{"id":94,"date":"2022-03-08T13:50:57","date_gmt":"2022-03-08T13:50:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/speechcomm\/chapter\/ethics-in-public-speaking\/"},"modified":"2026-07-21T16:33:40","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T16:33:40","slug":"ethics-in-public-speaking","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/speechcomm\/chapter\/ethics-in-public-speaking\/","title":{"raw":"3.3 Ethics in Public Speaking","rendered":"3.3 Ethics in Public Speaking"},"content":{"raw":"
\r\n

3.3 Ethics in Public Speaking<\/h2>\r\n

Practicing Ethical Public Speaking<\/h3>\r\nOne of the most important ethical responsibilities of a public speaker is to present information honestly. Although speakers may not deliberately lie, they can still mislead an audience by exaggerating claims, omitting important facts, distorting evidence, or presenting opinions as established facts. These practices weaken trust between the speaker and the audience. Ethical speakers rely on credible evidence and sound reasoning rather than deception or manipulation.\r\n\r\nHonesty also requires transparency about where information comes from. Speakers should evaluate sources for accuracy, expertise, currency, purpose, and possible bias. Sources with undisclosed interests or misleading claims should be avoided. Using reliable evidence strengthens a speaker\u2019s credibility and helps ensure that the audience receives accurate information.\r\n\r\nCiting sources is a critical part of ethical speaking. Whether quoting directly, paraphrasing an idea, summarizing research, or referring to statistics, speakers must clearly identify where the information originated. Failing to acknowledge a source may constitute plagiarism, which occurs when someone presents another person\u2019s words, ideas, or creative work as their own. Plagiarism can damage a speaker\u2019s credibility and may result in academic or professional consequences.\r\n\r\nSpeakers should avoid three common plagiarism traps:\r\n
    \r\n \t
  1. Using direct quotations without attribution.<\/strong> When using another person\u2019s exact words, clearly identify the speaker or author and the source.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Paraphrasing or summarizing without credit.<\/strong> Rewriting information in your own words does not remove the responsibility to cite the original source.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. Misrepresenting secondary sources.<\/strong> When possible, locate and cite the original source rather than implying that you personally reviewed research found only through another publication.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nEthical speakers build trust by being accurate, transparent, fair, and respectful of intellectual property. These responsibilities apply not only to academic speeches but also to presentations in workplaces, communities, and public settings.\r\n
    \r\n

    Public Speaking Ethics Checklist<\/h3>\r\n<\/header>\r\n
    \r\n\r\nInstructions:<\/strong> For each statement, select true<\/em> or false<\/em>. An ethical speech should allow you to answer false<\/em> to every statement.\r\n
      \r\n \t
    1. I knowingly included information in my speech that is false or misleading.<\/li>\r\n \t
    2. I attempted to persuade the audience by using unnecessary emotional manipulation instead of sound evidence and reasoning.<\/li>\r\n \t
    3. I failed to clearly cite information, quotations, statistics, or ideas taken from other sources.<\/li>\r\n \t
    4. I do not know who created my sources or why those sources should be considered credible.<\/li>\r\n \t
    5. I developed the speech only around my own interests without considering the audience.<\/li>\r\n \t
    6. I did not consider the audience\u2019s needs, expectations, knowledge, or concerns.<\/li>\r\n \t
    7. I altered or omitted facts to make my argument appear more persuasive.<\/li>\r\n \t
    8. I used language that may be discriminatory, demeaning, or harmful toward a group of people.<\/li>\r\n \t
    9. My goal is to manipulate the audience rather than allow listeners to make an informed decision.<\/li>\r\n \t
    10. I presented personal opinions as though they were established facts.<\/li>\r\n \t
    11. I did not clearly distinguish between facts, interpretations, and opinions.<\/li>\r\n \t
    12. I included information shared by a friend or colleague that should have remained private.<\/li>\r\n \t
    13. I used information that a source provided off the record or in confidence.<\/li>\r\n \t
    14. I did not consider how audience members might use the information after the speech.<\/li>\r\n \t
    15. I did not consider the possible short-term or long-term consequences of my message.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nScoring:<\/strong> For ethical purposes, every response should be false<\/em>. Any statement marked true<\/em> identifies an issue that should be corrected before the speech is delivered.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

      Conclusion<\/h3>\r\nEthical public speaking depends on a commitment to honesty, transparency, fairness, and respect for other people\u2019s ideas. By presenting accurate information, evaluating sources carefully, and clearly citing borrowed material, speakers strengthen their credibility and build trust with their audiences.\r\n\r\nAvoiding plagiarism and manipulation is not only an academic requirement. It reflects integrity and responsibility in communication. Ethical speakers recognize that words can influence attitudes, decisions, and behavior. They therefore strive to inform and persuade in ways that are truthful, fair, respectful, and supported by credible evidence.\r\n

