what is ethics in public speaking

When preparing a speech, it is important to think about the ethics of public speaking from the beginning. Identify key principles of ethical communication. Avoiding controversy Controversial topics tend not to lead to great public speaking, as the audience may be split on what they think about it. TED Institute . We condemn communication that degrades individuals and humanity through distortion, intimidation, coercion, and violence, and through the expression of intolerance and hatred. While you may not know all your sources of information firsthand, you should attempt to find objective sources that do not have an overt or covert agenda that skews the argument you are making. An ethical listener is one who actively interprets shared material and analyzes the content and speaker's effectiveness. After studying this chapter, you should be able to: Define ethics and explain why ethics are important in public speaking. To create a climate of caring and mutual respect, it is important for us as speakers to be open with our audiences so that our intentions and perceptions are clear. As public speakers, one of the first ethical areas we should be concerned with is information honesty. One of our coauthors once listened to a speaker give a two-hour talk, allegedly about workplace wellness, which actually turned out to be an infomercial for the speakers weight-loss program. I sometimes blend in my personal opinions when discussing actual facts during the speech. The word plagiarism stems from the Latin word plagiaries, or kidnapper. We may also find ourselves judging a speaker based on information we have heard about him or her from other people. Knowing about ethics is essential, but even more important to being an ethical public speaker is putting that knowledge into practice by thinking through possible ethical pitfalls prior to standing up and speaking out. Washington, DC: Author, p. 349. Speakers need to take a two-pronged approach when addressing any audience: caring about the audience and understanding the audience. While there are cases where speakers have blatantly lied to an audience, it is more common for speakers to prove a point by exaggerating, omitting facts that weigh against their message, or distorting information. Ethics in Public Speaking | Public Speaking - Lumen Learning Hearing is an accidental and automatic brain response to sound that requires no effort. Since modern societies have ever-increasing access to information, there are increased demands on the individual to use information effectively and ethically. We promote access to communication resources and opportunities as necessary to fulfill human potential and contribute to the well-being of families, communities, and society. Expressions of intolerance and hatred that are to be avoided include using ageist, heterosexist, racist, sexist, and any other form of speech that demeans or belittles a group of people. We promote communication climates of caring and mutual understanding that respect the unique needs and characteristics of individual communicators. Some of the language in my speech may be considered bigoted. One of the reasons the authors of this book teach courses in public speaking and wrote this college textbook on public speaking is that we, as communication professionals, have an ethical obligation to provide others, including students like you, with resources and opportunities to become better speakers. Flashcards. Hate speech from all sides of the political spectrum in our society is detrimental to ethical communication. I wrote my speech based on my own interests and really havent thought much about my audience. Everyone in the tourist areas knows enough English to help you buy whatever they are selling. License. For example, you would not need to provide a citation within a speech for the name of Delawares capital. Fill out the Public Speaking Ethics Checklist while thinking about your first speech. Shadow 1.2 Why is Public Speaking Important? First, ethics and ethical standards are defined. Unfortunately, some speakers take information and use it in a manner that is not in the spirit of the original information. The concept of free speech is guaranteed to all Americans under the First Amendment of the Constitution. Understand how to apply the National Communication Association (NCA) Credo for Ethical Communication within the context of public speaking. This process involves being truly reflective and willing to examine how ones speech could have tragic consequences. As with so many things, trust is crucial in public speaking. A man without ethics is a wild beast loosed upon this world. This is another ethical characteristic that is specifically directed at receivers of a message. The Ethics Pyramid The word "ethics" can mean different things to different people. See all articles on Ethics. Shadow 1.3 The Process of Public Speaking, 2.2 Classifying Communication Apprehension, 3.5 What to do When Delivering Your Speech, 6.3 Exploring Specific Cultural Identities, 6.5 Intercultural Communication Competence. Labour has welcomed the government's NHS workforce plan but says it comes too late to solve the crisis in the health service. Whether you conducted an interview or read a newspaper article, you must tell your listeners where the