“Is This Ethical?” New Data on the Ethical Principles and Practices of Document Design

Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Apr 2026

“Is This Ethical?” New Data on the Ethical Principles and Practices of Document Design

Leslie Seawright; Amy Hodges; Timothy Ponce

Abstract

This study revisits Sam Dragga’s research on ethical decision-making in document design, updating it to reflect contemporary concerns. Our findings indicate that participants today perceive the document design scenarios as significantly more unethical than those in Dragga's original study, with heightened attention to accessibility, cultural sensitivity, and social justice. While Dragga's study emphasized concerns over the consequences of document design choices, our results suggest a shift in focus toward the writer's intent. Participants frequently judged deliberate manipulation as unethical, even in cases where no direct harm was evident. These findings highlight the evolving ethical priorities in technical communication and underscore the need for practitioners and educators to reassess and revise the field's guiding principles to align with contemporary values of inclusivity and social responsibility.

Journal: Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Published: 2026-04-01
DOI: 10.1177/00472816251342582
Topics: multimodality technical communication disability studies multilingual writers

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