Resources for Educators & Students

OverviewS

A light snow falls on the Abraham Lincoln statue in front of Bascom Hall at the University of Wisconsin-Madison during winter on Dec. 28, 2015. (Photo by Jeff Miller/UW-Madison)

ETHICS IN A NUTSHELL

Ethics in a Nutshell provides an overview of ethics and journalism ethics. It identifies the major approaches to ethics and models of ethical reasoning. The nature of ethics, range of ethics, theoretical and applied ethics, and types of theories are discussed.

Soon to be legacy, rows of card catalogue drawers are pictured in the Memorial Library at the University of Wisconsin-Madison on March 29, 2012. in May 2012, the library will remove the last of its card catalogues, completing a quarter-century transition to an online record system for books, journals and more. One row of built-in cases will remain as part of a historic display. More than 100 cases are being sold through UW Surplus With A Purpose (SWAP), and 6,700 drawers of cards are being recycled. (Photo by Jeff Miller/UW-Madison)

Digital Media ethics

Digital Media Ethics deals with the distinct ethical problems, practices and norms of digital news media. Digital news media includes online journalism, blogging, digital photojournalism, citizen journalism and social media. It includes questions about how professional journalism should use this ‘new media’ to research and publish stories, as well as how to use text or images provided by citizens.

Lake Mendota and the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus, including Alumni Park and the Memorial Union Terrace, are pictured in an early morning aerial taken from a helicopter on Oct. 23, 2018. (Photo by Bryce Richter /UW-Madison)

GLOBAL MEDIA ETHICS

Global Media Ethics addresses development of a comprehensive set of principles and standards for the practice of journalism in an age of global news media. New forms of communication are reshaping the practice of a once parochial craft serving a local, regional or national public.

On Dec. 2, 2010, international correspondent for the New York Times Anthony Shadid (center) speaks to a group of journalism students in a Vilas Hall classroom at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Shadid is a UW-Madison alumnus and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner. (Photo by Bryce Richter / UW-Madison)

THE SHADID CURRICULUM

The Shadid Curriculum draws from the journalism of those who have won or been named a finalist of the Anthony Shadid Award for Journalism Ethics, and encourages student journalists to place themselves in the position of making difficult journalistic decisions.

Teaching Ethics

Logo for the "Media Ethics Division" of the Association for Educators of Journalism and Mass Communication

These teaching resources, which are compiled by the Media Ethics Division of the AEJMC (Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication), cover a broad range of materials for teaching media or journalism ethics, including advertising, public relations and entertainment ethics.

Case Studies

Title/Link	Author
Media Ethics Initiative Case studies covering digital ethics, journalism ethics, free speech and much more	Scott Stroud
The Tweeting Camp Counselors Hypothetical w/ camp counselors making damaging, false statements on Twitter about their employer	Deb Silverman
PR Ethics Case Scenarios Seven different scenarios where students take on the PR role	Marlene S. Neill & Katie R. Place
The Smell Test Learning how to "smell out" good journalism	John McManus
Arthur Ashe and the Invasion of Privacy Ashe is pushed to reveal his AIDS diagnosis due to media pressure	Thomas Bivins
Media Heroism Turned On Its Head: The Real Manning Scandal Reflections on news media abandoning a source	Edward Wasserman
First Cases Activities for use first-day without theories or tools	Jack Breslin
Case Study Teaching Plan Prompt for making a 5-8 page paper and presentation assignment	Barbara Reed
Media Ethics Case Studies Four ethical quandaries	Allyson Beutke DeVito
News Dilemma Apply the Poynter Ethics Tool to a case study	Kristen Alley Swain
PR Case Study PR Crisis at the Chamber of Commerce (how open is too open)?	Carrie Packwood Freeman
Web Marketing Case Study Hiding your identity when mentioning your company on blogs	Carrie Packwood Freeman
Advertising Case Study Should "feminist political views" get in the way of getting a PR client?	Carrie Packwood Freeman
Doing Case Studies, The Value of Sticking With It Choose a case at the beginning of the semester and keep returning to it	Jay Black

Syllabi

Title/Link	Author
Communication Law & Ethics	Joan Conners
Combined Law & Ethics	Jack Breslin
Sustainable Brands	Erin Schauster
Media Law & Ethics	Nicole Kraft
Media Ethics	Lee Wilkins
Mass Media Ethics & Social Issues	Kristen Alley Swain
The Meaning of (Virtual) Life	Sandra Borden
Media Ethics & Issues	Patrick Plaisance
Communications Ethics Seminar	Wendy Wyatt
Communications Ethics Seminar	Virginia Whitehouse
Professional & Research Ethics in Communication	Kati Tusinski Berg
Media Ethics	Maggie Patterson
Ethics & Issues in Mass Communication	Jan Leach
Communication Ethics	Sandra Borden