information came from. Listening actively and responding appropriately are key elements in communicating ethically. Streit retired abruptly as a result. Table 2.1 Public Speaking Ethics Checklist is a checklist based on our discussion in this chapter to help you think through some of these issues. While we will talk in more detail about plagiarism later in this book, we cannot emphasize enough the importance of giving credit to the speakers and authors whose ideas we pass on within our own speeches and writing. This type of citation is appropriate. Ethical communication is fundamental to responsible thinking, decision making, and the development of relationships and communities within and across contexts, cultures, channels, and media. I havent really thought much about my audiences needs and desires. During his speech, Robert orally cites his roommate by name as a source of his information but does not report that the source is his roommate, whose experience is based on writing a paper. This process begins when you begin brainstorming the topic of your speech. Click the card to flip . Human communication is a skill that can and should be taught. Communication experts agree that ethical communication is an important responsibility of the speaker. It involves honest research . My personal opinions are just as good as facts, so I dont bother to distinguish between the two during my speech. All the little gift shops, trinket stores, Starbucks and cab drivers speak English. This process begins when you begin brainstorming the topic of your speech. We believe that speakers build a relationship with their audiences, and that lying, exaggerating, or distorting information violates this relationship. I sometimes blend in my personal opinions when discussing actual facts during the speech. If so, why? When you as a speaker truly care about your audiences needs and desires, you avoid setting up a manipulative climate. Dissent, injustice and the meanings of America. Conclusion, Review Questions, and Activities | Principles of Public This notion that everybody lies is so persistent in the series that t-shirts have been printed with the slogan. I do not know who my sources of information are or what makes my sources credible. Politics latest: 'Late' NHS plan 'like pulling emergency ripcord This ethical principle involves balancing personal disclosure with discretion. The study of ethics in human communication is hardly a recent endeavor. It is more work to trace the original source of a fact or statistic, but by doing that extra work you can avoid this plagiarism trap. To avoid plagiarism, you always need to tell your audience when you are directly quoting information within a speech. Test. This ethical obligation even has legal implications in many government and corporate contexts. We live in a society where a speakers message can literally be heard around the world in a matter of minutes, thanks to our global communication networks. Extreme remarks made by politicians, media commentators, and celebrities, as well as ordinary people, can unexpectedly go viral with regrettable consequences. Thus far in this section weve introduced you to the basics of thinking through the ethics of public speaking. We cover the principle of inclusive language on the next page. 3: Ethics in Public Speaking - Social Sci LibreTexts Ethics in Public Speaking. Every day, people around the world make ethical decisions regarding public speech. Listeners should try to objectively analyze the content and arguments within a speech before deciding how to respond. Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). This textbook has the classic coverage of most Public Speaking textbooks today with an emphasis on ethics. We believe that unethical communication threatens the quality of all communication and consequently the well-being of individuals and the society in which we live. Is it ever appropriate to lie to a group of people if its in the groups best interest? In public speaking, we use ethical standards to determine what and how to exchange messages with our audience. More recently, the student newspaper at Malone University in Ohio alleged that the university president, Gary W. Streit, had plagiarized material in a public speech. As such, we as speakers should be acutely aware of how an audience may perceive words that could be considered bigoted. For example, individuals who work for the Central Intelligence Agency are legally precluded from discussing their work in public without prior review by the agency. Dissent is by nature uncomfortable, as it entails expressing opposition to authority, often in very unflattering terms. In this chapter, we will explore what it means to be both an ethical speaker and an ethical listener. Significance of Ethics in Public Speaking - Course Sidekick | Ace your This type of citation is appropriate. For example, you are not likely to get accurate information about nonwhite individuals from a neo-Nazi website. When Senator Joseph Biden was running for president of the United States in 1988, reporters found that he had plagiarized portions of his stump speech from British politician Neil Kinnock. In a study conducted by Turner, Edgley, and Olmstead (1975), the researchers had 130 participants record their own conversations with others. 