Ethics

Ethical issues in scientific writing destroy the writer’s ability to persuade the reader to accept the claims he or she is making. Developing a creditable, persuasive argument stems from the development of logos, ethos, and pathos. In my research proposal I developed my own logos by discussing the results of previous research and information this research lacked. Once I provided enough background information I created a logical argument as to how my proposed research would contribute to cancer treatment research. I established my ethos by writing in a professional tone and by providing citations to demonstrate the validity of my topic. In my proposal to a lay audience I developed my pathos by discussing the benefits the research would have on the quality of life of patients undergoing chemotherapy. I developed the logos, ethos, and pathos of my proposal to strengthen my argument and appeal to the motivations of the audience. The only way a scientific writer can persuade the audience to invest in his or her topic of research is through the use of correct ethical appeals. If scientific discovery and writing lack attention to ethics the scientific community will disregard the information and stray away from funding that particular researcher. For example, in the blogs we discussed the ethical issues of Pons and Fleischmann’s work on cold fusion and the ethical issues in The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and evaluated the effects of these issues. The majority of the scientific community discredited the work of Pons and Fleischmann when researchers were unable to duplicate their results and noticed flaws in their data. As a result, their reputations deteriorated and interest in cold fusion decreased drastically. Although the cells taken from Henrietta Lacks have contributed to different fields of research and public health it was not ethical to take her cells without her knowledge or her family’s consent. In the blogs I discussed why it was unethical to take her cells and what methods today’s medical system uses to prevent unethical practices. Ethical practices like patient consent forms are used to protect the medical provider and the patient to guarantee each party is held responsible for their decisions. In my writings I followed ethical practices by using proper citations and used my own logos, egos, and pathos to appeal to the audience.

Annotated Bibliography WRI 116 Matrix Assignment Research Review Presentation Research Review (Final Draft) Research Proposal \