrity is in the representation of communication.
Legal
Legalities in documentation for communication provide guidelines for the writer to use. Legal language protects the provider of information and businesses for governing communication. A writer may or may not agree with the ethical practices that he or she represents in communication. Ethical practice may be in question, concerning legal matters.
Cultural Diversity
Ethically produced material guidelines depend on the audience. A writer must consider the public when writing or producing material for communication that for an audience. Consideration for audience provides a framework for a multi-cultural perspective in written communication. Unbiased writing considers many groups of individuals, including gender, race, disabilities, religion, or national origin. (Dobrin, 2010), p. 85.
Respect
Respect for the ethical rights of individuals, govern most of the social aspects for a companys ethical standards. Respect of the company, respect for co-workers, self-respect, respect for safety of others, and the environment, are all areas for ethical decision making for technical communication.
Using the standards of basic ethical approaches in writing helps the writer formulate a professional, social attitude, for society. Writing for benefit of all cultural groups improves communication standards, for the writer and global communication language.
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