Introduction to PR Research #2: Ethics, Library Research & Databases

1. 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

2. PRSA Code of Ethics • Advocacy • Honesty • Loyalty • Independence • Fairness • Expertise (http://mediatechpr.com/2010/09/21/rt-prnewser-prsa-code-of-ethics-celebrates-10-years/)

3. 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 (http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2011/10/city_council_to_crash_smu_ethi.php)

4. 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? (http://www.roncastle.com/photography-tennessee.htm

5. 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? (http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2011/05/03/162589/rick-santorum-endorses-ryan-plan-end-medicare/

6. 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/)

7. 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. • Is this ethical? (http://stopsmokingaidstoday.com/2011/11/25/stop-smoking-aids-coupons/)

8. 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.” • Is this ethical? (http://earthfirstnews.wordpress.com/2011/11/10/oil-executive-calls-anti-fracking-movement-an-insurgency-applies-psy-ops/

9. Ethical Treatment • No coercion • Informed consent • No deception • Internal validity: Measuring what you say you are • External validity: Results are generalizable to the specific public • Reliability: Results can be replicated • IRB: Institutional Review Board (http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/10/01/guatemala.syphilis.tuskegee/index.html)

10. Professional Obfuscators • 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. (http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/pdf/10.2105/AJPH.2007.114124)

11. Using Databases • Relational databases organize information using: • Fields (single piece of data, such as year) • Records (complete sets of fields) • File (tables of records) • Queries (Structured Query Language, or SQL) http://computer.howstuffworks.com/question599.htm)

12. Searches • Keywords • Boolean operator functions (p. 72) (http://www.automation-drive.com/what-is-boolean)

13. Scholarly Sources • Communication Journals (p. 60) • Google • Google Scholar • Google Alerts • Search Engine Optimization (SEO) (http://lunaticadesnuda.blogspot.com/2008/03/gatorate-tiger-tiger-woods-own-gatorade.html)