1. Second, this chapter describes principles of ethical public speaking, with guidelines for . Extreme remarks made by politicians, media commentators, and celebrities, as well as ordinary people, can unexpectedly go viral with regrettable consequences. Ethics in Public Speaking Flashcards - Learning tools, flashcards, and I wrote my speech based on my own interests and really havent thought much about my audience. Every time you plan to speak to an audiencewhether it is at a formal speaking event or an impromptu pitch at your workplaceyou have ethical responsibilities to fulfill. The authors make it clear that they did not produce the television show House or conduct the study that found that only 38.5 percent of statements were completely honest. Conn. shekel shellacking. If information is obtained from printed or publicly distributed material, its perfectly appropriate to use that information without getting permission, as long as you cite it. I have attempted to persuade people by unnecessarily tapping into emotion rather than logic. One place we see distortion frequently is in the political context, where politicians cite a statistic or the results of a study and either completely alter the information or use it in a deceptive manner. The American Psychological Association states in its publication manual that ethical speakers do not claim words and ideas of another as their own; they give credit where credit is due (American Psychological Association, 2001). Public Speaking Exploring Public Speaking 3e (Barton and Tucker) 3: Ethics in Public Speaking 3.2: Credibility and Ethics Expand/collapse global location 3.2: Credibility and Ethics Last updated; Save as PDF Page ID 17741; Kris Barton & Barbara G. Tucker; Florida State . The themes of information and ethics tie these elements together and are emphasized in every part of the course because they are vitally important to all communicators. To speak ethically is to use your own original speech content. We advocate sharing information, opinions, and feelings when facing significant choices while also respecting privacy and confidentiality. Show Respect for Your Audience Respect Your Audience's Time Prepare Your Speech Be Honest and Don't Mislead Your Audience Avoid Plagiarism Ensure Your Objective Is Ethical Using someone elses words or ideas without giving credit is called plagiarism. Robert is preparing a speech about legalizing marijuana use in the United States. Intent According to Tilley, intent is the first major concept to consider when examining an issue's ethicality. It is also important to be honest about where all your information comes from in a speech. This process involves being truly reflective and willing to examine how ones speech could have tragic consequences. Moreover, ethical communication enhances human worth and dignity by fostering truthfulness, fairness, responsibility, personal integrity, and respect for self and others. Ethical speakers do not deceive their audience. In this case, the speaker clearly had a hidden (or not-so-hidden) agenda, which made the audience feel disrespected. As public speakers, one of the first ethical areas we should be concerned with is information honesty. Ethical communication is fundamental to responsible thinking, decision making, and the development of relationships and communities within and across contexts, cultures, channels, and media. Biden was forced to drop out of the race as a result. At the same time, it is important for listeners to pay attention to expressions of intolerance or hatred. The remark would be likely to prompt accusations of anti-Semitism and to distract listeners from any constructive suggestions the official might have for resolving budget issues. When this happens, we do not strive to understand the speaker and do not respect the speaker. Questions of right and wrong arise whenever people communicate. Understand how you can apply ethics to your public speaking preparation process. As a listener, should you refuse to listen to a speaker with whom you fundamentally disagree? 1. There are two main reasons we do this. Showing respect to your audience is directly correlated to how your message is received. Ideas about Ethics - TED: Ideas Worth Spreading And after his dramatic resignation, Lord Goldsmith has spoken out . In 1999, the National Communication Association officially adopted the Credo for Ethical Communication (see the following sidebar). Do People Speak English In Prague? - Prague Travel We strive to understand and respect other communicators before evaluating and responding to their messages. As listeners or consumers of communication, we should realize that this diversity of perspectives enables us to be more fully informed on a subject. Listening to diverse perspectives includes being willing to hear dissenting voices. For example, suppose a school board official involved in budget negotiations used the word shekels to refer to money, which he believes the teachers union should be willing to give up (Associated Press, 2011). The third plagiarism trap that speakers fall into is re-citing someone elses sources within a speech. Explore. Good listeners try to display respect for the speaker. We strive to understand and respect other communicators before evaluating and responding to their messages. Carmella Fernando Promise? To