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ECS 3390 University of Texas at Dallas 2 Ethics Scenario Memorandum Summary In Chapter 2 of Finkelstein’s Pocket Book of Technical Writing you learned that increasing emphasis is being placed on ethics in professional environments and in technical writing. Finkelstein defined ethics as “a set of rules and standards for using communication skills and resources with the intention of doing good. Ethical behavior for technical writers, then, involves their moral duty and obligation to apply the power of technical communication to the purpose of doing worthy things” (Finkelstein, p. 12). Assignment Your assignment is to write a memorandum to me with your views on the ethical scenario below. Your memorandum should follow a professional format and should be at least one page, single spaced. Ethical Scenario (from Finkelstein, p. 12) You are enrolled in a technical writing course and have been assigned the task of writing a process description on the operation of a four-stroke, internal combustion engine. A close friend wrote a similar description for another technical writing course at a different university last year and earned an “A.” She offers you her paper as a gift, along with the original word processing file. She tells you to change the name, print it again, and turn it in. Since the original author has given you the paper and you now own it, is it plagiarism for you to do as she asks? After all, she argues, you are not stealing anything –the paper is now yours! Submission and Deadline Submit your completed assignment in WebCT by the date and time specified in the syllabus.
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ECS 3390 University of Texas at Dallas 1
Activity:Ethics Scenario Memorandum
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ECS 3390 University of Texas at Dallas 2
Ethics Scenario MemorandumSummaryIn Chapter 2 of Finkelstein’s Pocket Book of Technical Writing you learned that increasing emphasis
is being placed on ethics in professional environments and in technical writing. Finkelstein defined ethics as “a set of rules and standards for using communication skills and resources with the intention of doing good. Ethical behavior for technical writers, then, involves their moral duty and obligation to apply the power of technical communication to the purpose of doing worthy things” (Finkelstein, p.
12). AssignmentYour assignment is to write a memorandum to me with your views on the ethical scenario below.
Yourmemorandum should follow a professional format and should be at least one page, single spaced.
Ethical Scenario (from Finkelstein, p. 12)You are enrolled in a technical writing course and have been assigned the task of writing a processdescription on the operation of a four-stroke, internal combustion engine. A close friend wrote asimilar description for another technical writing course at a different university last year and earned an“A.” She offers you her paper as a gift, along with the original word processing file. She tells you to change the name, print it again, and turn it in. Since the original author has given you the paper andyou now own it, is it plagiarism for you to do as she asks? After all, she argues, you are not stealinganything –the paper is now yours!
Submission and Deadline Submit your completed assignment in WebCT by the date and time specified in the syllabus.
ECS 3390 University of Texas at Dallas 3
Ethics Scenario Memorandum Additional ResourcesEthics is a topic that you will hear about and likely address throughout yourcareer. As ethics is a topic that receives a significant amount of attention, thereare many, many resources on the topic. If you are interested in reading morethan what was provided in Finkelstein’s Chapter 2, below you will find a one of the many web sites that address the matter of ethics in business. The site also provides links to numerous additional articles involving the topic: http://ezinearticles.com/?Ethics-In-The-Workplace&id=12475
ReferencesEzine Articles Web site, http://ezinearticles.com/?Ethics-In-The-Workplace&id=12475Finkelstein, L. (2008). Pocket Book of Technical Writing for Engineers and Scientists. New York: McGraw-Hill.
