Writing Ethics and Copyright Flashcards
7 cards from real CPW practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Writing Ethics and Copyright flashcards as text
A freelance writer copies three sentences verbatim from a published article without attribution and includes them in a client deliverable. This is best described as:
Answer: Plagiarism
Copying verbatim text without attribution constitutes plagiarism, regardless of the source being publicly available.
Under US copyright law, which element is NOT required for a work to receive copyright protection?
Answer: Registration with the Copyright Office
Copyright protection attaches automatically upon creation and fixation; registration is not required but provides legal benefits.
A technical writer is asked by their employer to omit safety warnings from a user manual to save space. The ethical response is to:
Answer: Refuse and document the request, citing reader safety obligations
Professional writers have an ethical obligation to readers' safety that supersedes client convenience, and documenting the request protects the writer.
The doctrine of 'work made for hire' means that:
Answer: The employer or commissioning party owns the copyright
Under work-for-hire doctrine, the employer or commissioning party is considered the legal author and owns all copyrights.
Which of the following best defines 'transformative use' in copyright fair use analysis?
Answer: Adding new meaning, expression, or message beyond the original
Transformative use adds new expression or meaning to the original and is a significant factor courts weigh in fair use determinations.
A content writer discovers their published article was ghostwritten by a colleague who received no credit. What ethical principle does this situation implicate?
Answer: Attribution and authorship integrity
Ghostwriting without disclosure can conflict with authorship integrity, though ghostwriting is legal when all parties agree in advance.
When writing a sponsored article, ethical practice requires the writer to:
Answer: Disclose the sponsorship relationship to readers
FTC guidelines and professional ethics require clear disclosure of material connections between writers and sponsors to avoid deceiving readers.