Chapter 3 Test Bank
3.1 Multiple-Choice Questions
1. What is the line a public relations practitioner must walk on a daily basis?
A) To ethically communicate while being an advocate for a client or organization
B) To tell only what the company wants told while making sure the public feels
informed.
C) To stay just inside the law.
D) To make sure people on both sides get what they want.
2. Most professional membership groups believe that the primary purpose of establishing
codes of ethics is
A) enforcement.
B) education and information.
C) as a “warning signal.”
D) boosting membership totals.
3. Which of the following is NOT listed as codes for conduct in PRSA’s code
of ethics?
A) advocacy
B) expertise.
C) dependence.
D) loyalty
4. Many practitioners are limited in their professionalism by a
A) situationalist perspective.
B) biased media corps.
C) “technician mentality.”
D) low budget.
5. The major effort to improve standards and professionalism in public relations
worldwide is
A) publicizing membership opportunities in professional membership groups.
B) continuing education.
C) accreditation.
D) licensing.
6. To receive the “APR” designation as being accredited by PRSA, a person must
A) have earned significant local and national honors for their work in the field.
B) have a terminal degree in public relations from an accredited university.
C) pass a rigorous written and oral examination.
D) have worked in at least three different PR-type settings, with 10 years minimum
experience.
7. What is the best-known think tank for public relations?
A) The Institute for Public Relations
B) PRSA
C) IABC
D) The PR Management Database
8. Even if a bribe is intended or not, the sending of gifts to media representatives is
almost always considered
A) prudent when trying to boost lagging sales or image.
B) bribery to get favorable media coverage.
C) a potential boost in media coverage, despite perceived unseemliness.
D) breaking the law.
9. When is it ok to say “no comment,” along with an explanation?
A) No comment is always a viable option
B) When there are mitigating circumstances surrounding an event
C) When there is now way to be honest
D) When the practitioner is trying to hide something
10. Examples such as Kathleen Turner point to organizations that fail to understand the
need for
A) transparency/disclosure.
B) sound media relations.
C) bottom-line values.
D) research.
11. A common complaint about public relations codes of ethics is that
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12. Which one of the following is a hallmark of public relations professional?
A) a sense of dependence
B) a concern for corporations’ reputation, no matter what happens
C) a high loyalty to the employer of the moment
D) a sense of responsibility to society
13. Which of the following is a “careerist” value?
A) the prestige of the organization.
B) a concern for the PR profession.
C) serving the public interest.
D) a sense of responsibility to society.
14. Special/corporate interest groups are most likely to fund
A) ethical councils.
B) nonprofit initiatives.
C) citizen’s groups.
D) grassroots lobbyists.
15. What word might be associated with a front group?
A) deceptive
B) ethical
C) transparent
D) utility
16. “We chose this plan because it would benefit the majority of you, and harm the
fewest” would be an example of using this perspective:
A) Marxist.
B) absolutist.
C) unilateral.
D) utilitarian.
17. If you would feel that things were either absolutely “right” or absolutely “wrong” you
would fall into which orientation?
A) Marxist
B) Kantian
C) unilateral
D) Plato’s
18. Which of the following is NOT one of the five prerequisites for a profession like
public relations, according to C. V. Narasimha Reddi, editor/publisher of Public
Relations Voice?
A) education
B) literature
C) training
D) management
19. Two out of five Arabic-language journalists will use news releases if accompanied by
a(n)
A) gift.
B) politician’s endorsement.
C) disclaimer.
D) English version.
20. “Paying for play” refers to a practice that is used in
A) India.
B) Japan.
C) Russia.
D) China.
1. According to a utilitarian approach, the ends justify the means as long as they cause the
least harm.
2. Society expects public relations practitioners to take on a role differentiation, as an
advocate (as journalists would be considered objective).
3. Fairness is a core value stipulated by PRSA.
4. Magazines, in particular, are increasingly blurring the line between news features and
advertisements.
5. The licensing of public relations professionals is likely to be initiated in the near
future.
6. To become accredited by the PRSA with the designation of “APR,” one must have at
least 10 years of experience in the field and have demonstrated some significant
achievements.
7. It is more ethical for the public relations counselor to say “no comment” to a difficult
question, than to stretch the truth for organizational gain.
8. In terms of gender, PRSA’s membership is now primarily male
9. Virtually all public relations codes of ethics begin with the duty to tell the truth.
10. Although gift giving is considered unethical in the United States, other nations
have different standards.
3.3 Essay Questions
1. Of PRSA’s core ethical values of public relations (advocacy, honesty, expertise,
independence, loyalty, and fairness), which do you believe is the most important value to
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2. In order to be a professional adviser for PRSSA, one must have the “APR” designation
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