maintain yourcredibilityand reputation. However, if a speaker read the paragraph and said the following during a speech, it would be plagiarism: According to Wrench DiMartino, Ramirez, Oviedio, and Tesfamariam, in a study of 130 participants, only 38.5 percent of the responses were completely honest. In this case, the speaker is attributing the information cited to the authors of the paragraph, which is not accurate. National Communication Association. Explain why ethics are important in public speaking. To present a fair and accurate argument of yourthesis. Many social justice movements have started because young public speakers have decided to stand up for what they believe is fair and just. While our predictions of short-term and long-term consequences may not always be right, we have an ethical duty to at least think through the possible consequences of our speeches and the actions we encourage. To engage in unethical behavior when speaking only erodes that trust. As a speaker, should you use evidence within a speech that you are not sure is correct if it supports the speechs core argument? It is also important to be honest about where all your information comes from in a speech. Chapter 1: Why Public Speaking Matters Today, Chapter 9: Supporting Ideas and Building Arguments, Chapter 10: Introductions and Conclusions, Chapter 15: Understanding Small Group Communication, Chapter 16: Small Groups & Decision Making, http://www.natcom.org/Default.aspx?id=134&terms=Credo, Table 4.1 Public Speaking Ethics Checklist, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, Instructions: For each of the following ethical issues, check either true or false.. Ultimately, the NCA Credo for Ethical Communication is a set of beliefs communication scholars have about the ethics of human communication. Second, it is important for a speaker to create an atmosphere of mutual understanding. The second reason we do not re-cite someone elses sources within our speeches is because its intellectually dishonest. If you cited the revised number (38.5 percent) from the paragraph, you would be further spreading incorrect information. Your listeners have a right to know the difference between facts and personal opinions. Pablo has been scheduled to work late several nights this week and is very tired by the time his public speaking class rolls around in the late afternoon. As you read further in this chapter . Instead, these authors cited information found in two other locations. Only 38.5% of the statements made during these interactions were labeled as completely honest.. Differentiate between morality and ethical dilemma. While we always want our speeches to be as persuasive as possible, we do ourselves and our audiences a disservice when we downplay, distort, or refuse to mention important arguments from the opposing side. Washington, DC: Author, p. 349. In the most simplest form, public speaking ethics are the foundation of the three pillars of public speaking. Acknowledging and responding to conflicts of interest is also regarded as ethical public speaking behavior. Foundations of Public Speaking. This ethical principle involves balancing personal disclosure with discretion. He knows that his roommate wrote a paper on the topic last semester and asks his roommate about the paper in an attempt to gather information. 3.3: Ethical Speaking - Social Sci LibreTexts If you want to cite the information within your speech, you need to read the original article by Turner, Edgley, and Olmstead and cite that information yourself. Individual authors retain copyright of their work. One of the earliest discussions of ethics in communication (and particularly in public speaking) was conducted by the ancient Greek philosopher Plato in his dialogue Phaedrus. We will discuss citation and attribution later in this module. OpenOKState Student Data Privacy Guidelines, 1.1 Public Speaking in the Twenty-First Century, Shadow 1.1 Public Speaking in the Twenty-First Century. However, when you have a great anecdote one of your friends told you in confidence, or access to information that is not available to the general public, it is best to seek permission before using the information in a speech. Benefits of Listening If you use any substantiating facts or passages from another source, you must give appropriate attribution or credit as necessary. Instead, speakers need to verbally tell an audience when they are using someone elses information. Whether you are persuading people to vote for a political candidate or just encouraging them to lose weight, you should know what the short-term and long-term consequences of that decision could be. Chapter 1: Why Public Speaking Matters Today, Chapter 2: Ethics Matters: Understanding the Ethics of Public Speaking, Chapter 6: Finding a Purpose and Selecting a Topic, Chapter 8: Supporting Ideas and Building Arguments, Chapter 9: Introductions Matter: How to Begin a Speech Effectively, Chapter 10: Creating the Body of a Speech, Chapter 15: Presentation Aids: Design and Usage, http://www.natcom.org/Default.aspx?id=134&terms=Credo, Table 2.1 Public Speaking Ethics Checklist, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, Instructions: For each of the following ethical issues, check either true or false..
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