Page 123 - Between One and Many The Art and Science of Public Speaking

90 Part 1 Foundations

relevant information, are the basic materials of rhetoric. Speakers who rely on
“good reasons” value all people and the ethical principles to which they adhere.
Not only does the use of good reasons help ensure that the speaker uses ethical
means, it is also far more likely to be successful in accomplishing the ethical
ends sought by the speaker.

Special Issues for Speakers

As a public speaker, you face some special issues that might not be as relevant in
other communication situations. A speech is a uniquely personal event. Unlike a
written essay, for example, in which the author may be unknown to the reader, a
speaker stands as one with his or her words. In fact, Aristotle said that character
“may almost be called the most effective means of persuasion” possessed by a
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speaker. Five important issues need to be addressed, therefore, because of their
special signifi cance for public speakers: (1) plagiarism and source attribution,
(2) building goodwill and trustworthiness, (3) revealing or concealing true in-
tentions, (4) discussing both sides of a controversial issue, and (5) inducing fear.

Plagiarism and Source Attribution

plagiarism Plagiarism—using the ideas of others and presenting them as your own—is
Using the ideas of others highly unethical. What makes it a particular sin for speakers is that they are
and presenting them as jeopardizing their most important asset—their character. Few students begin
your own.
their speech assignment intending to plagiarize. But other pressing assignments,
poor time management, sloppy note-taking, or just plain laziness often intervene.
Students are tempted to use someone else’s words or ideas without credit, assum-
ing that no one will be the wiser. The consequences of such behavior can be se-
vere. An example from the authors’ own experience illustrates what can happen.
One of our teaching associates (we’ll call him Jack) was ill and asked another
TA ( Jane) to cover his class. It happened that one of the students in Jack’s class
was the roommate of a student in Jane’s. When Jane heard the same speech
in Jack’s class that she had heard earlier in the week in her own section, bells
went off. Of course, it turned out that one roommate had appropriated the other
student’s speech. The plagiarizer was caught red-handed, but it didn’t end there.
The original speech writer was guilty of aiding and abetting the roommate. Both
students had to face disciplinary action from the university as well as failure in
the class.
Although it’s true, of course, that this act might have gone undetected had
Jack not become ill, this is not the only way plagiarism is discovered. At our uni-
versity, and we suspect this is true at others as well, professors often talk about
speeches they have heard in class. In fact, every speech at our university is re-
corded on videotape. Over the years, we have discovered several instances of pla-
giarism. Each time the students have been shocked and repentant. They have
come to realize that they have put their college careers at risk for a few extra
points on a speech. The negative consequences of plagiarism are not confi ned to
students. Plagiarism can also destroy a reputation or even a career.
How can you avoid plagiarism? First, you need to recognize that there are
varying degrees of the offense. Because plagiarism is a form of intellectual theft,