Topic outline

  • Ethics: Avoidance of Confirmation Bias in Professional Practice

    Credits: 4 PDH

    PDH Course Description:

    This course explores the intersection of engineering ethics and cognitive bias, with a focus on confirmation bias and its influence on engineering judgment, decision-making, and professional responsibility. 

    Engineers are ethically obligated to safeguard public health, safety, and welfare by making objective, evidence-based decisions. However, confirmation bias can subtly distort the design process, risk evaluation, reporting, and peer review. Through case studies, ethical frameworks, and practical methodologies, this course equips engineers with strategies to recognize and counteract bias, ensuring integrity in professional practice.

    Topics:

    Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

    • Understand the principles of engineering ethics as defined by major professional societies and licensing boards.
    • Define confirmation bias and explain how it manifests in engineering decision-making.
    • Recognize ethical risks associated with biased judgment, including misrepresentation of data and compromise of public safety.
    • Apply structured ethical reasoning and decision frameworks to counteract confirmation bias.
    • Evaluate real-world case studies where confirmation bias influenced engineering outcomes.
    • Develop practical strategies for promoting objectivity in analysis, reporting, and peer review.

    To take this course:

    1.) Enroll in Course: Click below to enroll:
    (must be logged into your user account)


    2.) Study: Once enrolled, click below to begin the course:

    Download the Study Guide

    3.) Test: Once you've thoroughly read the course materials, please click below to take the final examination.

    Take the final exam

    4.) Certificate: A passing grade of 70% or higher on the exam, is required to receive the certificate of completion for this PDH course.

    Important – Payment is required prior to printing of your certificate of completion.

    We operate on a trust-based model. You are welcome to complete Steps 1 through 3 to fully review the course material at your leisure. 

    When you are ready to download and print your Certificate of Completion, we ask that payment has been completed for either the Unlimited Plan or individual PDH credit(s). Clicking the download button below serves as your digital confirmation that payment has been made.

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    Print the Certificate of Completion

    Intended Audience: This course is intended for engineers across disciplines such as civil, mechanical, electrical, and systems engineering who are responsible for design, analysis, reporting, and peer review. It is particularly suited for professionals seeking to strengthen ethical decision-making, and reduce bias in technical judgments where objectivity and ethical integrity are critical. 
    Publication Source: MondoScience Courseware

    Jeelan Moghraby, PhD, MBA

    • Topic 1