Missouri State University

5 Steps to an Ethical Decision

Matthew Church and Anthony Robinson (2006), while appreciating the dialog regarding ethical decision making and the ethical principles, found that the actual steps in making an ethical decision were not clear nor addressed in most ethics discussions. The following is a quotation of the five step method for resolving ethical concerns created by Church and Robinson (2006).

  1. The advisor should consider the issue on its own and try to identify and deconstruct the issue to allow for analysis…starting with a blank slate.
  1. The advisor, having broken down the issue, should look at what is best for the student and the institution.
  1. The third step involves consideration of utility. An advisor should attempt to find what action would lead to the greatest good for the greatest number.
  1. By quantifying the positives and negatives of the situation the advisor has a better chance of evaluating the situation. The fourth step allows for a comparison of the possible ethical good of a decision.
  2. The decision, ultimately, is made by the advisor. While consulting colleagues is feasible, the advisor has to answer to the student and decide what is best for the student, the institution, and the advisor.