Misconduct in Engineering Lab Classes and how it is Related to Engineering Ethics

By Nsilo Greene

Engineering ethics is one the most important aspects of an engineering lab class. Engineering
ethics is the field of applied ethics and system of moral principles that apply to the practice of
engineering. The field examines and sets the obligations by engineers to society, to their clients, and to the
profession. As a scholarly discipline, it is closely related to subjects such as the philosophy of science, the
philosophy of engineering, and the ethics of technology. When misconduct occurs these very important
engineering ethics are compromised
Codes of engineering ethics identify a specific precedence with respect to the engineer's
consideration for the public, clients, employers, and the profession. Here are some of the ethics engineers
must be held too:
1.

Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public and shall strive to
comply with the principles of sustainable development in the performance of their professional

duties.
2. Engineers shall perform services only in areas of their competence.
3. Engineers shall issue public statements only in an objective and truthful manner.
4. Engineers shall act in professional matters for each employer or client as faithful agents or
trustees, and shall avoid conflicts of interest.
5. Engineers shall build their professional reputation on the merit of their services and shall not
compete unfairly with others.
6. Engineers shall act in such a manner as to uphold and enhance the honor, integrity, and dignity of
the engineering profession and shall act with zero-tolerance for bribery, fraud, and corruption.
7. Engineers shall continue their professional development throughout their careers, and shall
provide opportunities for the professional development of those engineers under their
supervision.
Misconduct in engineering lab class can occur one of three ways: The first is fabrication, which
is making up data or results and recording or reporting them. People do this most of the time to save time

by not doing the work. The second is falsification, which is manipulating research materials, equipment
or processes, or changing or omitting data or results such that the research is not accurately represented in
the research record. When this is done it is usually for the purpose of making the data look better than it
actually does. The third and final is plagiarism, which is the appropriation of another person's ideas,
processes, results, or words without giving appropriate credit. Stealing others work is frowned upon in all
forms of disciplines.
The engineering ethics are very specific about the way engineers must conduct themselves.
When misconduct occurs these ethics are compromised and the engineer cannot be trusted. When in a lab
class setting the future engineers are putting themselves in the position to fail, be expelled and they are
sacrificing safety. Safety is an issue that has to be respected at all times. Not respecting safety can
endanger the engineering student, the equipment and the other engineering students in the lab classroom
environment.
Therefore engineering ethics are very important to the engineering environment. Misconduct
compromises these ethics. When these ethics are compromise there are many issues that occur, including
the loss of trust in the engineering community.

Reference:
http://www.engr.utexas.edu/ethics/free/conduct/perspectives/6227-forms-of-misconductdefinitions-and-discussion