Properly referencing the introductory statement of the American Counseling Association’s ethical guidelines involves acknowledging the source of the foundational principles that guide professional conduct. One approach involves citing the American Counseling Association (ACA) and specifying that the reference is to the Preamble of the ACA Code of Ethics. The year of the specific code edition should also be included for clarity. For example, a parenthetical citation might appear as: (American Counseling Association, 2014, Preamble). A narrative citation within the text could read: “As stated in the Preamble to the American Counseling Association (2014) Code of Ethics…”
Accurate attribution to the opening statement of ethical guidelines is crucial for several reasons. It gives appropriate credit to the ACA for establishing the core values of the counseling profession. Furthermore, it allows readers to locate the exact source of the information being referenced, promoting transparency and accountability. This practice also reinforces the importance of ethical behavior and provides a basis for understanding the values that underpin the more specific ethical standards outlined in the entire document.Historically, explicit ethical guidelines and their preambles reflect the evolving understanding of best practices and client welfare in the field.
