372 Part 4 Public Speaking
Cause–Effect Pattern
With the cause–effect pattern, you attempt to organize the message around
cause-to-effect or effect-to-cause relationships. That is, you might move from
a discussion of the origins or causes of a phenomenon (for example, rising
fuel costs) to the eventual results or effects (increases in the cost of airplane
tickets). You can also work in reverse, starting with a description of present
conditions and then examining apparent or possible causes. The choice ofTHINK
ABOUT
THIS❶ Just how flawed is
your data? Is it possible
that the improvements to
the lot really have had an
impact on crime at that
specific location? How
might you find out?
❷ What other ideas might
you propose in order to
ensure that dog attacks
don’t happen again? How
can you ensure that only
responsible dog owners
use the park? What kind
of evidence would you
seek to support your pro-
posals?
❸ Bearing in mind that a
child has been injured, is
it possible that the park
really should be closed?
What kind of research
should you conduct to
obtain unbiased informa-
tion on how dog runs like
Central Bark impact public
safety?The Ethics of Using Research
Six years ago, you and a group of dog-loving friends and neighbors cleaned
up an abandoned lot and created “Central Bark,” a public dog run. With the
help of an online fund-raising campaign and the city’s permission, members
of the group installed fences, lighting, benches, and a fountain and orga-
nized volunteers to ensure the site is clean and cared for. But a few weeks
ago, a child was bitten by a dog while walking near the park. Now local
residents are concerned that the park is a danger to public safety; there
have been calls to ban all dogs from the space. In hopes of keeping the dog
run open, your group has asked you to come up with a few key arguments,
backed up with solid research, to present to the local civic association at its
next meeting.
Like others in the neighborhood, you want to keep dangerous animals
out of the park, but you also know that this is the first incident in or around
the park since the organization began managing the dog run, and the dog
involved was unleashed and outside of the dog run when the event occurred.
You also know that although the animal’s owner did make use of the dog run,
he is not a member of your group and did not have the dog licensed or up to
date on its shots.
You believe that the dog run is a valuable part of the neighborhood, not
only because it provides pet owners with an enclosed place to let their dogs
play but also because, before your group created its partnership with the
city, the park was an unused, derelict lot. Going through old news cover-
age, you find that prior to the dog run opening, the lot was a known location
for drug transactions and the site of several assaults. There have been no
such crimes recorded there since your group took over the lot six years ago.
You are delighted by these statistics and believe that they prove that the
improvements your group made to the lot—including the addition of lighting,
fences, and increased foot traffic—have actually made the area safer than it
was before. But then read further statistics that show that, during the same
time frame, drug-related crimes have plummeted across the board in your
town—not only at the lot location. You are pretty sure that if you just present
the data for the location, you may be able to persuade the board to keep
the park open, but you also know that your data may be flawed. What do
you do?EVALUATINGCOMMUNICATIONETHICS