44
edits
Technical Writing in the Digital Age: Difference between revisions
Technical Writing in the Digital Age (view source)
Revision as of 11:44, 13 November 2023
, 1 year ago→The Employer: Reformatted the paragraph blocks to fit each category.
(→Ethical Considerations: Added Subheadings) |
(→The Employer: Reformatted the paragraph blocks to fit each category.) |
||
| Line 179: | Line 179: | ||
==Ethical Considerations== | ==Ethical Considerations== | ||
In technical workplaces, resolving ethical dilemmas will be part of one's job. Resources, time, and reputations are at stake, so one will feel pressure to overpromise, underdeliver, bend the rules, cook the numbers, or exaggerate results. Technical fields are also highly competitive, so people sometimes stretch a little further than they should. Ethical dilemmas can force one into situations in which all choices seem unsatisfactory<ref>Johnson-Sheehan, Richard. “Managing Ethical Challenges.” ''Technical Communication Today'', 6th ed., Pearson, Boston, MA, 2018, pp. 71–84.</ref>. | |||
The Society for Technical Communication (STC) is the world's oldest professional association dedicated to advancing the field of technical communication.<ref>“About STC.” ''Society for Technical Communication'', 19 May 2021, [https://www.stc.org/about-stc/ www.stc.org/about-stc/] Retrieved October 27, 2023.</ref> The STC promotes adherence to a list of ethical principles. They are legality, honesty, confidentiality, quality, fairness, and professionalism.<ref>“Ethical Principles.” ''Society for Technical Communication'', 20 May 2021, [https://www.stc.org/about-stc/ethical-principles/ www.stc.org/about-stc/ethical-principles/] Retrieved October 27, 2023.</ref> | |||
Technical communicators also have to be careful to avoid plagiarism, or taking ideas, thoughts, or words from someone else and passing them off as ones own.<ref name=":5" /> | |||
Technical communicators have ethical standards to which they must abide. The standards are divided into three primary categories. They are the employer, the public, and the environment.<ref name=":0">Markel, Mike. ''Technical Communication''. 9th ed., Bedford/St. Martin’s, Boston, 2009. p.22-25.</ref> | Technical communicators have ethical standards to which they must abide. The standards are divided into three primary categories. They are the employer, the public, and the environment.<ref name=":0">Markel, Mike. ''Technical Communication''. 9th ed., Bedford/St. Martin’s, Boston, 2009. p.22-25.</ref> | ||
| Line 194: | Line 200: | ||
|website=United States Environmental Protection Agency | |website=United States Environmental Protection Agency | ||
|access-date=November 6, 2023}}</ref> | |access-date=November 6, 2023}}</ref> | ||
===Disinformation=== | ===Disinformation=== | ||
One major ethical concern in all forms of writing, but especially in digital writing, is the creation and spread of disinformation. Disinformation, often referred to as "[[w:Fake news|fake news]]," is information that is purposefully spread as false or misleading and is a sub-type of misinformation.<ref>Lawrence, Dan. (2022). ''Digital Writing: A Guide to Writing for Social Media and the Web.'' Broadview Press. </ref> Modern communication technologies allow for the spread of information to occur at a fast pace. Social media is one area where the spread of disinformation occurs regularly. Some social media sites, such as Facebook, have begun to flag certain articles posted on the site as being questionable in their representation of facts or occurrences. Despite the widespread understanding and use of disinformation available today, digital writers need to be aware of their intent and the audience's needs and wants from their digital communication.<ref>Lucas, Gerald. (September 13, 2023). "Audience-Centric Style in Digital Writing" in ''From Reading to Writing: A Composition FAQ Textbook.'' Retrieved October 22, 2023. https://grlucas.net/grl/CompFAQ/Digital_Writing/Style</ref> Ethical considerations regarding citing sources, cross-referencing information, and using primary sources are good practices for maintaining ethical standing and credibility as a digital writer. | One major ethical concern in all forms of writing, but especially in digital writing, is the creation and spread of disinformation. Disinformation, often referred to as "[[w:Fake news|fake news]]," is information that is purposefully spread as false or misleading and is a sub-type of misinformation.<ref>Lawrence, Dan. (2022). ''Digital Writing: A Guide to Writing for Social Media and the Web.'' Broadview Press. </ref> Modern communication technologies allow for the spread of information to occur at a fast pace. Social media is one area where the spread of disinformation occurs regularly. Some social media sites, such as Facebook, have begun to flag certain articles posted on the site as being questionable in their representation of facts or occurrences. Despite the widespread understanding and use of disinformation available today, digital writers need to be aware of their intent and the audience's needs and wants from their digital communication.<ref>Lucas, Gerald. (September 13, 2023). "Audience-Centric Style in Digital Writing" in ''From Reading to Writing: A Composition FAQ Textbook.'' Retrieved October 22, 2023. https://grlucas.net/grl/CompFAQ/Digital_Writing/Style</ref> Ethical considerations regarding citing sources, cross-referencing information, and using primary sources are good practices for maintaining ethical standing and credibility as a digital writer. | ||