Class Activities

Title/Link	Author
Media Ethics Student Portfolios Collection of students' personal code of ethics across disciplines	Michael Bugeja
The Monster Exercise Spotting the "monster" in news media	Paulette D. Kilmer
Code of Ethics Study a variety of codes of ethics and develop your own	Keith Herndon
Personal Code of Ethics Write a personal code of ethics for your ideal job	Deborah Dwyer
Ethics in the News Present on a news topic that happened in the last seven days	Deborah Dwyer
Case Study Grading Rubric Criteria, scale and rubric for grading	Ann Auman
Media Ethics Class Group Activity Choose a medium (e.g., TV, radio) and discuss how well they covered an event	Bill Babcock
Creating a Class Case Portfolio Choose a profession you'd like, find two cases in that field and write about them	Ginny Whitehouse
Join Listserv Joining two different classes online	Thomas Cooper
Advocacy Communication Using empathy and reflection in ethics	Jacqui Lowman
PollEverywhere For instant class polling	Wendy Wyatt
Falling Man Documentary for discussion	Paulette Kilmer
Comic Books in the Classroom Basic theory and well-known philosophers in comic book format	Thomas Bivins
Media Non-Transparency Summary on non-transparency and two hands-on activities	Katerina Tsetsura
Ethics in the Workplace Roleplay Role play activity for up to four groups	Jack Breslin
Learning the Language of Interviews Interview and transcribe to think through plagiarism	Michael Longinow
Who Doesn’t Like Chocolate? A way to increase class participation	Norman Lewis
Sociology of Journalism & Media Ethics Contextualize ethics with the sociology of journalism	Dane Claussen
Teaching Potter’s Box Pairing Potter's Box framework with a movie	John Williams
Media Ethics Goes to the Movies "Issue spotting" in movies	Jane Kirtley
Teaching Agenda: Mentoring Method One use of the socratic method	Beverly Merrick
International Approach Making a Model U.N. to consider ethics from international perspectives	Tom Cooper
Ethical Evaluation of Campaign Ads Assessing real-life campaign ads	Lois Boynton
What Do We Mean by an Ethical “Value”? Reflections on value	Jack Breslin
Engaging with SPJ Code of Ethics Applying the code of ethics to real-life scenarios	Stephanie Bluestein
Truth Journal Journal on how often you lie/feel lied to	Donica Mensing
Ethics of Quote Approval Learn and assess application of quote approvals	Mike McDevitt
Ethical Implications of Empathic Listening Role play to understand importance of empathic listening	Mike McDevitt
Media Ethics Assignment Paper Paper prompt for researching "ethics"	Jacquelyn Lowman
Brass Check Presentations Read a chapter of "Brass Check" and make a group presentation	Ryan Thomas
What Would Aristotle Do? Students summarize a philosopher and bring handouts to class	Jacqueline Marino
Intensive Case Studies Capstone team project to assess case studies around a topic	Jane Singer
Z-Five Card Writing Personal reflection and prompting exercise	Beverly Merrick
Case Study Project Choose a real-world scenario/interview those around it	Kim Walsh-Childers
Journalist Interview Assignment Interview a journalist about their real-life ethical decision-making	Kim Walsh-Childers
Ethics Bowl Team-based exercise around an ethics case study	Sandra Borden
Ethics Issue of the Day Partners present on a current communication ethics issue to the class	Wendy Wyatt
Ethical Profile Profile a communication professional about an ethical issue, paper and presentation prompt	Wendy Wyatt
PR Role Plays Role play exercises for up to six groups	Jack Breslin
Use of Influence Tactics Introduce students to influencing tactics, powerpoint slides included	Marlene S. Neill & Katie R. Place

Teaching Resources

Title/Link	Author
Teaching Tips & Tools	Presenters from the Media Ethics and Mass Communication & Society division (2018)
Entertainment - The X Factor in your Media Ethics Course	Sandy Borden
Before Teaching Ethics, Stop Kidding Yourself	Gordon Marino
True, False, Both, Neither? Using Documentary Film in Teaching Journalism Ethics	Stephanie Craft