Introduction to PR Research #2: Ethics, Library Research & Databases Based on information from S. Zhou & W.D. Sloan (Eds.). (2011). “Research Methods in Communication” Dr. LaRae M. Donnellan, APR, CPRC School of Journalism & Graphic Communication Florida A&M University Spring 2012
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Introduction to PR Research #2: Ethics, Library Research & Databases Based on information from S. Zhou & W.D. Sloan (Eds.). (2011). “Research Methods in.
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Introduction to PR Research #2: Ethics, Library Research & DatabasesBased on information from S. Zhou & W.D. Sloan (Eds.). (2011). “Research Methods in Communication”
Dr. LaRae M. Donnellan, APR, CPRCSchool of Journalism & Graphic CommunicationFlorida A&M UniversitySpring 2012
PRSA Code of Ethics• Advocacy• Honesty• Loyalty• Independence• Fairness• Expertise
Ethical Strategies• Deontological (DEE – ON – TOE – LOGICAL)• Actions are either right or wrong.• No lie is a good lie.• Ethical behavior must match a “higher law.”
• Teleological (TELL – EE – OH – LOGICAL)• Utilitarian approach• Predicting consequences and then
doing what is “best” for the most people.• Objective• Follows a “scientific” approach• Is adaptable to new data, ideas• Attempts to be unbiased
Applying Ethical Strategies• CASE STUDY #1 (p. 40): Do you, as PR director, release
information about the closing of the site that disposes of your medical waste?
• CASE STUDY #2: Do you, as PR director, include a photograph in a recruitment brochure that has been altered to include people who were not in the original photo but who definitely are part of your target public?
Applying Ethical Strategies• CASE STUDY #3 (pp. 42-43): • Evaluate “Dr. Evan Bowen’s” research question: “How many more
unfavorable stories do the news media publish and air about [CANDIDATE X] than about her opponents?”
• Evaluate Dr. Bowen’s research methodology: He codes the content of the news stories himself, nor does he define what he means by “favorable” or “unfavorable” stories.
• The media report the results of Bowen’s study. Is this ethical?
Applying Ethical Strategies• CASE STUDY #4 (pp. 44-45): • Carol Gilligan found that girls hide their unique understanding of
human relations to “protect themselves” from patriarchy and, thus, sabotage their chances to succeed, especially in science and math.
• The American Association of University Women (AAUW) commissioned a study in 1991 to prove that girls were being shortchanged in the classroom.
• Was this ethical?
(http://diverseeducation.com/article/14655/)
Applying Ethical Strategies• CASE STUDY #5 (p. 47):• You work for a PR agency that has been hired by a tobacco
company to promote sales. You are aware that there is scientific evidence linking smoking to cancer.
• You recommend creating a “grassroots” group titled “The Advancement of Sound Science Coalition” (TASSC) to advocate for “sound science,” arguing that the EPA yields to special interests.
• You argue that the same “junk science” used to discredit Alar, additives, etc., is now being used against tobacco.
Applying Ethical Strategies• CASE STUDY #6• You work for a PR agency that has been hired by a natural gas
company to promote this fuel as a “better” alternative to oil and coal. You are aware that there is scientific evidence questioning the safety of fracking as a technique for extracting the gas.
• You recommend creating a “grassroots” group and an ad campaign to promote natural gas as a “clean fuel.”
• No coercion• Informed consent• No deception• Internal validity: Measuring what you say you are• External validity: Results are generalizable to the specific
• People (often wearing PR mantel) paid by industrialists to stop meddling by “do-gooders” such as “consumer advocates, government regulators, progressive politicians” (p. 46)• 1920s: lead• 1950s: chemical• 1960s: asbestos• 1970s: plastics & oil• 1980s & 1990s: tobacco• 1990s & 2000s: energy
Seven tobacco CEOs testify before Congress in 1994 that tobacco is not addictive.
Using Databases• Relational databases organize information using:• Fields (single piece of data, such as year)• Records (complete sets of fields)• File (tables of records)