Ethical Journalism
Grade 9•45 minutes•ELAGSEJ.LE1 Understand and be able to apply the principles behind the Society of Professional Journalists’ (SPJ) official code of ethics:
ELAGSEJ.LE1.a To seek truth and report it.
ELAGSEJ.LE1.b To do no harm.
ELAGSEJ.LE1.c To act independently.
ELAGSEJ.LE1.d To be accountable and transparent
Learning Objective
I can apply the SPJ Code of Ethics to analyze ethical dilemmas that journalists might face.
Practice Questions
This lesson includes 7 practice questions to reinforce learning.
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1. Define "ethics" in the context of yearbook journalism. How does it guide your decisions differently from school rules?
2. The SPJ Code of Ethics includes seeking truth, minimizing harm, acting independently, and being accountable. Which of these do you think is most important for a yearbook journalist at a private Christian school, and why?
3. Your yearbook team wants to digitally alter a photo to remove a student's soda can. Is this ethical? Why or why not? What SPJ principle applies?
...and 4 more questions
Educational Video
SPJ #Press4Education: Media Ethics
Society of Professional Journalists