All of the following situations could arise in your speech class. Identify the e
ID: 470793 • Letter: A
Question
All of the following situations could arise in your speech class. Identify the ethical issues in each and explain what as a responsible speaker or listener, your course of action would be.
A. You are speaking on the topic of prison reform. In your research, you run across two public opinion polls. One of them, an independent survery by the Gallup Organization, shows that a majority of people in your state oppose your position. The other poll, suspect in itys methods and conducted by a partisan organization, says a majority of poeple in your state support your position. Which poll do you cite in your speech? If your cite the second poll do you point out its shortcoings?
B. When listening to an infomative speech by on of your classmates, you relize that much of it is plagiarised from a Web site you visited a couple of weeks earlier. What do you do? Do you say something when you instructor asks for comments about the speech? Do you mention your concern to the instructor after class? Do you talk with the speaker? Do you remain silent?
C. While researching your persuasive speech, you find a quatation 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 that the author does not in fact support the oplicy you are advocation. Do you still include the quotation in your speech?
Explanation / Answer
A.
The biggest ethical issue is the contradiction between my views and the result of independent survey. But, I will still use the independent survey and its result to point out the lack of awareness among people regarding prison reforms. I will use the platform to show that how do people think when they non informed and or misinformed. It will strengthen my credibility and true spirits towards prison reform. Thus, people viewpoint will change.
If I cite the second poll, then I will also mention the shortcomings such as its scope, sample size or analysis methods. It will again build my credibility and my conscience will be clean with high morale.
B.
Use of other’s work by someone else to gain an advantage is the main ethical issue.
If speaker quotes the referencing website as a source of data, then there is no issue. Otherwise, I will opt for the different course of action.
First, I will listen carefully. Then, I will put my comments and ask discussion oriented questions to the speaker. Finally, I will remind the speaker of my similar reading experience on other websites few days ago. It will be enough indication to reader to accept the mistake what he has done. I will not go to the instructor as he should also analyze the content for plagiarism and the validity of the use of data in informative speech. Also, it is the part of his duty because I have already indicated towards it.
C.
Use of content or quotation in isolation to add value to a different view is the main ethical issue.
Yes, I will include the quotation with proper reference. I will also mention the different view point possessed by the person due to different scope, perspective and scenario. Thus, it will not create any ethical issue.