As a teaching panel we have decided to narrow the range of things that students need to focus on. From our point of view this approach to exam preparation ensures that students engage deeply with the subject matter, by having

As a teaching panel we have decided to narrow the range of things that students need to focus on. From our point
of view this approach to exam preparation ensures that students engage deeply with the subject matter, by having
the motivation to explore particular cases and in great depth. From your point of view it should give you greater
peace of mind going into the exam, because if you have prepared good answers to each of these restricted
questions, then you can be sure to not only pass, but in all likelihood do well. However, we do put a caveat on this
approach. That is, we will not give any students assistance with the particular cases and question examples listed
here. For example, should a student come to one of us for help in applying the ACS Code of professional Conduct
to a case study, we will gladly do so, except that we will not do so for any of the three cases listed here.
As seen in the sample exam, Part 1 asks the following of you…
PART 1 – The ACS Code of Professional Conduct and Ethical Theory (30 marks)
This session we have restricted the cases to the following three (3). One of these will appear in the exam.
We encourage you to prepare for all three.
1. Rahul works for a small business developing apps. His latest app, which he developed to make it easier for
friends to catch up over coffee, was a huge success and Rahul’s company received a Creativity Award from
Apple. However, during an interview with SBS TV, Rahul’s boss took all of the credit for the development of
the app, and Rahul received no credit for his work.
2. Consider an HCI consultant with extensive experience in evaluating web sites and graphical user interfaces
(GUI). She has just received an evaluation contract for a new accounting product made by Company A due to
her prior experience with e-commerce site evaluation. The work involves assessing the training requirements
and the usability of the system. During the initial configuration of her usability laboratory she becomes aware
that that software she is to evaluate contains a GUI already patented by a rival Company B, which she
evaluated several weeks before. Under her contractual arrangements she is not allowed to discuss the
evaluation of a product with anyone outside the contract. She therefore has an obligation to Company B not to
provide information regarding their product to anyone else without their permission. She has a similar
obligation to Company A. Can she continue with the evaluation? If she cannot continue with the evaluation
how does she inform Company A of the patent violation? Does she have an obligation to let company B know
Company A has copied their GUI?
3. Company X has just signed a business agreement with Company Y, which entitles both of them to access
each other clients’ records. Mr. Faisal, a software programmer at Company Z, was assigned the task of
developing a software program that handles the access and retrieval of records from each Company’s
database system into the other. A first run of the software on real data indicated that the work was well within
the state of the art, and no difficulties were found or anticipated. Several weeks later and during a normal test
on the software developed, Faisal discovered a serious ‘security hole’ in the database system of Company Y
by which hackers can easily obtain confidential information about clients. He was convinced that while the
software he developed could correctly accomplish the task, the code in Company Y’s database system could
not be trusted as the security hole posed a threat even on Company X’s database system. Faisal told his
manager about the problem and explained its significance. The manager’s response was, “That’s not our
problem; let’s just be sure that our software functions properly.” Faisal is not sure what to do. Refusing to
work on the project means disobeying his manager’s orders. Continuing to work on the project, means
disobeying one of God’s commands, this requires him to be truthful and sincere in his dealings.
Question 1. ACS Code of Professional Conduct (20 marks)
What is the action in this case study that is raising an ethical issue? (2 marks)
What is wrong with the action (from an ethical point of view)? (2 marks)
Who is responsible for that action? (2 marks)
Who is affected by that action? (2 marks)
What is the effect of that action on the person affected? (2 marks)
Which of the following values of the ACS Code are relevant to the above case study? (5 marks)
How the values you identified are relevant to the above case study? (5 marks)
The values of the ACS Code are:
1. The Primacy of the Public Interest
2. The Enhancement of Quality of Life
3. Honesty
4. Competence
5. Professional Development
6. Professionalism
Question 2. Ethical Theory (10 marks)
We ask the students to analyse the above case study using either two or four classical ethical theories. So,
it is always from the four classical ethical theories such as utilitarianism, deontology, virtue and contract.
PART 2 – Short Answers (40 marks)
There will be four questions covering anything in the syllabus. Questions may come from the
textbook end of chapters review questions so you are encouraged to attempt them in the
Discussion Forum.
PART 3 – Essay (30 marks)
This session we have restricted the essay topics to the following three (3). One of these will appear in the
exam. We encourage you to prepare for all three.
Q7. Write an essay on the following:
1. Driverless cars raise several ethical dilemmas especially concerning human lives. Even though driverless
cars are equipped with sensors, cameras, radars and collision avoidance systems, to name a few, that can
make them capable of stopping at short notice, driverless cars still need some time to stop. Imagine a
scenario in which a driverless car could not stop and a crash was unavoidable. Which ethical values should
have been embedded in it to enable it to make ethical decisions regarding which human lives to save and
which human lives to sacrifice?
2. Elsevier Press is a prestigious academic publisher, headquartered in the Netherlands. Noted for its quality
publications in science and mathematics, Elsevier publishes approximately 2,000 journals and roughly
20,000 books. Some of its journals, such as The Lancet and Cell, are highly regarded. However, many
scientists and mathematicians have been displeased with Elsevier’s pricing and policy practices, which they
believe restrict access to important information. In 2011, distinguished mathematician Timothy Gowers (of
the University of Cambridge) organized a formal boycott of Elsevier Press. As of August 2015, the boycott
has collected close to 16,000 signatures from scholars around the world; they have signed a petition
pledging not to publish in or review manuscripts for Elsevier. The boycott has come to be called “The Cost
of Knowledge.”
3. Decision-making assisted by algorithms developed by machine learning is increasingly determining our
lives. Can transparency contribute to restoring accountability for such systems? Arguments for and against
include issues such as the loss of privacy when data sets become public, the perverse effects of disclosure of
the very algorithms themselves (which can lead to ‘gaming the system’), the potential loss of competitive
edge, and the limited gains in answerability to be expected since sophisticated algorithms are inherently
non-transparent. It is concluded that transparency is certainly useful, but only up to a point: extending it to
the public at large is normally not to be advised. Do you agree?
You must:
? Present an introduction (or background) to your topic and your essay (5 marks).
? Compare and contrast professional ethics from other types of ethics (10 marks).
? Include examples of professional Codes of Ethics to support your answer (5 marks).
? Present a conclusion that briefly outlines your point of view (5 marks).
? Ensure that your essay is well written and structured (5 marks).
You are not required to include any references in your essay, but where applicable you should cite relevant
researchers to support your arguments. State any assumptions before you start writing your essay.