https://www.amazon.com/Principles-Information-Ethics-Richard-Severson/dp/1563249588

Information Ethics Casework. (15% of the course) Purpose of Assignment: The purpose of this assignment is to familiarize new Master of Library Science (MLS) students with basic principles of information ethics; provide opportunities for student-student interaction in a small group learning activity; and to enable students to learn and use a model for ethical decision-making.

Assignment Learning Objectives: In this assignment, the student will:

• work in teams following guidelines.
• apply principles of information ethics to assigned, authentic cases in libraries
• and/or information agencies.
• articulate and apply the Severson model for ethical decision-making to an assigned information ethics case.

For this assignment, you will be broken into groups and assigned an ethical case to discuss, analyze, and ultimately resolve. You should proceed along the following steps in completing the assignment:

1. Using Severson’s model for ethical decision making, analyze and discuss the ethical dilemma by getting the facts of the case straight
2. Identify the moral dilemma at the heart of your case
3. Next, evaluate the dilemma using the four principles of information ethics. As a reminder, these are: 1) respect for intellectual property, 2) respect for privacy, 3) fair representation, 4) nonmaleficence (reread Severson, if needed, to see what is meant by these terms).
4. Finally, imagine taking your handling of the decision to the New York Times for all to see. Does this change your thinking at all, as regards the decision you reached? If so, how? If not, why not?

After you complete these steps, you should then consider the additional questions listed at the bottom of your particular case and answer them as needed (some questions overlap with issues that you will no doubt resolve in Severson’s steps outlined above).

Write up the results of your investigation by writing a 2-3 page paper (one inch margins, Times New Roman, 12 point font, double spaced), detailing your answers and the steps you took in your case, highlighting any disagreements or tensions the group experienced in reaching their decision.

In addition to having one group member submit the assignment through the assignments tab as a word document, you should post your ethical case to Canvas in the discussion board to a thread I designate for that purpose. Each student should substantively comment on TWO ethics assignments from other groups and consider: do you agree with how the group handled the dilemma or not? If yes, why? If not, why not? The ethics assignment is due April 30, 2017. Please be sure to have commented on other groups by May xx, 2017.

Information Ethics Case: Students will work in peer groups and, using Severson’s model for ethical decision-making, will develop a solution/decision to a particular ethical dilemma to be determined during the second class weekend. Groups will submit recorded presentations of their individual ethics cases which will then be viewed by all students in the course. The final part of the assignment calls for students to submit detailed feedback on each case to the different assigned groups. More details to follow.

Severson, R. J. (1997). The principles of information ethics. Armonk, NY: M. E. Sharpe.

Questions: How can I be certain to use information ethically and responsibly?

Answer: Make sure to follow four principles of information ethics. Know what questions to ask and anwswer.

The Principles of Information Ethics by Richard J. Severson, 1997, Applied to Current Information Issues

• Respect of Intellectual Property - Respect for intellectual property means that we must ask and answer: Example: Is it okay to download music without paying? (grades 5-6)

Example: To what extent does the creator or publisher of information control the copying and use of that information by others? (grades 7-12, post-secondary )

• Respect for Privacy - Respect for privacy means that one’s personal identity must be protected. We must ask and answer: Example: Is it okay to look at my classmate’s grades and tell someone else? (grades 5-6)

Example: Is it okay to use someone’s private information (residence, money, health record, books checked out from the library, etc.) without their permission? (grades 7-1, post-secondary)

• Fair Representation - Fair representation means one must be able to trust what the seller says the product is and that it will function as advertised. If not, it is expected that the manufacturer will make it right. Example: My new t-shirt tag states that it can be washed in warm or hot water. I washed it in hot water and it shrank. I think the tag mislead me. (grades 5-6)

Example: My cell phone book states that my phone will send text pictures. I have followed the instructions but I am not able to send text pictures. I think the book/manufacturer mislead me. (grades 7-12, post-secondary).

• Nonmaleficence - means doing no harm. We must never do anything that might contribute to the decline of another person’s life or affairs.

Example: Applied to today’s students, nonmaleficence means that it is never OK to use Internet-based social utilities such as e-mail, Facebook, MySpace, or YouTube in ways that can cause harm to others.

Example: I snapped a picture with my phone of my friend with mud on his face and posted it on Facebook? Should I care? (grades 5-6)

Example: I made a video of the football team party and posted it on YouTube. Some of the people who were there did not have permission to attend. Should I care? (grades 7-12, post-secondary)

Reference Severson, R. J. (1997). The principles of information ethics. Armonk, NY: M. E. Sharpe.