      Licenses and Attribution<\/h3>\r\n

      CC Licensed Content, Original<\/h4>\r\nSpeech Communication<\/em> was created by Lana Iapicco and Marie Torres. Independently created original and AI-assisted content developed specifically for this book is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License<\/a>, except where otherwise noted.\r\n\r\nThis educational material includes content generated or revised with the assistance of large language models. Lana Iapicco and Marie Torres reviewed, edited, and take responsibility for the final published content.\r\n

      CC Licensed Content, Previously Shared<\/h4>\r\n\u201cEthics in Public Speaking\u201d<\/strong> is adapted in part from \u201c5.2 Ethics in Public Speaking\u201d<\/a> by Douglas Marshall, James Yeargain, June Pulliam, Sara Kim, and Victoria VanNest, published in It\u2019s About Them: Public Speaking in the 21st Century<\/a><\/em> by LOUIS: The Louisiana Library Network.\r\n\r\nThe source material is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License<\/a>. The material was revised, reorganized, condensed, updated, and supplemented with original and AI-assisted content for this edition.\r\n\r\nThe Public Speaking Ethics Checklist<\/strong> is adapted from the checklist included in the LOUIS chapter. Its wording, organization, instructions, and presentation were revised for this edition.\r\n\r\nAdapted portions derived from this source, including revisions to those portions and the adapted checklist, are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License<\/a>. Independently created portions developed specifically for Speech Communication<\/em> are licensed under the book\u2019s Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License<\/a>, except where otherwise noted.\r\n

      Additional CC Licensed Content<\/h4>\r\n

      Credibility, ethical research, plagiarism, and source citation<\/strong><\/h5>\r\nAdditional material was adapted from \u201cEthics in Public Speaking\u201d<\/a> in Public Speaking as Performance: Practicing Public Speaking in the Theatre & Performance Classroom<\/a><\/em> by Mechele Leon, Renee Cyr, and Jonah Greene, published by the University of Kansas Libraries.\r\nLicense: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License<\/a>.\r\nChanges: The material was condensed, paraphrased, reorganized, updated, and integrated with other content for this edition.\r\n\r\nPortions adapted from the University of Kansas source, including revisions to those portions, remain licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License<\/a>.\r\n

      Third-Party References and Links<\/h4>\r\nLinked webpages, scholarly publications, professional resources, trademarks, and other third-party materials referenced in this section remain the property of their respective authors, publishers, organizations, and copyright holders. Their inclusion as citations, links, examples, or intellectual foundations does not place the underlying materials under the Creative Commons licenses applied to Speech Communication<\/em>.\r\n\r\nUnless a separate license is specifically identified, third-party content may not be copied, redistributed, or adapted independently of the permissions provided by its copyright holder or applicable law.\r\n\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"
      \n

      3.3 Ethics in Public Speaking<\/h2>\n

      Practicing Ethical Public Speaking<\/h3>\n

      One of the most important ethical responsibilities of a public speaker is to present information honestly. Although speakers may not deliberately lie, they can still mislead an audience by exaggerating claims, omitting important facts, distorting evidence, or presenting opinions as established facts. These practices weaken trust between the speaker and the audience. Ethical speakers rely on credible evidence and sound reasoning rather than deception or manipulation.<\/p>\n

      Honesty also requires transparency about where information comes from. Speakers should evaluate sources for accuracy, expertise, currency, purpose, and possible bias. Sources with undisclosed interests or misleading claims should be avoided. Using reliable evidence strengthens a speaker\u2019s credibility and helps ensure that the audience receives accurate information.<\/p>\n

      Citing sources is a critical part of ethical speaking. Whether quoting directly, paraphrasing an idea, summarizing research, or referring to statistics, speakers must clearly identify where the information originated. Failing to acknowledge a source may constitute plagiarism, which occurs when someone presents another person\u2019s words, ideas, or creative work as their own. Plagiarism can damage a speaker\u2019s credibility and may result in academic or professional consequences.<\/p>\n

      Speakers should avoid three common plagiarism traps:<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Using direct quotations without attribution.<\/strong> When using another person\u2019s exact words, clearly identify the speaker or author and the source.<\/li>\n
      2. Paraphrasing or summarizing without credit.<\/strong> Rewriting information in your own words does not remove the responsibility to cite the original source.<\/li>\n
      3. Misrepresenting secondary sources.<\/strong> When possible, locate and cite the original source rather than implying that you personally reviewed research found only through another publication.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Ethical speakers build trust by being accurate, transparent, fair, and respectful of intellectual property. These responsibilities apply not only to academic speeches but also to presentations in workplaces, communities, and public settings.<\/p>\n

        \n
        \n

        Public Speaking Ethics Checklist<\/h3>\n<\/header>\n
        \n

        Instructions:<\/strong> For each statement, select true<\/em> or false<\/em>. An ethical speech should allow you to answer false<\/em> to every statement.<\/p>\n

