Markel\'s Toward a Sense Ethics Technical Communication

Markel's "Toward a Sense Ethics Technical Communication" McBride's "An Ethical Imperative

There has been significant research into the notion of ethics in technical communication. A vast majority of that research points towards a deontological approach as serving this profession best. Due to the nature of their occupation, however, technical communicators are severely limited in the amount of ethical behavior they can manifest.

The three articles reviewed in this document are Alicia McBride's "Towards a Sense of Ethics for Technical Communication," Gary Stout and Earl Weiss's "Ethics, gen Y style," and Mike Markel's "An Ethical Imperative for Technical Communications." The primary motif that ties all three of these articles together is the fact that they all address various issues of ethical thought and behaviors within the work environment. Weiss and Stout's article reinforces the need for ethical standards within the corporate world of accounting. This article details five theories of ethical behavior that are primarily found in such a setting, and denotes which of these theories are perceived to be the most moral by students who will soon be practitioners in the field of accounting. McBride's article discusses the need for the formulation of ethics for the field of technical communication. The author determines the specific ethical considerations that such communicators intrinsically have with their audience based on the nature of the relationship that exists between both of these parties, and utilizes text from both Aristotle and author Mary B. Coney to create a series of practices that professionals within the field of technical communication should adhere to that comprise this fledgling code of ethics. Lastly, Markel's article also is written in order to advocate a code of ethical behavior that pertains to technical communication professionals. The author examines the inherent deficiencies that exist within a popular form of ethics, Utilitarianism, before advocating a synthesis of ethical principles based upon Immanuel Kant's "Categorical Imperative" and the notion of an ideal society, as largely propagated by author John Rawls.

Analysis/Response

McBride's article examines the role of a technical communicator (or writer) in three disparate relationships with that of his or her audience before determining that the one that is the most significant and useful for determining ethics is that as a colleague. In that respect, this article embraces a degree of parity in ethical practice that is also confirmed by the fact that "55% of students" surveyed in Weiss and Stout's article believed that a deontological approach was the one that is most ethical in the realm of accounting. Significantly, Markel's article, in which the author propagates the usage of Kant's categorical imperative -- which is highly deontological --, conforms to the conclusions mentioned in the other two articles. After reading these three articles and considering other aspects of the profession of technical communication, it becomes apparent that deontological ethics will indeed serve this line of work well -- both for writers and for their intended audience. Markel and McBride's articles both allude to one particular problem with the conception of ethics in this profession at varying points, which neither one appears to have satisfactorily addressed. Technical writers are for the most part messengers for what is usually some corporate entity comprised of individuals and societies significantly more powerful than them. The short of the matter is that a writer could act ethically by asking for clarification about certain subjects or about requesting changes in information he or she will disseminate. But the final decision will always rest with those in charge of the corporation, who can simply utilize another technical communicator as opposed to the one voicing objection. Why lose one's job for some issue that is beyond one's control?