OVERVIEW: In this assignment, you will write a personal code of ethics. In the code of ethics, you will state your professional goals and the ethics that guide you. This should be about 1-2 pages and at least 300-400 words..
ASSIGNMENT: Perhaps you’ve heard the quote, “If you don’t know what you stand for, you’ll fall for anything.” Your personal code of ethics is your own statement of what you stand for, establishing a set of principles that guide your decision making and behavior. It serves as a moral compass, helping you navigate challenging situations with integrity and purpose. Including a personal code of ethics in a job application package can demonstrate to potential employers a candidate’s commitment to ethical conduct and values alignment.
This assignment can help you during interviews and throughout your professional career, as you are more likely to make ethical decisions that align with your personal values, and it can help prepare you for interview responses.
It stands as a written document of what you believe in, what you are willing to devote your time and energy to, and what you value. In times of conflict and confusion, it can serve as a Touchstone for you to review, grounding you in your own personal code of ethics.
Your personal code of ethics will include:
A personal ethical statement naming three values.
At least 3-4 sentences of support for each value statement.
At least 3-4 sentences aligning each value with your professional goals.
At least three references to academically appropriate articles with appropriate and correct APA citations and references.
In order to foster learning and growth, all essays you submit must be newly written specifically for this course. Any plagiarized or recycled work will result in a Plagiarism Detected alert. Review this tutorial for more about plagiarism and the Plagiarism Detected alert: Touchstones: Academic Integrity Guidelines. For guidance on the use of generative AI technology, review Ethical Standards and Appropriate Use of AI.
A. Directions
Step 1: Prep Your Paper
1. Identify three personal values, reflecting on your beliefs about what is most important in life to you. You want to answer this question to yourself: “What kind of world do I want to live in?” Describing how you want the world to be can lead you to what actions are required to attain it, and what values motivate those actions. Consider what principles guide your decision making and what you prioritize above all else. These will be the main ideas of your paper.
2. Once you have a clear understanding of your values, compose a personal ethical statement. This will become the thesis statement for your paper. For example, if you believe in honesty, integrity, and compassion, you might write, “I value honesty and always strive to speak the truth, act with integrity, and show compassion to others.”
Step 2: Draft Your Paper
1. Write an introduction to your paper that includes the ethical statement you prepared in Step 1. The introduction should engage readers with a compelling hook and communicate the purpose of the statement. For example, if you are seeking a job in finance, you might engage readers with a vision of yourself in five years, working for an investment company that specializes in impact investing.
2. Write 3-4 sentences for each value you described in your ethical statement. Explain why the value is important to you. Be specific and use examples to support your position. You may also use academically appropriate articles to support your positions. (Academically appropriate usually means appearing in a peer-reviewed journal; you may also use non-peer-reviewed articles written by authorities and published in industry standard publications like The Wall Street Journal or The Economist.) For example, if you value honesty, you could cite a study that shows that trust in interpersonal relationships improves worker satisfaction and increases productivity. Use these sources to provide evidence and examples of how your value is important and beneficial. Make sure to properly cite your sources according to the APA citation style, usually with the last name(s) of the author(s) and the year of publication in parentheses.
EXAMPLE
Studies show that organizations with lack of trust are less efficient and less profitable (Columbo & Fletcher, 2020).
3. After describing a value, write an additional 3-4 sentences about how your goals align with that value. As above, you may want to use sources for additional information or support. For example, if you value environmental sustainability, you may have a goal to work for a company with eco-friendly practices. You might cite a study that lists the financial companies with the best environmental ratings and name the top three as the ones where you most want to obtain a position.
4. Write a conclusion to your paper that summarizes your main ideas and ends the paper. In this paragraph, you might describe how your goals and values will help build the world you want to live in.
5. Finally, add the references to the articles you cited in the paper. Be sure to use APA format, usually in the format shown below. Make sure any URLs are correct and do not contain any unnecessary code.
EXAMPLE
Columbo, F. & Fletcher, J. (2020, March 5). The perils of dishonesty in business. Levinson Institute of Economics. http://levinsoninst.org/perils-of-dishonesty.html
Step 3: Review and Revise Your Paper
Review your personal code of ethics to make sure it reflects your values and your professional goals, and that each point receives complete support and resources correctly referenced. The way these points are introduced and organized is up to you, but your paper should be at least 300-400 words, including:
An introduction that includes your ethical statement, which names three values that are important to you.
3-4 sentences describing why the first value is important to you.
3-4 sentences describing how your professional goals align with this value.
3-4 sentences describing why the second value is important to you.
3-4 sentences describing how your professional goals align with this value.
3-4 sentences describing why the third value is important to you.
3-4 sentences describing how your professional goals align with this value.
A conclusion recapping your main points.