          \n
        1. I knowingly included information in my speech that is false or misleading.<\/li>\n
        2. I attempted to persuade the audience by using unnecessary emotional manipulation instead of sound evidence and reasoning.<\/li>\n
        3. I failed to clearly cite information, quotations, statistics, or ideas taken from other sources.<\/li>\n
        4. I do not know who created my sources or why those sources should be considered credible.<\/li>\n
        5. I developed the speech only around my own interests without considering the audience.<\/li>\n
        6. I did not consider the audience\u2019s needs, expectations, knowledge, or concerns.<\/li>\n
        7. I altered or omitted facts to make my argument appear more persuasive.<\/li>\n
        8. I used language that may be discriminatory, demeaning, or harmful toward a group of people.<\/li>\n
        9. My goal is to manipulate the audience rather than allow listeners to make an informed decision.<\/li>\n
        10. I presented personal opinions as though they were established facts.<\/li>\n
        11. I did not clearly distinguish between facts, interpretations, and opinions.<\/li>\n
        12. I included information shared by a friend or colleague that should have remained private.<\/li>\n
        13. I used information that a source provided off the record or in confidence.<\/li>\n
        14. I did not consider how audience members might use the information after the speech.<\/li>\n
        15. I did not consider the possible short-term or long-term consequences of my message.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Scoring:<\/strong> For ethical purposes, every response should be false<\/em>. Any statement marked true<\/em> identifies an issue that should be corrected before the speech is delivered.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

          Conclusion<\/h3>\n

          Ethical public speaking depends on a commitment to honesty, transparency, fairness, and respect for other people\u2019s ideas. By presenting accurate information, evaluating sources carefully, and clearly citing borrowed material, speakers strengthen their credibility and build trust with their audiences.<\/p>\n

          Avoiding plagiarism and manipulation is not only an academic requirement. It reflects integrity and responsibility in communication. Ethical speakers recognize that words can influence attitudes, decisions, and behavior. They therefore strive to inform and persuade in ways that are truthful, fair, respectful, and supported by credible evidence.<\/p>\n

          Licenses and Attribution<\/h3>\n

          CC Licensed Content, Original<\/h4>\n

          Speech Communication<\/em> was created by Lana Iapicco and Marie Torres. Independently created original and AI-assisted content developed specifically for this book is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License<\/a>, except where otherwise noted.<\/p>\n

          This educational material includes content generated or revised with the assistance of large language models. Lana Iapicco and Marie Torres reviewed, edited, and take responsibility for the final published content.<\/p>\n

          CC Licensed Content, Previously Shared<\/h4>\n

          \u201cEthics in Public Speaking\u201d<\/strong> is adapted in part from \u201c5.2 Ethics in Public Speaking\u201d<\/a> by Douglas Marshall, James Yeargain, June Pulliam, Sara Kim, and Victoria VanNest, published in It\u2019s About Them: Public Speaking in the 21st Century<\/a><\/em> by LOUIS: The Louisiana Library Network.<\/p>\n

          The source material is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License<\/a>. The material was revised, reorganized, condensed, updated, and supplemented with original and AI-assisted content for this edition.<\/p>\n

          The Public Speaking Ethics Checklist<\/strong> is adapted from the checklist included in the LOUIS chapter. Its wording, organization, instructions, and presentation were revised for this edition.<\/p>\n

          Adapted portions derived from this source, including revisions to those portions and the adapted checklist, are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License<\/a>. Independently created portions developed specifically for Speech Communication<\/em> are licensed under the book\u2019s Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License<\/a>, except where otherwise noted.<\/p>\n

          Additional CC Licensed Content<\/h4>\n
          Credibility, ethical research, plagiarism, and source citation<\/strong><\/h5>\n

          Additional material was adapted from \u201cEthics in Public Speaking\u201d<\/a> in Public Speaking as Performance: Practicing Public Speaking in the Theatre & Performance Classroom<\/a><\/em> by Mechele Leon, Renee Cyr, and Jonah Greene, published by the University of Kansas Libraries.
          \nLicense:           Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License<\/a>.
          \nChanges: The material was condensed, paraphrased, reorganized, updated, and integrated with other content for this edition.<\/p>\n

          Portions adapted from the University of Kansas source, including revisions to those portions, remain licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License<\/a>.<\/p>\n

          Third-Party References and Links<\/h4>\n

          Linked webpages, scholarly publications, professional resources, trademarks, and other third-party materials referenced in this section remain the property of their respective authors, publishers, organizations, and copyright holders. Their inclusion as citations, links, examples, or intellectual foundations does not place the underlying materials under the Creative Commons licenses applied to Speech Communication<\/em>.<\/p>\n

          Unless a separate license is specifically identified, third-party content may not be copied, redistributed, or adapted independently of the permissions provided by its copyright holder or applicable law.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"menu_order":3,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":["liapicco","mtorres54"],"pb_section_license":"cc-by-nc-sa"},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[61,62],"license":[57],"class_list":["post-94","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry","contributor-liapicco","contributor-mtorres54","license-cc-by-nc-sa"],"part":87,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/speechcomm\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/94","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/speechcomm\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/speechcomm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/speechcomm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/speechcomm\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/94\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1891,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/speechcomm\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/94\/revisions\/1891"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/speechcomm\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/87"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/speechcomm\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/94\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/speechcomm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=94"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/speechcomm\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=94"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/speechcomm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=94"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/speechcomm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=94"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}