Angela stared at her computer screen, a half-finished article about grief support resources awaiting completion. As the communications coordinator for Highland Memorial Gardens, she was committed to providing genuinely helpful information to families navigating loss. But something about this piece felt incomplete, despite covering all the essential topics.
After reading through her draft again, she realized what was missing: attribution. While she had incorporated valuable statistics about grief trajectories and insights about memorial planning, she hadn’t acknowledged where this information originated. The piece presented these facts as if they materialized from nowhere.
This revelation led Angela to examine Highland’s entire library of educational materials. She found a consistent pattern: their content, while informative, rarely credited sources. Whether discussing grief psychology (American Psychological Association), cultural funeral traditions (Funeral Consumers Alliance), or end-of-life planning (National Funeral Directors Association), their materials presented information without establishing connections to the broader network of knowledge in which they participated.
"We’re not intentionally claiming others’ work as our own," Angela explained to her colleague Michael. "But by not acknowledging our sources, we might inadvertently be doing exactly that."
Michael, who had worked at Highland for over a decade, seemed puzzled by her concern. "We’re just trying to help families. Does it really matter where the information comes from as long as it’s accurate?"
This question captured a tension present not just at Highland but throughout the funeral service profession—a tension between focusing solely on the information itself versus recognizing the context from which it emerges.
Angela began researching the role of attribution in professional communication. She discovered that attribution serves multiple ethical functions beyond avoiding plagiarism.
Attribution honors intellectual contributions, recognizing that knowledge emerges from a community rather than in isolation. When funeral homes share information about grief without acknowledging the researchers and clinicians (Center for Complicated Grief at Columbia University) who developed these insights, something important is lost in translation.
Attribution provides accountability, allowing readers to evaluate claims based on their sources. For families making significant emotional and financial decisions, this accountability creates necessary transparency.
Attribution demonstrates humility, acknowledging that even experts participate in an ongoing conversation rather than possessing all answers independently.
"Our families deserve the complete picture," Angela concluded. "Including where our information comes from is part of that picture."
With her director’s support, Angela began updating Highland’s educational materials with thoughtful attribution. This wasn’t simply adding citations—it involved fundamentally reconceptualizing their role in the broader ecosystem of bereavement support.
When discussing grief’s physical symptoms, they now acknowledged the grief researchers (National Alliance for Grieving Children) whose work informed their understanding. Their guide to cultural funeral traditions clearly credited the cultural consultants and community organizations (The Order of the Good Death) who had shared these practices. Their pre-planning materials referenced consumer advocacy groups whose recommendations shaped their approach.
This shift wasn’t without challenges. Adding attribution required additional research to identify appropriate sources. Some colleagues worried that acknowledging external authorities might diminish their own expertise in families’ eyes. Writing clearly while integrating attribution demanded more careful composition.
As Highland’s attributed content circulated among families and within the professional community, Angela observed several unanticipated developments.
Families began asking more informed questions during consultations, often referencing the sources mentioned in Highland’s materials. "I read about the dual process model of grief in your handout," one person noted. "Has that been helpful for other families you’ve served?"
Professional connections strengthened naturally. Organizations cited in Highland’s materials occasionally reached out to express appreciation or offer collaboration opportunities. Rather than operating as an island, Highland became more integrated into the broader network of bereavement support.
Staff engagement increased as well. Funeral directors and grief counselors at Highland began suggesting valuable sources from their professional reading, contributing to the organization’s collective knowledge base.
Angela’s experience at Highland illustrates attribution’s significance beyond academic or journalistic contexts. In any field where information influences important decisions—whether financial planning, healthcare, or funeral services—attribution serves essential functions for both information providers and recipients.
For providers like Highland, attribution transforms their role from isolated authorities to ethical participants in a knowledge community. This position ultimately proves more sustainable and credible than attempting to serve as the exclusive source of wisdom on complex topics like grief and memorialization.
For information recipients—in Highland’s case, grieving families—attribution provides necessary context for evaluation. Attribution signals transparency and honesty, qualities particularly crucial during vulnerable life transitions when trust must be established quickly.
Highland’s attribution journey remains ongoing. Questions continue arising about implementation. How much attribution is appropriate in different contexts? How can technical sources be acknowledged in accessible language? How might attribution practices differ across various communication channels?
Rather than seeing these questions as obstacles, Angela recognizes them as opportunities for thoughtful consideration. "Attribution isn’t a checkbox to complete," she often reminds her colleagues. "It’s a commitment to ethical communication that evolves as our understanding deepens."
This perspective applies far beyond funeral service communication. In an information ecosystem increasingly fragmented by competing claims and uncertain credibility, attribution provides essential context for navigating complex realities. Whether in professional articles, social media posts, or everyday conversations, acknowledging the sources of our understanding demonstrates intellectual honesty and invites others into a more transparent relationship with knowledge.
As Angela discovered, attribution isn’t merely about avoiding plagiarism—it’s about participating ethically in our collective creation and sharing of meaning, especially in life’s most challenging moments.
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