Chapter 2: Public Speaking Ethics

1
Chapter 2 Public Speaking Ethics

• Ethics Defined
• Ethics in Practice
• Plagiarism

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Ethics Defined

• Ethics- branch of philosophy that deals with
  issues of right and wrong in human affairs
• More than just difference between right and wrong
• Ethical Decisions- involve weighing potential
  action against set of ethical standards or
  guidelines
• System that you use to arrive at what is right
  and what is wrong
• Public speakers have ethical responsibility
• How can speakers be ethical?

3
Ethics in Practice

• Goals
• Are they sound ethically?
• Preparation
• Have I checked my facts?
• Honesty
• Am I misleading the audience?
• Abusive Language
• Am I respecting the personal dignity of my
  audience?
• Be an ethical listener

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Plagiarism

• Presenting anothers language or ideas as your
  own
• Serious offense
• Not a joke, skill, or accomplishment
• Punishment at NIU
• F for assignment and/or course
• Note indicating academic misconduct placed in
  university record
• Student may be suspended or dismissed from
  university
• Punishment much worse after graduation

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Plagiarism

• Types
• Global
• Patchwork
• Incremental
• Quoting without credit
• Paraphrasing without credit
• How to avoid it
• Start early
• Learn to cite!
• Cite large number of sources
• Remember to cite online sources

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Ethics Discussion

• You are speaking on the topic of prison reform.
  In your research, you run across two public
  opinion polls. One of them, an independent
  survey by the Gallup Organization, shows that a
  majority of people in your state oppose your
  position. The other poll, suspect in its methods
  and conducted by a partisan organization, says a
  majority of people in your state support your
  position. Which poll do you cite in your speech?
  If you cite the second poll, do you point of its
  shortcomings?
• While researching your persuasive speech, you
  find a quotation from an article by a highly
  respected expert that will nail down one of your
  most important points. But as you read the rest
  of the article, you realize the author does not
  in fact support the policy you are advocating.
  Should you still include the quotation in your
  speech?

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For Friday

• Read
• Lucas 3
• Listening 1 2