Deck 4: Recognizing Ethical Issues in Technical Communication

Question 1

Which statement below is least accurate?

A) Because the company owns all the documents produced, employees cannot possibly plagiarize each other's work.
B) Charts and other visuals can be distorted to create a more positive outcome.
C) Downplaying information is equally as unethical as fabricating information.
D) The pressure to produce work quickly can lead to misuse of texts or data.
E) All of these answers are correct.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Include sufficient detail in a document to ensure that readers understand the facts.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Web sites that ask customers for personal information need not link to a privacy policy explaining how the information will be used.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Omitting a confidentiality statement from a medical document asking for a patient's medical history

A) is not misleading.
B) carries no consequences for any party involved.
C) is unethical.
D) is a clever way to protect the company's interests.
E) a and b.

Question 5

A document prepared for an international audience should include visuals that are simple and honest.

Question 6

Acceptable practices in technical communication include

A) plagiarizing the work of others.
B) exaggerating claims.
C) downplaying information.
D) b and c.
E) None of these answers are correct.

Question 7

Professions generally have their own guidelines for ethical behavior.

Question 8

Taking an ethical stance requires you to

A) make a personal decision.
B) consider only the demands of your job.
C) consider the effects of your decision on others.
D) a and c.
E) b and c.

Question 9

Ethical questions often revolve around topics related to technology.

Question 10

Decisions may be unethical, but they will rarely cause harm to anyone.

Question 11

Distorting images may help you create a more persuasive document, but doing so is unethical.

Question 12

__________ pressures can influence ethical values.

Question 13

A_________ offers guidelines for avoiding ethical abuses within a specific organization or company.

Question 14

When preparing a technical document,

A) provide possible alternatives if needed.
B) exaggerate information.
C) respect rights to privacy.
D) a and c.
E) a, b, and c.

Question 15

Withholding important information is not an ethical violation.

Question 16

Which of the following statements is least accurate?

A) I should make a distinction between what is certain and what is probable.
B) I need not be reasonably sure that a document will not have harmful consequences.
C) I should make sure that my sources of information are credible.
D) I should believe what I say and not have a hidden agenda.
E) I should distribute copies of the document to everyone who has a right to know about it.